Amsterdam: Schiphol Airport to Centraal

[CheesyChips]

Hey guys, I'm over in Amsterdam for the day next week and will need to get from Schiphol airport to Centraal and then back again later in the day.

The person I'm visiting recommends an OV Chipkaart for 1 day. Is this good advice or is there a better value ticket I could buy?

Also, is there a ticket type that leaves me with the ticket at the end of my journeys so I have a little keepsake of Amsterdam i.e not withheld by the barrier at the end of the journey (strange I know).

Thanks!

 

[eastwestdivide]

For just one return journey, I'd suggest the OV Chipkaart isn't worth it - you'd have to pay €7.50 just to get the card, plus load it with enough money to cover the fare (Also, I think there's a minimum amount to load it with, just to be able to use it on the train*).
A normal return Schiphol/Centraal appears to be €8.40 according to 9292.nl, and there's a €1 surcharge for not having an OV card.


*edit: the "boarding fare" for the train is €20 to be loaded onto the card - see https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/travelling/price-list/boarding-fare-and-basic-fare.htm

 

[radamfi]

The Amsterdam Travel Ticket for 15 euros is designed for tourists and includes a day return on the train between the airport and the city centre and unlimited travel on local transport in the city. A day return for the train is 8.40. So if you would otherwise spend 6.60 or more on local transport then the ticket is worthwhile. A day ticket for city transport is 7.50 so the 15 euro ticket is cheaper than a return plus day ticket.

The ticket barriers in the Netherlands are all smartcard operated and so do not "swallow" used tickets. There aren't any at the airport anyway. But you do need to touch in and touch out with any smartcard ticket.

 

[317666]

But you do need to touch in and touch out with any smartcard ticket.

To add to this, you need to touch out on buses and trams as well as trains, unlike in London.

 

[Groningen]

and there's a €1 surcharge for not having an OV card.

So twice.

You can also go to Amsterdam Zuid which is 2,80 + 1 euro one way.

Price daytickets GVB Amsterdam. Time starts with 1 check in.
€ 07,50 1 day (24 hours)
€ 12,50 2 days (48 hours)
€ 17,00 3 days (72 hours)
€ 21,50 4 days (96 hours)
€ 26,50 5 days (120 hours)
€ 30,00 6 days (144 hours)
€ 33,00 7 days (168 hours)

Now i do not know whether you still need a OV-chipkaart to make use of it.

One can also buy for 9 euros a Amsterdam Airport Express return ticket.

More information is here: https://eticket.connexxion.nl/en-US...me=amsterdam-airport-express-e-ticket-retour/

 

[CheesyChips]

This is brilliant advice thanks folks.

The person I'm visiting lives in Amsterdam but doesn't use public transport much so I'm glad I asked.

 

[Shinkansenfan]

The Amsterdam Travel Ticket for 15 euros is designed for tourists and includes a day return on the train between the airport and the city centre and unlimited travel on local transport in the city. A day return for the train is 8.40. So if you would otherwise spend 6.60 or more on local transport then the ticket is worthwhile. A day ticket for city transport is 7.50 so the 15 euro ticket is cheaper than a return plus day ticket.

The ticket barriers in the Netherlands are all smartcard operated and so do not "swallow" used tickets. There aren't any at the airport anyway. But you do need to touch in and touch out with any smartcard ticket.

I was just in AMS, some days based in the city center, other days based at the airport Sheraton (with excellent views of the planes).

It turns out the Amsterdam Travel Ticket is good for unlimited trips between the airport and city center, and is also valid for the airport bus (helpful if going to the south part of the city). The ATT is advertised as providing just a day return ticket--but in actuality provides unlimited trips. This is helpful as there are also multiple day ATT--and the ability to make multiple roundtrips can be helpful if based at the airport.

I asked staff about this--they said this was to prevent folks from taking advantage of taking the train between the airport and city too much!

 

[dutchflyer]

Untill very recently NS-which was very, very sparse on info about it and GVB wrote, that it allowed 1 return and would expire after using the return trip. Later though NS itself-on its own forum, has proclaimed it DOES allow unlimited train travel on and between ALL stations-via various routes, from S'hol airport to ANY Amsterdam station (incl. Duivendrecht, excluding Diemen and Diemen Zuid) and the expiry does not hold-its valid the full days paid for.
Note that GVB itself also has a local bus to the airport, on which of coruse its own tickets are valid. However, its drivers do not sell daytickets anymore.
What is labelled here as ''airportbus'' is in fact NOT the official minibus serving hotels (which was the former KLM bus and very expensive), but the ever more populair Connexxion 197, which now runs ev 10/15 mins with artics to transport the crowds (very populair on sites like TripAdvisor).
In summer time there is usually a stand in the main public area in airport from NS+GVB selling all these tickets and giving advice.
Most tourists seem to stubbornly think one has to go to Centraal and then change-this is nonsense, as most often either that bus or a change at a nearby,thus cheaper station like Lelylaan or Zuid avoids the enormous crowds and shortens the total trip.

 

[Groningen]

Be aware of some rotten apples in the taxi/cab world from Schiphol to Amsterdam. A week ago a driver was caught, when he charged someone 200 euros (155 Pound Sterling) for the ride.

 

[jon0844]

Be aware of some rotten apples in the taxi/cab world from Schiphol to Amsterdam. A week ago a driver was caught, when he charged someone 200 euros (155 Pound Sterling) for the ride.

Post Brexit, are you sure it wasn't €20 Euros but ended up the equivalent of £155?

 

[Groningen]

Just the link should tell you something (everything in fact). Oh; link is shortened. I mean you do not have to know the dutch language this time.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/dft/geld/co...eur_rekent_195_euro_voor_korte_taxirit__.html

 

[CheesyChips]

I completed my journey and even had to make an unexpected trip to Hilversum which was a treat of sorts.

I have to say I was very impressed with NS. Decent trains, plenty of info and they seemed to have developed a concept entirely alien to the UK, having the trains depart at the time advertised

 

[Groningen]

I am not so sure whether you can compare the UK with the Netherlands (or any other european country).

 

[route101]

I have a hazy memory but do trains go 2 routes from the airport to centraal?

 

[Groningen]

No; only 1. There is a nonstop service and 1 that also stops in Lelylaan and Sloterdijk before arriving in Centraal. If in the wrong train tou can exit in Duivendrecht and take from there the train to Centraal; arriving Centraal from the other side.

 

[Blamethrower]

Be aware of some rotten apples in the taxi/cab world from Schiphol to Amsterdam. A week ago a driver was caught, when he charged someone 200 euros (155 Pound Sterling) for the ride.

Ouch, have to say I wouldn't have paid it myself.

When I used to,miss the last train back to haarlem, I would play taxis against each other until one of them would take me home for 40 euros.

Always tried to charge me 60-65, pah

 

[radamfi]

Be aware of some rotten apples in the taxi/cab world from Schiphol to Amsterdam. A week ago a driver was caught, when he charged someone 200 euros (155 Pound Sterling) for the ride.

Was that a "proper" airport taxi or a taxi "tout"? I thought airport taxis were highly regulated, even to the extent that they all drive Tesla electric cars.

 

[route101]

Ouch, have to say I wouldn't have paid it myself.

When I used to,miss the last train back to haarlem, I would play taxis against each other until one of them would take me home for 40 euros.

Always tried to charge me 60-65, pah

Interesting , i never thought taxi touts were big in Holland , only encountered them in SE Europe . Suppose you get them anywhere .
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

No; only 1. There is a nonstop service and 1 that also stops in Lelylaan and Sloterdijk before arriving in Centraal. If in the wrong train tou can exit in Duivendrecht and take from there the train to Centraal; arriving Centraal from the other side.

Ah i see , must be something different . We stayed in Sloterdijk and i recall lower platforms and higher platforms at right angles and using bot to get to Centraal .I ought to look at a map.

 

[gazthomas]

I agree, this is the best option in my view.

The Amsterdam Travel Ticket for 15 euros is designed for tourists and includes a day return on the train between the airport and the city centre and unlimited travel on local transport in the city. A day return for the train is 8.40. So if you would otherwise spend 6.60 or more on local transport then the ticket is worthwhile. A day ticket for city transport is 7.50 so the 15 euro ticket is cheaper than a return plus day ticket.

The ticket barriers in the Netherlands are all smartcard operated and so do not "swallow" used tickets. There aren't any at the airport anyway. But you do need to touch in and touch out with any smartcard ticket.

 

[AlexNL]

Was that a "proper" airport taxi or a taxi "tout"? I thought airport taxis were highly regulated, even to the extent that they all drive Tesla electric cars.

They try to regulate them, but it's not really a success.

Once in a while a tape is played over the PA: "Only use the taxis on the official taxi stand, don't use any taxi that is offered to you." or something like that. It's easy to miss that one, and if you accept the friendly taxi driver's offer he will simply walk you to wherever he has parked his illegal taxi.

Ah i see , must be something different . We stayed in Sloterdijk and i recall lower platforms and higher platforms at right angles and using bot to get to Centraal .I ought to look at a map.

Ah, you were at Sloterdijk! I understand your question then

• From the lower platforms, you can go to Amsterdam Centraal, Haarlem and Zaandam (further to Den Helder). In Amsterdam Centraal, you will usually end up at the 'lower' platforms (platforms 1 - 9).
• From the upper platforms you can go to Amsterdam Centraal and Lelylaan/Schiphol, but you are routed via Isolatorweg and you will usually end up at the 'upper' platforms in Amsterdam Centraal (platforms 10 - 15).
• From the diagonal platforms (the "Hemboog"), you can go to Zaandam and Lelylaan/Schiphol, but not to Haarlem.

 

[Groningen]

Yesterday a taxidriver charged 485 € (380 GBP) for a ride from Schiphol to Amsterdam for Chinese tourists.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I am not so sure whether you can compare the UK with the Netherlands (or any other european country).

The Dutch rail system has a lot in common with what was Network SouthEast, except for that it's a bit more distributed. The operational challenges are very similar, though, and it's similarly a medium-speed EMU railway with relatively simple ticketing. What NS call ICs are not really any more than the Brighton Express or Weymouths.

FWIW, I think the Dutch are closest to us culturally than any other European country. There certainly seems to be very much of a mutual respect between our two countries.

 

[Groningen]

The war between legal and not legal taxidriver is becoming out of control at Schiphol.

Last month your singer Skin (maybe more known in the Netherlands than Britain) had a clash with not the right driver.

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archiv...ment-slammed-by-lead-singer-of-skunk-anansie/

 

[Groningen]

Be aware of some rotten apples in the taxi/cab world from Schiphol to Amsterdam. A week ago a driver was caught, when he charged someone 200 euros (155 Pound Sterling) for the ride.

Remember this story from 1 year ago.

Well; now a taxidriver has been sent to prison/jail for 6 months. He charged for a Schiphol to Amsterdam journey 485 euro (or 400 pounds). Also his car was taken away from him; a Mercedes-Benz Vito valued at 12.000 euro. I have a even worse example, but do not want to hurt the tourism industry of the Netherlands.

 

[fowler9]

Remember this story from 1 year ago.

Well; now a taxidriver has been sent to prison/jail for 6 months. He charged for a Schiphol to Amsterdam journey 485 euro (or 400 pounds). Also his car was taken away from him; a Mercedes-Benz Vito valued at 12.000 euro. I have a even worse example, but do not want to hurt the tourism industry of the Netherlands.

It happens everywhere mate. Had a taxi driver in Warsaw try to charge us £50 to go about a mile. Fortunately the second the cab stopped a mate had the door open so he couldn't lock us in. He threatened and indeed tried to call his mates but we were all out of the cab, told him where to go in Polish (I'm not as green as he thought we all were) and threw more than the journey was worth on his seat. Sorry for taking that off subject. You get good and bad cabbies everywhere, 2 good mates in Liverpool drive Taxis, one of them is actually Polish. Its not just Amsterdam.

 

[radamfi]

The moral is not to use a taxi when abroad. There is usually no need, especially in the Netherlands.

 

[fowler9]

The moral is not to use a taxi when abroad. There is usually no need, especially in the Netherlands.

Ha ha, I tend to agree with that. I hasten to add though that my friends who drive black cabs are good. The rates aren't cheap but they charge what they are meant to. My English friend who drives cabs is one because of the Polish Friend. My English friend was walking home from Liverpool city centre. The person who is one of my Polish friends picked him up and took him all the way home even though my English friend asked him to take him as far as he could for a fiver. I swear neither of them will rip anyone off and if anything they will do things they don't have to.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

I am pleased to hear of this punishment for the taxi driver: perhaps it might be coupled with tougher measures at AMS airport to move illegal taxis on and stop them hovering around the side of the terminal? You must understand that tourists from Asia in particular are sometimes treated very badly but are too polite to complain about it or take it up with the police. But they take their stories back home and give NL a poor reputation for tourism: a shame because most of this country is really welcoming and well set up for it. And legitimate Dutch businesses generate a lot of jobs through welcoming visitors.

 

[sheff1]

The moral is not to use a taxi when abroad. There is usually no need, especially in the Netherlands.

If there is no need it seems strange that Treintaxi (initially) and NS Zonetaxi (currently) aimed directly at train passengers, with through bookings, operate to and from many NS stations (although not Amsterdam or Schiphol).

 

[radamfi]

If there is no need it seems strange that Treintaxi (initially) and NS Zonetaxi (currently) aimed directly at train passengers, with through bookings, operate to and from many NS stations (although not Amsterdam or Schiphol).

Taxis will normally be quicker than waiting for the bus in most towns. Nevertheless, there is usually a bus available to most places you would want to go in the Netherlands. Most main stations have bike hire too.