Venere Travel Blog - It's our business where you sleep!

Schiphol is one of the world’s busiest airports and is often used not just as a gateway to Amsterdam but to all of Europe, especially for passengers flying from the US. Schiphol is also used by many budget airlines such as Easyjet catering to the weekend break market. Getting to and from the city and airport should be easy and straightforward, even for those of us who don’t speak Dutch.

Probably the easiest way to get to or from the airport is by train. The journey takes twenty minutes, costs about four Euros for a single ticket and the trains run to Amsterdam Central Station. The station at the airport is underneath the main concourse hall and make sure you get the right train as the station is very busy with trains running all over Europe. The trains run throughout the day but much less frequently at night so it is best to plan ahead if you have to make the journey in the small hours.

Several local buses run between the city and the airport, the 197, 370 or N72 (at night) are the ones to look out for. The trip takes slightly longer than the train but the tickets are slightly cheaper. However, unless you are seriously trying to save money or happen to be staying alongside one of the routes then the bus makes things more complicated and visitors are recommended to use the train.

As with any large airport there is the option of visitors taking a taxi but it is not recommended. The Amsterdam traffic can be a nightmare, doubling the length of the journey, and the cost can be horrendous, even with a reputable driver. If you have pre-booked a hotel room they may include airport transfers in the price of the room and this is a bonus to look out for as it removes much of the stress of arrival and departure.
There is a hotel shuttle bus that travels between the airport and many of the better hotels in the city centre. This is a good idea if you have a lot of luggage or are less able to make the journey by train. However, it is quite expensive and can be very slow when the roads are busy.

Some people decide to hire a car while they are in Amsterdam although, again, this is not recommended. Leaving aside the environmental concerns about you pumping unnecessary green house gases into the atmosphere, you will almost certainly get lost and spend most of your time sitting in traffic jams getting ever more angry instead of relaxing and enjoying your holiday. If you want to disregard this advice there are car hire desks in the arrival terminal.

Top 3 Hotels in Amsterdam:

Hotel HEM Amsterdam
The Amsterdam Hem Hotel is situated in the Amsterdam fashion district with excellent public transportation facilities.
User rating: 8

Hotel Die Port Van Cleve
Hotel Die Port van Cleve is in the heart of Amsterdam, next to the Royal Palace and close to Dam Square, the canal area and the Central Station. 15% discount if you stay 3 nights!
User rating: 7

Hotel Schipho A4
Hotel Schiphol A4 is conveniently located near the Airport. Hot Deal on double rooms!
User rating: 8

Check out more Amsterdam Hotel Deals and start planning your next shopping in Amsterdam!