Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) is the main airport in the Netherlands and is about 15 km from the center of Amsterdam.
It’s a very busy airport; in fact, it’s the third busiest airport in Europe and the tenth busiest worldwide.
However, it is surprisingly well organized and a regular on the list of the best airports in the world!
Some of the airlines that use this airport as a base are KLM, Delta Airlines, Transavia and Vueling, but with so many flights a day, it’s perfectly possible that you’ll end up here one day, even if it’s just for a stopover.
So, in this article I’m going to share the information I’ve gathered both from trips I’ve made to Amsterdam and from times when Amsterdam Airport Schiphol was just a stopover on a longer flight.
Additionally, if you ever find yourself spending the night at the airport due to an early flight, I’ll offer some valuable tips to make your stay more comfortable.
Flights and Airlines at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
There are currently 102 airlines using Schiphol Airport, covering destinations in Europe, Africa, America and Asia.
- Aegean Airlines
- Aer Lingus
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Aeromexico
- Air Arabia Maroc
- Air Astana
- Air Austral
- Air Canada
- Air Dolomiti
- Air Europa
- Air France
- Air India
- Air Mauritius
- Air New Zealand
- Air Serbia
- Air Transat
- airBaltic
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- ANA
- Arkia
- Austrian Airlines
- Azul
- British Airways
- Brussels Airlines
- Bulgaria Air
- Cathay Pacific
- China Airlines
- China Eastern
- China Southern
- Corendon Airlines
- Copa Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- easyJet
- Egyptair
- EL AL
- Emirates
- Ethiopian Air
- Etihad Airways
- EVA Air
- Finnair
- FLYONE
- flynas
- Garuda Indonesia
- Georgian Airways
- GOL
- Gulf Air
- Icelandair
- Iberia
- Iberia Express
- IndiGo
- ITA Airways
- Japan Airlines
- JetBlue
- Kenya Airways
- KLM
- KM Malta Airlines
- Korean Air
- Kuwait Airways
- LAM
- LATAM Airlines
- LOT
- Lufthansa
- Malaysia Airlines
- MIAT Mongolian
- Neos Air
- Norwegian
- Norwegian Air International
- Oman Air
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Pegasus Airlines
- Porter Airlines
- Qantas Airways
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian
- RwandAir
- Ryanair
- SAUDIA
- Scandinavian Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- Sky Express
- SriLankan Airlines
- SunExpress
- Surinam Airways
- SWISS
- TAAG
- TAP Air Portugal
- TAROM
- Thai Airways
- Transavia
- TUI Nederland
- Turkish Airlines
- United Airlines
- Vietnam Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- Virgin Australia
- Vistara
- Vueling
- WestJet
- XiamenAir
How do I get from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to the city center?
Although there are buses running between Schiphol Airport and the center of Amsterdam, the train is the fastest and cheapest solution.
This is because there is a train station inside the airport, called Schiphol Airport.
To get to the center, buy your ticket at one of the ticket machines and take the train to Amersfoort Centraal (it’s usually on Platform 3, but check to make sure you’re going in the right direction).
You can expect a journey of around 10 minutes to the city center, and the ticket costs €4.20, although you will need to pay the value of the smart card, which costs €1.
What’s more, you can top up the same card on the way back.
But if you’re traveling with more people, each one needs a separate ticket. So it might even be cheaper to go to the center of Amsterdam by Uber or cab.
I’ll explain how Uber works at Schiphol Airport in more detail later, but when it comes to taking a cab to the center of Amsterdam, note that the cab rank is just outside the airport and there are signs pointing you in the right direction.
Bear in mind that it’s a bit more expensive to take a cab to the center compared to Uber, as you should expect a fare of around €50.
In any case, it’s a transport option from the airport to the center of Amsterdam that you should consider.
Everything you need to know before traveling to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Is there Uber at Amsterdam Airport?
Yes, there is Uber at Amsterdam Airport. The pick-up point for passengers is at Gate B, just after landing.
To find the Uber, follow the signs on the rent-a-car, go through the train station inside the airport and out onto the street.
Once outside the airport, you’ll find the sign that identifies where the Uber cars stop.
The cost of an Uber from the airport to the center is around €20 and the journey takes around 20 minutes.
Extra tip: if you have any trouble finding the right place, try to find the Sheraton Hotel, as it’s more or less in the same location.
How many airports are there in Amsterdam?
Schiphol Airport is the closest airport to Amsterdam, around 15 km from the city center.
However, there are two other airports in the region, such as Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM), about 73 km from Amsterdam, and Eindhoven Airport (EIN) about 120 km away.
How many terminals does Schiphol Airport have?
Schiphol Airport has one terminal divided into three zones, namely Boarding 1 which refers to Schengen Gates B, C and D; Boarding 2 at Gate E and Boarding 3 at Gates F, G, H/M. Is that confusing?
I understand, and to put it simply, the boarding area depends on the airline and the destination of the flight, for example, flights outside the Schengen Area are in a separate area for passport control.
So when you arrive at the airport, it’s best to check at the information panels which gate your flight will be boarding at.
And in order to have enough time to get to the boarding gate, it is generally recommended that you arrive at the airport two hours in advance for flights within the Schengen area, and three hours for other flights.
Is it worth renting a car at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol?
The answer depends on a number of factors, such as whether you’re only planning to visit Amsterdam or whether you want to explore the country.
So, if you’re just going to visit the city, I don’t think it’s worth renting a car.
However, the Netherlands is relatively small and it is very easy to drive in this region, not only within the country, but also in neighboring countries.
For example, it’s perfectly possible to visit Belgium and the border towns of Germany when you’re in the Netherlands.
So my recommendation is that if you have extra time, rent a car at the airport and explore the Netherlands and perhaps Antwerp (160 km) in Belgium, Düsseldorf (233 km) in Germany or Aachen (235 km), on the border between three countries: Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
👉 See how much it costs to rent a car at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport!
Is it possible to spend the night at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol?
Yes, it is possible to spend the night at Amsterdam Airport, but you should be careful.
Only passengers with early morning flights the next day are allowed to stay overnight at the airport. After the last flight lands, the lighting is dimmed, and the few remaining open stores close soon after.
Security guards then make their rounds and check the boarding passes and passports of everyone in the airport. If necessary, they wake up people who may be asleep.
I was working on my computer at the time of the patrol and asked if there was anything wrong with me being there, to which the security guard replied that, as long as I had my boarding pass for a flight the next day, there was no problem with me being inside the airport.
What’s more, when it comes to the comfort of spending the night at the airport, or lack of it, you can count on benches where it’s perfectly possible to lie down and sleep.
The lights are dimmed and there is hardly any movement until the first flight of the day arrives, which is usually around six in the morning, so I believe it is possible to sleep relatively comfortably for a few hours.
As I mentioned before, the stores and restaurants are closed at night, including the Schiphol Plaza shopping center which is located in the main building, but the toilets remain open.
Are there hotels near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol?
Yes, there are hotels very close to the airport, and in many cases you can walk there, such as the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center (4 stars) or the Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (4 stars).
However, there are other accommodation options, so I suggest you explore the map below.
Useful Information and Important Contacts
To contact Amsterdam Airport you can call +31207940800 or send them a message on Whatapp.
You May Also Like:
- Best Things do See and Do in Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 5 must-see museums in Amsterdam to include in your itinerary
- A Day-trip to Marken Netherlands: the village and clog factory
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