How do you get to Amsterdam?
Getting There9.8/10Among the 5% easiest cities to reach
- Main airport
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: schiphol.nl, thetrainline.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- Train from airport is fastest, cheapest, and most reliable option to city center (15-20 min, €3.80)
- Buy public transport tickets online in advance—drivers no longer sell tickets on trams/buses (as of June 2023)
- Schiphol train station is located directly beneath airport terminal for seamless transfer
- GVB day passes offer excellent value compared to other European cities (€6.15–€10 per day)
- Contactless card payment (OVpay) is easiest for occasional travelers—just tap your bank card at readers
- Amsterdam Centraal is a major European rail hub with direct international trains to London, Paris, Berlin, and beyond
- Netherlands is extremely compact; half-day or day trips to other Dutch cities are very accessible
- Most day trips under 1 hour by train. Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is best value if exploring beyond city center
- Ferry from Centraal to Amsterdam Noord is free and frequently used by locals
- Night transport available: 12 night bus routes run midnight–7 AM; metro and some trams run until 12:30 AM
Airport
- Name
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Distance To City
- 18 km
- Distance Description
- About 18 kilometres to the city centre
Primary Transport Options
Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
- Cost
- €3.80
- How to get there
- Train
- Duration
- 15-20 minutes
- Frequency
- 8 times per hour
- Destination
- Amsterdam Centraal Station
- Notes
- Direct underground train station beneath airport terminal. Most reliable and popular option.
Connexxion
- Cost
- €6.50
- How to get there
- Bus (Amsterdam Airport Express 397)
- Duration
- 30 minutes
- Frequency
- 6 buses per hour during day
- Destination
- Leidseplein/Elandsgracht Bus Station
- Notes
- Slightly more expensive than train. Runs 7:20 AM to 12:44 AM daily. Night service (N97) every 30 minutes 1:15 AM to 4:44 AM.
Combined Tickets (Train + City Transport)
Options
Amsterdam Travel Ticket (1-day)
- Cost
- €20
- Includes
- Airport Express Bus 397 or train + unlimited city transport
Amsterdam Travel Ticket (2-day)
- Cost
- €27
- Includes
- Airport Express Bus 397 or train + unlimited city transport
Amsterdam Travel Ticket (3-day)
- Cost
- €34
- Includes
- Airport Express Bus 397 or train + unlimited city transport
Day Trip Access
- Overview
- Netherlands is compact. Most major Dutch cities reachable within 30 minutes to 1 hour by train from Amsterdam Centraal.
- Regional Ticket
- Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket recommended for day trips. Includes transport to nearby villages, beaches, and attractions up to 1-3 days.
Popular Destinations
Haarlem
- Distance
- 15 km
- Travel Time
- 10-15 minutes by train
- Description
- Historic city with canals, windmills, art museums (Frans Hals Museum)
Zaanse Schans
- Distance
- Near Zaandam
- Travel Time
- 17 minutes by bus/train
- Description
- Living museum with working windmills, traditional crafts
Volendam, Marken, Edam
- Distance
- Waterland region
- Travel Time
- 30-45 minutes by bus
- Description
- Picturesque fishing villages, traditional Dutch experience, cheese markets
Utrecht
- Distance
- 45 km
- Travel Time
- 25-30 minutes by train
- Description
- Historic university city, canals, medieval architecture
The Hague (Den Haag) + Scheveningen Beach
- Distance
- 50 km
- Travel Time
- 45-60 minutes by train
- Description
- Political capital, Peace Palace, beach resort
Zandvoort Beach
- Distance
- 23 km
- Travel Time
- 30 minutes by train
- Description
- North Sea beach, popular seaside resort
Rotterdam
- Distance
- 80 km
- Travel Time
- 38 minutes to 1 hour by train
- Description
- Modern architecture, Cube Houses, Markthal, port city
Bruges (Belgium)
- Distance
- 200 km
- Travel Time
- 2+ hours by train
- Description
- Medieval Belgian city with canals, day trip possible
Keukenhof Gardens
- Distance
- Lisse area
- Travel Time
- 50 minutes by train
- Description
- Europe's largest flower garden (open spring only). Adjacent tulip fields.
Giethoorn
- Distance
- 100+ km
- Travel Time
- 1.5+ hours (complicated connections)
- Description
- Venice-like village with canals, no car access. Best visited as overnight trip.
Delft
- Distance
- 90 km
- Travel Time
- 1 hour by train
- Description
- Historic city, famous blue pottery, Vermeer hometown
Ground Transport
- Bicycles
- Primary transport mode. 32,000+ km of bike paths. Rentals available throughout the city.
Public Transport
- Description
- Excellent network of trams, buses, metro and ferries operated by GVB
Infrastructure
- Buses
- 34 lines plus 12 night routes. Night buses run midnight to 7 AM, departing every 30 minutes.
- Metro
- 5 lines, 39 stops. Runs 6:00 AM to 12:30 AM, typically every 10 minutes.
- Trams
- 15 lines with dense network. Lines 1, 2, 5, 9, 13, 17 are main tourist routes.
- Ferries
- 9 ferry lines. Free service across the IJ river and to Amsterdam Noord.
Ticket Options
GVB Day Ticket (1 Day)
- Cost
- €10
- Coverage
- Unlimited trams, metro, buses, night buses and ferries
- Validity
- 24 hours
GVB Multi-day Ticket (2 Days)
- Cost
- €16
- Coverage
- Unlimited trams, metro, buses, night buses and ferries
- Validity
- 48 hours
GVB Multi-day Ticket (3 Days)
- Cost
- €22
- Coverage
- Unlimited trams, metro, buses, night buses and ferries
- Validity
- 72 hours
GVB Multi-day Ticket (7 Days)
- Cost
- €43
- Coverage
- Unlimited trams, metro, buses, night buses and ferries
- Validity
- 168 hours
OVpay (Contactless Card/phone)
- Coverage
- Pay per trip with debit/credit card or phone
- Cost Per Trip Base
- €1.08
- Notes
- Plus 21.7 cents per km. Daily cap €10.50.
Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (1 Day)
- Cost
- €21
- Coverage
- Unlimited trams, buses, metro in Amsterdam + trains to Volendam, Edam, Marken, Zaanse Schans, Haarlem, Zandvoort, Keukenhof
- Validity
- 24 hours
Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (2 Days)
- Cost
- €28
- Coverage
- Unlimited trams, buses, metro in Amsterdam + regional transport
- Validity
- 48 hours
Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (3 Days)
- Cost
- €35
- Coverage
- Unlimited trams, buses, metro in Amsterdam + regional transport
- Validity
- 72 hours
Domestic
- Hub
- Amsterdam Centraal Station
- Operator
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
- Description
- Second-busiest train station in Netherlands. 11 platforms, 22 domestic routes, serves 250,000 passengers daily.
Major Destinations
10-15 Minutes
- City
- Haarlem
- Frequency
- Multiple per hour
25-30 Minutes
- City
- Utrecht
- Frequency
- Multiple per hour
40 Minutes
- City
- Rotterdam
- Frequency
- Multiple per hour
45 Minutes to 1 Hour
- City
- The Hague (Den Haag)
- Frequency
- Multiple per hour
1 Hour
- City
- Delft
- Frequency
- Regular
International
- Operators
- Eurostar, Deutsche Bahn (DB), Austrian ÖBB, SNCF, NS International
- Description
- Amsterdam is major European train hub with direct high-speed and sleeper connections.
Major Routes
Eurostar (Direct)
- Duration
- 3 hours 41 minutes to 3 hours 57 minutes
- Frequency
- Up to 5 daily
- Destination
- London (St. Pancras International)
- Notes
- New UK terminal at Amsterdam Centraal opened February 2025
Eurostar
- Duration
- 2 hours 59 minutes to 3 hours
- Frequency
- Regular daily service
- Destination
- Paris (Gare du Nord)
Eurocity Direct / Eurostar
- Duration
- 1 hour 32 minutes to 2 hours 8 minutes
- Frequency
- Multiple daily
- Destination
- Brussels (Brussels-Midi/Antwerp)
ICE Trains
- Duration
- Approximately 5 hours 53 minutes
- Frequency
- Daily service
- Destination
- Berlin
ICE Trains
- Duration
- Approximately 3 hours 57 minutes
- Frequency
- Regular service
- Destination
- Frankfurt
Nightjet Sleeper Trains
- Duration
- Overnight
- Frequency
- Regular nightly service
- Destination
- Vienna / Munich / Zurich
European Sleeper (Overnight)
- Duration
- Overnight
- Frequency
- Regular service
- Destination
- Prague / Berlin
Ferries
- Local
- 9 GVB ferry lines within Amsterdam (free with city transport pass). Main service: ferries to Amsterdam Noord from Centraal Station.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this getting there & away research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Amsterdam
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.