The NS train: the simplest option
Schiphol Airport station is built into the terminal: from the arrivals exit, follow the yellow "Trains" signs to Schiphol Plaza, where you will find the ticket machines and the stairs down to the platforms. Trains to Amsterdam Centraal usually leave from platform 3; always check the departure screen, as platforms change during engineering works.
According to NS (Dutch Railways), at least 8 Sprinter trains an hour run from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal via Sloterdijk and Lelylaan, taking about 17 minutes, with Intercity trains on top of that. Other trains serve Amsterdam Zuid, more convenient for the Zuidas business district or the south of the city. On arrival, Amsterdam Central Station leaves you a ten-minute walk from Dam Square, with trams, metro and ferries on the spot.
At night, NS keeps one train an hour running between Schiphol, Amsterdam Centraal and Utrecht Centraal, so you can reach the city even after a late flight.
Ticket prices and ways to pay
A single journey from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal costs €5.50 in 2nd class and €9.90 in 1st class. Three ways to pay the same fare:
- Contactless payment (OVpay): hold your contactless bank card, phone or watch against the reader (pole or gate) before the platform, then again on arrival. This is the easiest option for a foreign visitor.
- E-ticket bought on the NS website or app, with no booking fee.
- OV-chipkaart or OV-pas loaded with credit, if you already have one.
At the ticket machine, your ticket is loaded onto a single-use card with a €1.60 surcharge per single journey, so the same trip then costs €7.10. Children aged 4 to 11 travel on a Railrunner ticket for €2.50 when accompanied by an adult.
Golden rule: always check in and check out with the same card, and use one card per traveller. If you forget to check out, you will be charged a higher fare.
The Amsterdam Travel Ticket
If you plan to use public transport from the moment you land, the Amsterdam Travel Ticket combines the train between Schiphol and Amsterdam with the GVB network (tram, metro, bus): €20 for 1 day, €27 for 2 days and €34 for 3 days. It pays off as soon as you take several trams a day; the full range of GVB tickets is covered in our guide to Amsterdam public transport.
Bus 397 Amsterdam Airport Express and the N97 Niteliner
The 397 Amsterdam Airport Express bus, run by Connexxion, leaves from stop B17 in front of Schiphol Plaza and reaches the centre without changing. It stops at Museumplein and the Rijksmuseum, then Leidseplein and Elandsgracht, taking around thirty minutes to Leidseplein depending on traffic. During the day it runs roughly every 10 minutes.
A single ticket costs €6.50 and a return €11.75. Cash is not accepted: buy an e-ticket online or in the Amsterdam Airport Express app, pay by bank card with the driver, or check in with OVpay using your contactless card.
At night, the N97 Niteliner takes over on the same route, with one departure an hour. It is the alternative to the night train if your hotel is near Leidseplein; see our guide on where to stay in Amsterdam to choose your area with these connections in mind.
Official taxis: a government-capped fare
The taxi rank is in front of Schiphol Plaza, just outside arrivals. In the Netherlands, taxis taken from a rank or hailed in the street charge a maximum fare set by the government. In 2026, for a car carrying up to 4 passengers, the cap is a €4.31 pick-up fee, €3.17 per kilometre and €0.52 per minute; for a minibus for 5 to 8 people, €8.77, €4.00 per kilometre and €0.59 per minute.
For a trip of about 20 km and 25 minutes to the centre, this cap works out at around €80; each company sets its own prices but cannot exceed it. Fares are shown on a card stuck to one of the taxi's windows, and the driver may offer you a fixed price, which must be agreed before setting off. Turn down drivers who approach you in the hall: only get into a taxi from the official rank. Our article on scams and safety in Amsterdam details the traps to avoid on arrival.
Uber, Bolt and other ride-hailing apps
Uber and Bolt operate in Amsterdam. At Schiphol, cars booked through an app do not wait outside the terminal but at a dedicated pick-up area, the App pick-up point in the arrivals passage (Koepelstraat), about a 5-minute walk from Schiphol Plaza: follow the signs from arrivals before booking. Prices are dynamic and rise at peak times, in the rain or during major events; compare the price shown with the train before confirming.
Comparison table
| Option | Time to the centre | Adult fare (October 2026) | Frequency | Drop-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS train | about 15 to 20 min | €5.50 (€7.10 from a machine) | at least 8 an hour by day, 1 an hour at night | Amsterdam Centraal |
| Bus 397 | about 30 min | €6.50 (return €11.75) | roughly every 10 min | Museumplein, Leidseplein, Elandsgracht |
| N97 night bus | depends on traffic | Amsterdam Airport Express ticket | 1 an hour | same route as the 397 |
| Official taxi | depends on traffic | cap of about €80 for 20 km | rank outside Schiphol Plaza | any address |
| Uber or Bolt | depends on traffic | dynamic pricing | on demand | any address |
Prices found in October 2026 on the websites of NS, Connexxion and the Dutch government.
Announced engineering works and disruption
ProRail and NS publish engineering works in advance in the journey planner. Platform-widening works at Amsterdam Centraal stop or reduce services to the central station on some weekends, as from 3 to 5 October 2026. On those nights, the night train may not link Schiphol with Amsterdam Centraal and instead run via Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA to Utrecht, with replacement buses. The network manager has also postponed the remaining works in the Schiphol tunnel to 2028.
During these periods, bus 397 remains the best alternative into the centre. Check your journey the day before, then again on the day.
Getting back to the airport
For the return trip, the train from Amsterdam Centraal remains the most reliable option, with the same fares and the same contactless payment. Allow time to reach the station, find your platform and get through the gates; at rush hour trains are crowded and suitcases get in the way. Bus 397 leaves from Elandsgracht, Leidseplein and Museumplein and drops you in front of the terminal. By taxi, book ahead to get a fixed price, especially for a very early flight.
Further reading
Once in town, our guide to Amsterdam public transport explains the tram, the metro, the free ferries and cycling. To estimate the overall cost of your stay, see also our article on the budget for a trip to Amsterdam.
