5h 45m Layover in Amsterdam

your schedule is absolutely fine, and personally, with a boarding card in hand, i wouldn't hesitate to arrive at the airport at 12.30. But that's up to you, how comfortable you are with the risk. If you stick to your schedule you'll be very safe.

Thanks all for the comments.

kathfire, good to know that my baggage will fly with me. I prefer not to encounter the hassle of claiming my baggage in lost and found in Nice airport, if the baggage doesn't fly with me.

elrosso, yeah, I will be bringing my pocket umbrella in my daypack as well in case of rain :)

MTL, as I will already have my boarding pass, I'll see when I arrive whether I can extend 30 more minutes in the city or not.

I have questions about the train ticket from the airport station to Centraal station. I read that there will be ticket machine. Does the ticket machine only accepts Euro coins? I won't have coins at all, as that will be my first landing in Europe. And what about the ticket counters? Will the price be the same when purchasing the ticket on machine and on counter?

Aside from just walking around the city 09.00 - 11.00, are there some attractions which will already be open? Or like a boat cruise along the canal maybe?

Thanks all!

I read that there will be ticket machine. Does the ticket machine only accepts Euro coins?
Yes, annoyingly, even the newer machines only accept Euro coins (if they accept any cash at all, that is), Dutch debet cards and most foreign credit cards. More of a hassle, shops around the train station (and even the ABN Amro bank in the arrival hall, on several occasions) are reluctant to break down euro notes.

Will the price be the same when purchasing the ticket on machine and on counter?
The ticket price is the same, but a €0,50 "service charge" is added when you buy the ticket at the counter.

a boat cruise along the canal
Lovers ([http://www.lovers.nl/en/tickets-and-prices/day-canal-cruise/]), Holland International ([http://www.hir.nl/en/highlights-cruise]) and P. Kooij ([http://www.rederijkooij.nl/index_en.html]) all offer 1-hour cruises leaving from the square/construction site in front of Amsterdam Centraal. First departure for all three is at 10 a.m., so you'll get back to Centraal at 11 a.m., which should be early enough to get back to Schiphol in time.

Assuming you have one hour to play with before the cruise starts, a stroll around the Jordaan area ([
http://www.jordaanweb.nl/indexcom.htm]) would be a nice way to stretch your legs. If you head to the other direction from Amsterdam Centraal, the Red Light District, although mostly visited for its late-night attractions, has some of the most interesting architecture in the city.

Thanks for the info, Aribo.

I guess, 0.50 euro of service charge is not so bad. Also, will check out the cruise option that you mentioned.

You're welcome!

I was going to post a similar question but will piggyback on this thread.

I am looking at a flight with a 9 hour layover so time to get back and forth to the city not an issue. What I am wondering is will there be airport exit tax issues or other fees associated with breaking customs and returning? My flight would not involve any other Schengen countries and I carry a US passport.

Advice to those with layovers but not leaving airport: I just heard a piece on the radio (NPR) about a brand new library in Schiphol financed by the Netherlands government. It has English translations of hundreds of volumes of books by Dutch authors - fiction and non-fiction. Also works of art. You may check out the books for no charge and wander around the airport with them as you wish.

Edited by: globespinner

Hi globespinner, excellent question. I would like to know that as well.

My ticket price components already include all tax and fees. But I'm not sure whether I will still have to pay airport tax in Schiphol, CDG, and FCO or not. Perhaps Aribo or others can give an answer for this.

By the way, on my way back, I will also have similar layover time as you, mine will be 10 hours. :)

there is no airport tax to be paid in europe. it's already included in your ticket price

Thanks MTL for the info!

stewart_life

Note that buying your ticket at the counter could eat up some precious time. Do not forget to mention you want to buy a return ticket for the same day ("dagretour"), slightly cheaper than a regular return ticket. And congrats on your decision to walk into Amsterdam no matter what ! If you can print a map beforehand, that would save you precious time once in town. Or get a free pamphlet at the GVB office at the exit of the train station, immediately to your left, which explains how the transportation system works - in the middle of the pamphlet, there is a good basic map, with pinpointed points of interest. Ask the clerk to show you where the Jordaan is and off you go.

Aribo

You mention the time of departure of the canal cruises. Have things changed since my last visit, or do the tours still really start when there are enough customers on board (used to be told, before buying the ticket, that the boat was going to leave "soon") ? Not too sure about wild crowds awaiting the 1st tour of the day, on a Sunday morning ...

I sooo miss Amsterdam now : (