Connexxion shuttle bus vs. train & tram from airport: how much faster?

its NOT faster at all-you wait for it much longer to depart-and then-why in fact not SAY what hotel you stay??-probably also do the big tour around before it stops at yours-or not-as you did not think about mentioning which 1! NO single car/bus, not even in the dead of night, can do airpt-HTL @ 2 kms from CS in 15 mins-35 is the least.
also: depending on WHERE that htl is-you do NOT necessarily need to take the train all the way to Central-there are more stops-all have trams, and the train to ZUIDWTC=another route, mainly for commuters, may even by much quikcer+cheaper too. but you must be some ill-thinking USAer to worry about 5 mins time ''lost''
and there is also Interliner bus 370-running directly into area around Leidseplein. pay driver.

Without you mentioning the hotel, a precise answer is difficult.

There is naturally some convenience with a door-to-door shuttle, especially when luggage is involved. But I do not think that 'speed' is the reason to make a decision. Public transport is quite efficient and at any given time of day will probably be just as quick as a shuttle (intangibles: waiting time for shuttle vs waiting time for train, road traffic may affect time, number of stops the shuttle makes, transfer time from CS to hotel with public transport etc). As #1 says, there's NO WAY a shuttle will ever be quicker than the train's riding time to CS.

my guess is that the train/tram option will be faster... but the shuttle might be more convenient esp if you have to deal with luggage or have had a long long flight

Thanks for the information, all. Actually, my original question was going to be "why would anyone bother taking the shuttle, since the airport's only 20 minutes away by train?", as I sort of figured it would be impossible to be any quicker.

And Yank though I am, I'm not particularly obsessed with a few minutes here and there; as I mentioned in the opening post, I think I'll probably walk from Amsterdam Centraal if the weather's agreeable enough. I'll have very little luggage, and will not have been in Amsterdam for twenty years, so I look forward to some pedestrian time.

Good question. When you're going to the city center, just take the train. From the Central Station, either take the tram, a cab, or walk to your hotel.

a taxi will likely cost u 10 euro's from the trainstation to your hotel if its raining in the end.
40 euro max from schiphol airport

"why would anyone bother taking the shuttle, since the airport's only 20 minutes away by train?"

since many inexperienced travellers, especially americans unused to public transport staying in name brand chain hotels, and carrying too much luggage, prefer a shuttle rather than figuring out how public transport works. Oftentimes a shuttle is not just slower, but also much more expensive- and when there are 2 or 3 travellers a taxi is often about the same price as a shuttle. nevertheless, given their continued existence, there must be a market for them.