Hi Everyone,
This may seem like a dumb question... I was in Amsterdam 4 years ago, and from Schipol i jumped on the train and had to pay a higher fare to get to Centraal.
I was told i can buy a pass to get there from a ticket booth/machine but could not locate it, can anyone tell me where to find the location to buy these tickets?
thanks!
You should always buy your ticket BEFORE you get on the train. Otherwise you have to pay an extra charge. (A 'pass' is something different from a ticket).
Follow the signs to the train station -- which is connected directly with Schphol arrivals area all within one large enclosed space. Ask people there if you still cannot find your way around. There are ticket machines all over the place, as well as live people behind ticket counters who can also sell you tickets. In fact, there is a train ticket machine in the baggage claim area, so you can get your ticket while waiting for your luggage to arrive.
As I recall, around 4 years ago there was a facelift going on at Schippol ( certainly in 2004) in the main concourse and the area for buying train tickets was moved outside the building in a series of temporary "portacabin" buildings. I would suggest that perhaps this may explain why you had dificulty in locating them?
using the ticket machine right at the NS ticket counters will save you half a Euro. If you get caught on the train without a ticket there's a fine equal to the one way price to the furthest part of the Nederlands- I believe around 35 Euros.
At www.ns.nl (change to English) there's a demonstration to using the ticket machines. I've tried at Schiphol but not had good results- either it was in Dutch only or didn't accept cash or my USA debit card or I could'nt figure out the zone system. I just go directly to the ticket counter and ask for a second class ticket to Centraal and accept the Euro 0.50 extra charge.
One time I was at Zandvoort ann Zee train station and the only way to get a ticket was with the machine with nobody around and only in Dutch- I got by by just pushing the first choice on each screen and luckily the machine took cash.
Just use the blue and yellow machines before you take the escalators down to the train platforms. They all have English option to purchase tickets now. Tickets cost 3.80 one way and you need to pay with either credit card or coin.
I could'nt figure out the zone system
Not sure which zone system you mean, but if it's the system of having to put in a 4-digit code to input your destination don't worry, as these machines have been all replaced by touch-screen machines where you can select your destination by alphabet.
And indeed, jumping on a train without a ticket will cost you a 35 euro fine (I believe there are signs at Schiphol railway station telling you to buy a ticket before going down to the platforms, so playing the ignorant foreigner will most probably not work if you're caught).
