Schiphol to Amsterdam City Centre: Train, Bus, Taxi & Prices 2026

The quickest and cheapest way from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam city centre is the train to Amsterdam Centraal: around 15–17 minutes for about €6, with several departures an hour and an hourly service through the night. Bus 397 is the better choice for hotels around Museumplein and Leidseplein (about 30 minutes, around €6.50), while a taxi or a pre-booked car from our Amsterdam Schiphol Airport transfers page takes you door to door in 25–45 minutes.

Schiphol to Amsterdam city centre: quick comparison

The Netherlands uses the euro. Public transport in and around Schiphol is cashless: pay by debit or credit card (including tapping in with a contactless card or phone), an OV-chipkaart or a pre-bought ticket.

Schiphol train to Amsterdam Centraal

Schiphol has its own railway station directly beneath Schiphol Plaza, the main arrivals and shopping area, so there is no shuttle or long walk – follow the signs for Trains after you leave baggage reclaim. Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) runs frequent Sprinter and Intercity trains to Amsterdam Centraal, and many also stop at Amsterdam Lelylaan and Amsterdam Sloterdijk on the way. Other trains run to Amsterdam Zuid for the Zuidas business district and RAI conference centre.

• Journey time: around 15–17 minutes to Amsterdam Centraal.
• Frequency: several direct trains an hour during the day. Check the departure boards for the next train to Amsterdam Centraal; any train shown to Centraal will do.
• Night trains: NS runs a night service with roughly one train an hour between Schiphol and Amsterdam, so the train remains an option for most late arrivals. Check the NS app for that night’s exact times and any change of train.
• Fare: a single in 2nd class costs around €6 in 2026, after NS raised prices by an average of 6.5% on 1 January 2026. A disposable single-use ticket bought from a machine or desk carries a surcharge of about €1, so tapping in with your own contactless card is slightly cheaper. 1st class costs more but is rarely necessary for such a short trip.

How to pay: the simplest method is OVpay – hold your contactless debit or credit card (or phone) against the card reader at the gate to check in, and do the same at Amsterdam Centraal to check out. Every traveller needs their own card, and you must check out, or you will be charged a much higher fare. Tickets are also sold at the yellow-and-blue NS machines in Schiphol Plaza and online via the NS website and app.

Luggage and accessibility: platforms are reached by lifts and escalators from Schiphol Plaza. Trains have step-free entrances on newer stock, and NS offers travel assistance if booked in advance. Peak commuter trains can be busy, so keep suitcases out of the aisles and doorways.

Bus 397: Schiphol bus to Museumplein and Leidseplein

Bus 397, branded Amsterdam Airport Express and operated by Connexxion, leaves from stop B17 in front of Schiphol Plaza. It runs to Amsterdam Elandsgracht via the Museumplein and Leidseplein area, so it is often more convenient than the train if you are staying near the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Vondelpark or in Oud-Zuid. It does not go to Amsterdam Centraal during the day.

• Journey time: about 30 minutes to Leidseplein, depending on traffic.
• Frequency: several buses an hour from around 05:00 until around 01:00, with fewer on Sundays.
• Fare: around €6.50 for a single, with return tickets also sold. You can tap in with a contactless card, use an OV-chipkaart, or buy a ticket in advance. Standard GVB city tickets are not valid on this bus.
• Luggage: the buses are low-floor with no dedicated luggage racks; use the space for buggies and wheelchairs if it is free.

Between about 01:00 and 05:00 the N97 night bus runs roughly hourly from Schiphol to central Amsterdam, including Amsterdam Centraal.

Schiphol taxi fare to Amsterdam city centre

The official taxi rank is directly in front of Schiphol Plaza (follow the Taxi signs from arrivals). Taxis there are licensed and metered. Dutch law sets a maximum taxi tariff: for 2026 the ceiling for a standard car with up to four passengers is a €4.31 starting fare plus €3.17 per kilometre and €0.52 per minute, and for a van with five to eight passengers €8.77 plus €4.00 per kilometre and €0.59 per minute, according to the Dutch government. A trip from Schiphol to the canal belt is roughly 20 km, which typically comes to around €50–€80 depending on traffic and exact destination. Card payment is standard.

The journey takes 25–45 minutes. The A10 ring road and the approach roads into the centre are slow on weekday mornings and late afternoons, and the narrow streets of the canal belt add time at the end. For one or two people, the train is usually faster and much cheaper; for three or four people with suitcases, a taxi or pre-booked car becomes reasonable value.

Uber and Bolt at Schiphol

Uber and Bolt operate in Amsterdam and can collect passengers at Schiphol at a designated app pick-up point outside the arrivals area, which the app directs you to. Prices are set by the app and move with demand: they are often lower than a metered taxi, but can surge late at night, in bad weather or during large events and conferences. All ride-hailing drivers in Amsterdam must hold a Dutch taxi licence.

Pre-booked private transfers from Schiphol

With a pre-booked transfer, a driver meets you in Schiphol Plaza with a name sign and drives you to your address for a price fixed in advance. It is worth considering when:

• you are travelling as a family or group and need a larger car, van or minibus;
• you land late at night and do not want to wait for the hourly night train or bus;
• you need child seats or booster seats fitted before you arrive;
• you have bulky luggage, bikes, sports gear or limited mobility;
• you want a fixed price, with the driver monitoring your flight in case of delays;
• you are going straight on to another city, such as Rotterdam or The Hague, and want to avoid changing trains with bags.

Companies listed on intransfers.com that cover Schiphol include TCA Taxi – Taxicentrale Amsterdam, Staxi – The Fixed Price Taxi, Van Delden Limousine Service, Dutch Cab Company and Airport Transfer Amsterdam. You can compare more operators on our Schiphol Airport transfers page, or see companies serving the whole city on the Amsterdam transfers page, and book directly with the company you choose.

Getting from Schiphol to places beyond Amsterdam

Schiphol is a major rail hub, so many travellers skip Amsterdam altogether.

• Schiphol to Rotterdam: direct trains take around 25–30 minutes on the Intercity Direct high-speed line (a small supplement applies on that route) or longer on regular Intercity trains via Leiden. By road it is roughly 45 minutes to an hour. See Rotterdam transfers.
• Schiphol to The Hague: direct Intercity trains run to Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag HS in around 30 minutes. By car, allow roughly 40–50 minutes. See The Hague transfers.
• Schiphol to Utrecht: direct Intercity trains reach Utrecht Centraal in around 30–35 minutes; by road it is roughly 40 minutes outside rush hour. See Utrecht transfers.

Tips for arriving at Schiphol

• Night arrivals: the train keeps running roughly hourly through the night and the N97 bus covers about 01:00–05:00, so you are rarely stranded. If you are tired, travelling with children or heading somewhere not near Centraal, a taxi or pre-booked car is simpler.
• Check in and check out: whether you use a contactless card or an OV-chipkaart, always tap at the start and end of your journey. Forgetting to check out results in a high fixed charge.
• Avoid unlicensed drivers: only use the official taxi rank, a ride-hailing app or a company you have booked. Ignore anyone offering rides inside the terminal. Licensed Dutch taxis have blue number plates and a taxi sign on the roof.
• Payment by card: Dutch public transport is cashless, and taxis accept cards. Some foreign cards without contactless may not work at the gates – buy a ticket from a machine instead.
• Tipping: not expected. Rounding up the taxi fare for help with luggage is common but optional.
• Peak traffic: roads into Amsterdam are busiest on weekday mornings and between about 16:00 and 18:30. During these times the train is the most reliable option.
• Bikes and pedestrians: when you step out at Amsterdam Centraal, watch for cyclists – the red bike lanes are not footpaths, and cyclists have right of way.