8 hour stopover in Amsterdam

Eight hours is enough time to make a quick visit into Amsterdam. There is a train station at the airport, departures every 5-10 minutes, journey time is 20 minutes. There are lockers in the Schipol Plaza (public)portion of the airport terminal, and at Centraal Station. From Centraal Station it is a ten minute walk to the Anne Frank House (purchase tickets in advance via the website to avoid long lines), from there another ten minute walk to Dam Square. At Dam you can tour the Royal Palace, New Church (excellent temporary art exhibits), or Madame Taussaus Wax Museum. From Dam you can walk back to Centraal via the Red Light District. For more info check out this FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/24eep4t

Amsterdam has one of the best public transportation systems in Europe. Go out to the Rembrandt and Van Gough museums after you walk through Dam Square. If you have time stop by the flower market.

You can seen the Anne Frank Museum, the VanGogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, also the Dutch Resistance Museum, each within an hour. Depends on what you like to see and do. We did AF, and Dutch Res., then went to VanGogh and Rijks. There was a line at the Rijks because they were renovating, but the others we got right in. Just check tram schedules and walk quickly. :)

An 8-hour layover translates realistically into: + 8h full layover time -1h15 to clear immigration and customs on arrival, buy ticket and wait first train to Amsterdam Centraal - 25min train trip to the city - 35 min train trip to airport with a bit of waiting time - 45min to clear security and immigration on departure and reach your gate - 20 min standard anticipation from departure you should be on your gate for a transcontinental flight as indicated on boarding pass - 1h extra buffer on departure, because you don't want to risk losing your already checked-in for flight if something happens (trains cancelled or delayed, extra heightened security on the airport, you get lost etc.) _________________
= 3h40 of useful "strolling time" in Amsterdam if you want to play safe. I tend to see these opportunities to stroll outside an aiport as a bonus. No need for military planning of museum visits or what else, in my opinion. Just enjoy walking some area without a rigid plan, have a nice quick lunch or something in a cafetaria, take some pictures and then go back to the airport. If you want to do a one-way walking circuit, you take a train to Amsterdam Zuid + tram number 5, hop off on the Oud Zuid area and then make a circuitous leisure route through the Museumplein, Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein, then all the way to the Joordan before turning to the Central Station. That you can accomplish in this period and give your legs some work before the flight back.