4.5 hour layover -- Time for a jaunt into Amsterdam?

Used to be, but no more.

Thank you Sam.

From what I remember of my long ago travel to Amsterdam, it's a 20 minute train ride from the airport to Central Station. It looks like Hungary is part of the Shengen zone. Do you need to get your luggage at Schiphol for the next leg of your flight? If so that taking up a lot of time.

I think it would be tight, unfortunutaly.

I'm a bit (a lot) risk averse. You need to clear passport control on arrival. Get to the train station, buy tickets, get into town, get to the tour dock, take your boat tour, get back to the airport, clear security and get to your gate before boarding starts. Which could easily be 45 minutes before departure. If you arrive on time and all the stars align, you probably could do it. I wouldn't, but YMMV.

I am with CJ. I always view 4,5,6 hour layovers as sucker bait. You think you have enough time but you really do not especially with reentering security and dealing with public transit. It is a nice airport. Enjoy a decent lunch somewhere or relax with an afternoon beer.

Not enough time

Thank you Susan S, CJean, Frank & Continental! I had my doubts, but y'all affirmed them -- I agree that it's sucker bait to have that length of a layover, LOL.

and to toss in one more anti- consideration, trains in and out of Amsterdam Centraal are becoming more difficult because of the rebuilding work. At some point there will be no direct service between Amsterdam Centraal and Schiphol. Trains will go as far as Amsterdam Zuid (south) where you change onto a Metro for the slower ride to Amsterdam Centraal (and other parts). I'm not home so don't have my notes on the exact dates, but watch this space...

That's too bad :( I still remember the days when going through customs and security was not so tedious. Way back, we didn't have to take off our shoes and belts, or practically undress. We just put the bag and coat on the conveyor belt and go. All this removing shoes and belts is just security theatre.

Don't do it. Schipol can be difficult to go through customs and immigration. We went through there last August on our way to Africa for a safari.

You won't have much time in the city that need more time to explore.

I wouldn't do it either. All good points above mentioned already, with an additional comment that in November you may not have a robust boat cruise schedule available, so you might find yourself without a boat to get on. Get cleaned up, find something to eat, take a spin through the mini Rijksmuseum, then make your way to the airport park (https://www.schiphol.nl/en/at-schiphol/discover/facilities/airport-park) and chill under the artificial trees and bird song until heading to your next flight.

Thank you Nigel, Muriel S., geovagriffith & CL! Looks like we will have to see Amsterdam on another trip -- one specifically for it!!

Schiphol is one of the worst for Passport Control into the Schengen Area, IMHO. We spent over an hour in line in transit to Zurich.

@Ed - was that recently that you waited for an hour at Schiphol?

Thank you Ed and Pam for your responses.

@Pam it was several years ago.

Thank you for the additional information, Ed. Heading thru there next week so am just getting mentally prepared, lol!