Brief (and safe) visit to Amsterdam with 92-year-old mother

I'd rethink the plan to stay at the airport (because boring). You have plenty of time on the day of the flight. You can leave your big luggage there at the airport and just come into town with an overnight bag. And you can catch a tram right outside the station to get nearly anywhere. Loads of hotel recommendations here on the Forum. Just make sure there is an elevator because Dutch stairs are crazy steep. There is pedicab service, which probably gives closer to door-to-door service than a taxi.
1. Try YouTube for a video of getting to the train at AMS. It looks like both the airport and the train service offer assistance to folks with limited mobility. Here is the link for the train service: https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information/traveling-with-a-disability/motor-disability
2. yes
3. Can't help you there.
4. Go for rijsttafel. You'll have to check for one with a vegan menu. The one I went to (Sampurna) has vegetarian dishes on the menu but not a dedicated vegan (or even vegetarian) rijsttafel option. There are many recommendations on the forum.

Nelly, full disclosure. I have not been to Amsterdam, but I have been researching for a potential trip.

I keep coming across information, on this site and elsewhere, that Amsterdam is often crowded, especially in the summer, and you must be on the constant lookout for bicycles while walking.

Leiden has been recommended as a good alternative to Amsterdam. Less expensive with frequent train service from the airport in about 15 minutes. A hotel in Leiden would give your mother an opportunity to rest before dinner. It sounds like a beautiful, historic town with lovely architecture and picturesque canals.

Hi Nelly!

If you do decide to stay in an airport hotel, one of my favorite things we did in Amsterdam is a 15 minute taxi ride from the airport. It's the unbelievably huge and busy and fascinating Aalsmeer flower market. There's an elevated walkway you can walk (or walker) along as far as you want to and look down on acres of flowers being zoomed around on little trucks. It's a busy sight and yet peaceful. No photos or even videos can capture what it all looks like. Smells good, too. We did not take a tour, just showed up at 7:00am.

https://www.royalfloraholland.com/en/about-us/the-cooperative/visit-the-floriculture-marketplace

My 90-pound mother also traveled well into her 90's with a walker and using wheelchairs in the airports. But I bet YOUR mother didn't make a silly joke about bombs in an airport in early 2002 and from then on was always stopped and thoroughly searched in airports. Didn't discourage her from traveling, though.

Hugs,

Nancy

I took the train from AMS (Schiphol airport) to Amsterdam Centraal station in December. The platform and train entry were level. The train coaches were modern, clean, and smooth. Although I’m not familiar with the canal tour operator that you mention assistance was provided for everyone embarking and disembarking the boat for my canal tour.

Additional information - I did have difficulty finding my way to my preferred exit from the train station. However, since I wasn’t in a hurray I lingered and enjoyed coffee and pastry there. According to google it’s a one minute walk from Centraal station to Stationsplein 18 where Captain Jack’s canal boats depart. This is easily doable based on my experience there. Finding the correct exit area may require some direction from staff at the train station.

1. does the train from the airport to Amsterdam Central have level entry/exit to the platform or does it have stairs? If stairs, we'll take a cab. Blockquote

There is an escalator in the airport to the train platform. There might be an elevator as well. You won't need to buy tickets for the train, just tap your credit cards.
Unless your mother specifically dislikes large cities, I would stick with the Amsterdam canal boat ride for your one fun day, rather than going to Leiden although I enjoyed Leiden too.

As for the canal tour with Jack, it can be a bit confusing as there is one tour that is called Captain Jack, but also another that the captain is Jack, but it is a different operation. That one is www.bowsjourneys.com and that is the one we did . We were there when I was almost 4 months post op from knee replacement. I was a but worried about boarding the boat, but he was very helpful. I explained and he was great at guiding me. After I did it, I realized it was no big deal. So if you do this, I would email him and let him know about your mother so he is prepared. We also did a regular canal cruise on one of the big boats and they were nowhere nearly as helpful, FWIW.

Centraal station is so large, I'm trying to imagine being 92 with balance issues, and navigating it with a walker.

These are all great tips, thank you all. It gives me more meat for the trip planning grinder. Riijstafel is on my list to try for sure and the transportation tips were very helpful. I hadn’t thought about the size of the train station, I’ll see what I can figure out. A taxi might be better.

and hi, nancys8! Great idea about the flower market. I may stay a few days after I see my mother off, and the flower market and Leiden are now on my list.

My personal view is that Amsterdam is a very unsafe place for elderly folks with balance problems. This is because of the many bicyclists who regard all sidewalks as their proper domain. My wife and I were both run into by cyclists who were riding outside of their designated lanes, and my wife was injured badly enough to warrant a doctor visit.

Amsterdam has been called a pedestrian's paradise, a statement I regard as a cruel joke. I'd recommend the OP take taxis with her mom.

My personal view is that Amsterdam is a very unsafe place for elderly folks with balance problems.

I have to say, I agree with this.

But the cyclists aren't the only issue.

The sidewalks are also hugely problematic -- often uneven and frequently absolutely miniscule, forcing you out into the road to walk - and the roads are often undulating due to tree roots growing laterally across (under) them.

I can not imagine how a person with mobility issues or a mobility aid would navigate walking around.

I am sorry to contribute a negative note but am very mindful of this as I am on my way home now from my second visit to Amsterdam in six months.

I took the Bow's Boat trip in August that Mikliz recommends (the old Captain Jack's). Google Maps tells me that it's a seven-minute walk from Centraal Station. But there is no way a person could get there that quickly 1) if they didn't know their way out of the station and 2) had mobility issues.

I like what somebody said about Leiden upthread. Your mother could get her dose of beautiful Dutch architecture and a canal boat tour there (plus a meal) probably about a thousand times more easily.

I’m currently in Amsterdam. I arrived last Thursday and I am having a wonderful visit. The bicyclist hazards have been much less of an issue than I was expecting but I have to completely agree with the folks who report very undulating sidewalks. Plus when you cross many, many streets you have to be aware of tram tracks imbedded in the streets. You are not walking on level pavement at all. I’m a pretty stable fast walking 75 year old and I’m constantly telling myself to slow down and be careful because of uneven surfaces. It’s a great city however and seems full of kind, friendly sorts of folks.

It sounds like you’ll only be in Amsterdam for part of one day and will be sticking close to the train station. You can see what that area looks like here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPx-oj3f2rE

Hmmmm. Leaning towards Leiden for the night with my mom, and then tacking on a few days for myself. July is not my favorite month to travel in busy places, but carpe diem…better safe than sorry. And it will still be fun.

I like your new plan, Nelly.