Flying into Amsterdam but taking the train out to Zurich

If you're going to have problems, it's more likely going to be coming into AMS. They're having staffing problems right now. Who knows about in October.

A train station in the airport takes you to Amsterdam Central Station in just a few minutes. But I'd go for a later train in the day or buy the ticket when arriving at the station.

It's 500 miles from Amsterdam to Zurich. I assume there's a reason you're just not taking a 1 hr. 20 minute non-stop flight. I'm okay on trains up to 3-4 hrs., but any longer and I'm flying one of the budget European airlines.

We are spending a few days in Amsterdam before our tour of Switzerland and decided to take the train rather than the hassle at the airport and as we have 2 days prior to our tour we thought a nice train trip would be relaxing enjoying the countryside. As it is a long train trip we're leaving early to enjoy the trip!
Also, if it's a 4 hour wait to check in through Security we might as well take the train as that's 4 hours plus the flight wasted!

Jean

I've never heard of any problems, you need enough time to walk to the correct platform and board the train. There is no check or other faff to get to the platform.

Amsterdam Centraal has quite a few platforms but is extremely well organised. For an 08:08 departure I'd probably be in the station at 7:45 so I could pick up snacks for the trip (there's an Albert Hein towards the back of the station in the high numbered platform area and plenty of other food sources) and make my way up to the platform (stairs, escalators, lifts) and find a good seat.

If you're starting from Schiphol there are fewer platforms and equally easy ways down to them... Landside near the train ticket machines is a small La Place restaurant which does yummy take-away.

Nigel is right. I would tour the layout a day before departure.
If Centraal still follows European practice, the departure gate will be announced about 20 minutes before departure. Maybe that's for inter-city travel. Either way, space for bags will be claimed by the fleet of foot.

“ If Centraal still follows European practice, the departure gate will be announced about 20 minutes before departure. Maybe that's for inter-city travel”

I’m sorry, but this is very confusing information. First of all, there is no 1 size fits all standard European practice. Second of all, in the Netherlands, trains depart from fixed platforms. Platforms aren’t announced only 20 minutes before departure, they are announced as soon as the train schedule for the coming year is announced in December.
The 8:08 ICE train towards Germany/Switserland on October 6, will depart from platform 7.
There are no checks before boarding the train, so if you’re at the platform at 8:00 you will have plenty of time to board the train.

the platform will be printed on the back lighted yellow boards all over the station, and as said above the platforms are set. Very rarely there will be a fault on that platform and the train equally as rarely could be replatformed but exceedingly rarely. The platforms at many Dutch stations, including Amsterdam Centraal, hold two trains with crossovers in the middle, so even if the train at the end of the platform breaks down the other train can fit behind and scoot around. Or vice versa.

The 8:08 is a German DB ICE train (ICE105) which is quite a long train. Are you planning on the change at Köln, Mannheim or Basel?

If I were in your shoes I'd stop at Albert Hein after a 7:45 arrival, keep the bag with food (easiest if you have your own bag) close when hopping on the train and settle into my seat around 8:00.

Quick word of advice, if you aren't familiar with train travel in Europe show up a little bit earlier than you anticipate. It's not unusual to be a little bit confused in the train stations at first; they are often busy and there is a lot of audio and visual stimuli-clutter.

I've spent years travelling in Europe, and I'm still not above occasionally walking to my platform the night before just so I'm certain I'll get it right the next morning on a tight schedule. Or when I arrive in place I take a few minutes in the station getting the lay of the land for departure.

Lastly pay attention when you get there. On rare occasion trains change platforms. Recheck the departure board when you enter the station. Listen if there are announcements, and watch what your fellow travelers are doing. If 80% of the people waiting start walking away from the platform there's probably a reason for it.

Another word of advice: The 8:08 is a train to Basel. DB will often sell you a ticket where you already change in Mannheim to a train for Zurich. This because this will get you there half an hour quicker, and the railways assume you are interested in the quickest trip.
However if this train is delayed for some reason you may want to just stay in it till Basel. Once in Basel there are 6 trains per hour to Zurich... Train tickets are not as rigid as plane tickets. If you buy a supersaver ticket you will have to leave on the train you booked, but once you are travelling and you are delayed or miss connections you can just take any other train that will move you towards your destination.

And another remark: Is Zurich your actual destination? Train travel is not like plane travel. You are not forced to route through the main hub of a country. And Zurich is not the most interesting place in Switzerland. Often people actually want to somewhere else, but wrongly assumed that you need to get to Zurich first.
If you are actually going to somewhere else in Switzerland just buy a ticket Amsterdam -> on www.nsinternational.com and just travel by the most direct route.

The OP already traveled a week ago on October 6. I hope they reached their destination without issues.

We departed Amsterdam and arrived in Zurich without any problems…
Thanks all,
Jean