Schiphol Airport to hotels in Central Amsterdam

"How did you get from the airport to your hotel or to Central Amsterdam?"

I took the train. They run five times per hour and the trip takes about 15 minutes.
My hotel was on the Singel Canal.

We were staying in Museumplein and took the bus from Schiphol.
https://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/40-public-transport-to-and-from-schiphol-airport

For those staying in the museum area, the bus is the number one choice. For those near the train station, take the train.

If you have been watching you tube videos, you should have seen the procedure. Buy a ticket from a machine (you tube videos show step by step how to do this) Get on a train to Central Station, Get off the train at Central Station. Go to Hotel.

In the Museum area, you walk outside to the bus area and catch the bus. You can buy a ticket there as well. There are You tube videos for the bus as well.

Are you feeling a little uncomfortable with public transport? It is easy to feel that way in a new place, but once you are there, I am confident that you will do great and not have any difficulties.

Our hotel was near the Rijksmuseum, we took the Airport Express bus 397, and it stopped less than 2 blocks from the hotel. It was fast, easy, inexpensive, and we took it on the way back to the airport, too. It only goes a little bit farther to the Leidseplein before it turns west away from downtown. So it's not convenient if you're staying near Centraal.

it would be easier to give specific help if you say which hotel you are trying to reach...

Thank you all for your very helpful answers.

Nigel, we all research and book travel differently.

I am flying into Amsterdam to take a cruise. I will be spending two nights pre-cruise in Amsterdam. So I am flying into Schiphol but leaving from Passenger Terminal.

My cruise is not until next August and most hotels do not take bookings this early. They are not yet listed on booking.com when I put in my dates. I get like 6 or 7 results.

So I will be looking for a hotel that is easy to get to from the airport, easy to get around and see what I can while in Amsterdam, and easy to get to Passenger Terminal for my cruise.

I knew nothing about Amsterdam when I began my research and now I know some of the different neighborhoods and how to get around. I have learned that I can book a hotel from the museum district to Central Station.

I have learned that I can take an Airport Express bus to a hotel in the museum district and a train if my hotel is closer to Central Station. And then I can probably walk to the Passenger Terminal when I am ready to sail. All of this is going to determine what hotel I book along with amenities and my budget.

Carol,

the YouTube video that I watched was very clear and great but it said something about putting in your pin number. when buying your ticket. I do not have pin numbers with my credit cards. I do have a chip.

Do you have a pin number?

If I take the train, it seems that i can go to a counter and have a person help me if the machines do not work.

The bus takes credit cards but then I wonder about needing a pin.

And yes, I am nervous about getting lost or that my credit cards will not work right.

..

Just go to the train station desk in the Schiphol Airport and buy an OV chipkaart https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/home-1.htm#/

Each person has to have a card. Ask to put 10€ on each card and you can simply SCAN IN and jump on the train to Amsterdam Centraal. (The cost is about 4.60€ in 2nd class).

Once you get to Amsterdam Centraal, you can use your OV chipkaart to jump on a tram in front of the train station. Odds are, one is headed close to your hotel (ask your hotel which tram to take).

As you like, you can recharge your OV chipkaart to ride trains, buses, trams, metro throughout Amsterdam and the NL. Just remember to swipe in and swipe out. There are plenty of videos online that can give you more info on the OV chipkaart

Thanks for the additional information. You are doing some great research. There is a very effective tram system in Amsterdam that connects the museum district and the central station. However, since you are leaving on a cruise, I would probably aim for the Central Station Area and take the train in from the airport.

I wonder since you have time here, if you might want to spend some time researching credit/debit cards for travel. I don’t have a pin for my credit card either. I think I remember that it is possible to request one from your bank, but need to confirm if that is accurate.

I do have a special travel account/debit card that I use exclusively for travel that does. I use Charles Schwab Investor Checking for my travel funds. Never any foreign transaction fees or ATM fees anywhere.

It sounds like you have a great trip ahead.

Hello Carol and everyone else

I now have lots of results when I search hotels for my dates using booking.com. But now, I experience sticker shock. They are expensive. I heard Amsterdam was expensive but I was not expecting the prices given the neighborhoods I desire and the amenities that are important to me.

We will see. I have 11 months and I will search daily. Eventually I book one place with free cancellation and no prepayment. And then I keep looking and you know how it goes. Sometimes I find a much better deal with the hotel that i already have a booking so I rebook and cancel the reservation that I have. It is almost like a treasure hunt.

I really like the Grand Hotel but for right now, it is out of budget. However, I plan to keep watching. I could probably get it for less going directly to the hotel website but I like dealing with booking.com and am at the Genius I level.

Carol, I have 5 credit cards with travel rewards. I do not need 5 but I got those great travel promotions with each one. Now I have too many that I seldom use. I can use my Citi American rewards to book a hotel and I did so for one night in Copenhagen. I can do the same with my Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards.

When I went to Copenhagen in 2019, I called each credit card to ask if I needed a pin and they did not even offer one. I had no problem using my credit cards in Copenhagen without a pin. I do remember having one credit card with a pin that i established. I believe that it is my Barclay's card partnered with American Airlines.

One reason that I am so anxious about getting from airport to hotel is my experience in Copenhagen. I booked a nice hotel at a good price that was supposedly convenient and supposedly so easy to find from the train station. Well, I found it difficult to find and it was a long walk from the train station. Persons took pity on me and one very nice gentlemen even walked me to my hotel. it was not all that difficult to find once I found it but the first time was very difficult.

That is why I stress about getting to the hotel from the airport. But I think this time is going to be easier. My trip to Copenhagen was to take a cruise and it was my first time overseas since the 1960's.

I have a small brokerage account with T D Ameritrade which has been bought by Charles Schwab. I will eventually give T D Ameritrade a call and see if they offer any kind of travel perks.

I never had much opportunity to travel until my later years. I was taking one cruise a year until COVID. I spend all year planning my one cruise right down to a T and then everything goes wrong anyways. Well not everything but I make a lot of mistakes. I wish that i could do Copenhagen all over again.

I think that I have responded to everyone. If anyone wants to share the hotel(s) they have stayed at in Amsterdam, I am listening or reading.

We like to stay in the charming Central Canal Area. Our favorite hotel right on the Herengracht Canal is Hotel l’Ambassade.

If you take the train, but sure to hang on to your ticket. You will need to scan it to get through the gates and out of Centraal Station.
PM me if you have any specific questions.

To the original poster: Amsterdam is a wonderful city to explore. If possible consider a few days in that great city before the cruise. You won’t regret seeing the museums and walking the canal area.

Continuing thanks to all who respond.

I would love to spend several days in Amsterdam pre cruise but Norwegian Cruise Lines is booking my airfare. They have given me a really great price but I am only allowed two night max pre cruise and two nights max post cruise.

My cruise begins in Amsterdam and ends in Reykjavik

Amsterdam looks to be fascinating and I wish that i. could stay longer but if I arranged my own flight, it would be about $1,000 more, total.

Hi! I'm one of your neighbors who also lives in Austin, Texas and would love to meet somewhere for coffee and can share some of my travel tips and how to navigate hotels and transport in Amsterdam! I have created my own trip for 16 days next April for the Netherlands and Belgium to see the tulips and other things and would love to help you! Please DM me.

Hi Beverly

I think that I sent you a PM correctly.

I would like to upload a photo but do not know how. I am going to try and drag it in.

I tried to drag it in but it did not work.

photos don't live on the Forums or in PMs unfortunately

Since my original post, I have been getting acquainted with Amsterdam through my research, Rick Steves Forum and youtube.

I have learned so much since my original post.

I think The Travel Card is going to be the best card of me. This is the card that allows me to to use either the shuttle bus to hotels or the train to Central Station. Then, I will be able to use buses, trains, trams for a specific period of time. I plan to buy the 48 hour ticket.

I am not someone who can go, go , go and think I would not make good use of the Amsterdam card.

I am watching an incredible youtube video. It is a 3 1/2 hour walking tour of Amsterdam. It makes me feel like I am there. I am taking a break. I have watched about 2 1/2 hours over a two day period.

Amsterdam is very kind to Americans. What I mean is it’s pretty easy to get around walking and riding the canal ferries, museums (per book if possible) and everyone generally speaks English. You will be very pleased to enjoy this city after all your research. Travel is work sometimes but it pays off after good planning.

Hello par.pas 75

Thanks for your post..

I have learned so much about Amsterdam since I posted my original discussion. I have done it through YouTube videos, Rick Steves forum and my own research including reading the House Rules and the Fine Print on hotel sites.

I have learned that I am too old for some of the hostels and that some hotels have no lift. I can walk up one flight of stairs but that is it. I have also learned that some hotels require a damage deposit. However, I have also learned that there are some incredible and interesting hotels in Amsterdam although pricey.

I regret that I will only be able to stay two nights pre-cruise. It is not enough but I am getting an exceptional rate having Norwegian Cruise Lines book my airfare.. The down side is that NCL only allows two nights pre-cruise and two nights post cruise.

Travel is a wonderful thing. I enjoy the research.

I normally do not travel during the season preferring the shoulder season but I have chosen to book the Maiden Voyage of the Norwegian Prima.