Train travel

The train ride is literally 15 minutes long. There are probably connections but there's
a non-stop every 10 minutes or so. thetrainline.com can give you more information, but
there's no need to buy a ticket until you get there.

As far as safety goes, no issues whatsoever. Even if there were, you won't be on the
train long enough to worry about it, and there will be many people taking the same
route as you.

What I will say is that Amsterdam Centraal can be a bit confusing, depending on where
you're going and how you want to get there.

You won’t necessarily need to book tickets in advance or use an app like the Trenitalia one. You can just use your Mastercard or Visa to tap in and out (https://www.ovpay.nl/en); a service not yet offered in Italy.

When you arrive, you can check https://9292.nl/en for the train departures to Amsterdam Centraal and whether you need to change trains (or wait for the next direct one).

Trains are as safe as in Italy, but don’t leave your luggage unattended, especially on any train from an airport. There have been cases in the past where people ran off with suitcases that were close to the train doors just before the doors closed. But again that is unfortunately not uncommon on busy trains with tourists all over the world.

There is no train police like in Italy. You can send a WhatsApp to or text a special number when you feel unsafe (https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information/facilities/safety-on-the-train-and-at-the-station.html#:~:text=Report%20unsafe%20situations%20via%20text,06%2013%2018%2013%2018.).

Dutch trains are incredibly easy. Just tap and pay and hop on the train.

Trains in the Netherlands are mass transit. Tickets are not tied to a specific train and trains have free seating. You therefore don’t need to rebook trains nor buy tickets in advance.
You can pay for all public transport throughout the entire country by tapping in and out with your debit or credit card. This payment system is called OV Pay and you can find more information here: https://www.ovpay.nl/en

The trains between Amsterdam and Schiphol are run by the national railway company called NS. I suggest you to use their website to plan your train trips www.ns.nl/en

The Dutch railways see themselves as a mass transit system. Their model is the Urban Railways of Japan. On many lines they run trains at a higher frequency than even many US mass transit systems. You should treat them as you would treat the NY Subway. A way to get around a large city (which is basically what the Netherlands is). No advance booking. Just tap in-out with your CC.

I am planning on taking the train from schiphol airport to Amsterdam centraaI.

Are you choosing Centraal because you are staying near the station and/or starting your wandering there OR are you just choosing Centraal because it is Amsterdam's big station/central hub?

I ask because depending upon where in Amsterdam you want to go, there are other options. Our trip in 2023 we stayed close to Centraal at the Kimpton De Witt, so the easy train (not so easy that morning, though) to Centraal was our choice. On our trip this summer, we were up at the Marriott by Leidseplein, so the BUS was the far easier option.

IOW, mass transit in the Netherlands has been a generally easy and efficient system, but their system does often have several different options (train, tram, bus, even ferry) so that may impact your planning.

But the tap on/tap off payment is great. And safety wise, I can't think of a time on our many transit trips (or in the Netherlands anywhere) where we felt even remotely unsafe.

There is extensive building works on the lines in and out of Amsterdam Centraal and on the station itself. While most trains, or at least many, from the airport into the centre of the city used to run into Centraal, the disruption caused means that all InterCity trains except Eurostar London will be ending at Amsterdam Zuid (south), just north of the airport, where you can continue by changing onto a Metro train.

There is a new dedicated Sprinter train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal via Amsterdam Sloterdijk. 8 trains each way each hour so turn-up-and-go. This will start at the end of 2024, so depending on exactly when you are travelling various changes may or may not affect you.

Same fares as before, and tap and pay works well there.

Machinist Stefen did an excellent short video explaining and showing this from a test train on that connection https://youtu.be/zOtXIvo6d7c?si=yn9BR8pb9loWeu9y

What others said...but will just add, for a trip that easy, it is best to tap in and out At Schiphol though, there are no turnstiles, as you head toward the stairs down to the platforms, there is a line on the floor, and posts where you tap in

However, if you will be making more trips around the country, the NS App is handy, and easy to use. It is especially handy for seeing what your train options are, and what platform that train is on, even if you stick to tap in/tap out.

Thank you everybody so much for the replies! Truly so helpful and encouraging.

Tom- I am staying at a hotel 5 min from Amsterdam centraal station. I feel like the train is the best mode of transportation? Thank you for the other intel!

Nigel- this sounds kind of scary! I’m going this week, so then do I not need to worry about that?

What are turnstiles?

What are turnstiles?

if you go to an amusement park and you get your ticket checked and go through something that lets you in and not out, that's a turnstile. At most Dutch stations you tap your credit card or scan a ticket on a window and the gate lets you through and then closes to stop the next person until they do the same. And then when getting off, the same thing.

this week trains are running through

I had no idea you would be travelling on such short notice!