Layover to Anne Frank House - need help ASAP

Sorry Kathy a 4.5 hour layover isn't enough time:( Even if you had a police escort from the terminal building to the Anne Frank house and back, you're pressing your luck:
11:00am flight lands at Schipol 12:00pm you have cleared immigration and found a locker for your carry-ons 12:30pm you arrive at the house via taxi (this will cost you 50 euros each way) 1:30pm you spend an hour at the house 3:00pm arrive back at Schipol fetch the stuff out of your locker 3:30pm clear immigration 4:00pm clear security 4:30pm your flight leaves without you because you didn't make it to the gate at least an hour before departure:(

It's one of those "If everything goes right,..." things. I'd stow your stuff, catch a taxi there and back, and have an advance reservation - lines can be long (not sure about Dec. 23rd) http://www.annefrank.org/en/Museum/Group-visits-for-adults/30-Minute-Program/ It looks like they have five or six of the 30 minute introductory programs that include admission on Dec. 23rd. I couldn't tell whether there is another option to reserve an entry without the program. From my experience you will get in quicker (and more reliably) even with the 30 minute program at the start.

Some said the train to downtown is a viable option - that it is right outside the airport and would get us there as quickly as cabbing it but I am not sure because I have not done it of course. Honestly, this is the first time in which I wish our layover was longer.

I agree that 4.5 hours between flights at Schiphol is certainly not enough time to visit Anne Frank House. When you have longer time in Amsterdam it is certainly worth visiting.

Sadly I have to agree that you really don't have time. Ideally you would know the layout of every place you would need to go at the airport (Immigration, lockers, etc.) and already have any tickets necessary so you don't have to stand in line. Otherwise you take time for those things. If you would need to get euros out of an ATM machine that would take additional time. And what if the security line is long when you get back to the airport, after you have retrieved your carry ons at the locker? I wouldn't risk it.

Schiphol usually runs very smoothly with check-in, immigration and custom procedures. Luggage is a different story ... but since your luggage is checked through and you only have to deal with carry-on you have a very good chance to get out of the airport quickly. We did take a trip into town on a 5 hour layover even with having to wait for our luggage longer than we would have liked. Took the train and it was very fast. Had to stand in line for 45 min at Anne Frank Huis as we didn't have reservations. Big mistake but we still made it back in time to the airport. In your case I would give it a go assuming your flight arrives on time. Book your ticket at the Anne Frank Huis as if you will be on time. On a Sunday I'd take a taxi because a) traffic is lighter
b) trains run less frequent Is your flight indeed on time you lucked out, use your ticket and get to see a very unique place. In case your flight is delayed I'm afraid you'll have to let those ticket go to waste and stick it out at the airport.

Agree with previous poster, go for it. Book tickets and if you can, take taxi, seem to remember it was only thirty euro to town. Hope it works for you.

It's easy to take the train into Amsterdam city center, however you just really don't have time to take in the Anne Frank House properly, take the train back to Schipol and get through security without cutting it too close.
They're quick to close the airplane's doors, and they're never reopened for a late passenger.

You don't have time for that, kathy. Simple as that. Going out is just gambling with your onward flight. It's peak travel time (the weekend before Christmas), you never know how security line is going to be. Use your layover time visiting the airport art gallery they set up couple years ago. Don't leave the airport.

Thanks everyone for your input - so very helpful. I don't know when I'll ever get back to Amsterdam but based on the majority of posts, it looks to be pretty dicey. We are visiting family and it's very last minute. Didn't have time to think about adding something like Amsterdam to a leg of our journey and really it's the holiday season and adding more on the latter end does not help us. So, so saw the layover and really wanted to do it. On the other hand, if something changes with our flights - time change or something where we have bigger window, etc. I guess we would try it. I think taking the cab there and back plus the tickets, would be such an expensive thing. It would basically cost us about 90 bucks just to transport there and back and then we have the tickets. I completely appreciate any of these responses. I wish they had a tour right from the airport like they do for some things, where they make sure they get you back. Oh well.

Here's a thought Kathy...... Does the airline have a later flight to your destination in France that day? If so and you can somehow manage to carry-on all of your luggage (very important), you could head to the airline's transfer desk at Schipol and nicely ask to be put on that later flight (even mention the Anne Frank House), if there is room they might go for it.

kathy, Given your present flight arrangements, I very much doubt you'll have time to get to Anne Frank house and back to the airport in time for your flight. A few points to consider..... > Schiphol is a single-terminal airport, so lots of walking is required and it takes time to get between gates. > While your flight may land at 11:00, Schiphol is a large airport and you'll spend at least 15 minutes taxiing to the terminal, and another 15 minutes or so de-planing. I know that, as I was through there a couple of times this fall. > You will most likely have to go through security again for your outbound flight, and if there happens to be a lot of flights departing at that time (Christmas traffic?), the queues may be HUGE. > It will take time to stow your luggage, get into the city, visit the house (which also may have long queues), get back to the airport, retrieve your carry-on, go through security and get to your departure gate. There's no way I'd even attempt that. > Under the circumstances, you'll probably have an hour or less to visit the house. I'm not sure that short time would be worth the effort and the risk of missing your connecting flight. As suggested in a previous reply, one option would be to arrange a longer layover (provided that's possible and wouldn't be too expensive). Good luck and happy travels!