Amsterdam is the first stop for many incoming (and departing) international flights so you may find yourself with a long layover and want to get out of the airport and explore.
In this guide we’ll share everything you need to know about a layover in Amsterdam.
How do I get from the airport to the city center?
The train is a quick and convenient way to arrive in the city center in less than 20 minutes. You can even use your contactless debit card, credit card or mobile phone to pay and not worry about messing around with the ticket machines. Just tap and go. Each way costs about 5 euros per person making it relatively affordable too considering how much it can cost to get to and from the airport in other major European cities like London and Paris.
Where do I store my luggage?
If you have bags or suitcases you’d like to store while you’re out exploring you can use luggage lockers or the baggage storage area. There are 5 luggage lockers after security that cost 8 euros a day. The lockers are 40x40 cm and have a depth of 70 cm.
You can leave bags in a locker close to your departure gate before leaving the secure area or take them to baggage storage on level -1, between Arrivals 1 and Arrivals 2. Hand baggage (max size 55x35x25cm) costs 6 euros a piece per day. You can also store larger luggage here for an additional fee. You can view the map on the Schipol website and search “locker” to find the luggage lockers after security or search “storage” to see where the baggage storage before security is located. Additional information on luggage storage can be found on the Schipol Airport website.
What can I do on my long layover?
There’s a lot you can do near Amsterdam Centraal.
- Take photos at the row houses.
- Take a boat tour for a unique perspective of Amsterdam from it’s iconic canals. The Our Lord in the Attic Museum is a lesser known spot just around the corner from where many of the boat tours leave.
- Visit Amsterdam’s oldest building, Oude Kerk Amsterdam, which was a church but is now used for concerts and cultural events. It’s located in the middle of the Red Light District.
- If you’re looking for free sites, check out the Basilica of Saint Nicholas. It’s free to visit and just only a 5 minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal.
- Do some shopping on Damrak Avenue and grab souvenirs like cheese (many of the stores offer free samples!) and other Dutch goods. HEMA is a cute store worth checking out for affordable and often practical souvenirs as well.
- At Dam Square you’ll find the ornate Royal Palace Amsterdam and The New Church.
- One of the best ways to enjoy Amsterdam is admiring the picture perfect canals. If you want to go inside a canal house and see what it was like back in 1620, check out the Museum House Bartolotti.
- If you want to visit the Anne Frank House be sure to reserve your tickets two months in advance!
How long do I need for a long layover?
We wouldn’t recommend leaving the airport if you have less than a 6 hour layover. If you’ve been to Amsterdam before and are familiar with the airport, public transportation, and the city you can maybe get away with leaving on a shorter layover, but for first time visitors you want to make sure you give yourself enough time.
Seven hours or more would be ideal. Remember, if you’re traveling internationally and this is your first stop in Europe, you’ll need to go through customs and immigration and if it’s your last stop before leaving Europe you’ll need to go through immigration after security when leaving. The lines for immigration can be quite long in Europe so always give yourself plenty of time and stay up to date on current conditions at security.
What can I do if my layover is under 6 hours?
If you have a short layover there are a lot of shopping options in the Schipol airport. Pre-security you can find local stores like the grocery store Albert Heijn or the department store HEMA for local souvenirs or shops like Bloem and Fleurtiek for tulips and bulbs.
Also, before security check out the Panorama Terrace for plane spotting and tour a KLM Fokker 100 plane too!
Just because you can’t make it into the city doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the artwork from the Dutch masters. After security the Rijksmuseum Schiphol has a small collection of art from the middle ages to now straight from the Rijksmuseum. It even has its own gift shop.
You can also visit the Airport Library with books by Dutch authors in different languages, music, and other cultural displays.
Do I need a visa to leave the airport on my layover?
That depends on what country your passport is from. As of now US citizens do not need a visa to visit the Netherlands. Starting in 2025 US citizens (and other countries) will need an 8 euro ETIAS travel authorization. That official date for when that will be rolled out has not been announced, but you can check this site for updates.
