Anyone been to Amsterdam recently? The other half is going for a weekend break soon and wants to know the rough cost of a taxi from the airport (Schipol) into the centre? Or is it possible to get a train / tram – I imagine not being the UK it’s all very easy abroad and public transport is pretty efficient!

Any help appreciated!

yup, train from airport to the central station. v easy, doesn’t take too long either (20 mins or so)

Schipol airport is built above a railway station. Getting trains is easy, especially as all the ticket sales people I’ve ever spoken to speak perfect English.

Get the train. Easy, quick, cheap, frequent and the station is literally underneath the airport concourse. There are ticket machines on the concourse.

Train station is underneath the airport, then tram. Not sure if you still have to buy tickets *before* you travel on the tram though.
Or just hire a bike straight away from near Centraal station.

Damn.. Need to speed up my typing-fu!

Train is 8 euros or so for two. Buy from the ticket lady and say dank u well…
Bout 15 mins if that.

Train. First class, of course. About six euros or something silly like that!

Then, at Centraal, turn left, go to MacBike and hire a Batavus Single for the rest of your transport needs.

Thanks for the replies so far… My mistake…Need to know specifically / roughly the cost of a cab for now as they will be going from the airport to the hotel and dont know where the hotel is, so want the taxi to take them to the door as they dont know the geography. Cheers.

Schiphol is the train station as well as the airport, so its really easy to get the train. As you come out after departures, go past the shops, and you come into a big hall – buy your ticket from the machines here, then go down the escalators to the platforms.

Costs a few euros, loads of trains and is generally safe (for a six foot scowling bloke). Take second class, full fare tickets.

Its only one stop, takes about 10-15 minutes max.

Take euro coins with you, as the machines don’t take UK credit cards, some take notes but not tried these. All the machines work in english as well as dutch.

http://goamsterdam.about.com/od/gettingaroundamsterdam/tp/amsterdamairporttransportation.htm

Nah. Macbikes are bright red and scream tourist.
Go to blackbikes or hetschwartzefiets for a more local option. 30 euros for two bikes for 24 hours…

Avoid taxis in the ‘Dam. Too expensive, and the train is superb.

Crikey, Mac are great, friendly people, and their Centraal location is the most convenient for me when I’m in the ‘Dam.

Amsterdam is very small, most hotels are walkable from the station.

Which hotel?

Just been last week and saw lots of folk wobbling about on Macbikes. Blackbikes are a little further on, but much more …local…

The only problem is you’ll realise how crap and expensive british trains are

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g188590-d229144-Reviews-Bilderberg_Hotel_Jan_Luyken-Amsterdam_Noord_Holland.html

they are staying here. I’d personally get the tram / train but they’re being lazy and have too much money and cant be arsed reading a map. 😀 The long haired general asked me to ask the STW lot as it’s better than Wikipedia!!!

Hmmm.
About 20 mins walk from Centraal station, pleasant enough though through all of the main city. Depends what shoes they are wearing…

train

Train to A’dam WTC, not the train that goes to Centre, and then number 5 tram that will get her within 1-2 mins walk of hotel. Total journey less than train to Central Station. Taxi can be booked in advance on Schipol website if worried, which would take 10-15 mins outside busy periods.

There is no way I would walk to that hotel from Central Station.

Taxis take you the long and expensive way round in my expierance, i think it was about £50 but the train is superb about £8
Weird, wonderful and culture shocking city. Would love to go back again.

Was about 50 euros to city centre from memory. I got the train back.

I paid €68 for a cab from the airport to an office just North of the city last week
The guy I was meeting thought I’d been well ripped off and drove me back as an apology

Top tip: There is a tourist information centre as you leave the airport section and enter the railway station. BUY YOUR TICKETS THERE! We bought tram passes, advance tickets to Van Gogh museum and Kirkenhoff (flower festival) at the same time. The queues for the VG are a sight to behold.

You have been warned…