How to Reach Amsterdam

Are you looking to visit Amsterdam, or perhaps visit relatives or friends there? You’re not alone – millions of people flock to the city each year, drawn in by the famous canals, vibrant atmosphere and unique open-minded culture. Given its location in the Netherlands, reach Amsterdam is no easy feat. Depending on your home location, getting to the city may be more complicated than a simple plane ride away. To help you plan your trip, here is a comprehensive guide on how to reach Amsterdam.

Getting to Amsterdam by Plane

If you have the luxury of being able to book a plane ticket, flying to Amsterdam is usually the quickest route. The international airport servicing Amsterdam is called Schiphol Airport (AMS), located 9km southwest of the city centre. To enter the Netherlands, you likely need a visa – be sure to check the visa requirements with your nearest Dutch embassy or consulate well in advance. Once you land at AMS Airport, there are a variety of options to get you to Amsterdam city centre or a nearby surrounding town. An intercity bus may be the best option – they run every 10-15 minutes and take between 25-40 minutes. You can easily find the schedules and tickets online. Alternatively, there is also a train connecting the airport and the city centre, which takes 15 minutes to reach Central Station on its fastest service. Tickets for the train can be purchased from machines in the station or in advance online. There are also taxi services available at Schiphol as well as rental cars from an assortment of companies, but both will be more expensive than public transportation.

Getting to Amsterdam by Boat or Ferry

In addition to flying, another way to reach Amsterdam is by taking a ferry or boat. Fortunately, this part of Western Europe is well connected via ports and ships, with numerous daily sailings departing from or heading to the Netherlands. A direct high speed ferry links IJmuiden, near Amsterdam, with Newcastle (United Kingdom) twice per week – the journey time is around eight hours in good weather conditions. Additionally, there are some ferries from Sweden and Finland that will take you all the way to Amsterdam, which can be a great way to make an authentic European coastal voyage. There are cruises from various ports around the world including Spain, Germany and Russia that make stops in Amsterdam – this type of journey can be quite costly but time-efficient, depending on where you start from and where you have to go. Whatever type of transportation method you choose, make sure you are familiar with all of the related fees and regulations when travelling by ship. Be sure to check if you need a visa, passenger contract or transit permit before leaving home.

Getting to Amsterdam by Train

Taking a train can be one of the best ways to reach Amsterdam if you are coming from nearby countries in Europe such as Germany or Belgium, as Netherlands trains connect all these places with Amsterdam at reasonable costs. Additionally, there are internation trains operated by Eurostar offering direct connections with London – you can take an evening journey and arrive early in Amsterdam the next day without the need for plane tickets (if tickets are available). You can easily search online for the departure times, routes and cost for train services both inside and outside of the Netherlands using sites like NS International. The tickets for most train companies in Europe can be purchased online with debit/credit cards as well as on board after boarding your train with cash or debit/credit cards all over Europe – just be sure to double check your options via online research before travelling so you can make sure to have everything ready prior to your journey.

Getting to Amsterdam by Car

Driving to Amsterdam may take some time (depending on where in Europe you start), but it can be an extremely enjoyable experience – particularly if you don’t mind taking scenic routes or stopping off at charming towns along the way. Note that gasoline is quite expensive in Europe so factor this into your budget if driving is your preferred transportation method. The most streamlined route would be heading directly up A2 highway – and if coming from Brussels or anywhere within Belgium, you will take the E19 highway which eventually leads onto A2 highway in Holland and brings you all the way to Amsterdam city centre in approximately three hours of nonstop driving. This route has no tolls meaning you will only spend on gasoline for your entire journey up until Amsterdam city centre. Otherwise, if you are coming from other places in Europe such as Poland or Hungary, you will likely have to connect through Germany as part of your journey up until reaching Holland and probably also pay for some tolls along the way (depending on which route you take).

Conclusion

Ultimately, no matter which route you decide to take, reaching Amsterdam will be a memorable experience! Flying, sailing and traveling via train are all popular ways to get there while driving (for those who want a more scenic route) can be quite affordable when done right. Be sure to check out visa requirements, tickets prices, regulations and other important factors when planning your trip to Amsterdam. Bon voyage!