Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

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Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is the Netherlands’ main international airport. It is located in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) southwest of Amsterdam.

Schiphol has its own railway station directly beneath the terminal and excellent public transport connections with Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands.

In this guide we cover information about Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, including facts, arrivals and departures, airport hotels, maps, lost property, things to do at the airport, and our own tips for using Schiphol.

Public Transport between Schiphol and Amsterdam

Schiphol Airport at a Glance

Table of Contents: Guide to Schiphol

Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam: Train, Bus or Taxi

Schiphol is located just outside of Amsterdam’s city limits. For most visitors heading to central Amsterdam, the train is the easiest option. Schiphol Airport railway station is directly underneath Schiphol Plaza.

Buses are particularly useful for destinations around Museumplein, Leidseplein, and the southern part of the Jordaan district.

Taxis are convenient for door-to-door travel but considerably more expensive.

Detailed information: public transport between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam

Schiphol Flights: Arrivals, Departures, Transfers

• Arrivals
• Departures
• Transfers

What the DutchAmsterdam Team Thinks of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Since we live and work in Amsterdam, Schiphol is the airport of choice for the DutchAmsterdam team.

We love the convenience of traveling to and from Schiphol with public transport. And while we don’t necessarily enjoy the process of traveling, we consider Schiphol a great airport to fly out from and to come home to.

We often meet guests flying into Amsterdam at the airport as well. When we do, we normally take the opportunity to shop, or to have a bite to eat. Schiphol has lots of shops, restaurants and bars – both in the general area and behind passport control.

Tip: we usually make sure to arrive early enough to enjoy the airport’s Panorama Terrace observation deck and the accompanying Panorama Restaurant.

What we do not like about Schiphol? Well, overtourism is a real problem in Amsterdam. Among other things that sometimes makes Schiphol airport a tad too busy during the summer months.

While many improvements have been made to ensure the check-in and security process is as smooth and easy as possible, there are times when long lines lead to frustrating delays.

Schiphol Airport Facts

In 2025, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol handled 68.6 million passengers and 477,552 flights air transport movements. 36.3% were transfer passengers.

The 120 airlines that fly directly to and from Schiphol served 301 direct destinations in over 85 countries. ¹Source: Schiphol

In the 2026 Skytrax World Airport Awards, passengers ranked Schiphol 17th worldwide, up from 19th in 2025.

Hotels at or near Schiphol Airport

Most tourists prefer to stay in a hotel in Amsterdam itself, but many business- or layover travelers opt for accommodation at or near the airport.

Inside the Airside/Transit Area (After Security)

You must have a valid boarding pass for a transit or departing flight to stay here. No luggage re-claim is needed if you are transferring with carry-on only.

• Mercure Hotel Schiphol Terminal: Located in Lounge 3 (near Gates D–G). Offers standard, comfortable hotel rooms for overnight stays or daytime naps.
• YOTELAIR Amsterdam Schiphol: Located in Lounge 2. Features compact, Japanese-inspired “cabins” equipped with smart beds and rainfall showers. Available for flexible hours or full nights.

Landside Direct Walking Distance (Before Security / Schiphol Plaza)

Accessible to anyone without passing through border control or security.

• Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel & Conference Center: The closest landside hotel, connected directly to Schiphol Plaza via a covered walkway (approx. 2-minute walk).
• Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: Connected to the terminal via a covered, climate-controlled walkway (approx. 5 to 7-minute walk). Features striking cube-shaped architecture and a full-service spa.
• citizenM Amsterdam Airport: Located right outside the arrivals terminal door (approx. 4-minute walk). Offers modern, compact rooms controlled by in-room tablets at a mid-range price point.

Hotels Close to Schiphol (Short Drive / Shuttle)

Hotels at or near Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Things to do at Schiphol Airport

If you have any time to spend at the airport – waiting for guests to arrive or for your transfer flight to board – the airport offers plenty of things to do.

Shops, coffee nooks, and restaurants

There are many shops before and after passport control. Plenty of bars, coffee nooks, and restaurants as well. Also, an Albert Heijn supermarket where you can buy sushi, prepared on the spot. (Don’t forget the stroopwafels in souvenir tins…)

Panorama Restaurant and Terrace – Observation Deck

Our personal favorite: the Panorama Restaurant. It overlooks the airport’s Panorama Terrace, which is a popular observation platform for plane spotters of all ages. There is even a KLM Fokker 100 plane you can enter. [See also: Next-level plane spotting at the airport]

Note: because both the restaurant and terrace are located before security, they is accessible to non-traveling visitors and travelers alike.

Opening hours for the terrace: 07:00 (7 a.m.) – 21:00 (9 p.m.) daily, subject to closure for bad weather or safety reasons.

Opening hours for the restaurant: daily from 09:00 (9 a.m.) – 20:00 (8 p.m.)

How to get there:

1. Head to Departures 1 (before security)
2. Near check-in desk row 1 (or by Café Rembrandt), take the escalator, elevator, or stairs up.
3. Follow the signs across the footbridge to reach both the terrace entrance and the restaurant entrance

Closed: Rijksmuseum Schiphol satellite museum

Many guides still mention the Rijksmuseum Schiphol satellite museum. It was in operation from 2002 to 2024, but after several temporary closures due to leaks and renovations, the mini-exhibition has not returned. It is permanently closed.

Watch the man in the clock

Dutch artist/designer Maarten Baas‘s famous Real Time clock from 2016 is in Lounge 2.

Baas created a second clock in 2026. This one involves a thousands volunteers, most of them Schiphol employees “literally becoming time.” A runner in orange marks the seconds. This clock can be seen in Lounge 1, the departure hall for Schengen destinations.

The Best Places for Planespotting at Schiphol Airport

Earlier we mentioned the Panorama Terrace and Restaurant which attracts plane spotters of all ages. But dedicated enthousiasts go a step further:

No matter what time you visit, you never have to wait long to see a plane take off or land. And by keeping an eye on the latest spotters news, you will know when an exceptional aircraft is due to arrive or a special flight – perhaps even a maiden flight – is about to take off.

Take a closer look at countless take-offs and landings from the spotter zones along Polderbaan and Buitenveldertbaan. You can use all these locations free of charge, and they are easily accessible by car or bicycle. To avoid disappointment, check in advance to see when which runway is being used or use the Notifly app.

Planespotting at Schiphol

DutchAmsterdam team members favor the spotters zone at Polderbaan.

There are mobile toilets, and a food truck (Snackcar Spottersplaats Polderbaan) with decent inexpensive food (read: no price gouching, even though there is no competition nearby. Cheers!).

Tips:

• Bring a chair or a picnic blanket
• It is nice to sit in the grass to the north of the spotters zone
• Yes, there is a food truck, but bring your own food and drink
• Bring your own toilet paper(!)

Live Video: Arrival and Departures at Schiphol

Alternatively, you can let others do the heavy lifting:

The YouTube channel AMS LIVE was “created by lifelong aviation and photography enthousiast Boy Randsdorp to bring you high quality live video content from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, one of the world’s busiest airports. If you want to experience Schiphol as if you’re there with us, look no further!”

As airplane enthousiasts ourselves, we at DutchAmsterdam frequently watch one of Boy’s live airport streams.

Here’s an example of Boy Randsdorp at work:

Video: Approach and Landing at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

And another approach and landing, this one flying right over the city of Amsterdam:

Want to see more of Amsterdam? Check these live Amsterdam webcams, or pay a virtual visit to the city.

Can You Fly a Drone Near Schiphol?

Dutch rules prohibit open-category drone flights in restricted areas around airports, and pilots need to consult the official no-fly-zone information.

Amsterdam is located within the controlled airspace (Control Traffic Region – CTR) of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Schiphol lies in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, which is subject to the same CTR.

Learn more about drones in Amsterdam

Getting legal permission to film close to Schiphol is therefore unusual — which makes the following authorised footage particularly interesting.

Unique Drone Footage: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Gateway to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Europe — and the World

Schiphol, as is it known colloquially, is the Netherlands’ main international airport. It is located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer.

Founded in 1916, it is one of the oldest airports in the world. Schiphol is home to KLM which, founded in 1919, is the world’s oldest airline still operating under its original name.

Schiphol’s name is derived from a former fortification named Fort Schiphol which was part of the Stelling van Amsterdam defense works, constructed between 1880 and 1920.

Before 1852, the Haarlemmermeer polder in which the airport lies was a large lake, in the shallow waters of which sudden violent storms could claim many ships. This was the main reason for reclaiming it. Schiphol translates to ‘Ship Hole’ in English, which some theorize to be a reference to the number of ships lost in the area.

Schiphol itself says:

Another explanation is that the name comes from the word ‘scheepshaal’. A ‘scheepshaal’ was a ditch used for towing ships from one lake to another.

Incidentally, like much of the western Netherlands the airport lies below sea level – 4 to 4.5 meters (13 to 15 feet) at its lowest point.

Schiphol Help • Maps • Contact • Lost/Found

Schiphol on Google Maps

Telephone
From inside the Netherlands:
0900-0141 (€0,40 p.m.)

From outside the Netherlands:
+31-207940800

Whatsapp

Other contact options

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Maps

Schiphol maps

Lost and Found

Schiphol Lost and Found has two desk locations after security and one before security.

If you are no longer and the airport, the page includes a form you can complete.

The airport offers various options for retrieval of your belongings.

Here’s what you need to know about Amsterdam’s Public Transport System (+ buy your tickets online)

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Footnotes

• 1
  Source: Schiphol ↩︎