Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam: train, bus, taxi compared
The train under the terminal is the answer for almost everyone. It costs 5.50 euros with a contactless card, takes about 17 minutes to Amsterdam Centraal, and the Randstad night trains keep it running through the small hours. Bus 397 is worth it only if your hotel is near Leidseplein or Museumplein, and a taxi or car makes sense mainly for groups or heavy luggage.
- Cheapest
- €5.50NS train to Amsterdam Centraal · 30 min
- Fastest
- 30 minNS train to Amsterdam Centraal · €5.50
- Taxi
- €55–€75Taxi from the Schiphol rank · 35 min
NS train to Amsterdam Centraal: €11 for the group, about 30 min. No booking needed.
Train
NS train to Amsterdam Centraal
30 min
For the group€11
NS train to Amsterdam Centraal
NS Sprinter · 17 min · 24 hours
- Per person
- €5.50
- Door to door
- 30 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- up to 8 an hour
- Board at
- Platform 3, beneath Schiphol Plaza
- Suitcases
- Fine
Bus
Amsterdam Airport Express 397
45 min
For the group€13
Amsterdam Airport Express 397
Connexxion · direct to Leidseplein and Museumplein
- Per person
- €6.50
- Door to door
- 45 min
- Runs
- 05:27–00:44
- Frequency
- every 10 min
- Board at
- Bus stop B17, right of Schiphol Plaza
- Suitcases
- Fine
Private car
Pre-booked private car
40 min
For the group€52estimateCheck price
Pre-booked private car
Meet in arrivals · price fixed when you book
- Per person
- €52 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 40 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Pre-booked
- Board at
- Driver waits in the arrivals hall
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Taxi
Taxi from the Schiphol rank
35 min
For the group€55–€75estimate
Taxi from the Schiphol rank
Licensed taxis · metered, national maximum tariff
- Per person
- €55–€75 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 35 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank outside arrivals
- Board at
- Official taxi rank outside Schiphol Plaza
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Bus
Niteliner N97
Not running at this hour
For the group-
Niteliner N97
Connexxion · night bus to Amsterdam Centraal
- Per person
- €6.75
- Door to door
- 70 min
- Runs
- Not running at this hour (01:16–04:46)
- Frequency
- once an hour
- Board at
- Bus stop at Schiphol Plaza (check the board)
- Suitcases
- Fine
Every option in detail
TrainNS train to Amsterdam Centraal
- €5.50
- 30 min
- 24 hours
- → Amsterdam Centraal
Take the escalators down from Schiphol Plaza and tap in with a contactless bank card or phone at the yellow check-in poles. Tap out at the gates at Amsterdam Centraal. The fare is 5.50 euros for an adult in second class. This is OVpay: the amount is charged to your card after the trip. A paper single from a machine costs the same fare plus a 1.60 euro single-use card surcharge, so avoid it. Trains usually leave from platform 3 and stop at Sloterdijk and Lelylaan on the way.
BusAmsterdam Airport Express 397
- €6.50
- 45 min
- 05:27–00:44
- → Museumplein, Leidseplein, Elandsgracht
Bus 397 runs about every 10 minutes from stop B17. Leave Schiphol Plaza and walk to the right. A single is 6.50 euros, or 11.75 euros return, and you can pay with a contactless card on board or check in and out with it. Cash is not accepted. It does not go to Centraal. It ends at Elandsgracht, so it suits hotels in the Museum Quarter and around Leidseplein, where it saves a tram ride from the station. Allow about 30 minutes on the bus.
BusNiteliner N97
- €6.75
- 70 min
- 01:16–04:46
- → Amsterdam Centraal
N97 takes over when the 397 stops, running once an hour overnight between Schiphol and Amsterdam Centraal. The Niteliner fare is 6.75 euros, sold by the driver for card payment only, and the Airport Express e-ticket is also valid. Because the night train costs less and is faster, the N97 is a back-up for when you arrive just after a train has gone.
TaxiTaxi from the Schiphol rank
- €55–€75 per vehicle (estimate)
- 35 min
- 24 hours
- → Any address in Amsterdam
Taxis are metered. The national 2026 maximum for a taxi seating up to four is 4.31 euros to start, 3.17 euros per kilometre and 0.52 euros per minute. Over about 17 km that works out at roughly 55 to 75 euros depending on traffic, which is an estimate and not a fixed fare. Use only the official rank and agree nothing with people who approach you inside the terminal. Ask for a receipt.
Private carPre-booked private car
- €52 per vehicle (estimate)
- 40 min
- 24 hours
- → Your hotel door
A pre-booked sedan starts at about 52 euros for up to three passengers by day, and a little more at night. The driver tracks your flight and waits in arrivals, so you pay the same if the flight is late. The drive takes roughly 25 to 30 minutes, longer in the morning peak. It is the option that removes the walk from the station with bags.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
At 00:30 you are still fine. The NS train runs around the clock, with the Randstad night trains covering the hours after the last regular service roughly once an hour, and the fare is the same as in the day. Bus 397 runs until about 00:44, and N97 follows once an hour until about 04:46. Taxis wait at the rank all night. Check the NS planner before you land if you arrive between 01:00 and 05:00, because the gap between trains can be close to an hour.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on the train pay 22 euros in total. A taxi at 55 to 75 euros fits four with bags, so it comes to 14 to 19 euros each, a small premium for a door-to-door ride. A pre-booked sedan takes three, so four people need a larger vehicle or two cars. If your hotel is near Centraal the train is hard to beat. If it is across town with a tram change and big suitcases, the taxi is worth the money.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- Tap in at Schiphol and tap out at Centraal with the same card or phone. Forgetting to check out charges a penalty fare.
- Do not buy a paper single. NS adds a 1.60 euro single-use card surcharge, and OVpay gives you the same fare without it.
- Trains to Amsterdam Centraal normally leave from platform 3. Check the departure board for a Sprinter or Intercity heading to Centraal.
- Bus 397 does not stop at Centraal. Take the train if you want the station and the trams and ferries from it.
- Use only the official rank outside Schiphol Plaza for taxis. Unmarked drivers in the terminal are not regulated.
- NS runs fewer trains after 21:00 than at peak, but the line still has several trains an hour for most of the evening.
Questions travellers ask
How much is the train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal?
An adult second-class single is 5.50 euros with a contactless card or phone through OVpay. The journey takes about 17 minutes, with up to eight trains an hour.
Is there a night train from Schiphol to Amsterdam?
Yes. NS night trains run every night in the Randstad through Schiphol and Amsterdam Centraal, about once an hour, at the normal fare. The N97 night bus also runs hourly and costs 6.75 euros.
How much is a taxi from Schiphol to central Amsterdam?
Taxis are metered, and the national maximum is 4.31 euros plus 3.17 euros per kilometre and 0.52 euros per minute. Expect roughly 55 to 75 euros for the 17 km to Centraal.
What is the Amsterdam Airport Express bus 397?
It is a direct bus from stop B17 to Museumplein, Leidseplein and Elandsgracht, about every 10 minutes. A single is 6.50 euros and the ride takes around 30 minutes.
Is a paper train ticket more expensive?
Yes. NS charges a 1.60 euro surcharge for a single-use smartcard for single tickets. Tapping a contactless card through OVpay costs only the 5.50 euro fare.
