Schiphol (AMS): the best way to central Amsterdam for four people
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.
← Back to the full comparison for Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
NS train to Amsterdam Centraal: €22 for the group, about 30 min. No booking needed.
Train
NS train to Amsterdam Centraal
30 min
For the group€22
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€26
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
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
Private car
Pre-booked private car
40 min
For the group€1042 vehicles · estimateCheck 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
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.
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
Schiphol (AMS) with four people: what is the cheapest way?
NS train to Amsterdam Centraal: €22 for the group of four, about 30 min door to door.
Schiphol (AMS): what is the best option for four people with four suitcases?
NS train to Amsterdam Centraal: €22 for the group, about 30 min. No booking needed.
Schiphol (AMS): is a taxi cheaper than four tickets?
No. NS train to Amsterdam Centraal costs €22 for four tickets, against Taxi from the Schiphol rank at €55–€75 for the group.
Schiphol (AMS): is one taxi enough for four people?
The fare here is counted for up to 4 passengers per taxi, so four people go in one taxi for €55–€75.
Schiphol (AMS): which options are easiest with four suitcases?
Luggage is carried for you with: Taxi from the Schiphol rank, Pre-booked private car.
Schiphol (AMS): where do these prices and times come from?
Prices and times were checked on October 4, 2026 against NS, Connexxion, Rijksoverheid, linked in the list of options on this page.
