This was our first time in Amsterdam and it was fairly easy to go thru customs and claim your bags…read more This airport is the 3rd busiest in Europe and it is connected to the main train station. As of April 2026 they use the new EES system making international travel easier and faster. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the airport which is a plus especially if you arrive early or have a long layover.

I've flown in and out of Schiphol twice - once in July 2025 and again in May / June 2026. I have…read moreflown in via Las Vegas, USA and Helsinki, Finland and out both times back home to Las Vegas. The airport is gigantic. Flying in from a European country and getting your luggage and then out felt like it took nearly as long as flying in from the US and having to go through customs. The walk to the baggage claim from the FinnAir terminal was incredibly long and the baggage took what felt like forever. There are tons of restaurants and shops here. Unfortunately if you need to eat gluten-free, this airport really doesn't have options. They do sell the cheese that is for sale at all the gift shops around Netherlands here after security and at a cheaper price than many tourist shops and even the cheese factory itself in Volendam. Security and immigration are definitely a hassle here with their questions. Be prepared for Dutch bluntness. You have to be blunt right back with them. I had a new in box water filter in my carry-on because I went to a remote cabin in Finland for a week. Security tried to give me a hard time about why I had a water filter as if that's somehow contraband. Just be very direct to the point it comes across as rude (for Americans) when responding. I had a mini mental hair clip the size of my thumb print go off and I had to get a pat down and they almost made me take it out of my hair to get scanned. Some issue with the new European passport and fingerprint scan thing (EES) flagged me so I had to talk to immigration. Naturally the line for everyone who got flagged happened to be the immigration officer trainee line so it took 3-4x as long as the other immigration officer lines because staff was walking the trainees through what to ask and type. I was seriously worried I'd miss my flight. My husband didn't get flagged and had time to order food and eat it at a restaurant downstairs in the terminal, that's how long a passport check after security took. Flying in isn't bad but omg flying out is a hassle and you'll need to give yourself extra time with the new EES system implementation. Latest visit: June 2026

We needed to come to the Centraal Station to catch a train to visit Zaanse Schans yesterday. You…read moretap in with your credit card (or a pass if you got one for lots of public transit in a week or month). In order to enter the station. The digital directory screen was very easy to follow once we looked online to see which train we needed. There are intercity trains and sprinter trains which are slower or quicker because of the number of stops I think. We needed the 11:13 train on platform 5a to Uitgeest. We were t hungry yet but if we had been, the station has multiple places to buy pastries or snacks for travel. We only had to wait on the platform for about 15 minutes. The seats were comfortable and had options for 2 together or 4 facing each other for families. The ride was very smooth with only 2 stops before ours. You tap out at the platform of arrival at a little tap screen about waist height there.

Very large and a bit daunting for someone new to train travel. Once I figured out the platform…read moresystem, it was a bit easier, but many of the escalators are broken (June 2026), which makes moving around a challenge. Platforms are outside, which is not ideal during the worst heat wave in Amsterdam history.

Haarlem it's about 10 minutes away from Amsterdam Central Station by train. It is a small station…read more Lots of different restaurants in stores. Much quieter city to wander around than it is in Amsterdam. Great option for a half day trip here.

I had no idea that this station was the oldest station in the Netherlands. It's a beautiful…read morestation, that runs efficiently. It is easy to purchase tickets, and easy to find which platform your train leaves from. There is also a huge bike parking lot for those who want to park and ride. There are a few small shops on the platforms, and many coffee stands. Trains were on time, and no problems getting to my destination.

Large train station, it was not the easiest station to navigate. Nor did the station have many…read moreemployees, for a station of this size, with so many people transferring you would think they have more than just one employee by the gate. He was very helpful and friendly but they probably should have at least one other person working. They had a bakery here, a Starbucks, I saw a small market, of sorts, and another place called Julia. However, I expected a few more options but what do I know, I am probably just a spoiled American... Kudos to the friendly worker who helped me find everything I needed here.

This train station is only six minutes away from the Amsterdam Central station. To avoid crowds and…read moreexpensive hotels downtown Amsterdam, you can stay here as there a few hotels within five minutes walk of this station. There are no staff here most of the time for ticketing assistance. The only time I saw a staff here, I asked a question about how to show the QR ticket of a eurail pass on "rail planer" app and she doesn't recognize the "rail planer" app. There is a Spar convenience store next to station where you can buy, fruits, sandwiches, coffee, water, instant noodles, and other snacks.

Basic train station one stop away from Schiphol airport. Mostly sprinters stop here but also some…read moreof the intercity trains to Flevoland. This is an open air station but also quite large. Plan ahead if in a rush.

Low frills train station with easy access to nearby hotels, buses, airport and Amsterdam Centraal…read more Enclosed waiting areas for those cold days. No need to buy a ticket. Just tap your credit card (physical or virtual) when you enter an exit.

This was such an easy train station to navigate…read more Needed an easy way to get from Rotterdam to Paris. Booked a Eurostar train for an easy trip. Simply scan your ticket and go to the number two platform. Elevators and escalators available. Signage was clear. The ticket and tour office answered our questions. We had a great breakfast at our hotel, but lots of shops available if you need to pick up breakfast or a snack for an early morning train ride. Great way to travel from Rotterdam to the Paris Olympics on Eurostar.

This is a beautiful modern train station contrasted to the Antwerp train station. Some good stores…read moreinside as well. Super helpful staff.

A few years ago, some friends moved to The Netherlands, and they live in Leiden, so we have…read moreutilized this train station to see them when visiting. It is convenient to their home (not a far walk). If you visit Leiden, it is close to the medical center and university. Tons of trains arrive and leave here, so we never had to wait for very long for the train we needed. Dutch trains are very much on time, unlike Germany! If you need a snack or drink, there's a small Albert Heijn and a Backwerk on the lower level, as well as kiosks on the platforms where the trains are. Toilets in the train station do cost so have some euros for that.

Great train station in Amsterdam not far from the airport. Clean and easy to navigate…read more Many places to eat and buy necessities before embarking to your destination. The station provides an easy jumping off point to cities like Leiden, Haarlem or even The Hague. Ask for assurance at the information desk and they'll walk you through the steps to get where you want to go

Amsterdam Zuid (South) is a key public transit hub in the neighborhood of the same name, directly…read moresouth of the Museumwartier (Museum Quarter) district and south of city center Amsterdam. Overall clean and easy to navigate. The surrounding streets are mostly residential though heading southwards there are more office and commercial buildings. As a busy commuter station mornings and evenings you'll hit rush hour conditions, expect densely packed platforms and train cars on both local commuter trains and the M52 metro line. There are separate entry points for each type of transportation so you need to scan in and out of the respective areas, via chipped credit/debit card or smartphone payment method or QR code. If you pay by card or phone they will charge you by distance depending on where you scan in and out, same for buses and trams. Single/multi-ride ticket machines are also available in the station. Some parts of the platforms are exposed to the outside elements so keep that in mind if it's rainy/snowy. Bus and tram stops are located a short 2-5 minute walk depending on the line you're trying to catch. There's public bike parking underground accessible via a couple entrances with ramped escalators (as compared to normal stair escalators) to accommodate bike traffic. To reach the city center, by metro or tram it's about 15-25 minutes depending where you're heading, by train about 10 minutes to Amsterdam Centraal. To Schipol Airport it's a 10 min train ride.

I like this station over the Central one because it's cleaner and it's located in a business…read morelocation. There are good food options right outside the station if you have some time on your hands. Best thing is it's less crowded. So you should have good seat options. We were here during the strike in Belgium, so our train to Antwerp was cancelled. We had to take a train down to Rotterdam and then catch the Antwerp one down there. A little hectic, but we finally made it.

Amsterdam Amstel is all about the location. It's not a major structure when you see it but a major…read morelocation. This is a high end area and this station could be passed without noticing the trains or the trams. I give it five stars for the beauty of the architecture blending in with the surroundings as well as the travel options this station allows. If I were lazy after visiting friends out here and didn't want to cycle home, I could either get on a train or tram to eventually get home (hint - cycling is always faster and more reliable in Amsterdam). Nice station for going towards Utrech or Amsterdam Centraal. From those two options - you can get everywhere in Western Europe.

Amstel Station was the closest station to our hotel, so we were in and out of it quite a lot. It…read morewas bright, spacious, and easy to navigate. The workers were all very helpful whenever we needed assistance. We were most appreciative that the convenience store was open later for when we would come back from the main part of the city late at night and need snacks and beverages. We used the train to get to Centraal Station, but used the tram system just outside the station to visit the Museumplein. Both systems are very user friendly and easy to navigate for foreigners. 5/2020