Schiphol Airport Amsterdam – Travel Guide
Schiphol Airport is the largest and most important airport in the Netherlands. It is located only 18 km from the center of Amsterdam. Therefore, it is very popular among visitors to the city.
In this travel guide, you will find all the important information about Schiphol Airport and our tips on how to get to the city center quickly and cheaply.
Facts and figures about Schiphol Airport Amsterdam
With nearly 75 million passengers per year, the airport is No. 3 in Europe. To avoid confusion, airports around the world have standardized abbreviations.
At Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, this is “AMS” according to the IATA standard and “EHAM” according to the ICAO standard. You can use these abbreviations, for example, when searching for flights in online booking portals.
Schiphol Airport is the third largest airport in Europe (Image: K.Walsh, CC 2.0 license)
Home base and hub for many airlines
The airport is home base and hub for several airlines: KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines), its subsidiary KLM Cityhopper, as well as for Corendon Dutch Airlines, TUI fly Netherlands, Martinair and Transavia.
Schiphol Airport is home base and hub for several airlines – including KLM (Image: G.van der Schaaf, CC 2.0 license).
A few words about the history and name of the airport
Schiphol Airport is more than 100 years old. It was opened during the 1st World War, on 16.09.1916 as a military airport. Then, in 1920, civil air traffic began, and the airport was named after the field name from the Middle Ages “Schiphol” (English “ship hole”). The airport was constantly expanded. On its 100th birthday in 2016, it was given the epithet “koninklijk” (English “royal”) by King William Alexander.
How do I get to the airport by car?
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is located on the two freeways, A4 and A9. It is easy to reach by car. Due to its proximity to Amsterdam, traffic jams can occur, especially during rush hour.
The A4 and A9 freeways lead directly to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Transfer: Airport ↔ Amsterdam city center and surroundings
When planning a trip, it is often more complicated to plan the transfer to and from the airport than the flight itself. If you plan the transfer to your accommodation or destination before the flight, you will save time, money and stress. It’s worth taking a few minutes to plan.
At Amsterdam Airport, there are many transport options to get to the city center and surroundings of Amsterdam.
Terminals at Schiphol Airport (+ map)
Although Amsterdam Airport is one of the largest airports in Europe, passengers can easily find their way around. Since the airport has only one terminal building, it is very clear for its size.
The one-terminal concept means you never have to leave the building when changing planes.
There are also no shuttle buses running between the terminals.
Schiphol Airport – map for download
→ Plan of Schiphol Airport Amsterdam incl. terminals for download (*.pdf)
Schiphol Airport – interactive map
Here you can find our interactive map. If you zoom in more, you will find all stores, restaurants, piers and terminals in the airport.
If you zoom out further, you can explore the surroundings of the airport. For example, all stops of the Airport Express Bus 397 (shuttle bus to the city center) are also marked.
Transfer times – long walking distances
Due to the one-terminal concept, however, there can be long walking distances when transferring at Europe’s third-largest airport.
Especially if you arrive with a non-Schengen flight and have a connecting flight to a Schengen destination or vice versa, there are usually long distances because Schengen flights and non-Schengen flights are handled in different halls.
Due to the “One Terminal Concept” you do not have to travel between buildings by bus or train to change planes. As a result, walking distances can be long. (Image: S.Hashimoto, CC 2.0 license)
Schiphol Plaza – the center of the airport and shopping mall
The center of the airport is the “Schiphol Plaza”:
- It connects the three halls of the terminal building
- Underneath the Schiphol Plaza is the “Schiphol Airport” train station. This station offers local connections, e.g. to the center of Amsterdam, but also long-distance connections.
→ More information in this travel guide :
train station “Schiphol Airport”, connections, prices, etc. can be found here. - Schiphol Plaza is also a large shopping center with many stores and restaurants
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has only one terminal building. The center is the Schiphol Plaza. (Image: Martin., CC 2.0 license)
What stores are located in the shopping center “Schiphol Plaza”?
At Schiphol Airport, there are two areas where shopping areas are located. One area is located in front of the security checkpoint (before security). This area is accessible to all visitors of the airport. The second area is located after the security checks. This is only accessible to passengers after security.
At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, many stores are located in the “before security” area, which is accessible to all visitors. Therefore, many residents from the surrounding area also use Schiphol Plaza for shopping.
The choice of stores and restaurants at Amsterdam Airport is huge. (Image: FunGi_, CC 2.0 license)
Stores in the “after security” area (boarding pass required) – as of 2023
Alcohol, Tobacco, Food: Chocolates, Fine Food, Liquor & Tobacco, Gall & Gall, Leonidas, Nespresso, old Amsterdam Cheeses
Flowers, Gifts, Souvenirs: Aviflora, I Amsterdam, Dutch Discoveries
Electronics: Electronics
Fashion: Bottega Veneta, G-Star Raw, Gucci, Hermès, Hugo Boss, Sunglasses, Victoria’s Secret
Jeweler & Watches: Bvlgari, GASSAN, IWC Schaffhausen, Montblanc, Rolex, Swarovski, Swatch
Stores in the “before security” area (no boarding pass required)
Alcohol, Tobacco, Food: Albert Heijn to go (Supermarkt), Chocolates, Liquor & Tobacco, Jamin
Books & Media: AKO Books & Travel
Flowers, Gifts, Souvenirs: Bloem!, Dutch Food Gifts, House of Tulips
Electronics: Airport Telecom Shop
Perfumery & Cosmetics: Etos, Kiko
Fashion: Bottega Veneta, Burberry, H&M
Shopping Mall? Food Corner? Terminal building? Amsterdam Airport has it all… (Image: Sasha_India, CC 2.0 license)
Fresh, local food is also available at Schiphol Airport (Image: Sasha_India, CC 2.0 License)
Which restaurants are located in the Schiphol Airport?
Schiphol Airport offers a huge selection of restaurants. Again, there are two areas where the restaurants are located:
One area is located in front of the security checkpoint (before security). This area is accessible to all visitors of the airport. The second area is located after security checks. This is only accessible to passengers after security.
Restaurants in the “before security” area (no boarding pass required) – as of 2023
Burger King, Café Rembrandt, Crossroads (Diner), Douwe Egberts Coffee Bar, Dönder Kebab & Pommes Frites, Grand Café Plaza, HEMA Food, Happy Seafood, Health Food Wall Plaza, Hello Goddgye Bar, LEON, La Place, Pizza Per Tutti!, Segafrod Espresso Bar, Starbucks, The Verspillingsfabriek (Waste Factory), Toko to go, Urban Beans, Yoghurt Ban
Restaurants in the “after security” area (boarding pass required) – as of 2023
Bread!, Bubbles Seafood & Wine Bar, Café Chocolat, Café Choco, Dutch Bar, Fair Taste Café, Frames, Harvest Market, Heineken Bar, Jamie´s Deli, Joe & The Juice, Kebaya, McDonald´s, Murphy´s Irish Pub, Pana Eatery, Starbucks, Sushi & Noodles, The Grill, The Oven, Two Tigers
Rijksmuseum and Airport Library at Schiphol Airport
The Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum and displays works of art from the golden age of the Netherlands. For example, the collection includes the famous painting “The Night Watch” by Rembrandt.
The museum is located in the center of Amsterdam and is one of the top attractions in the city, with over 2 million visitors per year.
The airport also has its own airport library.
Branch of the Rijksmuseum at Schiphol Airport
Branch of the Rijksmuseum at Schiphol Airport
Since 2002, there has been a branch of the museum directly in the airport building. In 2017, this museum was extensively renovated and shows exhibits from the Rijksmuseum in worth seeing temporary exhibitions. Works by Jan van Goyen, Abraham Mignon or Michiel van Mierevelt, for example, are on display.
The quiet atmosphere in the museum is a great contrast to the hustle and bustle in the rest of the airport. The museum is always open. Admission is free.
The museum is located between Pier E and F in the “after security” area. Therefore, it is only accessible to passengers with boarding passes.
The world-famous Rijksmuseum presents an exhibition worth seeing at the airport. Admission is free. (Image: Sasha_India, CC 2.0 license)
Here you can stock up on new books (Image: Sasha_India, CC 2.0 License)
How far is it from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to the city center?
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is located only 18 km from Amsterdam city center. Therefore, it is very popular with visitors to the city. It is well-connected to local transport. More information about Amsterdam Airport and tips on how to get to the city center quickly can be found in our travel guide.
How long does it take to change planes at Amsterdam Airport?
Due to the one-terminal concept, there can be long walking distances when changing planes at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport.
Especially if you are arriving from a non-Schengen country and have a connecting flight to a Schengen destination or vice versa, long walks usually occur.
Schengen flights and non-Schengen flights are handled in different halls.
What are the stores in the airport shopping center "Schiphol Plaza"?
At Schiphol Amsterdam Airport there are two areas where stores are located.
One area is located in front of the security checkpoint (before security). This area is accessible to all visitors of the airport. The second area is located after the security checks. This area is only accessible to passengers after security.
You can find a list of stores in our Amsterdam Online Travel Guide.