All About Amsterdam
Guide Sections
Getting There
By Air
The majority of flights departing and arriving in the Netherlands utilize Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (+800 72447 465 / http://www.schiphol.nl/). Despite ranking among the world's busiest airports, Schiphol retains a passenger friendly environment. The arrivals halls on the ground floor open directly into Schiphol Plaza, which has the ubiquitous shopping and dining choices. Short term parking lots are connected directly to the terminal, and tourist/information booths, ATMs, currency exchange centers, post offices, a hotel and even a massage parlor are also readily available. Airlines serving Schiphol include:
Air Berlin (+45 30 41 47 75 10 / http://www.airberlin.com/ ) Air Canada (+1 888 247 2262 / http://www.aircanada.ca/) Air France (+1 800 237 2747 / http://www.airfrance.com/us/) American Airlines (+31 20 2013 610 / http://www.aa.com/) British Airways (+1 800 247 9297 / http://www.ba.com/) Condor (+1 800 524 6975 / http://www7.condor.com/) Continental Airlines (+1 800 525 0280 / http://www.continental.com/) Delta (+1 800 221 1212 / http://www.delta.com/) Easy Jet (+33 8 25 08 25 08 / http://www.easyjet.com/) Japan Airlines (+1 800 525 3663 / http://www.japanair.com/) Lufthansa (+1 800 645 3880 / http://www.lufthansa.com/) Northwest Airlines (+1 800 225 2525 / http://www.nwa.com/) Singapore Air (+1 800 742 3333 / http://www.singaporeair.com/) United Airlines (+1 800 241 6522 / http://www.ua.com/) U.S. Airways (+1 800 428 4322 / http://www.usairways.com/)
From the Airport
Taxi: Schiphol Travel Taxis (+31 20 653 1000) provide service from the airport to destinations throughout the Netherlands. Fares range from EUR22 to EUR112 depending on the postal code of the stop. Most fares to downtown Amsterdam are around EUR30-EUR40. The taxi rank resides just outside Schiphol Plaza. Pre-booking is available online (http://www.schiphol.nl).
Train: Taking the train is the most expedient form of transport between the airport and the city center. Trains operated by Dutch Railways (a.k.a NS Railways) (+31 20 900 9296 http://www.ns.nl/) exit the NS Station under Schiphol Plaza up to five times an hour during peak times and every half hour during off peak times. Night trains depart the station about every hour through the night. The Schiphol Line runs to Amsterdam's Centraal Station via stops on the west side for around EUR3 one way. The trip takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Thalys offers daily high speed train service to various domestic and international locales. Tickets can be purchased at the Dutch Railways desk at Schiphol Plaza.
Bus: Buses leave from stops outside Schiphol Plaza for various points and cities is around the region. Bus 197 stops at the Marnixstraat bus station in the Center district (i.e. downtown), and is one of the cheapest ways to get into Amsterdam at EUR3.40. Hotel courtesy buses also leave from outside the Plaza.
Rental Cars: No matter which option suits your needs getting to the center of Amsterdam is trouble-free and relatively quick. While the city has the same notorious reputation as other European metro areas for driving, rental cars are obtainable and are a fine preference for those wanting to explore the countryside or head on to another city. On-site companies are: Alamo (+1 800 462 5266 / http://www.alamo.com/) Avis (+1 800 230 4898 / http://www.avis.com/) Europcar (+31 20 316 4190 / http://www.europcar.com/) Hertz (+1 800 654 3131 / http://www.hertz.com/) Sixt (+31 23 569 8653 / http://www.e-sixt.com/)
By Bus
Eurolines (+31 20 560 8788 / http://www.eurolines.com/) departs for destinations throughout Europe from the Amstel Station.
By Car
The Netherlands has a good highway system composed of speedy superhighways and slower national highways, most of which are just two lanes and perfect for country sightseeing. The E231 from the south, the E231 from the southeast, the E19 from the southwest, and the E22 from the north all stream into Amsterdam, with most connecting to the A10 ring road lassoing the city.
By Rail
Like most countries in Europe, the Netherlands has an extensive rail network connecting its cities and linking it with other destinations on the continent. All trains arrive and depart from Centraal Station in Amsterdam; a mammoth facility with its own host of services and a bit of an ominous character after dark. Although often maligned with service delays and maintenance issues, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (i.e. Netherlands Railways) (+31 20 900 9296 / http://www.ns.nl/) remains the best mode to hobnob around the country and abroad. The Benelux train makes hourly trips (up to 16 a day) between Amsterdam and Brussels, with numerous stops along the way including one at Rotterdam and Antwerp. Thlays (+31 20 302 3539 / http://www.thalys.com/) provides high speed train travel from Amsterdam to Brussels, Paris and the south of France. ICE International makes jaunts between Amsterdam and Frankfurt, Germany via Cologne, Germany. The CityNightLine train affords a comfortable overnight trip from Amsterdam to Switzerland or southern Germany. Daily service is also available to and from Berlin, Germany.
By Water
About 100 cruise ships a year make Amsterdam's Felison Terminal (+31 20 5552 1111/http://www.felisonterminal.nl/) or Oostelijke Handelskade (+31 20 509 1000) passenger terminal a port of call. For a more laborious from a seafaring opt for ferry transport. Numerous companies sail between ports in northern Europe and the Netherlands. DFDS Seaways (+44 871 522 9955 /http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/) has overnight ferry service from Newcastle, England to Amsterdam (via IJmuiden and a bus ride across the isthmus). P&O Ferries (+31 20 210 3333 / http://www.ponsf.com/) float from Hull to Rotterdam, where you can then hop a train to Amsterdam. Stenaline (+31 17 438 9333 / http://www7.stenaline.co.uk/) offers sail/rail service from destinations in England to various cities in the Netherlands. The ferry leaves from Harwich, England and arrives at port in Hook of Holland, where you can catch an express train to Centraal Station (or drive if you brought the car) in Amsterdam. All the boats travel overnight (most journeys exceed 10 to 15 hours) but numerous time diversions like casino rooms and movie house make the motion sickness bearable.
Getting Around
Bike
By far the preeminent and the fastest way to explore the town is by pedal power. Bikes are ubiquitous and the local's chosen mode of hobnobbing from point to point. Despite cobblestone streets, heavy foot traffic and the sport of tram dodging, the biggest problem with biking in Amsterdam is theft. It is absurdly rampant and certainly and an enormous black blotch on a city with an unrivaled cycling cultural. So make sure to tote along a lock. Dedicated lanes on just about every major street in the “City of Bikes” make it simple to ride in traffic and bike lanes even have cycle-specific traffic lights. Roads are flat and painless to maneuver and bike traffic is generally unhurried as the locals dote more over fashion than fitness when it comes to pedaling around. Bikes can be rented at most train stations (usually from around EUR30-EUR40 per week) and an assortment of private companies including Damstraat (+31 20 625 5029 / http://www.bikes.nl/) and Bike City (+31 20 626 3721 /vhttp://www.bikecity.nl/).
Public Transport
Meandering by foot and by bike is supplemented by a varied and widespread public transit system operated by Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf (GVB) (+31 20 900 9292 / http://www.gvb.nl/). Four metro lines, more than 30 bus routes, four ferry lines and 16 tramways span the city with most beginning at Centraal Station. The metro lines (Green (54), Red (53) Yellow (54) and Orange (51)) are a good option for getting to the suburbs, but the trams, which crisscross the small central districts, are most effective for seeing the area's sites. The metro lines also connect with suburban and national rail lines. The buses complete the scheme but most likely you will not use one unless you are on the north side of town or it is one of the nine night buses that roam the city once everything else shuts down. Trams, buses and the metro run from 6am-12:30a. The Opstapper minibus travels up and down the length of the Prinsengract Canal daily from 7:30a until 6:30p. It sticks to the Canal Belt and needs to be hailed by holding out a hand since there are no set stops. Fares are based on zone travel and starts at EUR1.60 for a single journey and EUR5.50 for a day pass.
Car
Although plenty of visitors scamper around town in subcompact mini mobiles and locals get behind the wheels of some of the smallest (and slowest) cars on earth, driving is by far more of a frustration than the equivalent of a casual Sunday cruise. Many main streets would be considered alleyways or even hallways in other cities. Roads are that narrow in places. Plus, the system of canals in the city center has left the roads to wander into dead ends and one-way jams. Parking is also quite a task, with very few free zones and a kiosk payment structure that is enforced to the maximum degree by Amsterdam's notorious Dienst Parkeerbeheer (Parking Authority) who has a communal itchy trigger finger when it comes to booting and towing illegally parked cars. So it is best to park the car either in a park and ride lot at a metro station on the outskirts (Olymoisch Stadion, ArenA, Slotedijk) or at one of the abundant pay lots around town including Centraal Station, which has a day rate of EUR32.
Ferries
Of the four ferries darting back and forth between Centraal Station and North Amsterdam only one is accessible for cars: the Distelweg. The Buiksloterweg and Adelaarsweg ferries are both free to ride and available to foot traffic, cyclists and moped users. The Buiksloterweg floats 24 hours daily. The Adelaarsweg operates daily from 6:20a until 11:57p. The fourth ferry, Waterbus, is free to Java Eiland but costs EUR1.10 for a trip to Aambeeldstaat and Boorstraat in North Amsterdam.
Taxis & Watertaxis
Taxis are not usually hailed from the street, but that doesn't mean a driver will not stop. But it is probably best to reserve a cab in advance at Central Taxi (TCA). Book online through Taxi.nl (http://www.taxi.nl/) or head to a rank outside a train station or major hotel.
Water taxis are also a good way to get around and see the sites from the narrow canals, but it is not the cheapest mode of transport and is best for groups. Amsterdamse WaterTaxi Centrale (+31 20 535 6363 / http://www.lovers.nl/) boasts having a fleet of limos on water and the prices (starting at EUR75 for hour for a group of 1-8) reflect it. A more tourist friendly option is the Canal Bus (+31 20 623 9886 / http://www.canal.nl/), which offers three hop-on/hop-off excursions starting at EUR15. The company also rents Canal Bikes (pedal boats) and has seven self guided routes to pursue and six landing bays where you can dock or start a journey. Fares start at EUR8 per person per hour.
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