Not every journey to Schiphol starts at a railway station. Buses, taxis and private cars all have their own place at the airport, each with a dedicated stop or zone around the terminal. This guide explains where each option arrives, and when it is the right choice.
Schiphol has a large bus station directly outside the terminal, served by regional lines from Amsterdam, Haarlem, Amstelveen, Hoofddorp and the wider region, including express services. For travellers from places without a direct rail link, the bus is often the cheapest door: the same contactless check-in and check-out applies as on the train. Buses arrive at walking distance from the check-in halls; follow the signs from the platforms to departures. The trade-off against the train is journey time and sensitivity to road traffic, so add margin at rush hour.
The official taxi rank stands in front of the terminal, with licensed taxis in line. On departure, any taxi company can bring you; agree the fare method before you leave. On arrival, use the official rank rather than accepting an offer from someone approaching you inside the terminal: soliciting passengers indoors is a known nuisance, and the rank is where the licensed queue is. For a fixed price and a driver who tracks your flight, many travellers pre-book an airport transfer; the driver then waits in the arrivals hall with your name, and a delayed landing is the driver’s problem to follow, not yours. The live arrivals board is what those drivers watch too.
App based rides work at Schiphol and have designated pickup points; the app tells you which one after booking. Prices move with demand, which cuts both ways: quiet Tuesday mornings can be cheap, busy Friday evenings are not. Compare with the fixed price of a pre-booked transfer for your specific time.
If someone drives you, the Kiss & Ride zone lets them stop close to departures, unload, hug and go, free of charge but with a strict short time limit that is enforced. It is a stopping zone, not a waiting zone: the driver stays with the car. Anyone wanting to walk you inside should use short stay parking instead. The same applies to pickups: waiting at the kerb for a flight that has not landed does not work, and drivers are moved on. Send your driver the flight number so they can time their arrival on the board, and agree a meeting point inside or use short stay parking.
Alone with hand luggage on a budget: bus or train. Early flight from a town with no night service: pre-booked taxi. Family with a mountain of suitcases: taxi or being driven, with Kiss & Ride for the goodbye. Landing after midnight: check the night bus and night train first, then the rank. In every case, the journey to the airport is part of the flight plan; build it around the advice in our travel day guide.
Only long enough to unload or load; the limit is short and monitored. Treat it as minutes, not a quarter of an hour, and never leave the car unattended.
The rank is for licensed taxis and is the intended place to take one. Ignore offers made inside the terminal building.
Night services run between Schiphol and the region, with schedules that differ from daytime. Check the current night timetable while you are still in the terminal.
This website is an independent information site about Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and is not affiliated with the airport, any transport operator or any airline.