The Netherlands is one of the central rail and bus hubs of Western Europe. In addition, chronic delays at Schiphol Airport have resulted in additional travel time, both to and from the Netherlands. What may have been a four-hour travel time (airport-flight-airport) might now be six or seven hours. At this travel time, bus and rail travel are more competitive time wise.
General information
The NS is the main provider of rail services within the Netherlands. Train travel within the Netherlands is the quickest and easiest way to get around, with frequent train services connecting all areas of the country. Information about train travel can be located from the Official NS App, or through the third-party 9292 app. Public transport within Amsterdam is possible on the extensive tram and metro network – though it is just as easy to walk or cycle through the entire city.
Tickets can be bought on the NS App, or at stations, where a €1 surcharge applies for printed tickets. It is also possible to purchase a travel card – called the OV Chipkaart – for €5 at these kiosks. Using the OV Chipkaart allows you to avail of discounts and avoid paying for surcharges.
When travelling in the Netherlands on NS services during non-peak times, it is possible to avail of a 40% discount when travelling with a subscription holder. This can be activated in the NS App (for registered cards) or at a kiosk through the ‘Joint Journey Discount’ or ‘Samenreiskorting’ option.
Rail
Amsterdam is one of the most well connected European capitals, with a wide variety of international connections through both Amsterdam Centraal and nearby Utrecht Centraal. The Eurostar has five daily trips between London and the Netherlands (3h 30), hourly Thalys services between Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, and Paris (2h 30), as well as high frequency Intercity Direct services between Belgium (Antwerp and Brussels) and Amsterdam (1h 30). There are also a number of ICE high speed connections between Amsterdam and German cities, including Cologne, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Nuremberg, and eight direct services a day to Berlin.
There are also Nightjet services – overnight rail connections between Amsterdam and other cities across Europe, including Vienna, Prague, Basel, and Zurich. These can be more costly, but may well be cheaper (and less stressful!) than flying.
Air
Schiphol Airport is the main airport of the Netherlands, as one of the busiest airports in Europe with daily flights to dozens of European countries. There is a direct rail connection between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Centraal, with direct connections every 10 minutes, and journeys lasting less than 15 minutes.
WARNING – Schiphol Airport has been experiencing severe security delays, upon both arrival and departure. It is recommended to get to Schiphol at least 3 hours before your flight to ensure sufficient time, and even longer if you have a tendency to get lost, if you’re checking in bags, or if you want additional buffer time.
Eindhoven Airport is the secondary airport of the Netherlands, mostly containing budget airline carriers, such as Ryanair and Wizz Airways. Destinations include Dublin, Vienna, Barcelona, Rome, Budapest, Bilbao, Riga, Sofia, and others.
There are also flights from The Hague Rotterdam Airport and London, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Lisbon and other seasonal destinations. These are fewer in number than flights to Schiphol or Eindhoven, but it is also worth researching.