In an attempt to save a few precious pounds, I recently found myself with a 5hr layover in Amsterdam on the trip back home to London from Sorrento, Italy. While I was initially kicking myself for being such a scrooge and turning a 3hr journey into an 8hr one, once I figured out how easy getting from the Schiphol International Airport into the bustling centre of Amsterdam is, I was patting myself on the back for such amazing travel planning.
How to get around
To get from the airport to the city centre, you can buy a €10 return train ticket from the machines at the train station. The station is connected to the airport and is easy to find by following the directional signage. The train journey takes around 25 minutes one way, so if you have hand luggage you could be in the centre of Amsterdam within an hour of landing! I’d recommend putting your luggage into a luggage locker at Amsterdam Central Station to save yourself carting it all over town. Prices for luggage lockers range between €7 and €10 for 24hrs.
Once you’re in the city, walking or hiring a bike are your best options with such a short amount of time to explore. Amsterdam is a very walkable city, however make sure you wear good walking shoes, I repeat – wear good walking shoes!
What to do and see
While you could easily spend a week exploring Amsterdam, these would be my top things to do and see when you only have a few hours to work with…
- Take a canal cruise – explore Amsteram from the water! I’d recommend pre-booking when you’re on a tight time frame to make sure you can get on a cruise that works for you.
- Van Gogh Museum or Moco Museum – both are fantastic but if you’re short on time just pick one to explore!
- Albert Cuyp Market – the most popular street market in the city! It not far from the Van Gogh Museum so you could easily combine these two in a layover visit. Important to note it’s not open on Sunday’s so bear that in mind.
- Anne Frank House – this museum gives a glimpse into the life of Anne Frank and is a must-see on a visit to Amsterdam. You’ll need 60 to 80 minutes for the museum tour and be sure to pre-book!
- Damrak – as you leave the train station, you’ll wander along the Damrak, the main street that runs up to Dam Square. You’ll see the iconic view of coloured houses lining the canals (evidence below)
- Royal Palace Amsterdam – once you arrive in Dam Square, you can’t miss the Royal Palace Amsterdam.
- Bloemenmarkt – a flower lovers paradise! Bloemenmarkt is a floating flower market and is at the heart of the city’s UNESCO listed Canal Ring.
- The 9 Streets – my personal favourite way to spend a layover in Amsterdam. The 9 Streets (or De Negen Straatjes if you’re a local) are quirky, cafe and shop filled streets lining the most photogenic canals in the city (cue iconic flower bridge photoshoot)
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