Layover in Amsterdam

For some reason, planes love to layover in Amsterdam. And, if you happen to be like the gals I’ve talked to, chances are—layovers in Amsterdam are famous for this—it lasts a ridiculous eight hours. What are you supposed to do during that time? How about take two trips for the price of one! That’s right; this is no time to take a nap. Suck it up; grab a coffee and start walking boots!

Okay, so imagine your flight has landed into Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, where, after exiting customs you have the option to walk to your next gate or exit. Exit, then take the escalators and follow the signs to the airport’s train station. Stop here! Do not get on the train yet! If you’re like me, you’re going to want to drop off any extra luggage, coat or carry-on that you did not check. Remember, you’ve only got eight hours so you’ll want to ditch the dead weight. Take the corner elevator (opposite the train station) down to the basement where the lockers await. The lockers are pretty easy to maneuver, but make sure you have Euro coins on you. If not, there’s an attendant that can give you change.

Once you get to the train station, you’re going to be intimidated. There are so many trains to figure out and so little time. First, take a right upon your entrance to pick up a ticket at the ticket booth. Note: there are ticket machines you can use; however, I found these not to be as user-friendly as say the ones in Rome or London. Buy a roundtrip ticket to Amsterdam Central Station, as roundtrips are cheaper than one-ways (roundtrip will run you approximately between 6 – 7 Euros). You can also purchase tickets ahead of time at the Dutch Railways website, where tickets to Antwerp, Paris, Berlin and beyond are available (hmmm…perhaps forget about the layover all together and take the train to your next destination).

Your average journey to Amsterdam Central Station is 17 minutes (13 minutes at the train’s fastest). Once you make it out of the station you can meander through the old town, be surprised to learn about head shops, marijuana shops, sex shops, etc…Do not be deceived. Amsterdam is still famously known as an art city, with the Van Gogh Museum (as well as 37 other museums), the Anne Frank House, theaters and concert halls, the Haarlemmerstraat, clogs, Heineken and much, much more. Check out Amsterdam’s official website.

My favorite finds on this trip: old-school bicycles everywhere, clogs, flying over the Baltic Sea, realizing that every European city with canals north of Venice is referred to as, “Venice of the North.” And learning that the sunlight in Holland is unique and the reason behind why Dutch pastoral paintings are so remarkable. Oh, and no matter how friendly head shop owners are and no matter how “normal” they make using drugs seem, do not buy shrooms. You have to head back to the airport, remember? You do not want to be Bridget Jones on her trip to Thailand.