Amsterdam airport is huge, so you could certainly kill a couple of hours wondering round there.

Going to Amsterdam isn't a bad idea. There is an excellent train service between the airport and the city. Takes about 20-25 minutes, runs regularly and is very punctual. Its about €4 each way I think.

there is also a hotel in the airport if you wished.

Dubai has excellent duty free shopping, I would imagine there would be the best place to buy.

Kind Regards
Stewart

Take a train to the centre of Amsterdam - very frequent and cheap. Buy a 'strippenkart' for use on the trams when you buy your train ticket at the airport - a strip of ten tickets - journeys around the centre take two tickets. Amsterdam is small enough to walk round, but the tram system is extensive and you can see more by hopping on and off.

In twelve hours you could do plenty of touristy things.

It's a few years since I went to Dubai, but it did have a duty free shop by the luggage carousels. Dubai airport site will give you info.

Don't buy bottles of duty free in Amsterdam, chances are you will not be able to board your Dubai flight with them. The no liquid rules will still apply or so I've been informed.

Amsterdam Airport as reported is huge. It is really just like a shopping mall and can keep you entertained for a number of hours. The airport also boasts a wonderful spectators gallery that remains open (if only UK airports would bear this in mind) and has great views over the aprons.

Travel into Amsterdam (Centraal Station) takes around 30 minutes. A cheap day return ticket is available. You would have plenty of time to visit a museem...take a canal trip...have some typical Dutch food and a couple of Amstel beers if you feel like it before returning to Schipol to pick up the Dubai connection. Go on....make the most of probably one of the best yet compact cities in Europe.

Nivsy

Yep Amsterdam is a huge airport - some of the gates are a vast distance apart. I've run across the airport to make a connection...I made it, my luggage did'nt and followed on a later flight...found out later I had a DVT Moral of story - don't run across Schipol to make your connection after a long haul flight - its not worth the grief.

Thanks for all replies you lot, very useful as always. Yep , think were gonna go into the city for a look see !! was worried what the weather would be like as hubby had to fly on exactly same date last year funnily enough to Amsterdam to go offshore and it was real bad snow then. Looks like it will be milder and just a bitty damp so thats a relief !!

Roll on next thurs woohoo !

just a little word of warning about the checking in at Amsterdam airport. When you arrive you check in as normal, get your boarding pass and go through to the airport waiting area and duty free etc. Warning: you are not air side at this point so if you buy drinks to have on the plane they will be confiscated at the gate (sealed or not)

will be confiscated at the gate

What gate is this and what is on the other side, please. You weren't travelling to the USA by any chance?

Peter

We were travelling easy jet to Gatwick. We went through gate H but it would apply on any gate because the xray machines are just before the gates and not near passport control as in all other airports.

I'm transiting through Amsterdam, en route to the States; I'm UK>>Amsterdam with KLM, then transfer to Delta/NWA (codeshare) so I presume my baggage will be transferred without my handling it. However I only have 50 minutes from landing to take off again, and I know Schiphol is a large airport, and with the increased security, will 50 minutes be enough?

Sancho Proudfoot,

Both KLM and Delta are Sky Team members so you'll be through checked to your final destination when you check-in at the UK airport. 50 minutes should be ok (although cutting it a little fine), they wouldn't have let you book it as a viable option otherwise. As soon as you disembark the inbound aircraft, make sure you transfer straight away and head for the boarding gate for your connecting flight as it'll likely be boarding by the time you get there. No shopping in duty free on your way through unless you know you have enough time!

Darren

I agree with Dazbo. We flew from Glasgow to Japan and never saw our luggage after check in at Glasgow until we got to Japan.

How hard is transferring at Schiphol?
I am Flying EDI-AMS-SEA with KLM/Delta. First flight of the day out of Edinburgh so should be no delays there.
I have 1 hr 40 at Schiphol to go through customs with the non-schengen/schengen/nonschengen thing.

Will I have time to get a coffee or something?

Helenllama,

Transferring is simple enough, you'll get an information sheet when you check-in at EDI. Just follow the transfer signs. You'll have enough time for a coffee and a quick look round before your next flight, on the assumption you flight to AMS is on-time.

Darren

I'm doing a gig-trip to Amsterdam, Heineken Music Hall, on the 3rd of March. We're flying out (Easyjet) at 06.20 on the 3rd, going to the gig then the plan is to get the train back to the airport and hang around there until our flight back at 11.00 on the 4th.

My question is, bearing in mind we probably won't arrive back at the airport until gone midnight, will we be able to go through security and get air-side as soon as we arrive, does security/passport control close at all as it does at Gatwick for a few hours? We will have checked-in online before the trip.

Thanks.

Pippy,

Why not just get a cheap hotel in Amsterdam? Plenty of them.....or just stay out all night in Amsterdam then get back to the airport sometime after 7am. Plenty of places remain open very late in Amsterdam...

Nivsy

same thought occured to me.

The airport's website doesn't mention opening times but does give two clues. First, they recommend 3 hour checkin for long haul flights, second the timetable shows long haul flights starting at 04:00 - so presumably passports and security are open by 01:00. There is also a note about easyjet (and others) using gates H or M which have limited facilities once you leave the main lounge.

There is a little known feature with easyjet that might be useful here. If they have an earlier flight and it has spare seats near checkin closing time you can transfer to it at no extra charge. see http://easyjet.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4125 In the case of Gatwick there is an earlier flight from Amsterdam. This offer only applies to passengers on their return leg - like you. But you need to be careful, it says go to the ticket desk but that's before security. So if you went through security at 01:00 you wouldn't be able to get to the ticket desk at 07:00 to see if they could get you away early. Don't know whether the staff at the gate could help.