Highly accessible by air, land or sea, Amsterdam is one of Europe’s top destinations. Affordable flights from within Europe, as well as direct flights from outside of the continent are readily available with the service of Europe’s fourth largest airport – the Amsterdam airport Schiphol.

The Amsterdam Airport Schiphol sees itself as far more than an airport. As claimed on its mini-guide, which is obtainable from the information desks of the airport, the Amsterdam airport Schiphol is the Netherlands newest city as it caters to an audience wider than the humble trekker.

What sets the Amsterdam airport Schiphol apart from the other European airports is that it offers a number of great attractions housed under one roof. Included in the list are the casino, a sauna and massage service. There was even a time that one entrepreneur was interested in opening a discreet licensed brothel at this Amsterdam airport, but even the liberal Dutch required time on that.

There is none of the terminal hopping that can cause minor panic in transferring passengers or sometimes confuses unwary first time users. You can reach everything from the vast Schiphol Plaza, which is the central hall of this Amsterdam airport. This plaza provides easy access to car parks and the conveniently located rail station with good transportation links to the nearby city of Amsterdam. In addition, the plaza will whet your shopping appetite as it provides a number of shops.

The Schiphol airport scores highly for its catering service that is offered both before and after passport security. It is even noted for its great thoughtful touches like a nursery for people traveling with young children. It even has the best viewing terrace designed and built for aircraft enthusiasts at any major European hub airport.

Driving Directions

The Amsterdam airport Schiphol is actually situated off the A4 motorway, which connects the city of Amsterdam to The Haque, Netherland’s seat of government, and Rotterdam. The exit to the airport is clearly signposted.

Car Parking

There are two short-term car parks in the Schiphol: the P1 and P2. These two are both connected to the terminal and the Schiphol Plaza by covered walkways, and is recommended of stays for up to 48 hours. Aside from the short-term car parks, there is also an available long-term parking in the airport, at an open-air P3. This car park area is situated 4 kilometers from the terminal, and a 24-hour shuttle bus is servicing in this area to provide links between P3 and the terminal. A luxury car park is also available, including a valet service.

Some Bad Marks of the Schiphol Airport

Like many other airports in different areas in the world, the Amsterdam airport Schiphol has a reputation for baggage handling problems and, for many people, its business center which is located airside is inconvenient for some travelers to this airport.