pavot

If I'm staying at a hotel along the Singel canal, will it be too close for a taxi to want to drive us there from the train station?

I'm traveling to Amsterdam with my mom (who's nearing 80) and my sister. Alone, I would probably walk from the station to the Hotel Brouwer, but with three of us, I think a taxi might be better.

Would it make more sense to simply take a taxi directly from the airport?

None of us has been to Amsterdam before (there will be more questions from me in the coming weeks...).

Palenque

A taxi IME in Amsterdam will take you two feet if you want - the main Centraal train station is in the throes of a complete revamping and i at least a few weeks ago found it rather chaotic

I would invest, for your Mum's sake after an all-night flight into a taxi right from the airport - only about six miles from your hotel i would think.

suec1

There are also little airport vans I think that drop off in the canal ring area but for 3 people, a taxi would probably be just as cheap.

melissa19

How much would a taxi into the canal ring cost? Thanks!

vakantie

There have been many issues in Amsterdam with taxi drivers refusing to take people for short rides or overcharging if they do accept them. The taxi stand at the central station used to be absolute chaos and a very unfriendly and unwelcoming introduction to the city. The city council is trying to restore some order but I'm not sure how succesful they have been. You may luck out and have no issues but then again the opposite may be true.

Personally I wouldn't risk it and just take a taxi from the airport to the hotel. During the day time it will probably cost you somewhere around 40 euro. Make sure you take a legitimate one.

pavot

Many thanks for your replies, all. Taxi it is.

awong

I can't say how much a taxi into Amsterdam would be, but it costs e12.00 just to get in a taxi at Schiphol and it cost us e65.00 to go 20km on Saturday.
For Dutch train info in English: http://www.ns.nl/cs/Satellite/travellers
The official Schphol Taxi site: http://www.schipholtaxi.nl/

vakantie

Awong, to the best of my knowledge the schipholtaxi site is NOT an official site but just a website from a company that calls itself Schipholtaxi, not the same thing ...

TCA (http://www.tcataxi.nl/en) which is a legitimate company that also takes rides to and from Schiphol, states that their maximum charge for a taxi into the city center is 42 Euro.

http://www.marsmedia.nl/klanten/tca_...n_schiphol.pdf

Unfortunately I am pretty sure that TCA drivers have charged me more than that. I now always ask upfront how much they think it will be and if I don't like the answer I negotiate a fixed rate or I take another taxi. I seem to be getting the right price lately.

hetismij

Schipholtaxi is just another taxi company. Ity is nothing to do with Schiphol

If you take a taxi anywhere in the Netherlands, check it has blue number plates, a meter, and you can see the drivers taxi licence. If you use a TCA taxi check the roof light matches the one shown on their web-page. There are rogue drivers who are using fake TCA lights.
The advantage of a TCA taxi is that they accept credit cards at no extra cost.
As Vakantie says check the price before hand if you can.

It is possible to book a taxi ahead of time, even on the Schiphol site, but that may cost more. It may be the easiest with an elderly person in your group though. If you book a taxi in this way go to the STA desk in arrivals to contact your driver.

Do not accept a ride from anyone who approaches you in the terminal or away from the official taxi stand.

JoanneH

Hi: I am staying at the same hotel later this year so await your report. I have booked a taxi from airport for 3 as you will be doing for 35e. RT would be 60e should you desire it. Its cheaper than the shuttle which is appx 16e per person and DOES NOT stop near the Brouwer.