pittsburghsteeler_12

Hello everyone. My title just about says it all. I am flying to St.Martin/St.Marteen (SXM) with a connection (of just 4 hours to spare) in Amsterdam. Before I take that grueling flight across the atlantic, I would LOVE to sit down for a nice smoke! I am NOT familiar with AMS nor any of the near-by attractions (if there are any)

So, to all seasoned Amsterdam travelers, please put yourself in my shoes for a second. If you had a 4 hour layover in AMS and wanted to kick back for a brief smoke session before your flight (without any serious time constraints) where would you go?

Thank you so much for reading, and I look forward to hearing your replies!

hetismij

According to the Dutch language Schiphol site you can smoke outside the terminal, which means going through passport control, and at the following places airside:

KPN Hotspot cabine
- Networkbar cabine
- Murphy`s bar
- Galaxy bar
- Café Amsterdam
- Het Paleis
- Sportsbar

However since smoking is not allowed in bars and cafés I'm sure sure how up to date this info is.

You are not allowed to smoke on the panorama terrace.

pittsburghsteeler_12

@hetismij, thankyou for the reply.

Ok, do I need to go to Central Station and catch the train to get to these places? Or are they simply in walking distance from the airport?

I'm a bit confused. Are you saying the above metioned places are NOT weed shops??

hetismij

They are all within the terminal, airside - so you do not need to leave the airport or go through immigration for these.
Only if you choose to smoke outside, which may in fact be your only possibility nowadays, do you go through immigration. Then you look for an exit and can smoke there - they even have ashtrays outside for you.

hetismij

You do not have time to get high - you cannot get to Amsterdam and back in the time you have available, never mind find a coffee shop. Strictly tobacco smoking at Schiphol.

Not a good idea to smoke anything else on before a flight anyway - drugs controls are carried out at many airports, and target flights to and from AMS. Especially going to St Maarten and the like.

yorkshire

You can't buy it at the airport--I think the other response is referring to smoking cigarettes.
It is highly unlikely to impossible that you can get out of the airport--and more important, get back high--in that amount of time. You're sure to miss your connection.
Amsterdam airport has some art displays and a massage area.

pittsburghsteeler_12

@hetismij & yorkshire. Ok, understood. Ya, I'm ceartinly not going to risk missing my flight. I just wasnt sure how close any cannabis shops would be to the airport.

So, just so I understand the both of you correctly..... There is NO possible way/place for me to squeeze in a (weed) smoke (legally) during my 4 hour layover at AMS without leaving the airport??

smithgardner

I say go for it. You only live once. I've only been to Amsterdam once, but there is a quick and reliable train that takes you directly from Schipol to Centraal Station. It leaves every 10 minutes and only takes 20 minutes to be in the heart of Amsterdam. It's only like 4 euros each way. From the station, there is a nice, chill coffee shop called Siberie Coffeeshop which is really close to the station near the first canal, Singelgracht. Because marijuana is regulated by the Dutch government, it is safer and easier to "customize" your experience, as each type of marijuana is described at length by the person selling it. You will have a better chance to choose what type of high you get. Further away from the Station is my favorite, the Dampkring, which has a much cooler atmosphere, but it may be more difficult to get to.

I say go for it.

Cheers!

pittsburghsteeler_12

@smithgardner. Just the attitude I'm looking for!

You would say with everything planned right, this is a realistic possiblity........?

PeaceOut

As someone else said, be very careful that you do not have any weed on you, when you go through security. They are very strict in AMS.

You may have time to get to the above smoke shop, but can you get back to the airport with your belongings in tact, when you are stoned??

PeaceOut

As someone else said, be very careful that you do not have any weed on you, when you go through security. They are very strict in AMS.

You may have time to get to the above smoke shop, but can you get back to the airport with your belongings intact, when you are stoned?? The weed in Amsterdam is like no other, and it can knock you out.

yorkshire

Please tell us how it goes--it is sure to be a good story either way!

pittsburghsteeler_12

@PeaceOut I have absolutely no intentions of bringing any green with me on the plane or back to the airport. Just looking to kick back and blaze during my 4 hours. I am actually a functional smoker, so I'm not worried about keeping my "head in the game" on my way back to the airport.

I have been to Amsterdam a few times. But this was back in 99 and 2000; and I always drove there from Germany. That said, it's been a while, and obviously I'm not familiar with the airport and surrounding areas. HELL, I'm not even familiar with the city anymore.

Thanks for the advice. More than likely, I'm gonna take a run at this. I should open a smoke shop in the airpoort, I would be rich!

I actually found a clever article on the very situation that I pose, check it out: http://www.amsterdamlogue.com/closes...l-station.html

Thanks!

PeaceOut

Well, let us know how it goes. Up in Smoke to be continued. . . haha

hetismij

4 hours is NOT enough time. If you land on time it can take anything up to 30 minutes to get to the gate, sometimes longer especially if you land on the Polderbaan which takes 15 - 20 minutes taxiing alone, assuming you don't have to wait in a queue. You then have to get off the plane - with all those people with hand baggage it can take an eternity. Then you have to get through passport control, buy a train ticket - will you have euro coins for the machine or will you have to queue for a ticket? Then hope there is a train when you get down there. 15-20 minutes on the train. fight your way out of Centraal (not easy with all the work going on there. Find your coffee shop, enjoy your weed rush back to the train, another 15-20 minutes back, passport control, and be at your gate 1 hour before departure to go through security.

Not going to happen I'm afraid.

pittsburghsteeler_12

You know what..Why make this any harder than it has to be?? I'm just going to skip my flight that day, chill in Amsterdam. And take a flight the next day to St.Martin....problem solved. Although my girlfriend waiting for me in St.Martin prob wont be too happy about this lol

Bugler

I am curious whether they will even let you one the plane smelling like weed, which you will unless you end up changing clothes and washing up. If you change clothes and put the dirty clothes in your luggage, then your luggage will smell like pot, lol. Not sure I would want to be concerned about that for my next leg of the tourney.

rs899

Skipping your flight is really the only way. We did the train in/out thing in AMS this spring, but we had more like 6 or 7 hours to kill. Four hours is really not going to work for you. I completely forgot about the weed, but I doubt if my wife would have permitted it since we had a 10 yr old daughter in tow. Next time....

pittsburghsteeler_12

Just as Vegas has slots in their airport, Amsteram should have.....Green Coffee Shops.......in or around their airport...instant HIT!

Although, I'm sure it's been tried many times over....and I'm sure for good logical reason(s), it's prohibited.

The 4 hour layover in Amsterdam is such a TEASE! Damn the travel agency! LOL

hetismij

You are extremely unlikely to ever find any coffeeshops near Schiphol. The last thing they need is a bunch of stoned passengers, especially when they get the munchies mid flight .

Seriously - many towns near the Dutch borders are insisting on seeing proof of residence before you can buy the stuff now, to discourage drugs tourism. Amsterdam may follow suit eventually.

And as I said be aware that many countries have special checks on flights from Amsterdam, and will check passengers coming off the plane, either with drugs dogs or a sniffer machine.
You can still smell of weed, even 24 hours later, and be hauled out - which is embarrassing to say the least.

Also be aware should you be flying home via AMS that flights from St Maarten and other (former) Dutch islands are subject to thorough checks for drugs too, so don't be tempted to bring any supplies back in with you.