5 1/2 hour layover in Amsterdam... enough time to get out and see the city?
 

We are traveling from SFO to Marseille, and our flight was just changed and we now have a 5.5 hour layover in Amsterdam. Never having been there, we'd love to get out and see the city a bit... how far is the airport from the city center and if you had a few hours, what would you see?

Thanks.

HiSpeed (FYRA) train from Schiphol (Airport) to Amsterdam Centraal takes 15 min, 4.5euro o/w; goes 2 times per hour. Info: http://www.ns.nl/

You don't want the Fyra - any train going to Amsterdam Centraal will be fine. You pay extra fro Fyra. It takes about 17 minutes by train, depending on the train you get.

Getting to the gate and clearing passport control could take up to an hour. You should have enough time but be prepared to play it by ear. Flights from the US often get in as much as an hour early.

You will need to be back at Schiphol at least an hour before your onward flight - you will not go through passport control again but there can be quite a queue for the central security for Schengen flights.
Gates close well before the flight time as the fines for late departures are high.

Meant to say it is €7.60 return on a normal train.

Stay at the airport-not worth the stress! It's really a great one for wandering/shopping/eating!

I think 5.5 is a bit short to go into the city. When people have 8 hrs, then it's OK. Sure the train is only 15-20 mins. But add everything up, including deplaning and getting to the train, then how early you need to be back for your onward flight, and it's tight. Schipol is a really nice airport, there's worse places to kill a few hours.

This is a frequently asked question on Fodors. Use the Search the Forums box above and type in hours in Amsterdam for an afternoon of reading. It's a quick train trip to Amsterdam Centraal. Get your euros at a Schiphol ATM.

Double check me on this but I think that the Rijksmuseum still maintains a mini-museum at the airport. I also agree you can easily kill some time shopping at the airport.

However, if your plane lands on time or early, and you breeze through passport control, consider taking the train to the central station, walking to the canal tour docks, take the hour tour, and go back to the airport.

http://www.amsterdamcitytours.com/boat-tours.html

This boat/bus takes off and return from Shipol and includes a boat tour of the canals in Amsterdam. Total time from airport terminal and back is 2 hr 45 minutes

http://www.floatingdutchman.nl/

I got in at 1145am with a 415pm flight just now on Christmas Day (Dec. 25th). Passport and customs were a walkthrough. Then went downstairs to the baggage storage area (not to store a bag - - had only a small backpack) but to get pocketfuls of 2 Euro coins from the change machines (they change Euro bills or US Dollar bills). Got a day return by putting coins into a machine that did not include the Fyra (which was actually only about 1 Euro more) - - taking the Fyra would have saved maybe a 6 minute wait each direction. Walked out to the right from the station then through the Jordaan, back past the Dam, out to Spui, down the canal past the flower market to Rembrandtplein; had a great fill-your-own falafel salad bowl at Maoz for 4 Euro; walked through the red light district and then to the station, and was back at the airport with an hour and a half to spare.

Thanks for all the information... I guess we'll just wing it and see if our flight gets in early enough to venture out!

Schiphol is my favorite airport. It is almost like a city. There is indeed a branch of Rijksmuseum there: http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/tentoonstellingen/schiphol.

You could run over to Amsterdam, but it seems too stressful after a cross-atlantic flight. I agree with suze, if you had 8-10 hours, then I would say "do it." Amsterdam is easy to navigate, but think about what will happen if you get held up for some reason and miss your connection to Marseille. Do you have time on the way back?

You definitely have enough time to take a train to Central station and explore the canals and cafes and other tourist sights for at least 2 hours based on my first and only visit to the center during a 7 and a half hour layover when I wasted more than an hour worrying about how I was going to get to downtown and then still having at least 3 hours and returning with plenty of time before my flight, even waiting quite a while for it to board.

Estimates; 1 hours at most to get off the plane, buy a round trip ticket to Central Station, catch the train and ride to the center

Visit to the Center: 2- 2.5 hours

Train trip back - 30- 45 minutes

passing customs boarding before flight- 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes.

Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful and interesting cities I have ever seen (in many ways the most because of it has beautiful architecture, majestic canals, wonderful transportation system, green scenery, a profound sense of freedom and a close proximity to the ocean.) I would not miss the opportunity to see it, even if it is for a couple of hours, because it made quite a lasting impression on me in that brief period of time.

We once went into Amsterdam on a layover shorter than yours, although I don't remember exactly how short. We just walked around and relaxed. I myself don't care for Schiphol at all, and would be glad for a chance to escape for a few hours.

OP was in January 2012, so I'd guess they may know if it was worth the effort by now! :S-