Amsterdam - What time do things open in the morning?
 

Hi All.
We are connecting through Amsterdam at the end of the month...flight scheduled to arrive at 5:55 am, connecting flight departing at 1 pm. We are thinking to go into Amsterdam for breakfast and to wander around a bit. What time do things start opening in the morning? Any suggestions where we should go? I'm also wondering if Harlaam would be a better option given our short time. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

I'm not sure of the time that the stores open, but I don’t imagine that they vary much to western standards (around 8.00am opening).

Having just had a 13hr layover in Amsterdam following a flight that landed at 4.55 am, here’s what I’d suggest.

Catch some Zzzzzzs at the airport during the early hours, in the very nice sleeperette chairs located in the duty free area between Terminals 2 and 3 (I believe). There are overhead signs locating them. They are in a quiet area and everyone else there will be doing the same thing as you - sleeping. Also, the airport will be pleasantly quiet at this hour and almost all the many shops and restaurants will be open for shopping and dining so you could also do that if sleep is not a priority.

A few feet away from this area, there is a tour desk (booth). It opens at 7.00 am and does 2,3 and 4 hour (and more) tours of Amsterdam for transit passengers. Prices range from 39 to 49 euros per person (provided a minimum of 4 people are on the tour, which there usually are) and they will get you back to the airport in time for your flight, provided there are at least 4 or 5 hours between your tour start time and flight departure time. The tours begin on the hour, commencing at 8.00 am. You are escorted through immigration (passport is stamped at a special booth) and down to the tour departure point in the enormous arrivals lounge, and you are looked after from start to finish.
Also, if you have hand baggage that you want stowed away during the tour, the tour company has a special set of lockers for you to use for free that you can retrieve when you get back.
We had a chap who had a 1.20pm departure and the 9.00 am 3 hour tour got him back in time for it.

OR :

You could make your way out of the arrivals area and directly to below-ground level to take the airport train shuttle (well signed overhead) for the 15/20 minute ride to Centraal Station and the heart (or one of them) of Amsterdam, where all the cafes and shops await you. It cost 3 euro per person one way. I do not know what time the train starts running in the morning, but it runs every 10 minutes in each direction.

Just be aware that though immigration formalities are conducted immediately before entering the duty free area, security is conducted at the departure gate where there will be long line-ups, so get to your gate early.

Schiphol airport is one of the most user friendly that I have encountered, which I discovered thanks to the advice I received on this board, and which proved true in every way.

Museums and shops tend to open at 9am, some at 10, unless it's a Monday when the shops open at 1 pm. This aplies to AMsterdam and Haarlem.
You will need to be back at Schiphol by about 11.30 so you have to decide whether it is worth your while.

Hetismij : I wanted to thank you for your sage advice to me on my recent stopover in Amsterdam. All your advice was spot-on, and I hope to post a report soon. Been very busy lately.

Apologies for hi-jacking your post, Wanderfar.

M.

HI Mathieu and hetismij.
Thanks so much for your helpful replies. Mathieu, thanks too for the tip about security being done at the gate. I'd forgotten that.
Thanks again! wanderfar