duncmom1

Since we have made our plans, I have read that Queen's Day is on Saturday this year since the 30th is on a Sunday.
IWe are flying out of the Amsterdam airport on Saturday. Would we be advised to move on to another town to spend Friday night instead of staying in Amsterdam.
We will arrive in Amsterdam on Sunday after spending a week in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Any suggestions on which town to stay in on Friday or maybe Thursday and Friday nights.
Thanks
Theresa

PalQ

Why advised to move to another town? I don't understand why.

Catbert

I think Theresa is referring to comments that public transit can be shut down on Queen's Day. If your flight is later in the day, you might indeed have trouble getting a train to the airport.

PalQ

Yes i found that out a few years ago, I had a plane out of Schiphol around 2pm and decided to stay around a bit for Queen's Day and when i went back to Centraal Station around 11am the trains were running but i read later that they were soon after shut down. As i sat waiting for the Schiphol train to depart an incredible number of mainly young folk, all it seems in bright Orange and clutching cases of Heineken or Amstel beer piled out of the trains - the platforms were seriously overcrowded and it was no wonder they shut the place down.
But if you're leaving for the airport in the morning i don't know if there would be a problem. You could always try airport trains from Station Zuid, on the south side of Amsterdam which also has trains to Schiphol. If staying in Amsterdam i'd certainly have the hotel book a cab for the airport.
You can stay at the airport - i often stay in ETAP hotel there - rooms about 60 euros - the IBIS next door is a bit fancier but ETAP was clean, nice showers and toilet in room and bus every 30 minutes to terminals (www.accorhotels.com) - this would be my recommendation.

PalQ

The official site of Amsterdam Tourism & Convention BoardQueen's ...Queen's Day 2006. Apr 28-29, 2006. A street market, music and entertainment in the streets; Queen's Day is a Dutch national holiday in honour of the ...
www.amsterdamtourist.nl/en/home/events/article/ xp/content_artikel.Eventsalg+-32+QueensDay2006/default.aspx

duncmom1

Our flight leaves at 2:30. If we stay in Haarlem, will there be a jam with the trains on Queen's Day there?
We had planned on taking several day trips out of Amsterdam anyway, so maybe Haarlem would be good for our last day.
Any thoughts on this?
Theresa

Ida101

From Haarlem there is a bus-connection to Schiphol, which might be best...
Trains TO and From Amsterdam will be full that day....
Indeed in Amsterdam almost no public transport and if there is..it is again crowded.
Arrive on the 28th or stay e.g. in an airporthotel if you arrive or leave the 29th.

duncmom1

Thanks for the info Ida
Two more options that I have thought up. Do you thin either of these would work?
We wanted to take day trips to Delft,Den Hague and the tuplip fields.
There is a train going from Delft to the airport with a change in Leiden. It doesn't look as if it goes thru Central Station, but straight from Leiden to Schiphol.
What do you think about spending the last couple of nights in Delft and taking train to airport from there on the 29th.Our flight doesn't leave until 2:15 that day.
The other option would be getting a taxi in Haarlem to airport. What would be the chances of that around 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. on the 29th
Thanks for your help.
Theresa

PalQ

You could also take a train from Haarlem to Leiden then Leiden to Schiphol as these lines will likely not be effected, in fact could be empty if one million people are going to amsterdam for Queen's Day - if that is true. Haarlem is only a few miles from Schiphol airport so taxi may not be so dear.

Ida101

Delft is a lovely small city with some canals, big old chruch on Marktplein (dutch royal are buried here). So it is a very good option.
But I wouldnot count on taking a train on the 29th, same problem as those trains continue to Amsterdam.
Either sleep around the airport (Hoofddorp has some hotels), or be prepared to leave real early, to avoid any problems.
Of course a cab from Haarlem is very good too, it can easily avoid Amsterdam, but cabs are expensive in NL.

hopscotch

The best way (cheap, fast, and direct) from Haarlem to Schiphol airport is Connexxion bus #300. It leaves from the south side of Haarlem station every 10 minutes and takes about 40 minutes. It requires 6 strips on a Strippenkart which costs 6.50 euros for 15 strips. It has it's own bus stop separate from the bus stops for local Haarlem buses.

Ida101

That is the busconnection I was talking about, but didnot know the details.

FAMOUSUNCLEART

What happens if you arrive on the 29th? Should you try to arrive a couple of days earlier?