Ryan

Stated time is about 20 minutes. Is that accurate on a weekday morning or should we anticipate traffic making it a far longer trip?

Thanks

hetismij

The train journey is about 20 minutes or less depending on the train. But you still have to get from the terminal to the station, about half a mile.

By car it is 20 minutes with no traffic and about 30 minutes with traffic, though it can always take longer if there is an accident or something

Ryan

Thanks. I live in the NYC area and I'm very familiar the difference between what a car trip should take and what it will really take during the week.

leechie

Hi Ryan, fellow NYer here.

This is the web site for the train system, you can check train schedules here.

http://www.ns.nl/cs/Satellite/travellers

When are you headed over?

Ryan

Late July for a cruise. We'll have two kids and bags, so train won't work. But, thanks for the link. We're heading over a few days early so the train could come into play. Coming home, we go right from the boat to our return flight.

Dukey

What makes you think two kids and bags make a train unworkable?

Ryan

"What makes you think two kids and bags make a train unworkable?"

You ever come off a two week cruise with an 8 year old and a 7 year old, dragging at least five large bags and several smaller ones onto and off a train in a country where English isn't the first language? You have experience with that scenario? How'd it go?

When I'm on vacation, I take the path of least resistance. Least resistance is having a car or van arranged to take us to the airport.

vakantie

I would agree that it will take you about 20 min or around 30 min during traffic to get to the airport. I would take more time into consideration though, depending on what time you need to be at there. I'd say the busiest time on the freeway around the city usually is between 7:30 and 9 in the morning. During any time of day I would calculate at least an hour to get there, during traffic maybe even more.

vakantie

Just saw that you are travelling during late july. It won't be as busy as usual due to the summer holidays.

ParisAmsterdam

The baggage situation I won't comment on but as for "where English isn't the first language"... I guess you've never been to Amsterdam...

English is spoken so widely and so well you'd almost think it was their first language! ;^)

avalon

Paris Amsterdam I AGREE!

hetismij

Nevertheless in Ryan's situation a car is the best option. It is quite a walk with luggage to the station, especially with two young children.
Ryan bear in mind you need to be at Schiphol at least three hours before departure for flights to the US. Allow lots of time - there is enough to do at the airport to pass the time once you get there, but you really don't want to have to rush to the end of a pier for your gate.