Hello all! I've been reading for a while, but this is my first post.

I'm flying to Amsterdam tomorrow, and I am meeting my cousin on Friday. Neither of us have been to Amsterdam before, and I'm looking for a good place for us to meet. I believe Central Station will be the best place due to the central location.

Is there an easily noticable place outside Central Station that I can email to him that will make it easy for us to spot each other? Any help would be appreciated.

Another option would be meet at the Leidseplein (sp??). It's not too large and you can find things to do while you're waiting. There's a big theater or opera so that's an easy place to find. Plus, there are a bunch of goodd restaurants and cafes all around this place.

That would be my better choice.

Blackduff

My reasoning for Central Station is that it would be easy for him to find a bus from the airport. Also, we don't have a place to stay that night. Most hostels require a two night minimum on the weekends, but since we are only staying only Friday night before staying in a hotel Saturday it is hard to find a place. And since there are many places near Central Station, it seems like a good starting place to look.

When i was there in december there was a pizza hut downstairs in the waiting area.

Taking a bus from the airport? Why? There are trains that leave every 15 minutes from Schiphol into Am'dams Centraal Station-tell him to just follow the signs in the airport to the trains-Schiphol Rail Link-buy a ticket in one of the machines, and he'll be on his way.

There is a Ben and Jerry's in Centraal, but you might want to meet at the Tourist Information Centre-the VVV-which is just outside the front doors of Centraal, and to the left-you'll see the big VVV sign-it's easy to spot.

Ben and Jerry's is on Platform 1, the closest platform to the entrance. there is also a Burger King here.

They could meet you at the GVB office which is clearly marked and just across the street from the front side of Centraal. That would get you all out of the station, where you have to keep an eye out for pickpockets.

Walk out the front of the station and look across and to the left (with the station behind you). It's a white building.

I syour cousin ALSO flying into Schiphol? If so, meet at the railroad tocket office in Schiphol Plaza or the Burger King there and go into the city together.

Or is this person arriving via another means of transport?

I sugest the bar of the Hotel Victoria, across the bridge right outside the station. Most of the other recommended meeting places are hectic hot spots. Relax with a coffee or a cool Dutch Pilsner, and have the WC available.

And as Spygirl says "Taking a bus from the airport? Why?"

Hopscotch has a good point - centraal station is currently a beehive of reconstruction so the more relaxed meeting place could be in order - and as someone else said away from the far too frequent sleazy types that hang around centraal station, even though a huge police presence in recent years has abated the theft problem in the station.
Alternatively you could hop the few-euro and 20-minute train ride to the airport and me your cousin at the exit from customs at Schiphol Airport.

PalQ
I didn't bring up the problem with the sleazy people around the train station. I always thought this wasn't a good place to hang around, awaiting your baggage to get stolen. Plus, the area isn't the greatest place for lodging. There are better places away from this area.

Again, I thought the Leidseplein would be good, since it's good for cheap housing too. But, travelling separate almost forces the Central Station being the best rendevous. I would still move away from that area for housing.

There's another place which I like too. It's Rembrandtsplein, I think. It's not too far from the station but it's certainly better in quality.

gdollar will have a good time in Amsterdam, so finding a good housing or hostel is important.

Blackduff

Actually, I totally disagree with the previous poster. The area around Centraal has some very good and expensive lodging-right across the street from Centraal is the Golden Tulip Amsterdam Center-a 4 star hotel built right up to an ancient church (which is used as a meeting center) where I've stayed and enjoyed very much, particularly for all the great brown cafes, historic bars and restaurants located just around the corner on Prinz Hendrik Gade. My favorite local Dutch restaurant in all of Amsterdam is located just off this Gade on the Zeedijk: IL HAVRE VAN TEXEL-it looks out onto a canal. They chalk the specials on a board each night (in Dutch only-but they'll translate). Great little place.

And I can say, that as a female, I've walked this area around Centraal at 11:30 at night by myself within the last year and a half and felt no fear-the police are all in and around the station, there are closed circuit cameras on all the little alleys around the area-so G, don't worry about that, the area around Centraal is one of the most ancient and beautiful sections in Amsterdam-meet up with your cousin at Centraal and go and explore the area.




like very much, and my favorite local Dutch restaurant in Amsterdam-the Havre van Texel-is located but a 7 min. walk