I have a layover in Amsterdam on April 13, and would like to spend the morning of the 14th, before I am due at the airport (at about 2 pm) at Keukenhof. I have this layover frequently, and usually stay at the same airport hotel, the Novotel. Can anyone advise me the best way to manage this visit? Shall I stay at the same hotel and hire a taxi to Keukenhof (sounds too expensive)? Is there a hotel closer to Keukenhof that would have a shuttle to the airport? Shall I just plan on taking the train from Schipol to the gardens? Any advice is welcome. I'd love to rent a bike, but it seems like it may be too far to manage this in the one morning that I have.

IMO, it's not possible if you have to be at the airport by 2 pm.
We rented a car last year and drove to Keukenhof, the traffic in and out of Amsterdam was very heavy.
Also, we spent several hours there. It's a lot of acerage to cover.

Read up at www.keukenhof.nl and see what you can do with a real early start to the day. The transportation options are listed, trains are at http://plannerint.b-rail.be/bin/query.exe/en?L=profi&

There is a bus (number 58) which runs every 15 minutes, from Schiphol to Keukenhof. It takes about half an hour, if the traffic isn't too bad. The bus will avoid most of the traffic jams, but you can never be sure.
You can buy a combined bus and entry ticket for €20 at the tourist information centre by arrivals hall 2 at the airport. You can then go straight into Keukenhof without queueing.
Keukenhof is open from 8 am, so I would aim to be there for the opening time, and allow plenty of time for your return to Schiphol. Do you need to check-in at 2 or is your flight at 2 - big difference? If you have to check in then then you could do a quick tour around Keukenhof in the morning, but aim to leave Keukenhof by 12.30.
Once Keukenhof is open (19 March) you can see the timetable for the buses on their website.

Thank you so much, this really helps. I can check in for my 3:30 flight when I arrive the day before, so I really don't have to be at the airport until 2 or 2:15. I'm relieved there's transport right from the airport.

The place opens at 8AM - surely you can get there and spend some time to make it worthwhile? Stay at your usual hotel ner the airport and take an early shuttle to Schiphol Centrum, Plaza/NS where the first Connexxion bus for Lisse/Keukenhof leaves at 8:59 and gets there at 9:33 - then you have to get to the park itself which is not far.

The 1:22 PM bus from Lisse/Keukenhof gets to Schiphol at 1:56PM - just what you need.

This is their website for their Keukenhof services:

http://www.reiziger.connexxion.nl/we...ie=12?id=80014

This is the timetable download page from the airport to Keukenhof:
http://www.reiziger.connexxion.nl/we...ontentid=30961

If you need to talk to them:
M-F from 8Am-7Pm at 0900 - 266 63 99 or fax them at 023 - 515 54 54

If you want to be there for opening time, then instead of the 58 bus and the combi ticket buy your ticket ofr Keukenhof online then take the 61 bus to Lisse from Schiphol, and the 57 from Lisse to Keukenhof - it will cost 8 strips on a strippenkaart, but will get you to Keukenhof for 8 am. Or walk from Vreewijk in Lisse to Keukenhof - it takes about 10-15 minutes, if you prefer, and take the same number of strippen. You can always get the shuttle back to Schiphol when you're ready. The combi ticket is not valid for the 61 bus.

Of course you can do that.

The first Connexxion bus from Schiphol all the way to Keukenhof is at 8:59 and arrives at 9:33.

Keukenhof itself opens at 8AM so you can get there sooner:

Take the 7:21 train from the Schiphol train station to Leiden, arrives at 7:42, then take the 7:52 bus from outside the Leiden station that gets to Lisse/Keukenhof just after it opens, at 8:17.

Plenty of time to walk around and enjoy.

There is a Connexxion bus that goes all the way back to the airport, leaves Lisse/Keukenhof at 1:22 PM and arrivs at the airport at 1:54PM - what’s not to like?

Download the Connexxion timetables at

http://www.reiziger.connexxion.nl/we...ontentid=30961

Trains at http://plannerint.b-rail.be/bin/quer...ld=IA&L=profi&

Sorry about the duplication, the website crashed before I wa done inputting.

Again, thank you so much. Just what I needed.

Hi, Saw this thread and hoped you could help me out. I am taking a cruise into Amsterdam on May 4 and 5th. I hope to see some flowers--what do you think of my chances? And, any suggestions on how to get to Keukenhof from the ship pier? Also, since I have two days I thought of taking a bike ride through the bulb fields. But, I couldn't quite understand the best way to do that--is it best to leave from Haarlem? I saw one post say it was 20miles--I'm probably more of a 5-10 miler I'm open to suggestions

Libby, the cruise ships dock near Centraal station. If you look at the Keukenhof site www.keukenhof.nl/ there is lots of information on how to get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam. The easiest is probably to use the shuttle buses.
For bikes, you can hire them by Keukenhof - they will give you routes of different lengths you can follow, click on activities on the site, or hire a bike in Lisse and just have a ride around - bike tracks have signs on them to help, and the local VVV (tourist information) will have bulbfield routes.

Hi, Thanks so much for the info. The cruise line was no help as to exactly where the ship docked. I checked the Keukenhof website and, now that I know we'll be near Central Station, I'll be able to find my own way there. This is great, thanks again!