WN738 From United States of America, joined Apr 2011, 153 posts, RR: 1 Posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 3034 times:
So i am going to be connecting at AMS on the way to MAD this October and i have never really been at AMS that long. I know it seems to be a very well developed airport with stuff to do, but i am really not familiar with it. Ideally id like to pick up some souvenirs and food and such, but like i said i am totally unfamiliar. I'm also not sure how long it Will take to clear Passport Control, ill be coming in from LAX on KLM and going to MAD on KLM as well...will i even have time to sit down? I'm used to nasty crowded airports like LAX, JFK ,and such so no idea.
Any suggestions? I know there's a museum exhibit somewhere at Schiphol but not where. Unfortunately the Schiphol website isn't much help.
Any advice or suggestions appreciated. I'm fine just sitting down, but it seems AMS is really a nice airport to check out.
Thanks
Unfortunately i don't speak a lick of Dutch either
airtran737 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3639 posts, RR: 12 Reply 1, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 3003 times:
I always go to the lounge and take a shower. Then get some Starbucks.
Nice Trip Report!!! Great Pics, thanks for posting!!!! B747Forever
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12027 posts, RR: 43 Reply 2, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 2999 times:
3.5 hrs should be enough to clear customs and head for the spotter terrace. You won't need to worry about any checked luggage, as it will just transfer.
WN738 From United States of America, joined Apr 2011, 153 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 2994 times:
Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 2): hrs should be enough to clear customs and head for the spotter terrace
That's a great idea . Does anyone know where these spotter locations are at? I know at some airports you have to go out then clear security again. Not sure about Schiphol
Quoting airtran737 (Reply 1): I always go to the lounge and take a shower.
That would be great, except i fly cattle class. I don't think the lounges are available to non premium or super duper deluxe FF members.
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12027 posts, RR: 43 Reply 4, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 2991 times:
Quoting WN738 (Reply 3): That's a great idea . Does anyone know where these spotter locations are at? I know at some airports you have to go out then clear security again. Not sure about Schiphol
You do need to reclear security, but it's not that big of a deal
BD338 From United States of America, joined Jul 2010, 597 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 2884 times:
I always get a longer layover than necessary at AMS, one of my favorite airports in the world. Breakfast time I head to Cafe Amsterdam on the mezzanine between F-G concourse, they do a great Eggs XL Dutch breakfast washed down with a Heineken 'eye-opener' Brasserie restaurant is a good spot as well, they do a pretty decent burger. Good Irish bar on D concourse whose name escapes me. Always the well known shopping airside (and even better landside). For a bit of culture there is an outpost of the Rijks Museum on Holland Boulevard and the casino! There are some quiet areas up in the mezzanine with laid back relaxing chairs that overlook some of the apron for reasonable views or a fairly comfy snooze.
Apart from that, you might have enough time for a quick jaunt into town...20 minutes by train.
lol that's what i was gonna say. if uve never been to Amsterdam before, I would take the 20min train ride right into downtown. However if you have been or just not interested, the terrace for sure. I'm going to be there this next weekend! My goal is to write a TR on the PDX-AMS flight. stay tuned.
vandenheuvel From Netherlands, joined Dec 2008, 469 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 2838 times:
Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 4): You do need to reclear security, but it's not that big of a deal
Coming from the US you'll need to reclear security anyway. It doesn't make any difference if you just leave the airport or use the airside passport and security check.
You probably have enough time to visit the spotters location or even make a very quick visit to Amsterdam.
HT From Germany, joined May 2005, 6473 posts, RR: 27 Reply 9, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 2815 times:
Quoting WN738 (Thread starter): Unfortunately i don't speak a lick of Dutch either
This should be least of concern. Speaking English you will have no problem at all around AMS or in downtown Amsterdam.
With 4.5 hours to spare, I would recommend to visit the Visitor's Terrace atop the terminal building.
2 entrances: The one easier to locate will be as follows.
Go landside, heading for Shiphol Plaza (this is the public hall atop the railway station).
From there you will have no problems to locate Burgerking. Walk straight leaving BK to your left into direction of a supermarket (stock up on drinks and food there).
The entrance to the Visitors Terrace is near the supermarket's exit.
Climb 2 flights of stairs (one indoors, the other one outdoors).
The Terrace is in the form of a big L. Select the spot least affected by wind (and rain).
As you say you are unfamiliar with AMS, consider to show up at security 75 minutes prior tp departure. Depending on gate location, it can mean another 15 minutes of walking airside.
With only 4.5 hours to spare and minus a car at hand, heading for any (good) spotting location is questionable.
In any case, check out www.schipholspotter.nl
-HT
Carpe diem ! Life is too short to waste your time ! Keep in mind, that today is the first day of the rest of your life !
Birdwatching From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 3573 posts, RR: 52 Reply 10, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 2806 times:
Let me suggest one more thing. In the landside mall area of the airport (just next to the train station) there is an excellent, large aviation hobby / model store. You can't miss it as it has a huge DC10 (?) engine and a cut off front section of an MD80 series, plus a 747 landing gear. Make sure to check out that place. Maybe some AMS locals can add some info about the name of that place and where exactly it is.
Soren
All the things you probably hate about travelling are warm reminders that I'm home
rwsea From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 3016 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (1 year 8 months 2 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 2780 times:
If you only have 3.5 hours, that's not enough to go to Amsterdam in my opinion. Doable, but stressful.
I'd go to the spotters terrace, do a little shopping, and get some food. As others said, you'll have to go through security regardless so might as well go outside for a bit.
toobz From Finland, joined Jan 2010, 673 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 2735 times:
Quoting Babybus (Reply 12): Once in the city centre you can smoke some weed and hang out in the Red Light district. Better than watching aeroplanes all afternoon.
I hope you were being sarcastic! Eh..your idea sounds good too
nipoel123 From Netherlands, joined Jan 2011, 247 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 2711 times:
Spotters terrace and aviation shop, definetly. I actually spend most of a day there, simply for those two things. It's worth reclearing security (which normally shouldn't take too long).
one mile of road leads to nowhere, one mile of runway leads to anywhere
SASMD82 From Netherlands, joined Mar 2007, 549 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (1 year 8 months 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 2510 times:
Actually you have got time but not that much. Beside the roof terrace, Rijksmuseum, massage, shower, Bols Experience (if you like liquor and genever/gin) and many more things at Schiphol, you have got some options.
BlatantEcho From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 1869 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (1 year 8 months 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 2444 times:
It's funny, as I was going to guess that someone mentioned the PDX-AMS flight.
I have to go through the same layover in AMS this Sunday on that flight.
It has the WORST timing. It gets into Amsterdam at 830 am, missing a bunch of the early connections outbound. The next bank seems to start at 11am or noon, so I have to wait till then (again) to get my flight to Athens.
I always support the local flight, but if it left PDX 2 hours later, it would get in around 1030 without such a long layover.
--
I am going to try the spotters terrace this weekend as well I guess, my layover is just about 3.5hrs this trip.
MH017 From Netherlands, joined Apr 2005, 1633 posts, RR: 34 Reply 17, posted (1 year 8 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2416 times:
Quoting HT (Reply 9): With 4.5 hours to spare, I would recommend to visit the Visitor's Terrace atop the terminal building.
2 entrances: The one easier to locate will be as follows.
Go landside, heading for Shiphol Plaza (this is the public hall atop the railway station).
From there you will have no problems to locate Burgerking. Walk straight leaving BK to your left into direction of a supermarket (stock up on drinks and food there).
The entrance to the Visitors Terrace is near the supermarket's exit.
Climb 2 flights of stairs (one indoors, the other one outdoors).
The Terrace is in the form of a big L. Select the spot least affected by wind (and rain).
Not to forget: there is a Fokker 100 there on display now: entry free of charge and cockpit still with full instrumentation; ENJOY !!!
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I hope you were being sarcastic! Eh..your idea sounds good too 
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