Amsterdam Layover Guide: What to Do in 5 to 8 Hours
If you’re traveling through Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport is one of the easiest airports for a long layover. It’s simple to store your bags, take a quick train into the city center, and still have time for a few meaningful stops before your next flight. We often choose a longer layover in Amsterdam on purpose so we can break up the journey and add a little adventure along the way. If you have 5 to 8 hours between flights, here’s how to make the most of your Amsterdam layover, including what to do, how to get around, and what to eat.
When Is Amsterdam Worth It for a Layover?
We recommend a 5- to 6-hour minimum layover for enough time to get to and from Schiphol Airport and do some fun things in the city. That’s enough time to walk the canals, grab Dutch pancakes, pop into a coffee shop, maybe see a museum, and get back to Schiphol without rushing.
Eight hours opens up more options like the Heineken Experience, Vondelpark, the Rijksmuseum, or a food tour through the local neighborhoods. The logistics are easy enough that there’s no reason to sit in the terminal if you don’t have to.
Pro Tip: Schiphol is busy and efficient, but efficient doesn’t mean small. Build in at least 90 minutes to get back from the city, clear security, and reach your gate. Don’t cut it any closer than 60 minutes, even if you’re more daring.
See if your airline offers a fast pass through security. European airlines often provide this as an add-on for less than $15. It could save some stress but you’ll still need to give yourself enough time to get through security.
Our Budget Strategy
Schiphol makes Amsterdam a particularly smart layover from a trip-planning standpoint. One of our favorite budget strategies is to find the cheapest direct transatlantic flight to Europe and then use Ryanair or easyJet to hop to other destinations at insanely affordable prices.
Amsterdam works well for this because it has strong direct service from US cities, and Schiphol is a major hub for budget carriers across Europe. In a lot of European cities, the budget airlines operate out of a secondary airport that’s farther from the center, poorly connected by public transit, or just generally more of a hassle to get to and from. At Schiphol, you’re always coming back to the same efficient airport, 15 minutes from the city by train.
Bougainville at Hotel TwentySeven
Getting From Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal
The train is the best way to go, and the station sits directly below the airport. Follow the signs from the arrivals hall and you’ll be on a platform in minutes. Trains run every 15 minutes from around 6 AM to 1 AM, and the ride to Amsterdam Centraal takes about 15 minutes. A single ticket runs around €5 to €6 each way and can be purchased at the yellow NS ticket machines with a credit card. You can also get a 1-day transit pass if you want to hop around the city by tram. We just walked around from Centraal last time and didn’t need it, but the city is pretty spread out and weather is unpredictable. So this gives you a good alternative to walking.
Luggage Storage at Schiphol
Don’t drag your bags into the city. Schiphol has several storage options that are both well-signed from the main terminal. Before security, the staffed Baggage Storage area is located on level -1 between Arrivals 1 and 2. It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can handle larger suitcases. Pricing runs from around €6 for hand luggage to €9 to €12 for larger bags per 24 hours. There are also self-service lockers after security in Holland Boulevard and Lounges 1 and 2. Those are small at 40x40x70 cm and better suited for a single bag or backpack.
Pro Tip: Keep your receipt or photograph it before you walk away. Losing it costs you an €8 administration fee to retrieve your bags. For the full details and current pricing, check the official Schiphol luggage storage page before you go.
5-Hour Layover: Canal Walk, Pancakes, and a Coffee Shop
With 5 hours, keep it simple and central. You can actually do this sampling on a 4-hour layover, but that might be more stressful.
Simple sightseeing: Amsterdam Centraal drops you right at the edge of the canal ring, and within a short walk you’ll hit the famous rows of narrow townhouses lining the Singel and Herengracht canals. It looks exactly like the postcards and it’s free.
Convenient pancakes: From there, try a Dutch pancake. Amsterdam pancake houses serve them flat, thin, and loaded with either sweet toppings like apple and cinnamon or savory options like bacon and cheese. They’re different from French crêpes and significantly more filling. PANCAKES Amsterdam Centraal is right across from the station on Prins Hendrikkade, with canal views and outdoor seating. If you walk around to the back of Centraal, PANCAKES Amsterdam Aan ‘t IJ sits on the waterfront with views over the IJ river and the A’DAM Tower. Both are an easy walk from the train and perfect for a layover. These places get crowded, but the lines move fast.
Next, head to a café or coffee shop: but first, let’s address something that confuses first-time visitors: coffee shops and cafés are not the same thing. Coffee shops in Amsterdam sell cannabis and are legal, regulated, and easy to find near the center. Cafés sell coffee and food. Both are perfectly worth visiting depending on what you’re after, but walking into the wrong one can be a surprise. If you want a quiet espresso and a stroopwafel, look for a café or koffiehuis. If you’re curious about the coffee shops, they’re clearly marked, and the staff are used to tourists.
Free walking tour: If you’d rather skip the coffee shops and cafés, several companies run free walking tours departing from Dam Square, which is the main central plaza a short walk from Centraal. They’re tip-based rather than actually free, but they’re a great way to get oriented quickly if you’ve never been to Amsterdam. The guides are knowledgeable and the tours typically cover the Red Light District, the canals, and the historic city center in about 2 to 2.5 hours. Just show up, look for the group with umbrellas or a meeting sign, and tip what you think it’s worth at the end.
8-Hour Layover: Museums, Vondelpark, and a Food Tour
Eight hours gives you room to breathe and explore neighborhoods beyond the city center. If you want to explore one of the city’s most popular museums, you should book well in advance. We popped into the modern Stedelijk Museum and loved it. Also, if you happen to be staying overnight, we love CityHub Amsterdam for a relatively inexpensive and spacious pod experience.
Heineken Experience: The Heineken Experience is located in De Pijp, about a 35-minute walk or a short tram ride from Centraal. It was built inside the original 19th-century Heineken brewery, and the self-guided tour takes about 90 minutes. You’ll walk through the original brewhouse, see vintage brewing equipment, get into the interactive exhibits, and finish with two included beers at the bar. It’s worth doing at least once, and the building itself is genuinely impressive. Book tickets online in advance. They sell out, and walk-ins are not guaranteed.
Pro Tip: The Heineken Experience is in De Pijp, which is one of Amsterdam’s best neighborhoods. Albert Cuyp Market, one of the largest outdoor markets in Europe, runs nearby and is worth a wander before or after if the timing works out.
Vondelpark: Amsterdam’s most famous park is about 20 minutes from Centraal on foot or a quick tram ride. It’s free, it’s beautiful, and it gives you a very different picture of the city than the tourist-heavy canal belt. On a warm day, it fills with locals on bikes, families, street performers, and people sitting in the grass with a beer from one of the park’s open-air cafés.
WithLocals 10 Tastings of Amsterdam: If food is your priority, the WithLocals private 10 Tastings tour is a great option for an 8-hour layover. It’s a 3-hour guided walk through the city with 10 tasting stops covering stroopwafels, bitterballen, Dutch cheese, local beer, herring, and more. It doubles as a neighborhood orientation, as the guides know the city well. We’ve done it and recommend it. You can book ahead online at withlocals.com.
What to Eat in Amsterdam
Even if you skip the food tour, these are worth seeking out on your own:
- Stroopwafel: two thin waffle layers with a caramel syrup filling. The ones from Albert Heijn, the Dutch supermarket chain you’ll find at Schiphol and throughout the city, are good. A fresh one from a market stall is even better.
- Bitterballen: deep-fried Dutch snacks with a creamy, savory meat filling inside a crispy shell. They’re served at most traditional Amsterdam brown cafés alongside a cold beer, and are delicious.
- Haring: raw herring. It’s a Dutch staple and the city’s most divisive food. The traditional way to eat it is to hold it by the tail and lower it into your mouth. We tried it the Amsterdam way, which is served sliced with onions and pickles. We were surprised by how much we enjoyed it.
- Dutch pancakes: as covered above, these are a must try and substantial enough to be a meal.
- Local beer: Heineken and Amstel were both born in Amsterdam. Beyond the big names, the city has a serious craft beer scene worth exploring. The best way into it is a bruine kroeg – a traditional Dutch brown café, which is a low-key neighborhood pub. Brouwerij ‘t IJ, a craft brewery built inside a working windmill, is the most famous local brand.
- Local cheeses: The Netherlands produces some of the best cheese in Europe, and Amsterdam is a good place to try them. Albert Cuyp Market has several cheese stalls selling aged Gouda, young Gouda, goat cheese, truffle cheese, and more. All are available for tasting before you buy.
- Surinamese Cuisine: This one surprises a lot of visitors, but Surinamese food is a staple in Amsterdam. Suriname was a Dutch colony, and when it gained independence in 1975 a large portion of the population emigrated to the Netherlands, bringing a cuisine that blends Indian, Indonesian, African, and Chinese influences.
Have you done an Amsterdam layover? Let us know in the comments what you fit into your time.