KLM Flying Dutchman - Walk me through Schipol, please

Hi everyone,

I have a trip coming up next month; YUL-AMS-OSL with a transfer time of 1hr and 25mins at AMS all on KLM. I'd really appreciate it if someone could walk me through the entire transfer process. I'll be travelling with my 1 year old and would love to have an idea of what to expect so that I make my connection with time to spare. I've been looking at the Schipol airport map but can't figure it out. I'd like to know what pier a flight from YUL would be arriving at and where the flight to OSL would be departing from. What immigration/security will we have to go through? Any insights would be greatly appreciated. :)

jazmic

It depends on what time you arrive in ams, if it is early morning I suggest you go to immigration / transfer immediately because you need that time. As far as I know your plane will arrive at gates c to g, and europe is gates a or b. Between these gates is the immigration transfer desk. It is quite a walk, therefore again you have no time to do anything else

Passport will suffice if you are canadian citizen

You'll likely arrive at one of the E or F gates. Your flight to Oslo will depart from the C or B gates.

After arrival in AMS, you'll first clear immigration followed by security. You'll then be in the Schengen area which is where the C and B gates are. B gates are farther away then the C gates. Whether your flight departs from C or B depends on the aircraft type (Boeings depart from C, Embraers and Fokkers from B).

Anything else? ;)

As far as I know your plane will arrive at gates c to g, and europe is gates a or b.

The C gates are Schengen gates, and there's no A gates at Schiphol (oddly enough).

and there's no A gates at Schiphol (oddly enough).
This is to avoid confusion whether you pronounce A or E.

Thanks for the responses so far! :) We're supposed to be arriving at 7:50am. Then the next flight leaves at 9:15am.

He is correct, I meant b and c for europe and there is no a terminal. Early morning arrivals are busy, just head to your gate

This is to avoid confusion whether you pronounce A or E.

Which should only be a problem for Dutch people. That reminds me of an instance where I had to spell someone's name to a Dutch receptionist. We were speaking English, so I pronounced N-A-S-H as you would in English. Whatever I tried, she insisted on writing N-E-S-H :D

We do have Canadian passports. So there's only be the one immigration/security line we'll have to go through? It's not two different lines?

We do have Canadian passports. So there's only be the one immigration/security line we'll have to go through? It's not two different lines?

The two are sort-of connected. You first clear immigration and immediately afterwards you queue for security. Both have multiple lanes.

We do have Canadian passports. So there's only be the one immigration/security line we'll have to go through? It's not two different lines?
There are separate signs/lines for European union and rest of the world, but in practice they are neither observed nor enforced.

If your flight is a little bit late, There is a late connections queue when you go through immigration/security.

You will not need to pick up your luggage at schiphol. It will be checked through to your final destination

If your flight is a little bit late, There is a late connections queue when you go through immigration/security.

That sounds like a great idea! What's the cut off time to be considered eligible for the "late connections" line?

Have you read/watched this? (https://www.klm.com/travel/nl_en/prepare_for_travel/at_the_airport/connections/index.htm)

The C gates are Schengen gates, and there's no A gates at Schiphol (oddly enough).

There used to be A gates... but that was a long time ago.

And one should add that there are also Schengen departures from D (upstairs).

Thanks for the link to the video! It was very good, but obviously not as specific to my situation as the responses I've gotten here so far. :)

Thanks for the link to the video! It was very good, but obviously not as specific to my situation as the responses I've gotten here so far. :)

The video will also be played on your IFE screen before landing at AMS.

Which should only be a problem for Dutch people. Lot's of those use Schiphol, for some funny reason.

There used to be A gates... but that was a long time ago.Yeah, looooong ago!

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/t/vnp6l.jpg (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/vnp6l)

Johan

Yeah, looooong ago!


Great image Johan! From when is this one? And is there any way to relate the terminal layout to the current situation? B = D, it seems?

Great image Johan! From when is this one? And is there any way to relate the terminal layout to the current situation? B = D, it seems?Well, KL299 was the AMS-WAW flight at 13h05 on Saturdays. Until 1968 KL still used an Electra II for that flight, with the F cabin at the back. Since the seat sticker says 1D, the aircraft must have been a DC9, so the boarding card is probably from 1969-1971.

I have a couple of books on the history of Schiphol at home, will see what I can find about the gate layout.

Johan

Thanks for the reply.

I did a little search using your comments, and although it's from the 80's this photo seems to confirm the idea that the B-pier on the BP are now the D gates:

http://www.airliners.net/photo//1233414/L/

The bridges are spaced about the same as on the pass. Only remaining confusion is the on the BP "A" is the northernmost exit, while the A-gates were south (what is now C)...

Interesting!

The gate layout as shown on the BP is the original one dating back to 1967, when the "new" Schiphol opened (on April 28th, to be precise).

Interesting to note that the gates were very widely spaced, and the jetways very long. This allowed aircraft to park parallel, or at an oblique angle, to the piers. The planes could therefore start their engines and taxi away directly, without needing a pushback tractor. The jetways could also be lowered to ground level, allowing pax direct access to the airstairs of aircraft parked at the gate.

Johan

Fascinating to see these photos from before I knew Schiphol! (first visit: April 1999).

I was wondering when the "A" gates were renamed? I ask because of the following record sleeve. The record in question was released in 1997, though of course the photo (which clearly is Schiphol) could be (much) older.

(The "BA 1" gate has obviously been modified, as a nod towards the artist, Blue Amazon)

In keeping with the airport theme of the record sleeve, the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aJ0SNk4-8M) for this track (one of my favourites from '97) was filmed at Gatwick Airport.

http://www.recordsale.de/cdpix/b/blue_amazon-and_then_the_rain_falls.jpg

I was wondering when the "A" gates were renamed?When the E gates were added, I should imagine, because A pronounced in English sounds rather similar to E pronounced in Dutch.

Johan

Any idea (roughly) what year that would have been?

Connecting through AMS can be more than a little overwhelming! They post the "walking times" (in English!) to various gates. I allowed 20 minutes from a flight from CPH, connecting to ORD. That does not include passport control!

There are a # of Servisair/Menzies lounges in each terminal. Don't worry if you miss them...........they are nothing special! There is also a museum! Looked interesting! (Does this say something about how long some pax's spend @ Schilpol?)

The only influence that an airport can have on connecting times is the "Minimum Connection Time" (which varies from airport to airport and by the type of connection being made - and which may even vary by airline at any given airport) and, as international airports go, AMS is in no way out of the ordinary or unusual as regards connection times. In fact, it's an easier/quicker airport in which to transfer than, say, LHR, FRA, or CDG.

Aside from that, the length of time that a passenger will spend waiting for their connection depends only on the frequencies on the route they are travelling. A passenger travelling onwards on a once-a-day service will, more than likely, have a much longer wait than a passenger connecting to a 5-a-day service.

Any idea (roughly) what year that would have been?The fourth and fifth piers were added in 1975 and 1992/93 respectively, but since they have also been renamed several times I cannot figure out which one was the first E. I'm pretty sure the current one is not, but I could be wrong.

Johan

The first change was in the 70s when they changed A to C and vice versa when they opened the then D pier, now F.

When they added another pier in 92 approximately they renamed everything to avoid A being confused with E in Dutch.

There was also a change in numbers when they changed from sequential numbers to "overlapping" numbers. Before it was A1 - A15, B20 - B38 or so etc. This was done when the extension to the then B pier, now D pier was opened. With that change, until the new B pier was opened, all bus gates were numbered 6, coincidentally.

The first E pier is the current one, but in the past it has been A and C. It has been extended twice, by the way. What is now F was D before, current D was B before, current G was born as such as was current B. Current C was A previously and C initially. Confused?

http://fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/sc-alphabet-soup-update.jpg

Time to stick the spoon back in and stir it up!

Time to stick the spoon back in and stir it up!

:D :D

Johan