Originally Posted by mike2005
Could anyone let me know what I'll have to do (customs, passport check, etc.) when getting off the plane in Amsterdam (before going to the city,) and also what I'll need to do before getting back on to Prague? The flight to Prague is a different flight/airline. About how much time will I need to give myself to do everything (check back in, etc.) for the return flight to Prague?
You'll have to get your passport checked (very quick usually), retrieve any checked luggage, and clear customs (expect to walk throught the "nothing to declare" line uninterrupted). Once outside the baggage claim area, I suggest you check in for your AMS-PRG flight and either check your luggage or store it in one of the luggage lockers (4 Euros per 24 hours; maps available at
http://www.schiphol.nl/ under Airport Information/Maps).
Now, having checked in for your flight and with a boarding pass in hand, you will know exactly how much time you have to explore Amsterdam. Purchase a second class ticket to Amsterdam Centraal Station at one of the kiosks. It'll be 6 Euros for a day return (roundtrip); 3.40 Euros each way if bought separately. Having change is helpful if you want to avoid dealing with a human being which I believe now comes with a surcharge.
The trains from Schiphol to Centraal Station usually depart from platform 1. New airport-style monitors will tell you what time and from which platform the next departure is. Some of them (Intercity, usually) are nonstop; others make one or two stops. In any event, they typically run every 15 minutes and the total train ride will take 15-20 minutes.
I would recommend returning to Central Station approximately two hours before your departure from AMS so you can be at the airport around 90 minutes before departure. That should give you ample time to comfortably make your flight. Return trains from Centraal Station to Schiphol usually depart from platform 13 or platform 15. If you have to buy a one way return ticket, the code for Schiphol is 1117.