Time to get from plane to train in AMS
 

I'm flying DL to AMS on 5/16 (arriving 5/17 at 0945 hrs). I'm in J and won't have any checked luggage and I can move pretty fast when needed. I need to get a train to Berlin and can do either from Schipol or from Centraal.

First question is how long should I expect it to take to get from deplaning to clearing immigration/customs and getting to the train?

Second question is for those who've taken the train from AMS to Berlin before, would you recommend leaving from Schipol (via Hannover) or just the direct from Centraal?

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have and, if you think I'd have more luck posting over at the Flying Blue forum, let me know.

If you can move, you SHOULD be able to be at the train within about 15 minutes. Immigration is usually pretty quick

I PERSONALLY would leave from Schipol...unless the Centraal stop would mean a shorter layover than Hannover.

If I'm not mistaken, most of the Centraal trains connect through Hannover to the express as well. From the airport, you can take two trains or three. If you go through Centraal, you will have two or three trains total as well. Probably quickest and easiest to leave from Schiphol and connect to the express in Hannover.

10 minutes if your arrival gate is E3 or so. If it is further away (D43 for example) add another 5-10 minutes.

Depending on your schedule you can either use Schiphol (to Amsterdam Centraal and then directly to Berlin) or Amsterdam Centraal

http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/home

Thank you everybody for the quick and helpful responses. That's really encouraging.

And, as Grouchy indicates, you can actually go directly from AMS Centraal to Berlin.

If you take Bahn.de, you can take ICE directly from Centraal or you can change in Hannover. If you go from the airport, it's either 1 stop in Hilversum, or 2 (Hilversum and Hannover).

If you take NS, you can go from the airport via Centraal or via Zwoll and Almelo.

Thanks again.

I agree. Both routes get you there within minutes of each other, so less hassle to go via Schipol.

Cheers!

I echo the others here - Train is under Arrivals 2 so 15-25 minutes depending on your gate. Also depends on what kind of passport you carry - I've never waited more than 5-10 minutes as a terminating passenger with a US passport, but keep in mind the wait won't be 0 minutes (as it would be if you carry an EU passport)...

How tight of a transfer are you trying to make?

Granted, depending at what time your flight arrives, you might have a tight or a loose connection until your train's next scheduled departure but make sure you have your train ticket in advance.

I've spent more time in line buying train tickets at Schipol than I have getting through immigration.

Have a US passport. Flight ETA is 0945. Trains I'd like to make are 1030. If I miss those, I have to wait a couple of hours. Not worst thing but I have an 1845 work dinner in Berlin I'd like to make....

Thanks for the advice.

50-50 to get to train in under 45 minutes on US passport, but there really isn't anything you can do to up the odds.

True! Getting a train ticket quickly is a roll of the dice unless you have a credit card that works in the ticket machines. An added problem right now is that international arrivals is a congested mess due to construction.

To do this, you need to buy a full flex trainticket. The discounted ones "sparpreis in german" are only valid on the train you book in advance. "sparpreis" means no change, no refund, no credit.

Thanks for the tip. That's what I'll do.

Since you've got a work dinner, may I ask why you're not simply flying to Berlin, vs taking such a long train ride?

I'd try to take a train from the airport. Centraal can be crowded with long walks from the airport to long distance trains, depending on track assignments and where your car stops on the track (zones?). Even with just carryon bags, it can be a hassle.

OTOH, at German train stations, it's often organized so that you simply walk across the track for the connection. In principle, this should work for the ICE (to ICE) trains.