I am describing my experience and not being critical for no reason. As most Flyertalkers, we give our own opinions and describe our own experiences here - that's what this board is all about.

But they do take coins, just not all the machines.

Out of interest, and with the caveat that this is not AMS fault (AMS doesn't even know where there shuttle buses leave from)

But can anyone tell me what this means? As written on the shuttle bus timetable for the Schiphol Crown Plaza.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...ad8fee4269b4ed

It's the type of ambiguous Dutchism that I found all over the airport. There's a big platter of bitterballen for the FTer that can explain to me how a shuttle bus can be both FREE and at the same time 7,50€ return.

While this is indeed not an example of clarity, the way I would read it is that the bus is free of charge outbound from the airport but they do charge €7.50 for the inbound journey to the airport.

Seriously? An international hotel chain would offer a shuttle bus service which is free in only one direction? A bit like the Severn Bridge?

It's not Hotel California, is it? ;)

This is not unknown. Hilton Dublin airport does that, for instance.

I just had Euro bills, which the local Dutch passengers told me the machines (next to baggage claims) don't take.

NS's refusal to take anything but debit cards is rather irritating. I do understand that the Netherlands has traditionally had its own home-grown EFTPOS system, and that this is a lot cheaper to the retailer, but really, even with a supplement, you'd think that they'd be able to at least take foreign chip & PIN credit cards.

I guess, though, that they now want to push the OV-Chipkaart. Even that's not the easiest to get hold of and load for visitors (although a lot easier than the Danish Rejsekort, from recent experience...)

AFAIK there is a difference between debit cards and credit cards. Certainly for the user there is. If you buy tickets from an agent, either at Schiphol or somewhere else, you can pay with almost any kind of card. I say this from what I have seen rather than done myself.
The OV-Chipkaart has replaced all paper tickets. I believe you can buy them at news agents, tobacco shops and some hotels. There is a one-time €7.50 charge and they are valid for 4-5 years.

As an early adopter, I must say that it is a great idea. I have automatic loading via my bank account and simply check in wherever I am and checkout wherever I am going, which means never having to stand in line, never having to stand at an automat and never being short of cash to buy a ticket.

This is not a "ambiguous Dutchism", but a use of a British expression, rather than an American one. Britons call it a "return ticket", while Americans say "roundtrip ticket." Far more British people come here than Americans (plus we get British TV from our American cable company), so Dutch people (generally speaking) are more familiar with British English than American English.

Perhaps that's why some of you also complained about the signs in the terminal building.

Correct - but you do have to pay a supplement to use a ticket counter. At smaller stations, it's not always obvious, as the counter can be part of a nearby newsagent!

Oh, I really like smartcard ticketing - I must have about 10 different types in my travel wallet! But the top-up is through the iDEAL network, which is not accessible to foreigners.

I do get the reasons why it's all set up like this - but it does make life slightly more difficult for visitors.

Actually, I'd say the reverse - this is American usage. In British usage, a "return ticket" means both outbound and inbound. In American usage, it's the inbound journey only. This sign seems to imply the latter.

A return ticket is a ticket that takes you there and back.

It's not a ticket that only covers the return part of a round trip.

Advertising a free shuttle with a "return ticket" costing 7.50 Euro is incorrect use of (British) English. A return ticket means "there and back", not just "back".

As only part of the sign is visible (for example, explaining what the asteriks mean is missing), perhaps there is more to it. In fact, from the Schiphol site, the bus is free for hotel guests (not displayed in the image above) so what may have been left out is: free for hotel guests, €7.50 for everyone else.

That's true. Perhaps a good reason to buy an OV-Chipkaart?

Are you sure about that? When I buy something on the Internet with IDEAL, I always have to login and go through a bit of a process to complete it. However, with banks it is possible to empower other parties to automatically withdraw money from your account (an ISP, telephone company, etc.).

But, having said all that, yes, I'm pretty sure you need to have a Dutch bank account to use automatic loading.