MareLuce

After arriving in Schiphol, What do you like to purchase in the airport before going to your hotel?

(Duty-free or otherwise)

johan rebel

A rather unusual question! Why on earth would you want to know?

I bet that plenty people after arriving in Schiphol don't go to their hotel either. They go home, or get on another flight, or go to work, or whatever.

But as it seems that you really do want to know, it's a pleasure to oblige: I occasionally get some groceries at AH. Duty free I avoid like the plague, not only at AMS (can one even buy duty free stuff on arrival at Schiphol?).

And no, I don't go to my hotel. Or rather, I do, but just not in the way you think.

Johan

maalloc

When going downtown for the night, a train ticket, usually.

Found that to be quite handy.

erik123

Early arrival might mean an uitsmijter - later may require poffertjes.

HadesNL

Usually the parking ticket for those that have the bravery of showing up to come take me home.

CyBeR

I live in Amsterdam so unless I'm arriving late (such that I would get home past 22h, in which case I'll go to the Albert Heijn to buy dinner), typically nothing. Occasionally I'll grab a bottle of Champagne if I'm in need of one.

MareLuce

My last visit to Schiphol (Jan 2020) was a very rushed transfer. In the sprint to get from plane to plane, I saw many shops that looked interesting.

Even though I'll have more time Saturday since Amsterdam is my final destination ( via KLM's new direct from Austin, TX,) I won't have a ton of time since I don't want my luggage sitting idle waiting for me for a long time.

Therefore, I was hoping to get advice on the question from others to save time.

Does that help you to understand why I would ask?

Correct.

I definitely believe many people go to their homes as well as hotels after departing Schiphol.

I asked "before going to your hotel" since that is what I will be doing. I'd like to hear from
1) Others who travel to Amsterdam who found something un-missable or just unique and fun from Schiphol
2) Perhaps someone who lives in Schiphol - area, but could empathize with the needs of someone visiting and make suggestions.

I don't know.

I was hoping to learn tips like that from the some of the huge numbers of people who travel through Schiphol. Especially since that is not what I would expect.

Ex: When I was in Dubai airport in December, their luggage pickup area had large duty-free stores conveniently near the luggage pickup area.

Why would arriving passengers at Schiphol not be allowed to purchase duty-free?
(I hope this is not too strange of a question.)

MareLuce

Thank you erik123 , Those "poffertjes" do look great.
https://tarasmulticulturaltable.com/...mini-pancakes/

MareLuce

Wow, that Albert Heijn
is probably the biggest grocery store I've ever seen in an airport.

malmostoso

On a related note, I noticed this weekend about the handy QR code on the ticket so that you don't have to stop at a machine to pay. Scan the code with your phone and pay with ideal, nice.

OP: stopping at AH is indeed your best bet for reasonably priced Dutch delicacies. Visit the cookies/pastries section. Buy mergpijpen.

mpkz

It's not that big, many European airports have mini-supermarkets in them where you can buy most of what you would expect from a local grocery store. The weird thing about ah at Schiphol is that there are 2 or 3 branches, one "big" store and one or two "to go" stores, but they're all in the same area.

If you're coming here for the first time, there may be things you might want to buy looking around the arrivals area (waiting around in the transit area before immigration won't work, you will need a boarding pass to buy most things - even buying water from a store requires a scan of your boarding pass), but most people here fly through Schiphol so many times that they aren't buying souvenirs.

CyBeR

It's a fairly well-stocked super market, on par with the larger ones in the city (in fact it is larger than the one I go to for my daily groceries) but the most important thing about it are its extended opening hours: it opens at 5 in the morning and stays open until midnight; normal ones in the city open only at 7 or 8 and close at 22 (which is mandated by law.)

I'm unsure what you mean here but if you are in airside and not an employee you will have a boarding pass. Contrary to what some people think, one need not be departing from AMS to be able to buy items in the shops even if a boarding pass must be scanned.

mpkz

"Supermarkets" in Amsterdam are tiny, even by Dutch standards.. I guess it depends on what you are accustomed to but even "large" Albert Heijns are smaller than for instance Tesco Metros, nevermind US supermarkets.



Good to know

mfkne

Correct, unless I'm mistaken NL is the only country in the EU without _any_ hypermarkets.

Repooc17

Nothing. Walking straight from airport arrivals to Sheraton AMS and crash after the long haul flight, which worsen the jet lag. Everytime.