Schiphol Guide
 

As requested by Alanw in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=848884 here is a master guide to Schiphol airport. Others please add to this if I missed anything.

Schiphol is one of the worlds great airports and is essentially a city in its own right. It has tens of thousands of employees, a large international train station, loads of restaurants and cafes, a great many shops to purchase essentials as well as trinkets, several hotels, a world trade center, banks, grocery store, etc.

* Food and Drink

In the public area, there is a Burger King, a nice Italian pasta restaurant, plenty of cafes, etc. Also the grocery store has ready to eat hot items that are priced right. You can purchase items here that are not available in normal dutch grocery stores. Airside there are mostly cafes to choose from for food.

* Rest areas

Schiphol has many well equipped rest areas with comfortable seating. Most are one level up from the concourse.

* Public showers

There are public showers available in the non-Schengen area. I'm not sure about the Schengen area?

* Casino

There is a government run casino, but I've never been in it. I can't remember ever seeing anyone else in it either.

* Museum

There is a nice little art museum in the non-Schengen area, one level up from the concourse.

* Shopping (SeeBuyFly, tulips, etc.)

Lots of shops at Schiphol. This is how the airport really makes money! You will get better service shopping here than at any other shop in Holland. They will even hold your purchases for up to 30 days so you can pick them up when you return to AMS.

You can see the special offers of the month at http://www.schiphol.nl/Shopping/Shopping.htm as well as a full map.

Also, Schiphol has one of the finest, if not THE finest air travel enthusiast shops in the world. Right next to the grocery store in the main concourse. Every frequent flyer should visit this shop. I recommend the Air Jamaica "Love is in the Air" t-shirt.

* Schiphol Secrets

I'm not sure what qualifies as a secret, but few people know about the NS High Speed 1st class lounge. I'm a regular train user as well as flyer out of Schiphol so this is valuable to me.

* Food and Drink

Especially mentioned for all the Americans, Starbucks now has 3 locations on the airport.
-In Arrivals 3/4(where most of the US flights arrive) on the right side.
-Between Arrivals 2 and 3(Where Yam Yam used to be)
-Departures 1, near Lounge 1.

* Rest areas
There is a hotel near lounge 3, Mercure Schiphol.
http://www.hmsc.nl/index_hotel.html

* Schiphol Secrets
If you want to sleep between your connection flights, follow the signs to the KPN communication centre in departures 2, go up with the escalator near the airport-spa. During the night, they won't use those chairs.

My two cents to add

* Public showers

There are public showers available in the non-Schengen area. You have two choices: the Mercure Hotel, located above Lounge 3 (between F and G pier on the top level (Level 3) has showers available for €15. The hotel provides toiletries and towels, and the shower rooms are cleaned between uses. If you're more resourceful and can bring your own toiletries and towels, there are showers in the restrooms near the Meditation Centre, between the BA Lounge and KLM Crown Lounge 42.

* Museum

There is a wing of the Rijksmuseum in Lounge 2 of the non-Schengen area.

* Schiphol Secrets

There is an ATM that dispenses US dollars at the ABN-Amro bank near the entrance to F-pier.

I use the following trick when I have an early meeting somewhere in the Netherlands and intend to drive to it. I take a late flight into AMS, go to AVIS to get the keys to my rental car, and walk to my room at the Sheraton or Hilton. AVIS doesn't have any problem if I pick up the keys and take care of the paperwork the night before I actually drive the car off the airport. This way, I avoid AVIS in the morning which can be a real zoo as most intercontinental flights are arriving at this time. I'm sure other car agencies would be okay with this.

* Hotels

If you want to stay in a hotel at Schiphol, you have the following options:

(1) The Mercure, located above Lounge 3, is inside the non-Schengen area and is very convenient for long layovers. The rooms are small and basic, but there is free pay TV (including porn if that's your thing) and you can't beat the convenience.
Single room with shower/toilet: €85
Double room with shower/bath/toilet: €95
Triple room with shower/bath/toilet: €115
Rooms are available from:
Day use: 10.00 a.m. - 07.00 p.m.
Night use: 08.00 p.m. - 09.00 a.m.
Phone +31 (0) 20 6041339

(2) The Sheraton is located directly at the airport within three minutes' walk of Schiphol Plaza, and is, IMHO, the nicest hotel in the area. The rooms are clean, well-maintained and well-appointed, but expensive. Booking ahead helps as well as looking at websites like booking.nl and hrs.de.

(3) Further along, but within walking distance is a Hilton. It's rubbish in my view.

Airline lounges at Schiphol
 

Airline lounges, plagiarised directly from www.schiphol.nl.

Lounge 20: Servisair
A-Company
Adria Airways
Air Berlin
ATP Business Travel
Austrian
Bleecker
Blue1
BMI
Coris
Estonian Air
Expedia Travel
Iceland Air
JAT Airways
Lufthansa
MAT Macedonian Airlines
Olympic Airlines
Priority pass
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Silverjet Reizen
TAP Portugal
TUI Nederland
VCK Travel

Lounge 21: Menzies
AGIP
Airsavings
Alitalia
Carlson Wagonlit
Club Med
Diners club
Finnair
Iberia
Lounge Pass
OAD
Priority Pass
Swiss International Air Lines
VLM Airlines
Wexas

Lounges 25, 41, and 52: KLM Crown Lounges

Lounges 25 (Schengen area) ane 41 (non-Schengen area) have showers. Lounge 52 is being expanded.

Aer Lingus
Aeroflot Russian International Airlines
Air France
Air Malta
Alitalia
Armavia
Bulgaria Air
China Airlines
China Southern Airlines
Continental Airlines
CSA Czech Airlines
Cyprus Airways
Delta Air Lines
Georgian Airways
Iran Air
Kenya Airways
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Korean Air
Lithuanian Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines
Malaysia Airlines
Malev Hungarian Airlines
Meridiana
Northwest Airlines
Privat Air
Pulkovo Rossiya
SkyTeam First/Business class and SkyTeam Elite Plus
Ukraine International Airlines

Passengers with the following Frequent Travellers Cards can access Crown Lounges:

• Aer Lingus Gold Circle Club: Elite, Prestige and Gold/Bank of Ireland Gold Visa card
• Aeroflot Bonus Gold card
• Aero Mexico Club Premier
• Platino/Corporativo/Salon
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue Club 2000
• Air France/KLM Petroleum Club
• Alitalia Freccia Alata
• China Airlines Paragon/Emerald/Gold Card
• China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club Gold/Silver
• Continental Airlines Presidents Club Members/Lifetime members/Onepass Platinum Elite card
• Copa Airlines Onepass Platinum Elite
• CSA Czech Airlines Plus Gold
• Cyprus Airways Sunjet Gold card
• Delta Air Lines Skymiles Platinum Medaillon & Crown Room Club
• Flying Blue Platinum & Gold (AF/KL/KQ/UX)
• Iran Air – Sky Gift Gold card
• JET Airways JET Privilege Platinum/Gold card
• KLM/American Express Corporate card
• KLM Skipper
• Korean Air Skypass Million Miller/Skypass Morning Calm Premium
• Lithuanian Airlines Amber Elite Club card
• LOT Polish Airlines Miles & More Senator Gold/Miles & More Silver Gold/Star Alliance
• Malaysia Airlines Enrich Platinum & Gold Card
• Malev Hungarian Airlines Duna Platinum/Gold/Silver
• Northwest Airlines Worldclub members
• Northwest Airlines WorldPerks Asia Platinum/Gold Elite members
• Northwest Airlines WorldPerks USA Platinum Elite members
• Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Elite & Premier Elite
• Ukraine International Airlines Panorama Premier Card/Panorama Classic Card

Lounge 40: British Airways
British Airways

Lounge 41: Servisair
Adria Airways
Aeroflot Russian Int. Airlines
ATP Online
Baron Travel
BMI
Cathay Pacific Airways
Coris
Egypt Air
Empire Travel
Estonian Air
Expedia Travel
Flybe
JAT Airways
Korean Air
Miles Travel
3Oceans Travel
Odysseus
Pagona Travel
Priority Pass
Royal Jordanian Airlines
Silverjet Reizen
Sinja Travel
Syrian Arab Airlines
Turkish Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways
VCK Travel

Lounge 43: Menzies
AGIP
Air Astana
Airsavings
Alitalia
ArkeFly
Carlson Wagonlit
Club Med
Croatia Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Diners Club
El Al Israel Airlines
EVA Airways
Finnair
Iberia
Lounge Pass
OAD
PIA Pakistan International Airlines
Priority Pass
Royal Air Maroc
Surinam Airways
Swiss International Air Lines
VLM Airlines
Wexas

Lounge 49: ABN AMRO
Preferred Banking Lounge
How do you access this???

Lounge 50: Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines

Lounge 51: Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines
US Airways

http://www.schiphol.nl/web/show/id=73605/langid=42

So only for Preferred Banking clients, not for the regular clients...

A Yotel is due to open at Schiphol in September. I'm not sure exactly where, but I understand it will be airside (like Hotel West), but in the Schengen area.

There's also the new CitizenM, a 2 minute indoor walk from the terminals.

Johan

From what I've seen elsewhere on FT, The showers in the Crown lounge (lounge 25) are only for platinum members only and the showers in the Menzies (lounge 41) can be used for a fee provided you have right of entry of course.

Mercure (airside) charges 12.50 euros (fm schiphol website)

just came across this thread while researching my another long trip via AMS too.

That used to be the case, but no longer.

Johan

Be careful! ABN AMRO bank uses a very, very, very, bad exchange rate when you use this ATM. (similar to changing cash into USD). If you fly to the US it is up to 15% cheaper to use a US-based ATM.

XpresSpa at Schiphol
 

There are signs up at Schiphol saying the "new" XpresSpa at Schiphol has opened at Departure Lounge 2, Level 1 next to the Network Bar (beyond Passport Control).

XpresSpa services

* pedicure
* manicure
* beauty treatment
* head/neck massage
* full body massage
* foot reflexology massage

seven days a week between 7.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m.

Hello,

In Amsterdam, which lounge is nicer: Servisair or Menzies? I guess I have access to both via Priority Pass.

Thanks!

Probably not a secret but you do have to look for it....

There is an Irish Pub down the D concourse where, you guessed it, the Aer Lingus flights typically gate. If you are stuck in Schiphol for a while or, as is the case with me, flying through AMS from a pork-less GCC country, the full Irish breakfast is worth a trip (primarily for the multiple pork products on the plate).

Also for aviation enthusiasts, one of Schiphol's biggest assets (and I can't believe it has not been mentioned yet): The fantastic, open air "Panorama Terrace", overlooking and directly above concourses D and E, with a fantatic, close up view of the airplanes. One of the few remaining major airports in the world that still actually provides this kind of facility.

Also, off-airport near one of the runways, is a McDonalds and an official "spotting" area. Again such a breath of fresh air, and a welcome change from being chased away by cops like in so many other parts of the world.

CitizenM
 

There is now a Yotel that is airside, I saw the signs for it yesterday, but I believe it is in the non-Schengen area.

Anyway, my family and I stayed at the CitizenM last Friday. In short... I was VERY IMPRESSED and would not hesitate to stay there again. I've stayed at the Sheraton (previous favourite but pricey), the Hilton (a poor effort in my view), the Crowne Plaza (not bad), and the Bastion (decent value) in recent memory, and I would stay at the CitizenM above all of these except for the Sheraton if price was not an issue.

We booked the room for 69€ through their website (credit crunch special), a far cry from the 250€+ the Sheraton wanted.

The hotel is more than 2 minutes' walk, but still less than 5 mins and there is a covered walkway the whole way (the hotel is located opposite G pier, the LCC area).

Considering how tiny it was (I could touch both walls with my fingertips and toes if I really stretched out), the room was very well-appointed, supremely comfortable, and smartly laid out. It had a view of the tarmac, but good sound insulation.

The shower was excellent, and all the amenities were provided (shampoo, soap, etc.).

Two negatives:

• The toilet, which is in the middle of the room and can be enclosed by circular opaque glass doors. Let's just say you shouldn't expect tons of privacy.
• The eatery downstairs, while well appointed and a pretty cool place to hang out, is a bit overpriced. About equivalent to eating inside the sterile area at Schiphol. Think €9.50 for a tiny salad that you could get at McDonald's for €2.50. However, the quality of the food was good.

Correct. It is located next to the food court on the upper level. I was given a tour of the various cubicles a few weeks ago. They are small, and although the design is very clever, they are really only suitable for sleeping, resting and any other activities that can be carried out in bed (let's say watching TV, or so). Cabins are booked in 4-hour blocks, so a stay could be more expensive than a night at the Mercure Hotel West, where the rooms are larger, have recently been refurbished and therefore no longer have that tired look. As I usually spend the night airside before an a.m. KL longhaul, I prefer Hotel West's location too.

Johan

Shall we also get a section on the duty-free/landside shopping options?

I haven't been to AMS in a couple of years and I'm not a big fan of airport shopping anyway but surely there must be some highlights other travelers will find useful or interesting???

Did you mean duty-free and landside? Of course there is no duty free shopping landside. I gave the link that shows all the shops. Is there anything more you need to know? The grocery store is the highlight for me.

Nor am I.

I needed some lithium batteries the other week. Airside at Schiphol they were €12.95 each. At the store where I normally buy them in Holland they cost €7.

Johan

Of course I meant duty-free and/or landside, hence the slash between the two.

Sorry, in any case I just got an ad from FB Amex saying you get an extra FB mile for each Euro you spend at See Buy Fly through December 31st.

http://content.schiphol.nl/sbf/awardmiles/index.html

FB Service Centre at Schiphol?
 

Hi folks,

I read somewhere (?) on FT that there's a Flying Blue office/counter at Schiphol, but I can't find the thread where I saw it. :confused:

So, can anyone tell me if there is, indeed, such an entity and, if so, where it is? Also, I seem to remember from the original that there were very positive remarks made about it :): as I'm planning a rather 'tricky' combined revenue (for me) + award (for my pal) trip early next year, I thought that maybe going to someone from FB in person might be better than phoning (the website gives me no end of grief when trying for the award booking :().

Any help is much appreciated ...
-- Henry

Hi Henry,

Indeed there is. The Flying Blue desk is located inside the KLM Crown lounge. They can help you out.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

Thanks very much; I'll give it a go.
-H

To be precise: there are two FB desks: in Crown Lounges 25 (Schengen) and 52 (the new, non-Schengen Lounge).

Lounge 41 (the old, non-Schengen Lounge) does not have a FB desk.

Airport bookstores are horrible, but there's a halfway decent store called Libris in Schiphol Plaza, the landside shopping mall. Prices are comparable to downtown bookstores and they've got a much better collection than newspaper/book outlet AKO.

how to find lounge
 

hey every one i have just booked the Servisair lounge amsterdam Airport Lounge Terminal 3,but i think my flight departing from T2 can i go to T3 and entire the lounge as im flying klm to bkk if some one could let me no thanks some much:))

If you look at the map, there are only two Servisair lounges http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/At...AndLounges.htm and there effectively only two terminals at Schiphol, one Schengen and the other non-Schengen. BKK is non-Schengen so you should be ok as long as you booked lounge 41 rather than 26.

Is there long term left luggage at Schiphol? I need to leave a cold weather clothing bag there for two weeks while in Africa over the Christmas holiday...

Yes. Between Arrivals 1 and 2, level -1. Maximum storage is one month.

Thanks!

There is a baby grand piano located next to the library, below the museum.
If you have the skill, you are invited to play it.

Okay, I'll bite. Schengen area? What does 'Schengen' mean?

Google is your friend. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area

Airports in the Schengen area are divided in two for immigration purposes.

Schengen flights are international but have no passport control. Be aware Schengen countries are not entirely equal to EU countries.

May I add, regarding Schiphol (AMS):
The terminal building is divided into three 'halls'.

Hall 1 is for flights to countries within the Schengen area.
This encompasses flights from Pier B and Pier C.
It has most of the usual facilities, including a KL lounge. No hotel, or library, or art gallery, mind.
There is normally no immigration control within Hall 1. However, in the event of random checks, one should be carrying an ID, and a passport is normally the acceptable ID. Residents of the Schengen area tend to be allowed a national ID card, where this exists.

Halls 2 and 3 are for flights to outside the Schengen area.
They encompass Piers D E F G and H.

However, Pier D is sometimes also used for flights to the Schengen area. For this purpose, it has been (re-)built on two levels, which allows it to function in 'dual' mode, for both Schengen and non-Schengen flights.
Someone more knowledgeable on Pier D's split functionality is welcome to add here!

//////////////

For historians and nostalgians, the original stump of Pier D, the first 150m, before it bifurcates left and right, is the (site of) the original sole pier of Schiphol.
One arrived, went downstairs to immigration and baggage, and the sole arrival hall. Underneath this and the car park outside was a set of spaces for railway lines and platforms. The railway came later, but was planned for at the outset - those planners must have had their visions in the mid-50s.!
Not long now, and it will be time to celebrate the 100th century of the original plans for this new Schiphol, to replace the initial sheds over in what is now Schiphol-Oost. What a novel idea! I hope SPL management will invite me to the party!

And on the departure level upstairs, one passed passports, down three or four steps, and strode straight ahead down the pier to one's gate. That differential in height is still there.
FlyerTalk came later.

I'll happily confess that I belong to the latter category. Yes, I remember what it used to be like. And what Schiphol Oost used to be like.

Johan

Can anyone confirm whether flying Iberia Economy with OW Sapphire status (still) allows access into the Schengen Menzies lounge?

Apologies for the OW-related question.

I cannot answer your question, but I can tell you that the Menzies lounge is nothing to get excited about.

Johan

Dentist waiting area style. Lounge is too much qualification.

:D

Hey! My dentist's waiting area is much smaller, but also much nicer!

Johan