The Europe CruiseFor the American voyager

Your voyage begins in Amsterdam

From the airport to the gangway, every way there and back.

Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The short answer

Big ships dock at Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, about 1 km from Amsterdam Centraal station. Since 2026 the city limits ocean cruise calls, so many ships now use IJmuiden or Rotterdam instead. Check your exact port.

I · Arrive by airAMSAmsterdam Schiphol
II · Airport to shipAbout 24 km (15 miles), about 30 minutes by road (Holland America)
III · Ways to travel3compared below
IV · BoardAmsterdamcruise terminal
The timetable

Every way from the airport to the ship

Tap any way for step-by-step directions.

The wayFromTimeCost
Taxi or Uber/BoltAMSAbout 30 minutesApproximate: about EUR 45 (Holland America)
Train to Amsterdam Centraal, then taxi, tram or walkAMSAbout 17 minutes on the train, then about 1 km to the terminalApproximate: I amsterdam lists EUR 4.90 one way; fares change yearly
Cruise line transferAMSVariesSet by your line
On the chart

Where Amsterdam lies

Antique-style chart of Northern Home Ports with ports markedAmsterdamBergenCopenhagenDoverHamburgIJmuidenKielOsloRotterdamSouthamptonStockholmWarnemündeAarhusÅlesundCherbourgFlåmGdańskGeirangerGothenburgHaugesundHellesyltHelsinkiKirkwallKlaipėdaKristiansandLerwickLiverpoolMoldeNewcastleNordfjordeidOldenPortlandRigaSkagenSkjoldenStavangerTallinnVisbyZeebrugge
Step by step

From Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)

About 24 km (15 miles), about 30 minutes by road (Holland America)

Taxi or Uber/Bolt

Time About 30 minutesCost Approximate: about EUR 45 (Holland America)
  1. Use the official taxi rank outside Schiphol Plaza. Do not go with drivers who approach you inside.
  2. Ask for Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, Piet Heinkade 27.

Easiest with bags.

Train to Amsterdam Centraal, then taxi, tram or walk

Time About 17 minutes on the train, then about 1 km to the terminalCost Approximate: I amsterdam lists EUR 4.90 one way; fares change yearly
  1. Go down to the station under Schiphol Plaza.
  2. Tap a contactless card or phone on the yellow reader (check in), or buy a ticket at a yellow machine.
  3. Ride to Amsterdam Centraal (8 trains an hour).
  4. Tap out at the yellow reader.
  5. Take a taxi or walk about 1 km east to the terminal. The nearest tram stop is Kattenburgerstraat, about 7 minutes' walk.

Cheap and fast. The last kilometer is the hard part with heavy bags.

Cruise line transfer

Time VariesCost Set by your line
  1. Book with your line.
  2. Holland America's staff wait after customs with a HAL coat and sign, from 8:00am. Meet them by 1:30pm.

HAL's transfer meeting point is in Schiphol Plaza if you miss them.

Already in town

From the city or your hotel

Walk or short taxi from Amsterdam Centraal

Time About 1 kmCost Taxi fare not verified

Easy walk without big bags.

Bus 397 Airport Express (Schiphol to Museumplein/Leidseplein)

Time Every 10 minutes in the daytimeCost Approximate: EUR 6.50 one way (I amsterdam)

Useful if your hotel is near the museums. Pay by card; no cash on the bus.

The night before

Where to stay

Arrive a day or two early. A delayed flight on sailing day is the most common way travelers miss the ship.

Near Amsterdam Centraal or the Eastern Docklands

Short walk or taxi to the terminal.

Schiphol airport hotels

Only if you arrive late. You still need a 30-minute transfer.

All aboard

Sailing day

Terminals & docks

Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA), Piet Heinkade 27. It is just east of Amsterdam Centraal. Coin lockers are inside (EUR 4 small, EUR 6 large, EUR 1 and 2 coins only, per Holland America).

Check-in

  • Arrive in your assigned time slot.
  • Bring EUR 1 and EUR 2 coins if you want a locker.

What trips people up

  • The city cut ocean cruise calls at PTA to up to 100 a year from 2026 (down from about 190). Your ship may use IJmuiden or Rotterdam instead.
  • The city plans to bar large cruise ships from the center from 2035, but the final decision rests with the new city council (NL Times, Feb 2026).
  • Bikes everywhere. Watch for bike lanes when you walk with luggage.

Do this

  • Use the official taxi rank only.
  • The train plus a short taxi is cheap and fast.
Homeward bound

Leaving the ship: back to the airport

The same routes run in reverse. On the last morning everyone leaves at once, so lines for taxis and buses are at their longest. Book flights home for the afternoon or later, and arrange your ride in advance if you can.

The wayToTimeCost
Taxi or Uber/BoltAMSAbout 30 minutesApproximate: about EUR 45 (Holland America)
Train to Amsterdam Centraal, then taxi, tram or walkAMSAbout 17 minutes on the train, then about 1 km to the terminalApproximate: I amsterdam lists EUR 4.90 one way; fares change yearly
Cruise line transferAMSVariesSet by your line

Before you leave

  • Use the official taxi rank only.
  • The train plus a short taxi is cheap and fast.
Linger a while

Before or after your cruise

Sources & what we could not confirm · 4 sources · checked 2026-11
Still being confirmed
  • Current 2026 train fare Schiphol to Centraal (I amsterdam lists EUR 4.90; may be out of date)
  • Taxi fare Centraal to PTA
  • US nonstop flights: not verified for this page; check airline sites