How to get to Amsterdam Centraal Train Station

Travel from Amsterdam city center to Amsterdam Centraal train station

Amsterdam is a top destination in Europe for visitors. The Netherlands’ capital city is famous for its art collections, as well as its concentric canals and picturesque bridges. Cycle your way through the city enjoying the colorful buildings and hip restaurants. The main train terminal in the city is the Amsterdam Centraal Station.

The Amsterdam Centraal is the largest railway station in the city and is also a hub for other methods of transport like trams, buses and ferries. The building features a Gothic Renaissance Revival style with cast iron roofs. This train station in Amsterdam is just on the north end of the city’s central area known as Binnenstad. Depending on where you’re starting off, it’s possible to walk from the city center of Amsterdam to the Amsterdam Centraal Station. Apart from getting there by foot, the city has a public tram system that operates multiple lines that stop at Amsterdam Central.

How far is it from Amsterdam city center to Amsterdam Centraal train station?

If we consider the Dam Square as the most centric part of Amsterdam, to travel from the Amsterdam city center to the Amsterdam train station is not that far. The total distance between the two landmarks in Amsterdam is around 0.5 miles (0.8 km). Getting there is pretty straightforward from the Dam Square. Taking the main Damrak road northeast, you’ll follow it until you see the Amsterdam Centraal train station in front of you. However, by car you’ll have to circle behind the station to get to the entrance. To do this from Damrak road, you will have to go over the Oostertoegang canal on the right side of the station and follow the road behind the Amsterdam Centraal to where the parking lot is. The drive can take about 11min depending on the time of day and rush hour.

What is the best way to get to the Amsterdam Centraal train station from the Amsterdam city center?

The best way to get from the city center of Amsterdam to make it to your train time in Amsterdam is on foot. From the Dam Square where the Royal Palace is, it should only take you about 10min to walk to the main central train station. To get there, you just have to follow the Damrak road heading northeast. Stay walking along Damrak for about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) until you pass the Damrak canal on your right. You’ll want to continue straight on the Stationsplein pedestrian street and the impressive and large Amsterdam Centraal building will be right in front of you. If you can’t or don’t want to walk the whole way you can hop on one of the trams near the Dam Square that stop at the central train station. For instance, tram lines 2 or 12 stopping behind the Royal Palace on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal street stop right at Stationsplein.

Amsterdam's travelers in the Central Station. Source: Shutterstock

Where is the airport in Amsterdam and how to get there?

The main airport for the city is the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, located approximately 12.5 miles (20 km) southwest of Amsterdam Centraal station and the city center. By car, this route can take up to around a half an hour depending on if you’re going during peak hours. Nonetheless, there are NS trains that take you directly to the Amsterdam Centraal train station in 18min, like the InterCity Direct or Sprinter lines.

How accessible is Amsterdam Main train station for those with limited mobility?

The Amsterdam Centraal train station has been designed and adapted to be accessible for passengers transiting through it who have reduced mobility. The entrance for instance, is not elevated and is at street level. This allows all travelers to access the station barrier-free. Once inside the Amsterdam Centraal train station, it’s equipped with wheelchair accessible elevators as well as wheelchair adapted restrooms.

If you’re a passenger with reduced mobility looking for more information about the train station in Amsterdam, aside from standard information desks, the station offers an assistance service. This travel assistance is not only for passengers with reduced mobility, but also for those who have a visual impairment. If this is your case you may ask for help free of charge to assist in getting around the station with your luggage, as well as getting on and off the NB trains in Amsterdam Centraal. This service is available at the central Amsterdam station 24/7, so it’s useful for night trains as well.

Night trains to/from Amsterdam Centraal

Night trains to Amsterdam as well as the ones departing from the city, operate constantly through the night starting at around 1:00 a.m. These night trains, running every hour, go to other cities around Netherlands. However, there are also international routes operated by the Austrian Railway company, ÖBB Nightjet, going to Munich (Germany), Vienna and Innsbruck (Austria), and Basel and Zurich (Switzerland).

Traveling by train in Amsterdam: Sustainable journey

Currently, the national Dutch Railway, NS, is working towards a fossil-free and green way of traveling by train. It considers traveling by train a more sustainable way than other methods, however, they are focused on constant improvement. Travelers on NS enjoy a climate-neutral environment with their use of green energy without carbon emissions.

Local tips: Amsterdam train station points of interest

When arriving to Amsterdam by train, you’ll be getting off at an impressive Gothic and Renaissance Revival style station located in the heart of the Netherlands capital city. Amsterdam Centraal is a major railroad hub for the country, operating train routes to cities across Netherlands like Utrecht, Maastricht and Rotterdam. There are also international train connections to European cities such as Vienna, Berlin or London, among others. There are plenty of things to do near the station, due to its ideal location. For example, make your way into the city center and visit the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, or stop at a café along the canals. Amsterdam is the perfect city to cycle around; this is how the locals get from point a to point b in their city.

• Visit the WWII diarist Anne Frank’s house
• Take a peaceful walk through the green Vondelpark
• See how your favorite beer is made at the Heineken Experience
• Spend a rainy day in the fabulous Rijksmuseum
• Find something to eat in the hip Jordaan district

Amsterdam's traveler on a street. Source: Shutterstock

What to do in Amsterdam

A trip to Amsterdam is sure to be full of art gallery visits, cycling along the canals and people watching at hip restaurants. There are multiple popular attractions that every visitor wants to see while they’re in the city. For instance, the Royal Palace of Amsterdam is in the main Dam Square. From here you can make your way towards the historic Anne Frank’s house where you can see where the World War II teenager lived. Nearby is the district of Jordaan. This area is known for its upscale boutiques, outdoor markets and quaint courtyards.

Amsterdam can be a heaven for those travelers who love museums. If you’re one of those, go to Museumplein. This public green area is among some of the top museums in the country such as the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum as well as the Stedelejk Museum. Aside from exploring tourist spots, trying the local cuisine is also a very important part of getting to know a new city. A popular sweet in Amsterdam that you should definitely try is the caramel Stroopwafel.