Schiphol Airport: Shopping and Checking in
Schiphol Airport is 18 km south west of Amsterdam centre. It is much more than a terminal because it offers a wide variety of entertainment for sightseers, shoppers and travellers alike.
Plaza Shopping Centre
Schiphol Plaza is a shopping centre and part of the arrival hall. It open for everybody whether you are booked on a flight or not. It is buzzing with activity. Locals come to shop and air passengers stock up on books, magazines and souvenirsbefore leaving the country because prices are not inflated like the ones inside the airport.
All thirty-five shops are open from 7 am to 10 pm, seven days a week. After midnight the Plaza is open only for travellers and staff for security reasons but the Food Village is open 24 hours. When you have spent all your money in the shops, climb the stairs or take the lift to the flight viewing terrace and see the queue of the planes waiting to take off.
Have a look at the Plaza map and you will see how you can spend your time before your flight.
The train station is at the level below, train tickets can be bought from the ticket office or the vending machines at the arrival hall.
Checking in
Schiphol is an international hub and very busy especially in the holiday season; last week of April and first week of May, July and August and the Christmas period. If you don't check in online, you will have to be present yourself at the airport two hours before departure. Many check-in counters, especially those of budget airlines close forty minutes before departure of the flight. Queues at check in counters and waiting for security are long, so best is to in time.
Amsterdam All in One Travel Ticket
Many tourists visiting Amsterdam find buying public transport tickets a hassle. I couldn't agree more.
Explaining how the Dutch strippenkaart works is quite a challange. This is my version.
Strippenkaart are available with 15 or 45 so-called strips. Where to buy them is a well-kept Dutch secret. Your best place is the public transport ticket counter at the train station. (not the counter where you get a train ticket), post offices and certain bookshops, supermarkets and kiosks. Tickets bought in the tram or bus are twice as expensive.
Each Dutch city is divided into zones. Each zone is one strip. Tickets are validated in the yellow machine in tram, bus and metro. All you have to do is stamp the number of zones you are travelling plus one extra. This is a daunting task, even for Dutch people especially those who only occasionally use public transport.
Tourists arriving at Schiphol Airport and travelling on to Amsterdam will have to buy a single journey train ticket (return tickets can only be used on the same day) and a strippenkaart for city transport.
GOOD NEWS! Introduction of a new ticket; Amsterdam All in One Travel Ticket for the duration of a trial period ending 31 October. This travel card covers train, tram, bus and metro trips from Schiphol to Amsterdam and can be used for 24, 36 or 48 hours. prices range from €12.95 to €22.40. They are bought from NS, Dutch Railway ticket counter at Schiphol Airport.
I'll let you know if the ticket is a success and if sales continue after 31 October.
KIDS DELIGHT: What's on in August
Saturday Evenings until sunset. ZOOMERAVONDEN ARTIS, Plantage Kerklaan 38. Musical and theatrical programme every Saturday evening. Guided tours during which the keepers tell about the special needs of their animals.
Every day in August. WHO AM I? Interactive exhibition where kids can learn about their identity at NEMO Science Centre, Oosterdokkade 2.
Every day in August. Chilling out at NEMO City Beach. The largest roof top terrace is open from 12.00 - 19.30 hours. Sit in sand chairs, play life-size chess, or cool down in the Splashinf Water Wonder.
17 August. KINDERPARADE, KIDS' PARADE. Sing along with the kids band De lollies, don headphones. Dance with the dance doctor and stay healthy and fit
What's on in August
29 juli - 3 August. GAY PRIDE and parade along canals in the city centre.Gay Pride is the main gay and lesbian event in Amsterdam. Street and dance parties followed by the canal parade on Saturday 2 August. Canal Parade
1 - 17 August. THE PARADE, Martin LutherKingpark. Travelling Theatrical fair with short live performances all through the centre of Amsterdam. Get tickets here
until 10 August. KWAKOE, Bijlmerpark, Amsterdam oost. Kwakoe is a multi-ethnic, cultural festival. It takes place every Saturday and Sunday during July and August. kwakoe
until 24 August. OPEN AIR PERFORMANCES in Vondelpark. Amsterdam's largest public park is the venue for open air performances ranging from pop to classical music and everything in between. Open Air Theatre
16 - 24 August. CANAL FESTIVAL, Grachtenfestival. International musicians perform classical music at several location in Amsterdam Centre. Grachtenfestival
29-30-31 August. UITMARKT. Previews of new theater performances on live stages at Museumplein and along Amstel. Uitmarkt
Monday to Saturday in August (10.00 am - 6 pm).CLIMBING WESTERTOREN, WEST TOWER Prinsegracht 281, 85m high, view of the canals. Guided tour every 30 minutes. Westerkerk
Monday to Saturday in August (12.00 - 16.00 hours).CLIMBING ZUIDERTOREN, SOUTH TOWER Zuiderkerkhof 72, 80 m high, view of Amstel and Nieuwmarkt, New Market area.
Saturday and Sunday in August (1 pm - 5 pm). CLIMBING OUDE KERKTOREN, OLD CHURCH TOWER Oude Kerktoren, Oude Kerkplein 23, view of Medieval Amsterdam and Red Light District. Guided tour every 30 minutes. Oude Kerk
Train Tickets Hassle
The other day when I got my train ticket from the vending machine in the concourse of Centraal Station, I realised that these machines must be very inconvenient for foreigners. They don't accept cash or credit cards, only Dutch debit cards.
This means that you will have to queue (there always is a queue, whatever time of day) at the ticket office. Besides, an extra € 0.50 is added to the ticket price, unless you are over 60 and show your ID.
This procedure is especially annoying if you are heading for Schiphol Airport with a flight to catch.
There are two ways out of this predicament.
1. On arrival at Schiphol Airport (and I presume that's where you started) buy two tickets one Schiphol - Amsterdam and a second Amsterdam - Schiphol. Tell explicitely that the latter should be without a date. Don't forget to validate your undated dated ticket before you start your second journey. Stamp it in the yellow machine found on platforms near escalators and stairs.
2. Buy your undated ticket one day before you need it, but you will still have to queue. Validate it on the day of departure unless you are prepared to pay a fine for travelling without a ticket. (A not validated ticket is considered the same as travelling without a ticket).
Generally speaking the conductors show no clemency for foreigners. The fine is € 35 plus the ticket price.
The following will make life easier. These are the tickets issued by The Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways).
single journey (from A - B) valid from 00.00 - 04.00 the following day
day return (from A - B and B - A on the same day) valid from 00.00 - 04.00 the following day
weekend return valid from Friday evening 19.00 - Monday morning 04.00
Railrunner, flat fare of € 2 for children from 4 - 11 year, accompanied by at least one adult (3 children per adult)
Day Card, flat fare of € 41.70, one day of unlimited travel.
All information (in English) about train travel can be found on http://www.ns.nl/.
Amsterdam Fashion Week
Amsterdam International Fashion Week's programme combines commerce with creativity and includes catwalks, shows but also fashion events, lectures, exhibitions and parties. It has established itself as an alternative to more traditional fashion weeks that are held all over the world.
On 12 August five of the invited designers and models arrived by vintage train, symbolising New Arrivals of the latest fashion collections. The Fashion programme runs for nine days from 19 - 28 July. The first event is the Off Schedule Night at Paradiso on Thursday 17th.
The official kick-off is on Saturday 19th at Red Light fashion. From then on the week is packed with catwalks, exhibitions and parties. The Fashion Weekly Magazine will be available from 12th July onwards.
The Amsterdam Official Venue's kick-off is on 23rd July: Black Tie Fortis AIFW Open Soiree. Catwalks take place at Westergasfabriek. Pazzanistraat 37.
Westergasfabriek
Pazzanistraat 37
Web Site
Look Up
When in Amsterdam it is essential to look up. If you don't, you'll miss a lot.
Look up at the flags
I am quite sure you have noticed the many Dutch flags with dangling schoolbags, books and exercise books suspended to it. You will only see them this time of year. Each flag represents a student who graduated from VWO, HAVO or MAVO, in other words from secondary school or high school. It is customary for the flag to flutter day and night as long as graduation parties are being organised. This means usually two to three weeks after graduation. A second wave of flags will appear in August. These are the unlucky students who failed their exams the first time.
Look up at tilting façades
Don't worry! The tilt is deliberate as it allows goods to be winched to the attic without crashing the windows. No risk of the building collapse into the street, because a law dating from 16th century restricted this lean to 1:25.
Look up at Pathé Tuschinski Theatre
The theatre's façade at Reguliersbreestraat 26-34 is a blend of Art Deco and Amsterdamse School. Study the delightful details and look at the central hall. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 11 am in July and August you can join a guided tour. Just turn up in front of the theatre, no booking needed. (€ 8 p.p., cup of coffee or a soft drink is included. The tour takes 1h 30 mins.)
Look up at Munttoren
Mint Tower at Muntplein is topped with a steeple and openwork orb. The tower got its present name in 1672. The Dutch were at war with the French and English and had to mint their own coins.
Look up at The House with the Three Heads
Keizersgracht 123 is an elegant step-gabled canal-side house with six heads adorning its façade. Legend has it that one evening the housemaid was alone in the house and caught six burglars red-handed. She cut off their heads and put them on show in front of the house. In actual fact the sculptures depict six Roman deities: Apollo, Ceres, Mars, Minerva, Bacchus and Diana.
Look up at Begijnhof
The entrance to Begijnhof is at Spui. This sanctuary was originally built for a lay Catholic sisterhood who educated the poor and looked after the sick. Today it is a sought-after place to live as it is right in Amsterdam's old centre. Look up at the plaque above the door of number 19. It depicts the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. There are more plaques on the wall behind number 32.
This is only a small selection of high-placed sights. Enjoy your Amsterdam stay and look up!