There are also a couple of alternative baggage storage places a short walk away from the station.

Amsterdam Central Station Left Luggage

Amsterdam Central station has automated left luggage lockers located in a small 2 level building on the western edge of the station (city-side) – near the entrance to the Cuyperspassage foot/cycle tunnel.

This external facility opened in 2025 (the previous location inside the station has closed).

There are 3 sizes of lockers available – small lockers (90cm deep x 45cm high x 40cm wide) which should suffice for standard size luggage and large lockers (90cm x 60cm x 40cm) suitable for bigger suitcases. There are XL lockers for outsize items.

Lockers are generally available for rent for up to 3 days.

The costs for a 24 hour rental are €11 for a small locker, €16 for a large locker and €26 for a XL locker.

For the 2nd and 3rd day you will then pay a daily rate of €16 (small), €22 (large) and €36 (XL).

After the 3 days you will pay the penalty day rate of €21 (small), €32 (large) and €46 (XL). Your luggage may be removed from the locker after 3 days and you will pay a €100 rate to get it shipped to your home.

How to Rent a Locker at Amsterdam Central

• Find an empty locker with a green light, place your things inside and shut the door, pressing it for 5 seconds – the locker beeps and an indicator light turns red. Memorise the locker number/colour (or take a photo).
• Go to one of the automatic pay terminals found between the lockers and check the locker number on the screen is yours. You pay for the first 24 hours – the machines accept debit/credit cards (V-Pay, Maestro, Visa or Mastercard) but note – they do not take cash.
• You should get a ticket with barcode receipt with your locker number. Double check that your locker is locked. Take a photo of the QR code as a back-up.
• Don’t lose the ticket as you need it to access your locker when you come back. There is a €15 charge if you lose it.
• When you come back to collect your luggage scan your ticket at the machine and it will check if any extra charge is required. On payment (or if within 24 hours) the locker opens automatically – and your locker rental is over.

Tip: When closing the locker make sure you have everything you need with you as once it’s locked that’s it. Your rental expires once you open the locker door!

Also, if you need multiple day storage then it is cheaper to come back each time and pay for separate 24 hour periods.

Opening hours: 24 hours daily

Remember that many hotels will store your bags for you after check-out if you are departing later in the day.

Other specialist left-luggage services in Amsterdam

There can be times when the official station luggage lockers are all taken. You may wish to consider some alternative luggage storage service points in the vicinity of the station.

Luggage Hero

LuggageHero offers safe and secure luggage storage through local businesses at only €1 per hour or €4.50 per day. It can store all luggage sizes, and it’s the only one that offers both hourly and daily rates to accommodate all customers and their needs.

It offers luggage storage all around Amsterdam:

• Luggage Storage Centraal Station
• Luggage Storage Van Gogh Museum 
• Luggage Storage Madame Tussauds Amsterdam
• Luggage Storage Red Light District 
• Luggage Storage Anne Frank House

It’s easy and convenient, all you need to do is to book online or through the official LuggageHero App for Apple and Android, follow the instructions, and enjoy Amsterdam luggage free.

Each piece of luggage and its contents can be insured for up to €2,500, and if you have any other questions, customer service is always there for you!

Bounce

Bounce is a well-rated luggage storage platform with over 13,000 locations worldwide.

In Amsterdam it offers over 60 convenient locations with many just a short walk from Amsterdam Central Station.

You simply book online and drop your bags off at the given location.

Rates start from €3.50 per day and this includes up to $10,000 bag protection insurance. Book your luggage storage with Bounce

SPECIAL NOTE: The Drop&Go luggage storage service on Prins Hendrikkade opposite Amsterdam Central station permanently closed in 2025.

Lockerpoint

Lockerpoint is a luggage storage service in Amsterdam with 9 locations around the city.

There is one located near Amsterdam Central station at the Q-Park underground parking garage at Prins Hendrikkade 20A, 1012 TL Amsterdam.

For a 24 hour period it charges €7 for a medium locker (30cm x 35cm x 60cm), €9 for a large locker (50cm x 33.5cm x 78cm) and €11 for a XL locker (86cm x 35cm x 60cm).

The location is accessible for 24 hours each day (although a QR code from its website is required to enter the area).

It is possible to pay by debit/credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Apple Pay. Cash is not accepted. Telephone: +31(0)20 2218920.

Lockerpoint also has locations at Nieuwezijds Kolk, Marie Heinekenplein, Museumplein, RAI, Vijzelstraat, Zuid-WTC, Sloterdijk and ArenAPoort.

This article was originally published in 2012 and has continuously been updated. Last update 2 July 2026.

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Let’s take a closer look at the NS trains in use on Dutch domestic rail services.

To start, here is a visual overview of the different types of trains you could encounter. We will then describe each in more detail with photos of trains and seating.

NS Intercity vs Sprinter services

Firstly we should distinguish the difference between the Intercity and Sprinter services in the Netherlands.

• Intercity trains are fast domestic train services which make limited stops between the major centres. If you are travelling from one city to another these are nearly always the best and quickest option.
• Sprinter Services are slower stopping train services which generally make stops at all stations between cities. They are designed for shorter trips and the average passenger journey time made is around 17 minutes.

Booking Dutch Train Tickets

You can check timetables, prices and make online bookings for Dutch domestic train services at the official NS (Dutch Railways) site here. Prices are in euros (EUR) only and payment is accepted by iDeal or credit cards (Visa/Mastercard/American Express). There are no booking fees, however tickets are non-refundable.

Train tickets in the Netherlands can also be booked at the Trainline site. It offers a wide range of payment options in multiple currencies (including EUR/USD/GBP/AUD). There is a small booking fee but the tickets are fully exchangeable and refundable right up to the day before travel.

For detailed information on fares and tickets see How to buy Dutch train tickets

NS Intercity trains: Double-deckers

These double-deckers run as Intercity services throughout the country and are the most common Intercity train type used by the NS.

They are known officially as VIRM (Verlengd InterRegio Materieel) and there are 4 generations of the model.

Some have the newer NS livery:

There is a second type of Intercity double decker which in use on selected routes – the renovated DDZ (DubbelDekkerZonering). These are derived from an older series of double-decker trains.

For double-deckers you need to use stairs in order to access either the lower or upper cabins. There are 4 steps down to the lower cabin and 7 steps up to the upper cabin.

Carrying large baggage can be a bit of an issue on these trains. In the lower cabin the overhead luggage racks in the cabins are very small and cannot take a standard suitcase. The upper cabin has no luggage racks at all.

There is some limited space for a medium size case between the backs of some opposing seats on the older seat configurations. Some passengers with large cases often choose to remain in the area near the doors.

First class is denoted by an additional thin blue stripe on the train exterior and has a 2-1 seating configuration. The 2nd class cabin is generally a 2-2 configuration with a limited number of single seaters at each end.

Renovated VIRM and DDZ trains carry the same latest generation of seats in broadly the same layout. Some cabins contain sofa seating.

There are some older series of seats still in use on the VIRM trains – the last generation VIRM4 is currently being refurbished with modern seating.

NS Intercity trains: Single-deckers

These are known locally as ICM (InterCityMaterieel) and have the nickname Koplopers. With an elevated driver’s cabin reminiscent of a Boeing 747, they are used as Intercity services on a number of routes.

The variation of this train known as ICR (InterCity Rijtuig) with a lower driver’s cabin was removed from service in late 2025.

These train types are actually much better than the double-deckers for travel with luggage, having large overhead racks and no stairs. Most newer configurations are airline-style with 2-2 in 2nd class and 2-1 in 1st class with a directional change in the centre of cabin.

There are some slight variations on seating but the latest configurations look like this:

NS Intercity New Generation

NS has been introducing the new ICNG (Intercity New Generation) trains onto the network. There are 2 versions – the standard ICNG for domestic use and the ICNG for international use.

The trains can run up to 200km/h and are deployed on various lines such as the Eurocity Direct (Lelystad-Amsterdam-Brussels), Intercity Direct (Amsterdam-Breda) and Den Haag-Eindhoven.

The trains have wide entry doors and have different seating zones including some sofas. There is plenty of space for luggage with racks above the seats and some dedicated racks. Most seats have access to a power point and USB charger.

NS Sprinter trains

There are 3 main types of Sprinter trains which are normally used on regional routes as stopping trains. Note that it is possible that these trainsets could be occasionally used as an Intercity service.

There is the SLT (Sprinter Light Train):

Newer versions of the Sprinters are called SNG (Sprinter New Generation) trains. There are 2 variants made by different manufacturers – the more numerous Spanish-made Caf/Civity and the Swiss-made Stadler/Flirt.

Sprinter train seats are in a 2-2 open-cabin configuration – there are no doors separating each carriage. The seating is a mix of directional airline-style and group-facing seats.

There are also pull-down seats near the doors and also in the bicycle compartment (14 seats) which is also handy for those with large cases, wheelchairs and strollers.

There is a reasonable space for small to medium size luggage in the overhead racks. Sprinter trains are currently deployed on the route between Schiphol airport and Amsterdam Centraal.

A small 1st class section is generally found at each end – seats are red in colour and are similar to those in 2nd class, except for a pull down armrest between the seats and extra side headrests on SNG 1st class seats.

The SLT train seats look like this:

The SNG train seats (both variants) look like this:

Facilities on board NS trains

All NS trains have display screens in the carriages with route information.

Nearly all Intercity trains offer free WiFi on board, marked by the wireless symbol. Some of the new generation of Sprinters also have WiFi available.

There are toiltet (wc) facilities on all Intercity trains and also new generation Sprinters. Note, some older style Sprinters do not have toilets!

All trains (except Intercity Direct) have specially marked areas for carrying bicycles.

All Intercity trains have Quiet Zones (stiltezones) which are marked by an S on the window and a ‘shhh’ symbol. Here silence is requested and talking on mobile phones is discouraged. There are no quiet zones on Sprinters.

Intercity double-decker trains can also have Work and Rest zones (for relaxed travel and quiet talking) and Meet and Greet zones (for a more open, lively atmosphere). These are marked by symbol inside.

Other Dutch Train Operators

On some provincial route you will find various non-NS run train services from the likes of Arriva, Blauwnet, Breng, Connexxion (Valleilijn), Keolis and R-net. You may encounter slightly different trains if using these providers.

International trains

There are a number of international train services running from Amsterdam.

Some international trains – such as the ICE services to Germany and Eurocity Direct to Brussels – can also be used by passengers for travel on Dutch domestic routes.

For more on the rail network in the Netherlands see our Dutch Railways Guide

This article was originally published in 2011. Last checked and updated 20 May 2026.

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Amsterdam has a number of railway lines and train stations operated by the Dutch national rail company NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen).

Amsterdam Train Map (treinkaart)

Our handy rail map shows you Amsterdam train routes including the line from Schiphol airport which is used by many visitors. All Amsterdam rail stations are marked so you should be able to navigate your way to your correct stop.

For travel between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Centraal there are Sprinter trains running up to 8x hourly on the line via Amsterdam Lelylaan and Amsterdam Sloterdijk.

Book Schiphol to Amsterdam single e-tickets here (€12.00, this ticket allows any accompanied children 0-11 to travel for free)

The main hub of the city is Amsterdam Central station (Amsterdam Centraal) on the northern edge of the city centre – here you will also find trams, buses, ferries and the metro.

You need to take the separate southern rail line from Schiphol Airport to reach the following stations:

• Amsterdam Zuid (business district)
• Amsterdam RAI (Convention and Exhibition Centre)
• Amsterdam Bijlmer-ArenA (stadium/events area)

The southern line from the airport does not go via Amsterdam Centraal.

For rail travel beyond Amsterdam, the map also shows the direction of travel to reach various other cities in the Netherlands (marked in yellow text).

Note that the Amsterdam Metro is a separate network and is run by local transport company GVB. It is not shown on the above rail system map.

Please check out our Metro Map of Amsterdam which does include both metro and train lines.

The metro allows direct links between some Amsterdam stations which would otherwise require a change of train when using the rail network. The metro does NOT serve the airport!

For example, the metro links Amstel to RAI; Zuid to Sloterdijk and Zuid to Centraal Station. The metro is generally best for travel around Amsterdam stations.

The exception is travel between Amsterdam Central and Sloterdijk which is best made by train.

The following 2 ticket options are useful for visitors as they combine rail travel (including the airport journey) with other transport in Amsterdam:

Good for AMS airport	Best for Excursions
Amsterdam Travel Ticket	Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket
1/2/3 days	1/2/3 days
€20/€27/€34	€23/€34/€44
Valid on all GVB transport (trams/metro/buses) in Amsterdam	Valid on all GVB transport (trams/metro/buses) in Amsterdam
Valid between airport and city – train or 397 bus	Valid between airport and city – train or 397 bus
Valid on trains between any Amsterdam stations	Valid on regional NS trains + EBS/Connexxion/Arriva buses in region
Calendar day basis	Calendar day basis
Card only (not digital)	Card only (not digital)
Order here	Order here
more info	more info

Dutch train tickets can be bought at at the official NS (Dutch Railways) site here (in euros) or at the Trainline site (payment by multiple currencies).

There is a high-speed rail track running south-west from near Schiphol Airport. It is used by:

• domestic Intercity Direct service to Rotterdam/Breda
• Eurocity Direct from Amsterdam Zuid to Antwerp/Brussels
• Eurostar trains (red and blue services) to Antwerp/Brussels/Paris and London.

You can check timetables, prices and make bookings for all the international train services to/from the Netherlands at the NS International site or at the Trainline site

Searching for things to do after arrival in Amsterdam? Then see our what’s on pages for events.

This map and article was originally published in 2010 and has been regularly updated. Last checked and updated 12 May 2026.

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Keukenhof is the world famous tulip and flower garden park which is open during the springtime every year and attracts around 1.4 million visitors. Keukenhof is located in the town of Lisse in the province of South-Holland, around 26km south-west of Amsterdam.

For getting to Keukenhof from Amsterdam you have the choice of guided tour, coach shuttle, public transport (bus) or car.

Keukenhof tours

The are a number of Keukenhof guided tours available. For example a guided tour from Amsterdam which includes Keukenhof entrance, a tulip farm visit or combined with visiting the windmills of Zaanse Schans.

Keukenhof Coach Shuttle from Amsterdam Noord (or Centraal Station)

The Keukenhof shuttle coach is a good premium option if you don’t want a guided tour.

Buses mainly depart from the ‘This Is Holland‘ attraction in Amsterdam Noord. This is very easily reached from Amsterdam Central station by taking the free GVB ferry (F3) to Buiksloterweg.

From the ferry wharf turn left towards the white EYE Film building – it’s about a 250m walk to This Is Holland at Overhoekplein 51 nestled just behind the A’DAM Toren tower.

On arrival you need to check-in via the right-hand entrance of This Is Holland. Try to arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.

The coaches leave 2-4 times hourly from just outside and run 08:00-18:00 daily. The journey to Keukenhof takes around 50 minutes.

It is also possible when booking to specify a departure from Amsterdam Centraal – the start point is at the Tours & Tickets Shop located at De Ruijterkade 34a in the IJ hall (waterside) of the station. However there are only 6 daily departure timeslots.

The benefits of the shuttle services is that you can book a specific time-slot and you are guaranteed to get a seat. The return journey is flexible – you can choose to come back at any time – with the last bus back departing at 18:30.

The coaches are probably a bit more comfortable than the KeukenhofBuzz public transport buses (see below).

We recommend the coach transfer over the KeukenhofBuzz Amsterdam bus – and we’ve tested out both.

The downside to the KeukenhofBuzz public bus is there can be long queues and if all the seats get taken you may have to stand in a crowded bus for the entire journey – not exactly relaxing after walking around Keukenhof for a few hours!

For guaranteed comfort take the coach transfer instead.

Coach departures after 15:00 to Keukenhof are offered at a reduced price.

At Keukenhof the coaches arrive at the tour coach point which is just a couple of minutes walk from the main entrance.

In summary, the shuttle coach to Keukenhof is a great choice – particularly for those staying near the Amsterdam Centraal area.

Keukenhof Shuttle Coach Tickets

Here is a summary of ticket options for the Keukenhof shuttle coaches from Amsterdam Noord:

Since the coach departs from Amsterdam Noord you could also consider visiting This Is Holland (multi-sensory flight experience) and/or the A’DAM Lookout before or after your Keukenhof trip.

KeukenhofBuzz Bus (Public Transport)

KeukenhofBuzz is the public transport bus service running to Keukenhof from various points around the region. It is operated by Qbuzz which took over the concession in 2025 from Arriva, which previously ran as the ‘Keukenhof Express’.

The following map includes the KeukenhofBuzz 850/852/854/859 bus services:

Most KeukenhofBuzz buses are green and black with the ‘streekBuzz’ livery – though some are blue and black in ‘snelBuzz’ livery.

In 2026 Qbuzz also deployed some longer silver articulated buses (unbranded) on the 852 route – providing a few more seats.

Generally the first KeukenhofBuzz buses (852/854/859) depart around 07:30-07:45 and the last bus back is at around 20:00. These travel directly to Keukenhof without making other stops.

Amsterdam (Europaplein) to Keukenhof

During the Keukenhof season, KeukenhofBuzz bus 852 runs daily from Europaplein bus stop (near RAI Amsterdam in the south of the city) to Keukenhof in Lisse up to 10x hourly. The journey takes about 35 minutes.

The first 852 bus of the day to Keukenhof departs Amsterdam RAI at 07:30 and the last buses back leaves Keukenhof just before 20:00.

To get to Europaplein from Amsterdam Central you can take GVB Metro line 52 (metro ticket required) to Europaplein station. Exit the station and follow the signs to the KeukenhofBuzz 852 bus stop nearby.

There are contactless stand-alone card readers placed at the bus stop (outside) where you must check-in with your ticket before you board. The card readers on KeukenhofBuzz buses are disabled. There are staff at hand to help you check-in and direct you to the queue.

Note, at peak hours there can be long queue lines waiting for the 852 bus at both Amsterdam and Keukenhof. The bus also allows standing passengers so you may not always get a seat – particularly on the return leg! However the longer articulated buses do offer a few more seats.

In any case, due to the queues we recommend to opt for the shuttle coaches (mentioned above) instead.

Bus 852 Ticket Options

• The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is valid on all public transport in the greater Amsterdam region. This includes metro travel to/from Europaplein and the 852 bus trips. This costs €23/€34/€44 for 1/2/3 days.
• A combi entrance + 852 bus ticket costs €38.50 for adults, €17.50 for children 4-17. Children 0-3 travel free. Book combi tickets here
• An online day return ticket costs €18.20 for adults, €8.80 for children 4-17. This cannot be bought onboard the bus, it must be pre-purchased.
• Check-in and -out with an OV-chipkaart or with OVpay (debit card/mobile payment). This is charged at the standard distance one-way tariff.
• Bar code tickets can be scanned by staff members.
• Holland Travel Ticket which offers unlimited travel by all public transport in the Netherlands for 1 day – costs €79.00 or €54.00 (off-peak – for use after 09:00 weekdays) – only good value when travelling longer distances.
• Note: GVB tickets and the Amsterdam Travel Ticket are NOT valid on KeukenhofBuzz lines.
• Ticket prices for 2027 will only be announced shortly before the 2027 season starts.

Hoofddorp to Keukenhof

KeukenhoffBuzz bus 859 runs daily from Hoofddorp to Keukenhof – this goes up to 4x hourly. It only operates during the Keukenhof season. The 859 bus has replaced the previous 858 service which ran from Schiphol airport to Keukenhof.

The first 859 bus of the day to Keukenhof departs Hoofddorp at around 07:30 and the last bus back leaves Keukenhof at around 20:00.

You can easily reach Hoofddorp station from Amsterdam Central or Schiphol airport by train. The Schiphol-Hoofddorp train trip takes only about 4-5 minutes.

Hoofddorp station can also be reached by the 397 airport bus.

The 859 bus leaves from the bus stop just outside Hoofddorp station – exit towards the southern side and follow the signs.

The Hoofddorp to Keukenhof journey takes about 25 minutes.

Bus 859 Ticket Options

• The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is valid on all public transport in the greater Amsterdam region. This includes train travel to Hoofddorp and the 859 bus trips. This costs €23/€34/€44 for 1/2/3 days.
• A combi entrance + 858 bus ticket costs €33.50 for adults, €15.00 for children 4-17. Children 0-3 travel free. Book combi tickets here
• An online day return ticket costs €12.80 for adults, €6.20 for children 4-17. This cannot be bought onboard the bus, it must be pre-purchased.
• Check-in and -out with an OV-chipkaart or with OVpay (debit card/mobile payment). This is charged at the standard distance one-way tariff.
• Bar code tickets can be scanned by staff members.
• Holland Travel Ticket which offers unlimited travel by all public transport in the Netherlands – costs €79.00 or €54.00 (off-peak – for use after 09:00 weekdays) – only good value when travelling longer distances.
• Note: GVB tickets and the Amsterdam Travel Ticket are NOT valid on KeukenhofBuzz lines.
• Ticket prices for 2027 will only be announced shortly before the 2027 season starts.

TIP: For the best views of the tulip fields as you arrive in Lisse from Amsterdam or Hoofddorp – sit on the right-hand side of the bus.

Other Keukenhof Bus Services

KeukenhofBuzz buses also run from the bus stations outside Leiden station (bus 854) and Haarlem station (bus 850).

The first buses of the day to Keukenhof depart at 07:15 (Haarlem) and 07:45 (Leiden). The last buses back leave from Keukenhof at around 19:30 (Haarlem) and 19:45 (Leiden).

• The Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket is valid on the Haarlem service but not the Leiden one.
• A combi entrance + 850/854 bus ticket costs €33.50 for adults, €15.00 for children 4-17. Children 0-3 travel free. Book combi tickets here
• An online day return ticket costs €12.80 for adults, €6.20 for children 4-17. This cannot be bought onboard the bus, it must be pre-purchased.
• Check-in and -out with an OV-chipkaart or with OVpay (debit card/mobile payment). This is charged at the standard distance one-way tariff.
• Bar code tickets can be scanned by staff members.
• Ticket prices for 2027 will only be announced shortly before the 2027 season starts.

In summary, the KeukenhofBuzz is a good option for those staying around Amsterdam Zuid and RAI. It’s good value for families as reduced children’s tickets are available.

The 852 bus can get very busy so you may even consider taking the train to Haarlem or Hoofddorp to catch the bus from there.

Keukenhof by car

Travel by car is a very convenient option for visiting Keukenhof – particularly if you have a small group or you just don’t want to rely on public transport or coach transfers. Book a Keukenhof taxi here

There is a large parking facility at Keukenhof with capacity for some 4,500 cars plus camper vans.

If you want to rent a car in Amsterdam (or anywhere else in the Netherlands) then you can book a rental car with Discover Cars here which checks all the main rental companies.

The day rate for car parking at Keukenhof is €9.00 (pre-booked) and €14.00 (on site). Camper vans are charged at €12.50.

There are some electric charging points in the parking lot. Note, overnight stays are not possible for camper vans as the car park closes at 19:00.

Access is from the A4 motorway (exit Nieuw-Vennep) or the A44 motorway (exit 3, Lisse). From there just follow signs to the park. Note, visitor traffic can be heavy in and around Lisse on some days.

Last checked and updated 11 May 2026, first published in 2025.

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