6 hour layover in Amsterdam

[Anonymous]

Have a 6 hour layover from Paris to IAD with a checked bag. Is it possible to leave the airport and visit at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a 6 hour layover from Paris to IAD with a checked bag. Is it possible to leave the airport and visit at all?

You could do something like this: https://www.layovers.amsterdam/

[Anonymous]

6 hours is not a lot of time, especially for an international flight into the US, which is an extra layer of security and screening and technically requires you to get to the airport three hours early.

We did a 23 hour layover in Paris a few years ago, and we did have to claim our bags. We could not leave the airport without them. Which was a PITA. For whatever reason, we would not have been allowed back through security if we had left without our bags. Not sure if that was specific to our situation/airline or is a general rule. We were Iceland Air, which is not a US airline, If You want to see Amsterdam, maybe book a longer layover?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:6 hours is not a lot of time, especially for an international flight into the US, which is an extra layer of security and screening and technically requires you to get to the airport three hours early.

We did a 23 hour layover in Paris a few years ago, and we did have to claim our bags. We could not leave the airport without them. Which was a PITA. For whatever reason, we would not have been allowed back through security if we had left without our bags. Not sure if that was specific to our situation/airline or is a general rule. We were Iceland Air, which is not a US airline, If You want to see Amsterdam, maybe book a longer layover?

Disagree. The checked bag will stay airside for a connection under 12 hours, so you don't have to pick it up. Also, since they will already be checked in, and not be rechecking bags, they have zero need to get back to AMS 3 hours before departure- 2 hours or even 90 minutes should be fine. They will have to go through security and exit passport control, but 2 hours is enough time for this.

It's 15-20 minutes on the train into the city, so you would probably get into the city about 5 hours before your 2nd flight departs. Walk around, grab some food, maybe hop into a museum for 45 minutes, and get back on the train at Centraal station 2:30 before your flight, and you will be fine. Personally I would be fine with doing this and not worry at all about making the flight, and would enjoy having some fresh air and walking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:6 hours is not a lot of time, especially for an international flight into the US, which is an extra layer of security and screening and technically requires you to get to the airport three hours early.

We did a 23 hour layover in Paris a few years ago, and we did have to claim our bags. We could not leave the airport without them. Which was a PITA. For whatever reason, we would not have been allowed back through security if we had left without our bags. Not sure if that was specific to our situation/airline or is a general rule. We were Iceland Air, which is not a US airline, If You want to see Amsterdam, maybe book a longer layover?

Disagree. The checked bag will stay airside for a connection under 12 hours, so you don't have to pick it up. Also, since they will already be checked in, and not be rechecking bags, they have zero need to get back to AMS 3 hours before departure- 2 hours or even 90 minutes should be fine. They will have to go through security and exit passport control, but 2 hours is enough time for this.

It's 15-20 minutes on the train into the city, so you would probably get into the city about 5 hours before your 2nd flight departs. Walk around, grab some food, maybe hop into a museum for 45 minutes, and get back on the train at Centraal station 2:30 before your flight, and you will be fine. Personally I would be fine with doing this and not worry at all about making the flight, and would enjoy having some fresh air and walking.

Also- train is about 10 euros roundtrip, and you can pay using contactless on your credit/debit/Apple Pay/Google Wallet, so it's very simple and easy.

[Anonymous]

You could also take Bus 397 to Leidseplein or museum quarter. 30 min. See Van Gogh museum or walk along canals.

Maybe see how much time you really have after going through customs, getting off the plane. I’d estimate all of that could take 45 min easily.

Schiphol is a pretty nice airport with a little library, good shops, a tiny museum of art, decent food, lots of comfy seats. Could probably keep busy for a few hours if it’s too tight to leave airport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could also take Bus 397 to Leidseplein or museum quarter. 30 min. See Van Gogh museum or walk along canals.

Maybe see how much time you really have after going through customs, getting off the plane. I’d estimate all of that could take 45 min easily

Won't have to go through customs coming off the flight from Paris. Will be in the Schengen part of the airport, equivalent to being in domestic terminal. Can just walk out by following signs to baggage claim because they are still in the Schengen Area. So should be at the train station 10 minutes after exiting the plane- it's just below the baggage claim level.

When they get back to the airport they will follow the signs to the non-Schengen part of the airport, and then have to do security and then exit passport control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a 6 hour layover from Paris to IAD with a checked bag. Is it possible to leave the airport and visit at all?

Yes if you can leave luggage there and you are good at navigating around unfamilar cities, not prone to getting lost. I would take the train into Centraal and do a walk through city, have a coffee. I wouldn’t book a timed ticket anywhere. I’d just try to enjoy strolling around thr city. You probably have 3, maybe 4 hours max to explore. Personally I’d get back a little earlier than 90 min to Schiphol because it’s probably the best airport I’ve ever been to and worth exploring. The shops are good and prices are the same as in the city eg Miffy shop, Rijksmuseum shop.

Found this guide. Has a suggested walk around city,

https://velvetescape.com/things-to-do-on-transit-amsterdam-airport-schiphol/

[Anonymous]

We did this at Christmas. We never check luggage so had to figure out a place to leave it - there are many throughout the airport. Strongly suggest you pull up airpor map ahead of time and leave luggage near where you’ll need it for 2nd leg of trip vs closest to where you get off plane.
We took train into city, had breakfast, walked around. Short but gave us enough of a flavor that it is high on our list of destinations for next year.