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An early flight often means setting off in the middle of the night. In most places, public transport does not run between about 01:00 and 05:00.
If you live along the Nachtnet route connecting Rotterdam, The Hague HS, Leiden, Schiphol, Amsterdam and Utrecht, a night train runs every hour, every night. Night buses also run from Amsterdam.
But in most other places there is no public transport between about 01:00 and 05:00. A taxi is then the most reliable option: it runs 24/7, picks you up at home and drops you right outside Departures, with no night surcharge.
From about 05:00
On many routes the first train towards Schiphol leaves at around 05:00 to 06:00. If you live further away, that train is often just too late for a 07:00 flight. Check your exact first train in the NS Journey Planner: it varies by station.
Limited route
On the route between Rotterdam, The Hague HS, Leiden, Schiphol, Amsterdam and Utrecht, a night train runs every hour, every night. If you live along that line, you can reach Schiphol even in the middle of the night. Away from this route there is usually no train at night.
Amsterdam area
Night buses run to the airport from Amsterdam and a few nearby towns. They run infrequently and the journey takes longer than during the day. Handy as a fallback, less so when you need to be on time for an early flight.
Always, no surcharge
A taxi runs at any hour of the night, even when no trains or buses do. You are picked up at home and dropped right outside Departures, with no changes and no waiting. The price is fixed in advance and there is no night surcharge.
Check your exact first train and the Nachtnet times in the NS Journey Planner.
Get picked up at home and dropped right outside Departures, 24/7 and with no night surcharge. The price is fixed in advance, even on busy days.
Book your night ridePlan to be at Schiphol about 2 hours before a European flight and 3 hours before an intercontinental one, then add your travel time to the airport. For a 07:00 flight, that often means leaving home between 03:30 and 04:30.
Enter your town and flight time in the departure time checker and you will see straight away when you need to leave. There is more background on our travel planning page.
If you live along the route between Rotterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Schiphol, Amsterdam and Utrecht, a night train runs every hour, every night. Night buses also run from Amsterdam. Away from those lines there is no public transport at night, so a taxi is the most reliable option. It runs 24/7, picks you up at home and drops you outside Departures, with no night surcharge.
It depends on the station. On most routes the first train leaves between about 05:00 and 06:00. From places further away, that is often just too late for a flight around 07:00. Look up your own first train in the NS Journey Planner and add the journey time and any time for changing trains.
Yes, but only on the Nachtnet route between Rotterdam, The Hague HS, Leiden, Schiphol, Amsterdam and Utrecht, where a train runs every hour, every night. If you do not live along that line, there is no train between about 01:00 and 05:00, and a night bus or a taxi is the answer.
Plan to be at Schiphol about 2 hours before a European flight and 3 hours before an intercontinental one, then add your travel time to the airport. For a 07:00 flight, that often means leaving home at around 03:30 to 04:30. Our travel planning page helps you work back to the time you need to leave home.
No. Between about 21:00 and 05:00 the terminal is at its quietest. The first big rush starts with the morning wave from 05:30. If you arrive before that wave, you usually get through security quickly, as long as check-in for your flight is already open.
No. You can book 24/7 at the same fixed price, even in the middle of the night and on public holidays. The price you see in advance is the price you pay: no night surcharge, no surprises.
Book your taxi to Schiphol
Enter your pickup address and choose your date and time. You see the fixed fare before you book.
Open the booking pageEnter your route to see your fixed fare. Open the booking page
