Taxi Enkhuizen to Schiphol

Almost the whole journey from Enkhuizen runs along the N302 and the A7. You leave town towards Hoorn, where the A7 begins its course south through West-Friesland; past Purmerend and alongside Zaandam the route joins the ring around Amsterdam, continuing over the Coenplein interchange, the A10 and finally the A4 to the Schiphol exit.

Those 77 kilometres take around 70 minutes when traffic is light. The rural, northern half through West-Friesland usually flows well; trouble concentrates at the lower end, on the A7 and A8 around Zaandam and the A10-west, which can clog in the morning and evening rush.

Journey time then stretches to an hour and a half or more. Given the length of the ride, your driver schedules the pick-up with a generous buffer, so a jam near Amsterdam never threatens your flight.

The first stretch, over the N302 and the A7 through West-Friesland, usually runs smoothly. The uncertainty lies at the far end of the route, on the A7 and A8 near Zaandam and on the A10 West. For an intercontinental flight at 19:00 that is the reason to set off early.

You want to be at Schiphol at 16:00, three hours ahead, and the planning counts on around 102 minutes of driving in the afternoon rush. Including 15 minutes of slack, the driver picks you up at 14:00. That way a queue near Amsterdam does not eat into your check-in time.

A European flight at 07:00 means a night-time start. Two hours ahead is 05:00 in the departures hall; the 77 kilometres then take around 70 minutes, and with a 15-minute margin you are collected at 03:35, in Kadijken or Gommerwijk as readily as in the old town centre.

At that hour the rush near Zaandam is not an issue. Starting in the middle of the night does not show in the fare. Comfort costs €125, with no night, weekend or rush-hour surcharge.

Anywhere in Enkhuizen works as a starting point, from the historic centre with its canals and the Drommedaris tower to residential districts such as Kadijken, Gommerwijk and the streets near the Enkhuizerzand.

In the narrow lanes of the old town the driver halts as close to your address as possible or at a logical spot around the corner. Do pass on the exact address when booking. Enkhuizen station marks the end of the railway line from Amsterdam, yet with suitcases and an early departure a door-to-door taxi tends to be calmer than a train plus a change.

Residents of nearby Bovenkarspel and Grootebroek can be collected en route when arranged in advance.

Travelling to or from an event? Around Zuiderzeemuseum you can book a door-to-door ride too, useful after the last train or bus has left.