Amsterdam airport to where Viking River ship to be boarded

[no fuss travel]

Does anyone know how to get from the airport to where the ship will be docked? We have booked our own air so will not be picked up by Viking at the airport. I think what they charge is more expensive than if we do it ourselves.

[meteng]

My TA stated the main train station is across from the dock used for river cruises. Still trying to verify the location. Will let you know what I find.

[Benita]

You can take the train from the airport to the Central Station in Amsterdam. The river boats are docked behind the station - some to the right and some to the left. It is anywhere from 2 to about 6 blocks to the ship - not easy with luggage, especially along the cobblestone streets. We took a taxi.

[no fuss travel]

Thank you Benita. We will probably take a taxi too. I believe taking the train from the airport into town and taking a taxi will be more reasonable than what Viking charges.

[paul929207]

The river cruises do dock very close to the Central Train station. Probably about 200 yards to 1/2 mile away.

 

Your other choice is a taxi, but it is a good distance, so expensive.

[Ine]

A taxi from the airport to the riverdock will be around E. 40.-- per ride.

I say around as in many other places some drivers charge a little more...and it also depends how traffic is.

Make sure you know where your ship is docked, since 2 -sometimes even 3 - different places around Centraal Station are used.

Either west or east of Centraal Station or even the cruise-terminal when no big ships are in port.

Frequent trains from the airport - leaving from the basement at the airport - go to Centraal Station,m it takes about 20 minutes.

Getting a cab from CS might be difficult as sometimes drivers arenot willing to accept short rides.

There is discussions going on about that attitude. But you are free to talk to a driver that is on that line who is willing to do it. Often the last guy will take a short ride.

[jrhllc]

Since you're flying in and will probably be rather tired, if you take the train, be extremely careful with small cases such as your purse. One of our fellow travelers had her purse stolen which of course contained her passport, medicine and jewelry from a train going to the same river cruise boat by being tired and careless. The thieves are pros and quick. But the train is a good method of travel.

[Ine]

Unfortunately yes it can happen, but not just in NL.

Places like Rome, Barcelona and -my personal incident- in Istanbul are "famous" for it too.

Always keep purses etc. in front of you, not on your shoulder or at the back of a chair. Put most of the money etc. inside your clothes on your body. Have just some change available in your pocket.

[loum140]

No fuss travel: I posted this question on Virtual Tourist and was told that the Viking river boats dock very close to the Central Station. Because the taxi fare from the airport is so expensive, they recommended taking the train. However, there is on-going construction behind Central Station, but they say it is doable even with luggage.

 

When are you sailing? We're on Viking's Grand European Voyage, Amsterdam to Budapest in June and have booked our own air. Marsha

[no fuss travel]

Marsha

We catch the cruise starting on July 5th. We are spending a week in London before we catch the cruise and decided to add on Prague at the end of the cruise. We will be gone almost a month and we have two young adults living in the house that are not too happy with the fact that they have to look after two cats and the house for that length of time. They will both be at university at the time, so it will be interesting to see what happens. The longest we have left them before is 3 weeks, and the house and cats survived that. One cat actually managed to lose some weight which was good for her.

You must be on the cruise that leaves before ours.

Thank you for the information.

[loum140]

No fuss: I'm so sorry we didn't think to spend time in Prague post cruise!! It's been on my to-do list for awhile, as has this itinerary. Our last cruise with Viking was in 2003 and we promised ourselves the "Castles on the Rhine" portion next, but somehow we ended up on several ocean cruises and tours of the US National Parks, Egypt and Israel. Now we're back river cruising.

 

Best of luck with your travels! Marsha

[no fuss travel]

Marsha

 

Sounds like you have been busy traveling. We were on the Viking river cruise to China last year and thoroughly enjoyed that one. It was hot in July, but we had to wait until the youngest graduated from high school. We have been on several ocean cruises and decided to try another river cruise. Before that we did Russia and the Baltic States on a bus tour, Ireland and several trips to the States. We have just reached the stage where we can go the two of us instead of having always taking our kids with us. The only thing that limits traveling at the moment is work.:( Once we retire we hope to have more flexibility to travel.

 

Have a wonderful time on your trip.

[no fuss travel]

I just spoke to Viking Cruise Lines and they quoted me $60 US per person if you arrange for them to pick you up from the airport and take you to the ship. They said if you took a taxi, it would be $60 US per taxi. The cost at the other end of the trip is the same, $60 US per person from the ship to the airport. This only applies if you did not book air with them.

[loum140]

Thanks for the update on transfers.

 

I just checked on virtualtourist -- if you can manage your luggage, the train from the airport to Central Station costs about 4 euros p/p/. From there, they say it's an easy walk to the Viking dock. You can apparently board the train right in the airport.

 

There's lots of helpful information on www.virtualtourist.com

 

I guess you're sailing on the new Viking ship - the Legend. Enjoy. Marsha

[no fuss travel]

Marsha

Yes we are sailing on the new ship. At the time we booked we did not even know which ships would be sailing at what time.

 

If I can talk my husband into it we will take the train and walk over to the ship. We will be time adjusted as we have been in London for 5 days before we fly to Amsterdam.

 

Thanks for telling me about the other website. I was not aware of it and can now add something else on to my usual daily dose of computer time.:D

[mtnlady]

I took a Viking Cruise in 2005. I booked my own flights and had Viking pick up when I arrived but walked over to the Central Station at the end to take a train to Brussels. It was an easy 10 minute walk but keep your luggage light since you'll be dodging bicyclist and pedestrians on the way.

[loum140]

mtnlady: Thanks for the info!!! Which Viking trip did you take? Would love to hear your feedback re: tours, activities on board, dress, food, etc. A lot changes year to year!! Marsha

[brads9943]

I just spoke to Viking Cruise Lines and they quoted me $60 US per person if you arrange for them to pick you up from the airport and take you to the ship. They said if you took a taxi, it would be $60 US per taxi. The cost at the other end of the trip is the same, $60 US per person from the ship to the airport. This only applies if you did not book air with them.

 

 

Do you know if the taxi's take US $$ - I am inquiring about a taxi from the Schiphol airport to the Viking River Boat Dock?? I hope you have already taken your cruise and have valuable information - we do not leave until October and so I am just starting to try and find out how this all works. Since walking is very difficult for me we will probably take a taxi and opted not to use Viking's transportation - thanks for any help you can give me.

[sitraveler]

I do not think they will accept US. You can easily get Euros at the airport ATM's to use. You will need Euros anywhere you go. We took the train and then walk to Viking, but it was a longish walk. The dock shown on Viking's documents is NOT where they dock, it is just past the Passenger Ship Terminal as there is construction at the usual spot. If you take the train the Taxi from central station should run well under 10 euros, the drop is 7.20.

[loum140]

The taxis take only euros, exchange available in the airport. We took the train (in the airport) to Centraal Station -- very inexpensive, quick, easy commute except the trains have only a small on-grade vestibule. If you can't fit there, you have to lift your bags up or down a few steps on boarding. If you can manage your bags, I recommend the train.

 

Due to construction (June 21, 2009 arrival) Viking docking place was moved quite a distance away from Centraal Station to a dock behind the Movenpick Hotel. Luckily, we were intercepted by Viking personnel in the Airport who spotted our luggage tags and verbally gave us this information. Still, we were able to walk there with our wheeled luggage. A cab from Centraal Station to the boat would probably have cost less than 9 euros. Since we arrived very early and the rooms were not ready, we grabbed a quick lunch on board then went off on our own to explore the city.

 

If you have any other questions, ask away. Marsha

[rico567]

The train ride from Schiphol (Amsterdam's airport) to the central station is a piece of cake; trains leave all the time, and it's about 15 minutes to downtown. There are cruise ships moored all up and down the Ij (pronounced "eye"), the big channel next to downtown. Our Viking boat, the Neptune, was only about a 15 minute walk from the station. YMMV, however, as I don't believe that any of the cruise companies actually own docking space, and depending on your amount of luggage you might want to cab it.

[Ine]

Depending how many ships are in port, you will have 3 possible dockingplaces. If no big cruisehips are in - the cruise terminal east of Centraal Station will be used. Another one east of CS closer to the station is also used very often.

As far as I know the one west of the station isnot used that often.

No company owns dockingplaces, the decision is made by the harborcaptain of the city depending on the traffic.

[CAtravelers]

Does anyone know how to get from the airport to where the ship will be docked? We have booked our own air so will not be picked up by Viking at the airport. I think what they charge is more expensive than if we do it ourselves.

 

We also took a river cruise out of Amsterdam and booked our own air. It is no problem getting to the river. We took a taxi "mercedes" from the airport to the river, cost then was about $25 US now it's probably $35 and about 20 minutes. Everyone speaks english, so communication is not a problem. I had the information from the cruise company to give to taxi driver, but did not need it.

 

We often book our own air, when I don't speak the local language I've asked one of the cruise representatives (in the airport) for the name to give the taxi driver. I have them write the name on a piece of paper which I can give to the taxi driver. It's worked for us in Spain and Paris. People are very helpful and where there's a will there's a way.

 

Good travels