See Amsterdam's City Highlights in Less Than Four Hours!

Let's face it, airport layovers are something we dread, however, some major airports offer city tours for those passengers who have four or more hours to kill. In Amsterdam's Schipol Airport you can book such a tour and spend a few enjoyable hours while you wait for your transfer flight. The tours, although short and only skim the surface, they provide the opportunity to do something interesting and fun.

Most tours last from 2.5 to 4 hours, and if you have a minimum of 4 hours to spare, taking a tour with Holland Tours Schipol may be the thing for you. If you are in a group of four or more, by contacting this company in advance, you can customize your tour by adding segments, depending on the length of your layover.

Holland Tours Schipol is a guided-tours company based out of Schipol airport. There are two locations at Schipol: one near Arrivals 4, and one near Gate E at the Passengers Lounge area.

Frequency of Tours

Keep in mind however, that tours do not go out until they have at least 4 passengers, so if there are only one or two of you, you may end up waiting until someone else shows up. A customer service representative revealed that indeed, tours will go out several times a day, between the hours of 9:00 - 16:30 (a tour must be paid for by 16:00), and chances are you can be matched up with a group, but you still need to give yourself ample time to wait, plus the actual tour time.

I suggest giving yourself at least 4.5 hours.

Sample Tours

Tour of Amsterdam - 2.5 hours +/- Cost: €40.00

You've heard all about Amsterdam's stunning architecture, lovely canals, lively atmosphere..., and who hasn't heard of its famous "Red Light District"?

This mini tour lasts 2.5 hours, depending on traffic (give yourself 3.5 hours door to door). They will drive you by the city's main historical building such as the Royal Palace, the National Monument, and the various famous museums will be pointed out to you. Of course, you'll be driven past some areas of the Red Light District.

Why not see for yourself what this exciting city has to offer; this tour is just the way to do it!

Tour of Amsterdam plus a Canal Cruise Cost: €50.00

Same as above, except you are taken on a one-hour canal cruise. Total amount of time needed: 4 hours plus allowance for traffic.

Tour of Windmills, Clog and Cheese Factories

Duration: 3.5 hours +/- Cost: €50.00

Although there are better locations where one can visit a windmill, such as Kinderdijk, when you are short of time, the proximity of "Zaanse Schans" to Schipol allows you to have a nice little tour of a windmill area, a clog factory and a cheese farm. Opportunities to purchase clogs and cheese are present if you visit during the normal business hours of 9:00 - 17:00 hrs. Be advised however, that the only place you actually get out of the bus for shopping is at the wooden shoe factory; everything else is just a drive by.

Holland Tours Schipol also offers private tours should you be with a large group (6+ people), and it may be more economical to hire a minibus. The rates include driver/guide, but not the admission to certain attractions.

Advanced booking is required for private tours and cancellation penalties apply.

Vehicles used

All vehicles are mini-buses, with large windows, air-conditioning and very comfortable. The drivers/guide speaks English. If you require a language other than Dutch or English, you can make a request ahead of time.

On the other hand:

Canal Tours - self-guided

Perhaps all you want to do is take a Canal Cruise, and you've arrived at the airport after Holland Tours Schipol is closed? Then I'll suggest that you do it yourself. Take the Schipol Airport train into Amsterdam Centraal station (roundtrip ticket €3.80 - 18 minute ride), exit train station, and then walk towards the Centrum where you'll see the various canal cruise companies. Rates are competitive, and they all offer pretty much the same service, but the benefit is that you save quite a bit of money per person. Most canal tours last one hour.

Conclusion

The tours mentioned on this review are not everything this company offers, those are tours we've taken, and you can check their website by typing in the company name: Holland Tours Schipol without spaces.

What better way to spend your time than just sitting around an airport lounge watching the clock tick the minutes away. We have taken two of their tours during long layovers at Schipol. You should not worry about missing your flight because these guys are sticklers for schedules. When you book your tour, they look at your boarding passes, and based on the boarding time, they'll let you know whether you can participate.

Having someone else drive you around the city is worthwhile because you don't have to go around with a map in hand, trying to figure out which way is what!

Long layovers can be fun!