Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Schiphol Airport is located southwest of Amsterdam and is the Netherlands’ chief airport. The Schiphol Airport competes with many other large airports such as Heathrow International Airport in London, UK and the Charles de Gaulle International in Roissy, France, for passengers and cargo throughput.

Schiphol Airport has 6 runways made of asphalt and measuring between 2 014 and 3 800 meters. The airport is one large terminal but is sub-divided into three big departure halls. All these halls, concourses and piers are connected, which is part of the airport’s plan to have everything under one roof. Schiphol is the hub for the Amsterdam Airlines, KLM, Martinair, Transavia, Delta Air Lines and Arkefly.

Over the years Schiphol has received many awards for being the best airport in the world, and for fifteen consecutive years it was voted the “Best European Airport” and “Best Business Travel Airport”. Inside the terminal you will find an array of large shopping areas, as well as the Schiphol Plaza, which is the shopping center just before customs. Last of all there is a average-size supermarket that stays open 24 hours, seven days a week for the passengers’ convenience.

Underneath the passenger terminal complex you will find a passenger train station run by Nederlandse Spoorwegen. There is also a bus service available for those wishing to travel to and from the city.

The history of the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport dates back to September the 16, 1916 where it started off as a military airbase, later it was used by civil aircraft and was named Schiphol-les-bains before it was later called Schiphol which means ‘ship hole’.