Car rentals at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

Part of our guide to car hire in Amsterdam.

How to Find Your Car Hire Desk at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

• Book through eCarBookers first: Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.
• One terminal, one central hall: Schiphol operates as a single terminal under one roof, with Schiphol Plaza as the central hub between the arrivals area, the railway station and the bus station. Every route from the baggage hall leads there, so follow the signs for Schiphol Plaza after customs.
• Desks on the airport: The rental companies with desks inside the airport are grouped at Schiphol Plaza, in front of Terminal 3 and close to Arrivals 3. Desk hours vary by company, and most are listed as running from about 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.
• Desk or shuttle: Some suppliers serving Schiphol operate from offices outside the terminal and collect customers by shuttle, usually a journey of a few minutes. Your booking voucher states which arrangement applies to your supplier, so check it before you leave the baggage hall.
• Where your desk is: The exact desk or meeting point for your supplier has not been verified, so your booking voucher is the definitive source. Follow it on arrival.
• What to bring: The main driver should carry a valid driving licence, a passport, your booking details and a credit card in their own name with a limit high enough to cover the excess hold. Whether an International Driving Permit is needed depends on where your licence was issued, so check the requirements in your booking confirmation.

Pick-Up, Drop-Off, and Refuelling at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

• Returning the car: Return the car at the time and place shown in your booking confirmation. Return signs for rental cars are visible from the A4 on the approach, and the return area is separate from the departures drop-off. Drop-off zones in front of the terminal are limited to about 15 minutes, so use the return area your supplier names rather than stopping at the kerb.
• Out-of-hours returns: Some suppliers at Schiphol provide a key drop box for returns outside desk hours, but this has not been confirmed for every supplier. Arrange any early or late return with your supplier before you travel, and confirm where to leave the keys.
• Nearest petrol station: A Shell station is listed on the airport grounds just before the return area, and an Esso station is listed in Hoofddorp, about 5 km away. Both listings come from a single source, so confirm the location and hours on your navigation before you rely on either, and check the fuel type on your booking confirmation first. In the Netherlands, Euro 95 (E10) is the standard petrol and diesel is labelled B7.
• Restricted lanes: The taxi and bus lanes around the terminal are closed to rental cars. Stay in the general traffic lanes, and note that the Schiphol Tunnel has a clearance of 4 m, which suits standard cars and vans but not roof boxes on taller vehicles.
• Low emission zones: Diesel cars are restricted in the low emission zones of Amsterdam inside the A10, Utrecht, The Hague and Arnhem. Petrol cars are not affected. Check the fuel type of your car if you plan to drive into any of these cities.
• Before you drive away: Complete the vehicle condition report at collection, and photograph the car on all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Repeat it at return so that any mark is recorded on both occasions.

Top Car Hire Agencies at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

Car hire at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is available from a range of suppliers, with some operating desks in the terminal and others serving the airport from nearby premises. Your booking confirmation names your supplier and states how collection works.

Every booking through eCarBookers shows the excess amount and full price before you confirm, and the balance is paid on arrival at the desk. Optional extras — such as additional drivers, supplemental tyre and glass cover, child seats, or out-of-hours fees — may be available from the supplier if required.

Getting from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) to Key Destinations

The airport lies in Haarlemmermeer, about 9 km south-west of Amsterdam city centre, and is reached by car on the A4 and A9 motorways. The distances below are approximate and exclude traffic.

• Haarlem — about 21 km west, in roughly 17 minutes. The old town has a compact centre where parking garages are easier than street spaces.
• Keukenhof — about 25 km south-west, in roughly 25 minutes. The gardens are open in spring only, and traffic near Lisse slows on weekends in tulip season.
• The Hague — about 42 km south-west, in roughly 33 minutes. The figure is measured to the edge of the airport district, so allow a little more to reach the centre.
• Utrecht — about 43 km south-east, in roughly 37 minutes. Utrecht has a low emission zone for diesel cars.
• Rotterdam — about 63 km south, in roughly 45 minutes. Allow extra time at weekday rush hours, when the approach roads slow.

How Payment Works for Car Hire at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

A rental prepayment confirms your booking online with Instant Confirmation, and you pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival. The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive, and cancellation is free. The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit.