Rotterdam to Schiphol: train, taxi or private chauffeur?

The three options at a glance

The difference lies in what happens around the journey: who carries the bags, who waits for whom, and whether you know the price in advance.

• Train: a direct intercity connection runs between Rotterdam Centraal and Schiphol Airport, and it is usually the cheapest option per person. You still need to get to Rotterdam Centraal and handle your own luggage. Check NS for current times and fares.
• Taxi or ride-hailing app: door to door without planning ahead. The fare is normally set by the meter or by the app at the time of the ride, so traffic and demand can change it.
• Private chauffeur: door to door, booked for an exact time, with an all-in fixed price you see before you book. On arrival the chauffeur follows the flight and waits with a name sign.

Door-to-door time

On paper the train is quick. In practice the total journey also includes getting to Rotterdam Centraal, waiting on the platform and walking from the station to check-in.

From other parts of Rotterdam, or from Rotterdam South, a tram, metro or taxi ride comes first, and every change is another chance of a delay. A car goes from your front door to the departures drop-off. How long the drive takes depends mainly on traffic, which is heaviest in the morning and evening rush hours.

When you book with us, tell us your flight time and we plan the pickup with a margin for traffic. The price stays the same whether the motorway is clear or busy.

Luggage, laptops and samples

With a suitcase, a laptop bag and perhaps a garment bag, the train means lifting everything yourself: through the ticket gates, along the platform and into the carriage. At peak times there is not always room for a large case near your seat.

In a car the chauffeur loads and unloads the luggage, and it stays out of sight in the boot. A business sedan takes up to 3 passengers with 3 suitcases. Travelling as a team, with more luggage, or with sample cases or exhibition material? The V-Class takes up to 7 passengers and the V-Class XL up to 8. Mention bulky items when you book, so we send the right vehicle.

Early flights and late arrivals

The first departures of the day mean leaving Rotterdam in the early hours. Trains run less often at night and early in the morning, so check the NS journey planner for the exact times on your date and allow for a missed connection.

A taxi at four in the morning is possible, but you are relying on one being free at that moment. A chauffeur booked in advance is planned around your time. We take bookings 24/7 by phone and WhatsApp; online booking needs some notice, and the form shows the earliest pickup it can accept.

Night pickups between 00:00 and 05:59 carry a supplement of €20 for business sedans and the EQS, and €25 for the S-Class and vans.

Arriving at Schiphol: who is waiting for you?

For a traveller or guest who lands tired, or who does not know the Netherlands, the arrival is where the options differ most. By train you find your own way to the right platform. At the taxi rank you join the queue.

A private chauffeur follows the flight and plans the pickup on the actual landing time, so a delay is not your problem. The Meet & Greet is at the official Schiphol Meeting Point, unless you ask otherwise; on request the chauffeur waits at the exit of Arrivals 1, 2, 3 or 4 instead.

Free waiting: 60 minutes at Schiphol and other airports and 45 minutes at Rotterdam The Hague Airport, counted from the actual landing time (the first hour of parking is included), and 15 minutes for other pickups. Extra waiting is €60 per hour, charged per started 15 minutes (€15).

Cost certainty

The train has the lowest fare per person, and NS sets it in advance. With a taxi you usually learn the price at the end of the ride, or when you order in the app, and it can vary with the time of day and the traffic.

Our prices are fixed when you book and include tolls, parking, Meet & Greet and 9% VAT. Extra costs only arise for extra waiting, extra stops or changes you ask for. These are the fixed prices for an address in the city of Rotterdam:

• Business Class (Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series or similar): €172.50 to Schiphol, €195 from Schiphol
• First Class Electric (Mercedes-Benz EQS, BMW i7 or similar): €205 to Schiphol, €220 from Schiphol
• First Class (Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series or similar): €230 to Schiphol, €250 from Schiphol
• Business Van, up to 7 passengers: €205 to Schiphol, €230 from Schiphol
• Business Van XL, up to 8 passengers: €215 to Schiphol, €240 from Schiphol
• Pickup in Rotterdam South, south of the river Maas: €182.50 to Schiphol in a business sedan

Which option fits which trip?

Travelling with one or two colleagues? A business sedan takes up to 3 passengers, and everyone in the car shares one fixed price, which narrows the gap with separate train tickets. For a larger group, the V-Class takes up to 7 passengers for €205 to Schiphol.

• Alone, light luggage, daytime, close to Rotterdam Centraal: the train.
• A spontaneous trip, no time to plan, a taxi rank around the corner: a taxi.
• An early flight, a guest who does not know the city, several travellers, heavy luggage, or a fixed budget line: a private chauffeur.
• Going both ways? Book the return in the same booking and the return ride gets 10% off.

Booking for a colleague or guest

PAs and travel bookers can book in the traveller’s name. Choose “Booking for someone else”: the chauffeur waits with a name sign showing the passenger’s name and contacts the passenger on the day, while you receive the confirmation and the invoice. Company name, VAT number and a PO number or cost centre can be added for the invoice.

See also: Travel agents, hotels & business · Rotterdam to Schiphol · Booking transport for guests