Here you will learn on how to get from Switzerland to Amsterdam. I’m sharing various options with tips, cost, and travel times. This guide also works for the other way around, from Amsterdam to Switzerland.
Amsterdam has so much to offer, and you shouldn’t miss out!
Table of Contents
📕 Where are Switzerland and Amsterdam?
Switzerland is a country in Central Europe. It’s known for high mountains, crystal clear lakes. It’s bordering Germany and France, among other countries.
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, a country in northwestern Europe. The country is situated next to Belgium and Germany. The Netherlands is still known to some as Holland.
The distance between Switzerland and the Netherlands is about 460 miles (ca. 740 km).
🚗 Car
The car route is the most conventional and straightforward route from Switzerland to Amsterdam.
A drive starting from Basel (the closest Swiss city to Germany and France) to Amsterdam takes you 8 hours, without pit stops added.
Hire are car in Switzerland and enjoy a road trip through Central Europe. It’s that easy, and it gives you the freedom to travel as you please.
There are several routes that you can take. Route one crossing Germany, route two crossing partially Germany and Belgium, route three crossing France and Belgium.
The best route undoubtedly is route number one across Germany because it’s the fastest and German highways will get you faster to your destination.
If you want a more exciting route, then pick route number three by crossing France and Belgium. You’ll see a bit of the Belgian countryside.
The cons are, high gas prices and parking in Amsterdam and finding a hotel with parking options is a nightmare. The highways in Germany and Belgium are free, but France has a toll system in place.
We filled up twice gas, and spent about USD and EUR 100 in total. Mind you, that was in 2021. Gas prices have gone up now.
We usually pick a hotel outside of Amsterdam. We like to stay in the neighboring, colorful city called Zaandam, where parking isn’t a problem. I can recommend the Best Western Zaan Inn in Zaandam.
🚝 Train
Train rides have seen a revival in Europe, thanks to a new direct overnight train network. So, taking the train across Europe is once again possible in our means and in a timely manner.
This holds especially true if you intend to travel from the direction of Zürich or Basel. The Swiss train network has a direct train running daily from this direction to Amsterdam non-stop. It’s a nightjet or intercity-express with sleeper cabins.
The ride from Zürich/Basel to Amsterdam takes about 10 to 11 hours in total. If you are getting in from Basel, you will have to use the Basel SBB train station (not the German run Basel Badischer train station in Basel).
If you are in Geneva or any other place in Switzerland, you will have to get to Basel or Zürich first to take the night jet to Amsterdam.
Other train connections from Switzerland to Amsterdam may also exist, but they are longer, and you would have to switch a few times train.
Because it’s an overnight train, you will reach at around 9 am in Amsterdam at the central train station (known as Amsterdam Centraal). It’s located in the city center, so from there it’s easy to get around.
The cost for a simple seat (not sleeper) 2nd class ticket may vary between CHF 50 and 200, which is about the same amount in USD or EUR.
🚌 Bus
The easiest and most convenient way to get from Switzerland to Amsterdam by bus is with a bus service like Flixbus or BlaBlaCar.
Flixbus has better and more frequent connections from all major cities in Switzerland, and sometimes even several of those.
The buses have comfortable seats, and you get Wi-Fi in there too. Those usually also run through the night so that you reach Amsterdam in the morning hours. Most are direct connections, but there are also somewhere you will have to switch bus.
The Flixbus stations in Amsterdam are located a bit outside of the city in Sloterdjik (north-west), Bijelmer (south-east) and Schiphol airport (south). You can easily get to the center of the city with public transport.
Traveling by bus is not the most glorious travel option, but it’s the most budget-friendly option, with one-way fares ranging from USD/EUR 50 to 100 per Person.
I recommend that you book your tickets well in advance because last minute direct bus connections get pricey if you book on the same day of your trip.
🛫 Flight
The fastest way to get from Switzerland to Amsterdam is by flight! It won’t take you more than 1 1/2 hour from take off to landing.
The three main airports in Switzerland are located in Zürich, Basel-Mulhouse and Geneva.
You can get nonstop direct flights with KLM, Swiss airlines and EasyJet. EasyJet has some really cheap flights if you intend to fly minimal.
Flights from Basel might be a bit cheaper compared to other airports. The cheapest there is around USD/EUR 50. Otherwise, one way tickets average between USD/EUR 100 and 200 per Person.
The Amsterdam Schiphol airport is located south of the city. Public transport from and to the airport is excellent in Amsterdam!
The only downside to flying is the price point and perhaps the weight that you can carry along. You can, of course, always buy more weight at the check in counter, but that comes with a price tag.
🛥 River Cruise
If you are looking for a luxurious way to travel and discover Europe, then the Rhine river cruise is your thing.
You dock in Basel and go up the river Rhine, crossing Germany and the Netherlands. The journey can take from 7 to 10 days. It may also include a short trip with the main sights in Switzerland, a pre-cruise ship trip.
The Rhine river was an important trading route in medieval times in Europe. Goods were carried and traded from one port city to another.
The reformation was also deeply influenced by the way the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland were connected thanks to the Rhine river. Books with the new religion ideology were carried over the river route to spread the new faith.
The cruise ship experience comes with a steep price tag. For the 7-10 day experience, you pay between USD 5600 or EUR 5300 to up to USD 6600 or EUR 6200 per Person.
💡 Tips
- Keep an eye on current COVID restrictions, they may change anytime and each country in Europe has different COVID Vaccine, PCR Test and mask requirements.
- COVID documents are always checked at airports and ship ports, but not so on road, bus or train border crossings.
- Switzerland uses Swiss Francs (CHF) and the Netherlands the Euro (EUR) as currency.
- Credit and debit cards are accepted almost everywhere, but American Express might not be accepted everywhere.
- People in Switzerland and the Netherlands speak their local languages, but younger people in the urban areas speak English too.
