From Schiphol to Leidseplein in about 30–40 minutes
Bus 397 Schiphol Airport Express runs from the Schiphol Plaza bus station straight into south and west central Amsterdam, hitting Museumplein, Leidseplein and Elandsgracht without a train or tram change. In light traffic you see stop displays showing around 30–40 minutes to Leidseplein, but in rush hour riders report 45–60 minutes as cars stack up around Museumplein.
The 397 is the red R-net coach operated by Connexxion that replaced the old bus 197, with big “Airport Express” branding on the front and sides at the Schiphol bus stands outside the main arrivals hall. Daytime frequency sits around every 7–10 minutes, dropping to roughly every 15–20 minutes later in the evening, and after hours the route continues as night bus N97 with a sparser timetable.
Standard fare Schiphol–Leidseplein or Museumplein is usually in the €6–7 single range when you tap a normal contactless card or phone using OVpay at the door reader. Staff in the bus area often push special Airport Express or tourist tickets that bundle extras, but regulars on /r/Amsterdam say those only make sense if they tie into a multi‑day transport or museum pass you actually plan to use.
These are low‑floor buses with stroller‑friendly entry and onboard USB charging ports at many seats, which helps if your phone is dying after a 10‑hour flight. Drivers accept contactless debit/credit, so you can skip the old OV‑chipkaart and step straight on with your bank card, tapping in once at Schiphol and out again at your hotel stop.
Route coverage matters: 397 does not go to Amsterdam Centraal Station at all, focusing instead on Museumplein, Leidseplein and the Elandsgracht/Jordaan edge where a lot of hotels sit. Locals keep saying the same thing on Reddit: hotel near Leidseplein or Museumplein, take 397; hotel near Centraal, take the train to Centraal and then a GVB tram or metro.
Watch out for crowding on late‑afternoon and early‑evening trips, when riders report standing all the way from Schiphol to Museumplein and creeping through city traffic. There’s also ticket confusion: 397 is run by Connexxion, not GVB, so GVB‑only passes don’t fully cover it, and some first‑timers get burned assuming any “Amsterdam” pass automatically works on this line.
How to ride Bus 397 from Schiphol, step by step
- 1. From Arrivals at Schiphol, follow signs to “Buses” and walk to the main bus station area outside Schiphol Plaza; look for red R‑net stands signed for line 397 Airport Express.
- 2. Check the digital display at the 397 stop for “Leidseplein / Elandsgracht” and note the headway, usually 7–10 minutes in daytime or around 15–20 minutes late evening.
- 3. Skip the separate “Airport Express” ticket kiosk unless you specifically want a bundled tourist card, and instead plan to tap in with your contactless debit or credit card at standard regional fares.
- 4. When the bus arrives, board using any open door, but aim for the rear half of the bus where regulars say there’s more luggage space and a better chance of seats.
- 5. Tap your card or phone once on the OVpay reader as you step on; you don’t need a PIN for small amounts like the €6–7 Schiphol–Museumplein trip.
- 6. Watch the interior stop screens and audio announcements for Museumplein, Leidseplein, or Elandsgracht, which are the key hotel stops between roughly 30 and 45 minutes from departure depending on traffic.
- 7. Press the stop button one stop early, then tap out on the card reader by the door as you exit to close the fare, and walk the last 2–5 minutes to most hotels around Leidseplein and Museumplein.
One last tip: landing after around 23:00, confirm in the 9292 app or Google Maps whether a late 397 still runs for your arrival time; if not, compare N97 timings against just jumping on the frequent train to Amsterdam Centraal instead.