Car Rental at Amsterdam Train Station - Exploring the Netherlands

Located right in the heart of the city within easy walking distance of many of the city's top tourist sights, Amsterdam Train Station is the Netherlands' main railway station. Housed in a magnificent building, the sation was designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers (who also designed the Rijksmuseum) it was completed in 1884 and inaugurated five years later in 1889. Closely linked to the city's extensive public transport system, Amsterdam Centraal (as it is known locally) is served by regular Eurostar, ICE and InterCity trains, as well as countless regional services.

Compact and characterful, Amsterdam is a first-choice destination for travellers looking to appreciate the cream of European culture. Its museums are bulging with treasures by many of the most famous Dutch masters, most notably Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh, whilst the city's other top attractions such as the House of Anne Frank and the magnificent Royal Palace attract visitors from all over the world. Amsterdam is also popular for its picturesque canals (over 160 in total) and world-class entertainment venues.

With a car rental at Amsterdam Train Station, the whole of the Netherlands is quickly accessible and there's no better way to explore this amazing country than with the comfort and convenience of having your own transport. The long list of local attractions just a short drive away includes the beautiful Keukenhof Gardens, Alkmaar Cheese Market, historic Haarlem, the lovely town of Delft and the open-air Zuiderzee Museum. Further afield (but easily reachable by car) are the fascinating cities of Rotterdam (popular for its old harbour and maritime museums) and The Hague, home to the Huis ten Bosch Palace where the Dutch Royal Family officially resides.

By working closely with all the world’s top car rental companies, Auto Europe has established itself as one of the world's oldest and most successful car hire brokers. Founded in 1954, we now offer over 28,000 pick-up and drop-off locations in more than 190 different countries around the world, including the Netherlands. You can book your low-cost car hire at Amsterdam Train Station in just a few clicks using our state-of-the-art booking engine. For added flexibility, why not take advantage of our popular one-way car rental and Free Additional Driver offers for an even more enjoyable visit to the Netherlands.

Station Information

Built in the late-19th century, Amsterdam Central Train Station (Het Station Amsterdam Centraal) replaced an old railway station with a bold and very striking opulent structure based on a neo-Renaissance architectural design which served to demonstrate the city's economic revival and restore pride in the Dutch culture of that period. In 1980 the station was extended to accommodate a metro station of the same name. which is part of the station complex located on Stationseiland, an artificial island in the river Ij just 5 minutes from the city centre. As the city's largest transport hub, Centraal serves as a terminal station for the metro as well as a number of trams and buses. It currently has capacity for around 200,000 passengers a day arriving and departing on over 1,500 trains. There are three different metro lines and five tram lines operating from two stops to serve both the eastern and western parts of the city. The bus terminus is on the IJzijde side near the main taxi rank. As far as trains are concerned, there are 15 railway lines connecting various parts of the city, as well as other Dutch cities such as Rotterdam and Eindhoven. Long-distance and high-speed trains also connect Amsterdam with other European cities such as Brussels and Dusseldorf.

Where to pick up a car rental at Amsterdam Train Station

To hire a car at Amsterdam Train Station, you only need to walk outside the main exit to find your car rental check-in office. Most of the car hire company counters are around 5 or 10 minutes' walk from the station. Check your booking voucher carefully so you know exactly which counter to go to and what you need to pick up your rental car.

	Alamo at Amsterdam Train Station Harry Banninkstraat 129 Amsterdam, Netherlands 1011 DD +31 20 740 0950	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-6pm
	Enterprise at Amsterdam Train Station Harry Banninkstraat 129 Amsterdam, Netherlands 1011 DD +31 20 740 0950	Opening Hours: Daily 8am-6pm
	Sixt at Amsterdam Train Station De Ruijterkade 44b Amsterdam, Netherlands 1012 AA +31 20 723 0526	Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-8pm and Sat & Sun 8am-6pm

Station facilities

As one of the most important transport hubs in the country and used by thousands of passengers every day, Amsterdam Train Station is well equipped with all the essential services any traveller might need. As well as information points and cash machines, the station has luggage lockers, a lost-property office, currency exchange services and numerous ticket machines. To relax before a journey or after a long trip, there are a number of lounges available, with first-class passengers having access to a special VIP lounge called the NS Hispeed Lounge. This, one of the busiest railway stations in western Europe, could not fail to have a wide variety of restaurants and bars, as well as stalls selling all manner of takeaway food. Underneath the station lies a large shopping area with a wide variety of brands such as Mango, Kiko and Swarovski. In the space closest to the outdoor area there's a well-stocked supermarket and chemist. Please note that most of Amsterdam Central railway station's car rental companies are also located just outside the main building.

How to get to and from Amsterdam Train Station

Due to the station's close proximity to both the city centre and Amsterdam's Schiphol International Airport, it's very easy for travellers to leave the station and get to many of the city's main points of interest, such as Dam Square and the excellent Van Gogh Museum. There are regular direct trains to and from the airport, with a journey time of just 15 minutes. Trains run from early morning until late at night and go to various destinations in and around the city centre. As the station is caters for all kinds of public transport, you can choose whichever means suits you best to get from the airport or city centre to pick up your car rental at Amsterdam Train Station. If you're travelling by car, take the A4 road west to or from the airport. If you want to travel to the centre, it takes about 5 minutes by car via Damrak, which is the main street where people arriving at the station enter the centre of the city.

Parking tips

Once you've booked your car hire at Amsterdam Central train station, it's easy enough to drive around the city following the Dutch road signs and driving rules. Parking in the city can be a little complicated because it is so compact and relatively small compared with most other European capitals. Due to the high number of tourists and residents with cars, finding a parking space in the city becomes a bit more difficult as you get closer to the Old Town. There are several car parks where you can leave your car, such as Nieuwendijk (close to the Kalverstraat shopping district), De Bijenkorf (just off Dam Square), Markinstraat and Markenhoven Waterlooplein which is very close to Amsterdam Zoo, one of the best in Europe. If you opt for paid street parking, please be advised that you'll need to find the nearest parking meter which don't accept cash, only credit cards or mobile phone payments using the local app. Near Amsterdam Train Station, there are some car parks with 24-hour security, most notably P1 Parking Amsterdam Centre, Parking Garage Oosterdok and Q-Park Nieuwendijk. Park and Ride (P+R) is the best way for drivers to park their car and travel into the city centre. These spacious car parks are conveniently located on the outskirts near the main motorways and have good public transport connections to the heart of the city centre.

Useful links

Amsterdam Train Station