RE: Amsterdam Schipol

I’m affraid it isn’t possible to rent a bike at Schiphol. Quite a shame if you ask me, it is indeed the best form of transport at Schiphol. You can take the bus though (or rent a car of course).

If you want to go too the MacDonalds site, their are several busses taking you there. The busses are 190, 191, 192, 195, 198. If you want to go too Schiphol East you can take the same busses, except for 192. MacDonalds lies along the route to Schiphol East, so you can do both along the route. (as you may have seen there is a map of busroutes on http://members.tripod.de/schiphol/ under the link “AMS spotting” -> “How to get there”.

If you go too Schiphol East, chances are you can see the planes of the DDA (Dutch Dakota Association). Usually their DC-4 is parked outside, near the fence. Grap your chance of photographing it, because the plane will be sold, and god knows where it then will end up. Maybe in the backgarden of your neighbour, or just maybe on the other side of the world.

Too go to the Luchtvaart Hobby Shop you can take busline 199. Ask the busdriver to set you off at “Aalsmeerderbrug”. Walk back over the bridge, and then cross the street. You will find a small (and rather steep) stair leading down. Take that stair, and walk strait on. After 20 or 30 metres it is on your right.

Just another advise with regard to taking the bus. It is best too buy a “Strippenkaart” at Schiphol. You can buy these at book-shops, the NS (Dutch Railways, both at the counter and the ticket-vending machines (code 2222 I believe)) and at the “Connexion”-counter (bus company). If you buy one of 15-strippen it will cost you about 15 gulden, it should be more than enough for one or two days. On the bus you can only buy a “Strippenkaart” containing two strippen. It will cost you 3 gulden. Do the math, and you’ll see it is way more expensive.
Each “Strip” symbolises a zone, and you pay one “strip” for each zone you go through, plus one extra (a boarding “strip” so to say). Going to Schiphol East is 3 strips, so is the MacDonalds. The Luchtvaart Hobby Shop is roughly 4 or 5 strips, I am not entirely sure.

Greetz
Peter ten Thije
Petertenthije@yahoo.com