Traveling between Amsterdam and Rotterdam is one of the easiest journeys in the Netherlands, and you have two excellent options: the train or the bus. Each offers its own rhythm, its own charm, and its own way of seeing the country.
From Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the train platforms lie just beneath the terminal. The Intercity Direct is the fastest choice, covering the distance in about 26 minutes with only one stop. A small supplement applies, but the speed is worth it. The regular Intercity takes closer to 50 minutes, saving a few euros while offering a more leisurely ride.
Yet just outside the terminal, along platform C, another option awaits: the unmistakable green Flixbus. Boarding is simple, the ride communal, and the price astonishingly low—often €7–10. The journey takes about an hour, humming past runways, wind turbines, and fields before rolling into Rotterdam Centraal.
From Amsterdam Centraal, trains remain the fastest option—40 minutes on the Intercity Direct, or 73–75 minutes on slower services. Buses, however, don’t depart from Centraal.Instead, you’ll head to Amsterdam Sloterdijk, where Flixbus and BlaBlaCar Bus run direct routes south. Journey times range from 55 to 90 minutes, with fares starting around €5.
So which to choose? Read our review below.
