Travelling at Schiphol Airport

Nationalities of all other countries must have a passport, a return ticket and a visa. The passport has to be valid for at least 3 months after the last day of stay in the Netherlands. A visa can be obtained from the applicant’s country of residence. Visas are not obtainable at border crossings.

The air travel companies are legally obliged to refuse those passengers without a valid visa, or may otherwise be confronted with heavy penalties. At the borders, your return ticket may also be necessary for granting an entrance to the Netherlands.

 

Import regulations

You can import to the European Community the following items duty-free in their respective quantities only: 

You can import to the European Community the following items duty-free in their respective quantities only: 

1. personal items, (you have to show a receipt) up to € 430,00
2. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, or 100 cigarillos, or 250 grams of tobacco
3. 1 litre of strong spirit (over 22% alcohol), or two litres of fortified wine or 2 litres of sparkling wine and 4 litres of non-sparkling wine and 16 litres beer
4. 2 litres still wine
5. other goods with a maximum value of €430,00.

Items exceeding the above mentioned quantities should be reported at the Dutch custom crossings and are subject to import duties. Please proceed to the 'goods to declare' gate (red) at the custom crossing. If you do not have any goods to be reported at the customs, please proceed through the ‘nothing to declare’ gate (green).

By the European Community agreements, the custom controls will be held only at the first country (allied to the EC) where passengers from non-EC countries arrive. Therefore, the custom control is carried out only if you are entering the Dutch territories coming from outside the European Community. Heavy financial penalties apply for goods identified to be unreported, although subject to custom declaration.

Import of the following items are strictly prohibited into the Netherlands, or any other European Community country: 

1. Narcotics and drugs (prescription drugs for personal use could be imported only when a written certificate from a physician is available)
2. Assault weapons, fire weapons and ammunition
3. Imitation products with brand names protected under international law
4. Animals, with the exception of cats and dogs which have international vaccination papers
5. Meat and meat products
6. Milk and milkproducts 
7. Plants, flowers and fruits; with the exception of quantities for personal use
8. Protected species of animals and plants (protected under local, Dutch or international law)
9. Erotica and pornographoc materials
10. Toy weapons

How to reach Groningen

From  Schiphol to Groningen

The best way to reach Groningen from Schiphol International Airport is by train. Dutch National Railway operates very well and there are frequent train services between Schiphol and Groningen. Every 20 minutes past the hour a train leaves directly from Schiphol to Groningen, every 50 minutes past the hour a train leaves with direction Amersfoort / Enschede. In Amersfoort you have to change trains, the train with direction Zwolle / Groningen. It is normally mentioned when the train stops in Amersfoort.

You must take care from here. The train will stop in Zwolle (half-way to Groningen) and split into two parts: one going to Groningen and the other going to Leeuwarden. On each wagon, on the outside next to the doors, there is an indication telling you which wagon goes to which destination. The wagon ‘Groningen’ is the one for you. Usually the wagons to Groningen are the front part of the train. Still, you can always ask the conductor if you are not sure.

Everywhere at Schiphol train station there are yellow bill-boards, which will give you the time of departure from all trains leaving the station. Here you can also see from which platform the trains will depart.

A one-way ticket Schiphol-Groningen (2^nd class) will cost you € 23,50.

If you travel via Eelde Airport (10 kilometres from Groningen) you can take bus line 2 to Groningen. During the holiday the bus leaves 2 times each hour. In the evening 1 bus an hour is leaving to Groningen. A ticket can be bought on the bus for € 3,00.

 

Travel guides: see  useful Information