Home / Amsterdam /Airport Schiphol / Sprinter to Amsterdam Centraal vs Intercity to Amsterdam Zuid

AMS → Amsterdam · head to head

Sprinter to Amsterdam CentraalorIntercity to Amsterdam Zuid?

The short answer

These do not go to the same place, so price is not the comparison. The Sprinter to Amsterdam Centraal reaches Amsterdam Centraal station, at the top of the old center; the Intercity to Amsterdam Zuid does not. This stops at Zuid, a station in the south of Amsterdam, a long way from the old center. The Sprinter from platform 3 goes to Centraal instead.

The Intercity to Amsterdam Zuid is quicker: 6 min against 16 min. The Sprinter to Amsterdam Centraal varies between 14 and 18 minutes.

Sprinter to Amsterdam Centraal: 05:39–01:09. Intercity to Amsterdam Zuid: 05:31–00:33.

Priced against each other

Whole-party totals · adult fares
What each costs for the whole party, in EUR. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
TravelersSprinter to Amsterdam CentraalIntercity to Amsterdam ZuidDifference
1€5.50€3.70€1.80
2€11€7.40€3.60
3€16.50€11.10€5.40
4€22€14.80€7.20
5€27.50€18.50€9
6€33€22.20€10.80
7€38.50€25.90€12.60
8€44€29.60€14.40

Side by side

Where each one leaves you
Sprinter · NSSprinter to Amsterdam Centraal
From
Platform 3, directly below Schiphol Plaza; check in at the yellow columns at the top of the escalators
To
Amsterdam Centraal, via Lelylaan and Sloterdijk
Luggage
Space between the seat backs and under the seats; luggage trolleys at the station.
Runs
05:39–01:09
Journey
14–18 min

Do not queue for the machine: a single-use chipcard costs EUR 1.60 more than tapping the bank card in your pocket or buying an e-ticket, for the same EUR 5.50 ride.

Since 1 July 2026 a new anonymous OV-chipkaart cannot be bought; check in with a contactless card or phone, or buy an e-ticket.

Check in AND out. A forgotten check-out is EUR 33.30 on a bank card, a forgotten check-in EUR 20.

Vivid, Paysafe and Revolut digital debit cards are refused at the check-in columns; Maestro, V PAY, Mastercard and Visa work.

Sprinter to Amsterdam Centraal: price for every party size

See the fare on NS
Intercity · NSIntercity to Amsterdam Zuid
From
Platforms 1–2, directly below Schiphol Plaza
To
Amsterdam Zuid station, for the Zuidas business district
Runs
05:31–00:33
Journey
5–9 min

Check the board for Amsterdam Zuid by name before you board: not every train from platforms 1–2 stops there.

Check in AND out. A forgotten check-out is EUR 33.30 on a bank card, a forgotten check-in EUR 20.

Intercity to Amsterdam Zuid: price for every party size

See the fare on NS

This compares two of 18 options. See all of them ranked for your party size

The other comparisons at Airport Schiphol