Amsterdam Central Station Services
Amsterdam central station lost & found
Luggage lost on the train should be reported at the desk to the left of luggage lockers. All objects found on trains are stored centrally in Utrecht. If you lost a piece of luggage or another object in the station, you may report it to the police, as any other object lost in the city. Found Objects Bureau might have it: Bureau Gevonden Voorwerpen, Stephensonstraat 18, 1097 BB Amsterdam, phone: 559 30 05.
Luggage lockers at Amsterdam central station
While rather expensive, the lockers are a convenient way of storing the luggage for a day or two. They are open 24 hours a day but human assistance is there only during the day. During the night only computer machine. The lockers do not accept coins - you pay with a bank card.
See other options for luggage storage via the paragraph title link.
Currency exchange
GWK Travelex Western Union office is in the station’s main tunnel (open: 8 am – 10 pm, Sunday 9 am – 10 pm). There is an additional GWK counter inside the Service Centre (irregular hours).
Tourist canal boats
If you arrive for one day trip to Amsterdam, you may start your visit from a canal boat tour. Two canal boat companies - Rederij Lovers and Canal-Bus offer different boat cruises departing in front of the Central Station. Their ticket offices are in kiosks at Prins Hendrikkade street in front of station’s the main entry (open: 9 am – 10 pm).
Bicycle rental in Amsterdam
You may rent the bicycles at Mac Bike Centraal East at the station’s East Entry; open: 7 days a week, 9 am - 5.45 pm; original passport and a credit card needed. No reservations.
Handicapped people
Bringing by car handicapped people to the station has been made difficult. You may access the station by car only from the North side, but only for a drop-off; you may not legally park your car there. Taxi is a better option as cabs are allowed to get closer to the station. For the rest, all facilities of the station have been made accessible for the handicapped. Lifts to the platforms are in the middle of the main tunnel of the station, with the exception of the lift to the platforms 2 and 3, which is to the left of the Eastern Entry (Ingang Oost).
Amsterdam police
The police post is at the platform 2a; phone 0900-8844.
Smoking area at Amsterdam central station
You may not smoke at the station. A € 50,- fine will be given to people who contravene the ban. You have to walk outside to smoke or smoke in the especially indicated area on the platform 2b.
Station WC
There are restrooms on both ends of the platform 2; open: 7am-1am (€ 0,50).
Buying international train tickets - Service Centre
International train tickets should be bought earlier at the Service Centre (open 6 am – 11 pm) directly at the station’s Main Entry accessible from the main tunnel and from the outside of the station building. There are usually long lines of people waiting there, even out of the season. Be patient as most of these tickets are complicated - issuing them takes time.
Service Centre offers also more complicated train connections information and a change of currencies at the GWK cashier window (at the back of the Centre hall).
Tickets to the Dutch stations – vending machines
Tickets to the Dutch stations (as to Schiphol Amsterdam Airport) can be bought at the yellow vending machines. There are many of them to the right from the main entry and all over the station. On their touch screen you will have to first select your destination, class of your journey, day, your return and the way of payment. Only then, you insert for a short moment your bank or credit card. The machine will also accept euro coins.
The machines changing bills of €5 and €10 to coins (Dutch: Wisselautomaat), are at the entry to the station Service Centre