Amsterdam

Gus Ivey

Ok a few of things

1. Aer Lingus or Ryanair ?
Ok Aer lingus fly direct. I heard Ryanair fly nearby to a different airport. Which is the best way to to travel taking into consideration time and money (ps what is the name of the nearby airport)

2.Accomodation
Ok were a group of 8 lads in our early twenties so we're not exactly going for the site seeing. We would be looking for a fairly cheap place(but not a kip) in an ideal location. Any ideas on Good places? Also is it true that everywhere are very strict on smoking in rooms?I mean they might be strict-er than they were, but would they be as strict as say places in Ireland

3.Prices
What are the prices on the likes of food, ciggs , alcohol etc. Would it be as expensive as here? im guessing it would be slightly cheaper than here, but the same price for drinks in clubs etc.

Thanks !

the_syco

Get Aer Lingus. Looked into it a while back, and with Ryanair you had to get the train for a good while to get into the city centre. F**k that.

There used to be a "bulldog" hotel/hostel which was meant to be good. Dunno if it's still open, though. It's a through-and-through english place, english flags everywhere, but was meant to be a weed-cafe itself, and nearby the red-light district.

fcleere

try the white tulip hostel,good price,very central,clean.
i found the cost of drink the same or more expensive. spent the bones of €200 a day! was a similiar sounding trip to yours also.

Holsten

Amsterdam is VERY expensive, even more so than Dublin.

Bring alot of money.

I've been a few times and no where has allowed smoking in the rooms, they usually have a seperate area for you to smoke in.

Quint

Get Aer Lingus, flight is an hour and 10 minutes. Make sure you have some change with you for the train cos it can be a nightmare to get it in the airport! Costs about €3-4, leaves from under the airport and brings you to the centre amsterdam. Forget about Ryanair!
For accomodation, if you want a hostel try The Flying Pig, but if you're going for a weekend try and get an appartment from http://www.greenhouse-effect.nl/. They're a coffeeshop/bar is a great location, they have loads of different size appartments which work out fairly cheap.
Not sure where Holsten has been going, but you could smoke in both the places I mentioned above. Flying Pig has a dirt cheap bar too. Not sure if the smoking section is still there with the new laws. I found it was a lot cheaper than dublin. I didn't go to clubs. Stay away from the rip off places on Damrack, Dam Square and Niewmarket Square and it's cheaper than dublin. Pity Hill Street Blues stopped serving beer, it was 2.10 for a pint during happy hour (6-9) and it had pool tables!

sh0egal

Definitely fly Aer Lingus...when I went over I flew with Ryanair into Charleroi Airport, its not even in the same country!!!!!! It took a huge chunk out of our holiday going from and to that place and then our flight got delayed coming back, its literally a shed in the middle of nowhere...nearly went out of our minds!!!! and yeah, Amsterdam is pretty expensive....A word of warning...watch out for the bikes!!!...they're everywhere!!!

Berty

Gus Ivey wrote: »

Ok a few of things

1. Aer Lingus or Ryanair ?
Ok Aer lingus fly direct. I heard Ryanair fly nearby to a different airport. Which is the best way to to travel taking into consideration time and money (ps what is the name of the nearby airport)

Answer = Aer Lingus direct to Schiphol unless you are really doing it on the cheap then go with Ryanair to Brussels(other country) get bus to train station and get train to Amsterdam.

2.Accomodation
Ok were a group of 8 lads in our early twenties so we're not exactly going for the site seeing. We would be looking for a fairly cheap place(but not a kip) in an ideal location. Any ideas on Good places? Also is it true that everywhere are very strict on smoking in rooms?I mean they might be strict-er than they were, but would they be as strict as say places in Ireland

Answer = http://www.hotel.theglobe.nl I have stayed here 3 times and It is perfect for a group of lads. You can get different sizes of rooms. Spend some money and actually phone Amsterdam. Perfect spoken English like most people in the Netherlands. They will e-mail back quickly enough but I always phone them.

3.Prices
What are the prices on the likes of food, ciggs , alcohol etc. Would it be as expensive as here? im guessing it would be slightly cheaper than here, but the same price for drinks in clubs etc.

Answer - Cigs are cheap, you even get change cellotaped to the cig boxs from the machines. Mad! Alcohol is about the same but nicer and in nicer surroundings. The weather is also better. Clubs, dont bother. You can drink till late any locals abhore male tourists because they assume you are only after one thing. A free XXXX

Thanks !

Enjoy

Gus Ivey

Cheers lads appreciate the help ...

I shouldnt have to be asking these questions I've been there before !! I just can't rememeber ! ........I wonder why

Berty

Gus Ivey wrote: »

Cheers lads appreciate the help ...

I shouldnt have to be asking these questions I've been there before !! I just can't rememeber ! ........I wonder why

Hmmmm

big b

ref flights
Ryanair fly to Eindhoven & it's just over an hour by train from there to the dam.
Not as convenient as Schipol, but better than Charlerois & potentially a fair bit cheaper than Air Languish to Schipol.

NabyLadistheman

big b wrote: »

ref flights
Ryanair fly to Eindhoven & it's just over an hour by train from there to the dam.
Not as convenient as Schipol, but better than Charlerois & potentially a fair bit cheaper than Air Languish to Schipol.

+ 1

Did this, train journey is grand. Even made it back to Eindhoven in time - worse for wear. Check in online - no hangin round. Eindhoven is a tiny air port and straight through. Just another option

holly8

torresistheman wrote: »

+ 1

Did this, train journey is grand. Even made it back to Eindhoven in time - worse for wear. Check in online - no hangin round. Eindhoven is a tiny air port and straight through. Just another option

is there a direct train connection? is there much waiting around?

Gus Ivey

Just got the flightsbooked yesterday. We decided on going direct with Aer lingus. 160 for flights.

What you should do holly is, check the price of alternative flights and add on a bit extra for train tickets (i wouldnt imagin too long waiting around) and see if the inconvenience is worth the few quid you'll be saving

Tuesday_Girl

Gus Ivey wrote: »

Just got the flightsbooked yesterday. We decided on going direct with Aer lingus. 160 for flights.

What you should do holly is, check the price of alternative flights and add on a bit extra for train tickets (i wouldnt imagin too long waiting around) and see if the inconvenience is worth the few quid you'll be saving

From Eindhoven airport you'd need to get a bus to the station and then a train to Amsterdam which will cost E31.60 return (takes 1h 20mins), so you'd want to get a very good deal on flights for it to be worth your while.

holly8

thanks guys!

I had looked at all the options last year - and finally booked a direct flight from Galway where we live. Was able to justify the extra cost against 2 days travel time to/from Dub airport, extra time off work + paying a babysitter, car parking, hassle & stress.

1 week before we were due to go, Aer Arran called to say there was a "change in schedule" - they'd cancelled the route entirely. Back to Sq 1 ...

marknoonan1974

I just booked a flight to Amsterdam in October, flights were free, just taxes etc, with Aer Lingus. Checking out hotels at the moment, if anybody else has hotel advise please post.

Tiesto

marknoonan1974 wrote: »

I just booked a flight to Amsterdam in October, flights were free, just taxes etc, with Aer Lingus. Checking out hotels at the moment, if anybody else has hotel advise please post.

'Flight were free, just taxes etc'
I bet your still paying around 80- 100 euro return?
nothing free about that!!

Quint

Razzle wrote: »

From Eindhoven airport you'd need to get a bus to the station and then a train to Amsterdam which will cost E31.60 return (takes 1h 20mins), so you'd want to get a very good deal on flights for it to be worth your while.

Well worth the extra cash on the way home when you're wrecked. It's hard enough to get to the airport from central station

54kroc

Holsten wrote: »

Amsterdam is VERY expensive, even more so than Dublin.

Bring alot of money.

I've been a few times and no where has allowed smoking in the rooms, they usually have a seperate area for you to smoke in.

I've stayed in the swiss hotle a bunch of times and they always had a smoking option. Great location as well but expensive.

marknoonan1974

Tiesto wrote: »

'Flight were free, just taxes etc'
I bet your still paying around 80- 100 euro return?
nothing free about that!!

Its a scam, the price was €160 for 2. Its the most I would ever consider paying. Flying is becoming a rip off again.