Amsterdam’s huge Schiphol International Airport, which has become almost easier to fly to than to drive to, is slated to get more transport links, including an extension of Amsterdam’s metro right into the terminal.
The metro project, revealed by Dutch newspaper Volkskrant, would extend the city’s newest line from the Amsterdam Zuid railway station directly to the airport. Amsterdam Zuid is also a gateway for international trains. The infrastructure ministry has said, however, that the nearly €4 billion project hasn’t been approved yet.
It would relieve highway and street congestion headed to the airport, and would run above ground, parallel to the A4 expressway headed toward the city. The existing rail service by rail operator NS, which already links the airport to the city’s downtown Centraal station is slated to increase service to at least eight trains per hour by 2023.
KLM, the rail and transport companies and the airport have all worked with local authorities on the plans. The head of NS told Volkskrant that “The state wants to see plans which will make the Netherlands future proof in terms of infrastructure and mobility, We have worked on this plan for two years and now the ministry has opened the door.”