How do I get from Schiphol to ESA's ESTEC in Noordwijk?
By car it is about 30 minutes; ESA itself gives that estimate for a taxi. ESTEC, ESA's largest establishment, is at Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, at the southern tip of the town. The public transport route is a train of about 15 minutes to Leiden Centraal and then bus 400 towards ESA ESTEC, which ESA puts at about 20 minutes; ESA also lists its own shuttle bus between Schiphol, ESTEC and hotels. A private car takes you from the arrivals hall to the gate or to a beachfront hotel in Noordwijk, priced per kilometer as one fixed amount, about €109 in Business Class for the 32 km.
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Prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, per kilometer of road distance | ≈ €3 | €3.42/km · quoted as one fixed price before you book · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, per kilometer of road distance | ≈ €4 | €4.44/km · quoted as one fixed price before you book · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, per kilometer of road distance | ≈ €7 | €6.79/km · quoted as one fixed price before you book · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Business Class, with a chauffeur by the hour | €65 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, with a chauffeur by the hour | €80 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, with a chauffeur by the hour | €100 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
Rides outside Amsterdam are priced from the measured road distance (or a fixed route price where one applies) and shown as one fixed price before you book. By the hour: minimum 2 hours, 40 km included per hour, starting and ending in the same city. The chauffeur waits between stops. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. During ADE week (pickups October 20 to 26, 2026) fixed ADE-week prices apply, shown before you book; promo codes cannot be used that week. Booked less than 12 hours before pickup: +10%. At an airport or an intercity station the first 60 minutes of waiting are free, elsewhere 15 minutes; after that waiting is charged per minute at the class's hourly rate (Business €65 an hour). Free cancellation up to 1 hour before pickup.
What is included in the price
- A fixed price confirmed at booking, with VAT included: no meter and no surge
- The chauffeur’s name, car and phone number before pickup, plus e-mail reminders 24 hours and 2 hours ahead
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car
- Status updates to the person who booked, if that is not the passenger: confirmed, chauffeur en route, guest in the car, arrived
Three ways in
| Option | Time | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Car from the arrivals hall | About 34 minutes | Equipment, early meetings, late flights |
| Train and bus 400 | About 35 min plus waiting and the change | Light bags, daytime |
| ESTEC shuttle | Per its schedule | It runs when you need it |
Workshop and test-campaign weeks
Teams often stay in Noordwijk or Leiden for a week. One booking can cover the Schiphol arrival, the daily hotel runs and the return, invoiced to the company or institute, with every traveler's name and number on the booking so each gets their own updates.
Related questions
What do I need at the gate?
Follow your host's visitor instructions; ESA publishes a visitor leaflet on safety and security.
Can you carry test equipment?
Declare cases and sizes at booking; the Van takes bulky items. Anything that needs special handling goes with a freight forwarder.
Is Noordwijk good for a weekend?
It's a beach town, about 14 minutes from Leiden by car and close to Keukenhof in spring.
Sources
- ESA: how to get to ESTEC (checked October 31, 2026)
- ESA Security for Space 2025: location (taxi about 30 minutes, train and bus 400) (checked October 31, 2026)
- ESA: the European Space Research and Technology Centre (checked October 31, 2026)
Book it, or ask dispatch first
Book online in a few minutes (no account, no app), or send your flight number and address on WhatsApp and dispatch replies in English, 24 hours a day.