What’s the best way to get from Schiphol to RAI Amsterdam for Metstrade 2026?
Metstrade 2026 runs Tuesday, November 17 through Thursday, November 19 at RAI Amsterdam, about 15 km by road from Schiphol. A pre-booked AmstelCab car from the arrivals hall to the RAI or to your Amsterdam hotel is a fixed €90 in Business Class, per car with VAT included. If you travel light and are heading straight to the show, the direct train to Amsterdam RAI station is the cheaper choice.
Last updated:
Schiphol → RAI Amsterdam or your Amsterdam hotel: fixed prices
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, Schiphol → RAI Amsterdam or any Amsterdam hotel | €90 | E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, Schiphol → RAI Amsterdam or any Amsterdam hotel | €125 | V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, Schiphol → RAI Amsterdam or any Amsterdam hotel | €140 | S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Mercedes-Maybach (Ultra), Schiphol → RAI Amsterdam or any Amsterdam hotel | €250 | Maybach S-Class · up to 2 passengers, 2 bags · confirmed by dispatch, not instant |
RAI Amsterdam and every hotel address in Amsterdam count as Amsterdam, so the fixed airport price applies; the ride back to Schiphol is €80 in Business Class. There is no show-week surcharge. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. Booked less than 12 hours before pickup: +10%. At Schiphol 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.
Metstrade 2026 at a glance
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates | Tuesday, November 17 – Thursday, November 19, 2026 |
| Opening hours | Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00–18:00, Thursday 10:00–17:00 |
| Venue | RAI Amsterdam, Europaplein, 1078 GZ Amsterdam |
| The day before | The Superyacht Forum, Monday, November 16 – Tuesday, November 17, 2026, also at the RAI (how to plan that arrival) |
| Public transport named by the organizer | Trains between Schiphol and Amsterdam RAI station, a couple of minutes’ walk from the building; Metro 52 and tram 4 stop in front of the RAI |
Dates, hours and transport from metstrade.com, checked September 24, 2026. Re-check the organizer’s site before you travel.
Schiphol to the RAI: distance and drive
| Route | Road distance | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Schiphol → RAI Amsterdam | about 15 km | about 15 minutes on a clear road via the A4 and A10; longer at rush hour |
| RAI Amsterdam → Schiphol | about 16 km | similar, and slower in the evening peak — see leaving on the Thursday |
Distances from OpenStreetMap routing. We only publish time-of-day figures once they come from our own measured rides.
What is included in the price
- Flight tracking from the moment you book: an early or late landing moves the pickup, at no extra cost
- Your chauffeur inside the arrivals hall your flight feeds into, holding an iPad sign with your name (or a company name, or no name)
- A message or call from the chauffeur around landing, so you find each other quickly
- Luggage carried from the hall to the car, which waits in the Privium section at the front of P1, a covered walk of about two minutes
- The first 60 minutes of waiting at Schiphol
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car; English-speaking chauffeur and 24/7 dispatch
- Drop-off at the RAI’s passenger drop-off point (Lodge P7) — tell us your hall when you book
Train, metro or car to Metstrade?
When the train is fine
- You have a carry-on and a small bag and are going straight to the show or to a hotel next to the RAI.
- You land in daylight and don’t mind the short walk from Amsterdam RAI station to the entrance.
- When you buy a ticket, search for “Amsterdam RAI”, not just “RAI” — a tip from the directions page of another RAI show, HLTH Europe.
When a chauffeur is the better choice
- You have checked bags, a stand kit or product samples to bring.
- Your hotel is on the canals or elsewhere in Amsterdam, not beside the RAI: the fixed price is the same €90 to any Amsterdam address.
- You land early after an overnight flight and want to drop your bags at the hotel before the show opens.
- Several colleagues land together: one Van Class car takes up to 7 people and 7 bags for €125.
Metstrade’s own travel page lists the train, Metro 52 and tram 4. The only shuttle it mentions runs from the ring-road car parks for visitors who drive — not from Schiphol.
What happens when you land for Metstrade
- Book with your flight number. The price is fixed at booking and you get the chauffeur’s name, car and phone number before pickup, plus e-mail reminders 24 hours and 2 hours ahead.
- Passport control. Non-EU travelers, Americans included, register fingerprints and a photo under the EU Entry/Exit System; in August 2026 Schiphol reported average waits of one to two hours. See how waiting works.
- Meet in the arrivals hall. The chauffeur waits at the doors of the hall your flight feeds into, holding an iPad with your name, and messages you around landing.
- To the RAI or your hotel. A covered two-minute walk to the car in the Privium section of P1, then straight to the RAI’s drop-off at Lodge P7 or to your hotel.
Related questions
Is there a shuttle from Schiphol to Metstrade?
Not that the organizer lists. Metstrade’s travel page, checked September 24, 2026, names direct trains to Amsterdam RAI station, Metro 52 and tram 4, and a shuttle bus only from the ring-road car parks for visitors arriving by car.
How much is a car from Schiphol to the RAI during Metstrade week?
No show-week pricing: Business Class stays €90, Van Class €125, First Class €140 and the Maybach €250, VAT included, whoever and however many ride. The only change is +10% if you book less than 12 hours before pickup (€99 in Business Class).
Can I go straight from the plane to my stand with a suitcase?
Yes — the chauffeur drops you and your case at the RAI’s passenger drop-off at Lodge P7, in the middle of the complex. Storage is limited: see luggage storage at RAI Amsterdam.
When should I book?
As soon as you have your flight. Cancellation is free up to 1 hour before pickup, so booking early costs nothing if plans change, while booking within 12 hours of pickup adds 10%.
Is AmstelCab connected to Metstrade or to RAI Amsterdam?
No. AmstelCab is an independent Amsterdam chauffeur service, not an official supplier of Metstrade or RAI Amsterdam. Metstrade names RAI Hotel Services as its sole official accommodation partner and asks exhibitors not to engage third parties that contact them; we don’t contact exhibitors — you book us yourself.
Sources
- Metstrade — exhibition dates and opening hours (checked September 24, 2026)
- Metstrade — Your trip (train, Metro 52, tram 4, hotels) (checked September 24, 2026)
- The Superyacht Forum — dates and venue (checked September 24, 2026)
- HLTH Europe — directions to the RAI (checked September 24, 2026)
- NL Times — "Schiphol says new border controls are causing one- to two-hour waits" (August 13, 2026) (checked September 24, 2026)
- OpenStreetMap road routing (OSRM) — distances quoted as “about … km” (checked September 24, 2026)
- RAI Amsterdam — frequently asked questions (cloakroom, lockers, drop-off at Lodge P7, wheelchairs, travel times) (checked September 24, 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.