Air transportation

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is optimally situated at about three hours’ flying time from all points in Europe and connects 284 destinations worldwide. Only a 15-minute drive from Amsterdam City Center, the airport is also one of the most accessible in Europe, with modern road, rail and air links, offering connections via private or public transport to cities in several countries. The High Speed Railway Line (HSL), which stops at Schiphol as well as Amsterdam center, will reduce travel time to other major European hubs such as Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt and Munich by 2011. A feasibility study is currently being conducted on a dedicated freight railway terminal  directly south of the cargo areas to plan options for ongoing air cargo transport by fast lane or high speed rail. 

Because of the airport’s excellent flight frequency, network of connections and accessibility, the airport region is a favored location for companies. Over 1,750 foreign companies are located within the Amsterdam Metropolitan  Area, and all are perfectly positioned to do business throughout Europe - and beyond! And Schiphol continues to grow. The additional 85,000 m2 under construction for cargo processing will increase total cargo space to 460,000 m2 by 2015.

Asia is the most important market for Amsterdam Airport Schiphol,, with approximately 45% of total air cargo volume transported to and from this region. With a 16% share of total cargo volume, North America is the second largest market for the airport.

Schiphol has been honored with numerous awards as best cargo airport thanks to the high quality of its cargo facilities and its efficient cargo transfer process, as best passenger airport thanks to its customer orientation and in the category best airport website thanks to its user-friendly environment and abundance of relevant passenger and airport visitor information, and range of language options.

In addition to Schiphol, the Netherlands has several regional airports, of which Maastricht Aachen Airport (MAA) is the second-largest hub for cargo flights and handled 82,000 tons of cargo in 2009. Despite the tough economic climate the airport has managed to establish new cargo services to the main cargo hubs in the Far East and South America. This has resulted in record volumes during the last months of 2009 as well as the first quarter of 2010. Together with their dedicated handling agent (Maastricht Handling Services) and Businesspark, MAA offers a complete solution for freight and has built up an excellent reputation in perishables and live stock, two particular markets where handling with speed and care is of the utmost importance.