Living near Schiphol with irregular hours: a guide for airline crew
If you fly for a living, where you live works differently. A report time at six in the morning, a landing just before midnight, a day of sleep after a night flight: your home has to fit around a roster, not the other way round. Here is how Nieuw-Vennep fits that life, from people who live here.
What matters when your hours are irregular
- A reliable way to the airport that does not depend on rush hour.
- More than one option, so a delayed train or a flat tyre is not a problem.
- A quiet street, so you can sleep when everyone else is at work or school.
- Shops close by for when you get home at odd times and the fridge is empty.
Three ways to Schiphol
Train. Nieuw-Vennep station has direct trains to Schiphol Airport in 10 minutes. From our street that is about 25 minutes door to door, including a 12-minute bike ride to the station.
Bus. R-net line 397 stops 100 m from the house and reaches Schiphol in about 20 minutes. It runs on its own bus lane, so it is not held up by traffic on the roads. There is a park and ride at the end of the line, 700 m away.
Car. The N207 and the A4 take you to Hoofddorp in about 15 minutes and on to Schiphol. Many homes in Getsewoud, including ours, have parking on a private driveway, so you are not looking for a space after a long trip.
Check current timetables on ns.nl or 9292.nl, especially for very early and very late trips.
Sleeping during the day
Getsewoud is a residential area built around water and green space. Through traffic goes around the neighbourhoods rather than through them, so the streets are calm. Homes here are family houses on three floors, which makes it easy to have a bedroom on a quiet side of the house.
Coming home at odd hours
Getsewoud shopping centre is 950 m away, about 15 minutes on foot, with an Albert Heijn, a Lidl, fresh food shops and a chemist. After a long trip it is nice not to have to drive for groceries. And on a day off, the Venneperhout woodland park and the polder are right on your doorstep for a run or a bike ride.
Room for a crew household
Crew households often have more going on than one roster: a partner who works regular hours, children at school, family visiting from abroad. A house with four bedrooms gives you a guest room or a room to sleep in after a night flight, without waking the rest of the house.
Is it for you?
Nieuw-Vennep suits crew who want a calm home base close to the airport, with a real house and garden rather than a city apartment. If you want nightlife around the corner after a trip, Amsterdam or Haarlem will suit you better.
More on travel times is on our getting around page. If you are also comparing towns, read Nieuw-Vennep or Hoofddorp?