Travel Tips

There are many questions on the forum about the possibility to visit Amsterdam if you have a few hours layover in Amsterdam airport.
Do remember you'll need time to check in again and before you do leave the airport, check if you actually are allowed to/can leave and come back in again.

An excellent printable guide you can find here (15 pages, PDF).
Add to that this link to more advice on how to organise your layover.

Depending on your time you can do the following:

Depending on the train it is 16-19 minutes to Amsterdam Central.
Buy a return ticket for 6.40 euro (single trip 3.80 euro).
There are 6 trains per hour.

There's exact information in the Transportation tips on my Netherlands page. Most important is that you can buy your train ticket even before you go out of the luggage retrieval section (with cash euro's which you can get at the ATM which is also in the luggage retrieval area). It takes 5 minutes to walk from your arrival gate to the train station INSIDE the airport.

You'll find everythig to be easy and convenient.

You don't need further transportation, when you arrive in Amsterdam. Walking is the best thing to do. Or catch a tram (ask the driver).

Once you come out of Central Station main entrance in Amsterdam, I would suggest you walk straight on along Damrak to the Dam (big square) where you'll find the Palace on the Dam (which you can visit), the New Church (you can visit that too, there are usually exhibitions), Madame Tussaud's....
if you cross the Dam in a straight line from Damrak, you'll pass along Rokin and end up at Muntplein. From there you can start along the Flower Market which is nice.

Another option is coming out of Central Station and walk straight on, cross the first street past Victoria Hotel on your right and then take a first left, and you're in the Red Light District.

Have fun!

Of course it's up to you to decide if you have time enough or not.
Depending on your travel schedule, I'd say with a 2-4 hour layover: don't do it. But if you have more, it's worth a try to have a little Amsterdam experience.
But first DO check if you can check back in and how long that would take. I thnk it will depend on from where you are and to where you are flying. You may need to calculate 1 or 2 hours to be able to check back in again.
Watch out for pickpockets in Amsterdam!

Schiphol is large but also well laid-out and you can easily spend a few hours there without being bored.

I'd be happy to hear any experiences because as a Dutchie I have no layovers myself at Amsterdam of course. I just go home.

Have fun!