Summer vacation: 7% more travelers expected at Schiphol, busy roads from tomorrow

Schiphol expects a busier summer holiday. The airport is expecting 13 million travelers until the end of August, over 7 percent more than last year. The ANWB expects that the Dutch roads will be very busy on Friday and the rest of the weekend due to the start of the summer holidays in the south of the country. Traffic may already be at a standstill from noon on Friday.

Schiphol expects over 200,000 travelers per day this summer, including departing, arriving, and transferring passengers. Travelers should take into account that they may have to wait longer at check-in, security checks, or passport control this summer.

The busiest departure day will be on Monday, July 21, with 86,000 travellers. This summer, most holidaymakers will be leaving for Spain, the United Kingdom, and Greece. Italy, the United States, and Turkey are also popular destinations.

Schiphol advises everyone to be well prepared when they travel. Make use of the free option to book a time slot at security, the airport advises. Travelers can also receive notifications about their flight via WhatsApp, such as gate changes, delays, and boarding information. Schiphol also reminded travelers that power banks are not allowed in hold luggage and must be carried in hand luggage.

The Koninklijke Marechaussee (KMar) calculated on Wednesday that over 5.8 million travelers will pass through passport control from July 4 to August 31. For a smooth journey, travelers are advised to check in advance whether their travel documents are still valid and whether they have any outstanding fines. “No matter how busy it gets, we will not make any concession to safety at Schiphol,” said major Michiel van Leeuwen, responsible for border control at the KMar, a policing force that works as part of the Dutch military and is responsible for border security.

Road users can also expect more traffic jams from tomorrow due to holidaymakers making their way to their destination by car. The ANWB predicts the most delays on the roads in Noord-Brabant, in the middle of the country, in Gelderland, and on the A2 and A27 from Utrecht to the south tomorrow. Border controls are causing extra delays at the German borders. The ANWB also warns about the roadworks on the south side of Amsterdam. These have been causing long traffic jams in and around the capital for days.

Rijkswaterstaat also warned road users about extra traffic. “Many people leave immediately after school, which means that rush hour can start early on Friday afternoon,” the agency said. The road authority also warned that roadworks are being carried out in many places in the Netherlands.