Wheelchairs and difficulty walking

Schiphol has the appropriate services and facilities for everyone flying from the airport who has difficulty walking or who uses a wheelchair. If you travel independently, you can use a loan wheelchair for free or make use of a self-driving wheelchair. You can also receive assistance and be taken to your plane by caddy. Would you like assistance? Be sure to request this from your airline in time so we can accommodate your journey. When you get to Schiphol, first report to the check-in desk of your flight or go to a call point.

PRM assistance wheelchair parking

Travel independently

If you would like to travel independently but covering long distances is challenging, perhaps because you have difficulty walking, the following facilities are available:

  • Loan wheelchairs: Upon arrival at the airport, wheelchairs for public use are available, free of charge. You can find them on the walkway from car park P1 to the arrival hall and at Schiphol Plaza next to the lift that takes you to the train station.
  • Self-driving wheelchair: After the border check there are self-driving wheelchairs you can use free of charge. They can take you to your gate from a fixed departure point in Lounge 2 or Lounge 3. You just need to select your gate number, and you'll be dropped off at the right place. The wheelchair then automatically drives back to the starting point. Want to know where you can find the self-driving wheelchairs? Look at the map and search for 'Self-driving Service'.

Request assistance

If you cannot walk long distances, climb stairs and are completely dependent on your wheelchair, please request assistance when flying. You should preferably do this immediately when you book your flight ticket with your airline, or at least 48 hours before your flight departs. Please note that your waiting time may be longer if you are not registered in advance.

Flying with an electric wheelchair

Are you travelling with an electric wheelchair? Always let your airline know. Your wheelchair can travel with you free of charge, but it’s important that you request this in advance. You should also provide the airline with the specifications of your wheelchair (such as dimensions and battery size).

What assistance will I get?

Tell your airline about your assistance needs. This could be the inability to walk long distances, having a visual or auditive disability, temporarily or permanently needing to use a wheelchair or having a form of autism. Try to be as specific as possible.

Based on that information, the airline will request the kind of assistance you need using a code. With this code, we know which assistance we can provide at Schiphol. Please feel free to tell us about your preferences. We are happy to tailor the assistance we provide to your personal situation.

Using your own wheelchair at Schiphol

Travelling with your own wheelchair? You can use it at Schiphol right up to the aircraft door. In the plane, there's only enough space for a special wheelchair that can fit in the aisle. The assistant helps you into the special wheelchair and brings you to your seat in the plane. We help you into your seat and stow your hand baggage. Your own wheelchair goes into the aircraft's baggage hold.

Need help from the car park?

If you have difficulty getting to the check-in desk for your flight, please use the pick-up service. An assistant can pick you up and guide you from the train station, bus stop, taxi stand or one of the car parks at Schiphol. To make use of this service, report to a call point. You can find the locations of the 27 call points here.

Tip!

If you need help at Schiphol before checking in, use the pick-up service. Please report your arrival and request in advance to assistance provider Axxicom Airport Caddy by sending a message to assistentie@airportcaddy.nl. This is not mandatory, but allows us to properly prepare our pick-up service.

Facilities if you have difficulty walking

  • Loan wheelchairs. There are wheelchairs for public use at the airport, all free of charge. You will find these wheelchairs on the walkway from car park P1 to the arrival hall. At Schiphol Plaza, the loan wheelchairs are located next to the lift to the train station. The use of loan wheelchairs is not a form of guided assistance – you do not have to request anything for this.

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