Eindhoven Airport (EIN) is now the Netherlands’ second-busiest airport, handling close to 7 million passengers a year, and for a huge number of travellers it is their first taste of the country. Ryanair, Wizz Air, Transavia and TUI fly Netherlands all operate substantial schedules from its single terminal, connecting Eindhoven with more than 70 destinations across Europe and North Africa, which means the airport sees a constant flow of budget-conscious leisure travellers landing at odd hours and needing a fast, affordable way into the city.

Unlike Amsterdam Schiphol, Eindhoven Airport has no railway station of its own. It sits around 7.5km west of Eindhoven city centre, close to the suburbs of Veldhoven and Meerhoven, just off the A2 motorway. That single fact shapes almost every transfer decision covered in this guide: getting into town means a bus, a taxi, a pre-booked private transfer, or your own hire car, and each has a genuinely different trade-off in terms of speed, cost and convenience.

The good news is that Eindhoven is a compact, well-organised city and the airport-to-centre run is short by international standards. Even the cheapest option gets you to Eindhoven Centraal railway station in well under half an hour, and from there the city’s main sights, hotels and restaurants are almost all within easy walking distance or a short tram-free stroll. This guide compares every practical way to make that journey, with real route numbers, realistic journey times and honest cost ranges, so you can pick the transfer that actually suits your trip rather than guessing at the taxi rank.

We also cover what to expect once you land, how to continue onward to other Dutch and Benelux cities such as Maastricht, Tilburg or Amsterdam, and a planning note that matters if you are booking travel for early-to-mid 2027, when the airport is scheduled to close entirely for runway works. Whether you are arriving on a 6am Wizz Air flight from Central Europe or a late Ryanair service from Southern Europe, you will find a workable answer below.

Here is how the four main ways of getting between Eindhoven Airport and the city centre compare at a glance. Costs are per journey unless stated otherwise, and journey times assume normal traffic conditions on the A2 corridor.

Transfer Option	Typical Journey Time	Cost	Best For
Bus (Hermes 400/401)	20-30 minutes to Eindhoven Centraal	Approx. €2.75-5.50 per person	Budget travellers and solo flyers with light luggage
Taxi	15-20 minutes to the centre	Approx. €25-40 flat or metered	Late arrivals, groups of 2-4, direct hotel drop-off
Private Transfer	15-20 minutes to the centre	Approx. €45-75 per vehicle	Families, business travellers, guaranteed meet-and-greet
Car Hire	15-25 minutes depending on destination	Approx. €25-60+ per day plus fuel	Onward road trips, rural stays, flexible multi-city itineraries

Bus: Hermes Lines 400 and 401

The bus is the workhorse transfer for Eindhoven Airport and by far the option most locals and budget travellers use. Two Hermes-operated bus lines run directly between the airport forecourt and Eindhoven Centraal railway station: line 400, the faster, more direct service, and line 401, which makes additional stops along the way, including at the Woensel shopping district. Both depart from clearly signposted stops immediately outside the arrivals hall, so there is no need to walk to a separate bus station.

Line 400 typically covers the route in around 20 minutes, while the all-stops 401 takes closer to 25-30 minutes depending on traffic and time of day. Both run frequently, roughly every 10-15 minutes through the day, tapering to a reduced service in the very early morning and late evening, so you will rarely wait long even after a delayed flight. A third option, bus line 20, connects the airport to Best NS railway station rather than Eindhoven Centraal, which can be useful if your onward train happens to depart from Best, though most visitors heading into the city should stick with the 400 or 401.

Fares work on the same OV-chipkaart tap-in, tap-out system used across Dutch public transport. Tapping a contactless bank card or OV-chipkaart typically brings the fare down to somewhere around €2.75-3.50 for the journey, while a paper single ticket bought from the driver costs more, generally in the €4.50-5.50 range. If you already hold or plan to buy an NS Day Ticket for onward rail travel that day, check whether it also covers the connecting bus, as combined tickets are sometimes available at the airport information desk.

The main downside of the bus is luggage space. These are standard city buses with only a small dedicated rack near the front doors, so if you are travelling with a large suitcase for each member of a family of four, expect to squeeze bags into the aisle or hold them on your lap during busier periods. It is a perfectly manageable option for one or two people with cabin baggage, but groups with a lot of hold luggage may find a taxi or private transfer less stressful.

Once you arrive at Eindhoven Centraal, you are effectively in the city centre already. The station sits at the northern edge of the pedestrianised shopping district, a five-minute walk from De Witte Dame, the DAF Museum and the main squares covered in our guide to things to do in Eindhoven, so there is no need for a second local transfer for most hotels and attractions.

Taxi Transfers from Eindhoven Airport

A staffed taxi rank operates directly outside the terminal building, and it is the fastest way to get into Eindhoven without booking anything in advance. Journey time into the centre is typically 15-20 minutes via the A2 and the Boschdijk or Kennedylaan approach roads, and drivers know the main hotel districts well. This makes taxis a sensible choice if you land late at night after the buses have thinned out, or if you are simply too tired to navigate a public bus with luggage.

Pricing is generally metered rather than fixed, though several licensed operators serving the rank quote flat rates for the airport-to-centre run, typically in the region of €25-40 for a standard saloon carrying up to four passengers. Prices creep up for larger vehicles, for destinations further out than the immediate centre, or for pickups in the small hours. As with most Dutch airports, card payment is standard and widely accepted, so you should not need cash.

Ride-hailing apps including Uber also operate in the Eindhoven region and can sometimes undercut the rank taxis, though availability is less consistent than in Amsterdam or Rotterdam, particularly late at night or very early in the morning when the airport’s low-cost flight schedule is at its busiest. If you are relying on an app-based ride, it is worth checking coverage for your arrival time before you land rather than assuming a car will be waiting.

Taxis make the most sense for couples or small groups arriving outside normal bus hours, for anyone with mobility considerations, or when the time saved over the bus is worth the extra cost. For a family with four large suitcases, the taxi fare split between two or three people can end up costing barely more per head than separate bus tickets, while removing the hassle of manoeuvring bags on and off a bus.

Private Transfers and Meet-and-Greet Services

A pre-booked private transfer is the closest thing to a guaranteed, stress-free arrival. Several operators offer fixed-price transfers from Eindhoven Airport, booked online in advance, with an English-speaking driver waiting in the arrivals hall holding a sign with your name, flight number tracked in case of delays, and a set price agreed before you travel with no meter running and no surprise surcharges.

Journey time is comparable to a taxi, around 15-20 minutes to the city centre, but the price is typically a little higher, generally somewhere in the range of €45-55 for a standard sedan carrying up to three passengers with luggage, rising to roughly €60-75 for a larger minivan suitable for groups of up to seven or families with multiple suitcases and buggies. The premium over a rank taxi buys certainty: your driver waits even if the flight is delayed, and there is no risk of arriving to a long taxi queue on a busy Friday evening when several low-cost flights land in quick succession.

This option suits business travellers who need a predictable, expensable cost on an invoice, families who want to book everything before they fly rather than negotiate on arrival, and anyone landing very late or very early when public transport frequency drops. It is also worth considering if you are travelling with young children and need a proper child seat, which most private transfer operators can provide on request, unlike a rank taxi.

If your itinerary includes multiple Dutch cities, some private transfer companies will also quote for longer point-to-point journeys, for example directly from Eindhoven Airport to Maastricht, Tilburg or Den Bosch, which can work out more convenient than a transfer plus a separate train ticket if you are travelling as a group of three or four with heavy luggage.

Book Your Airport Transfer with Welcome Pickups

Arriving in a new destination can be stressful, especially after a long flight. Welcome Pickups lets you pre-book a private airport transfer, so your driver is ready and waiting when you land.

It is ideal for first-time visitors, late-night arrivals, and travellers who want a smooth, reliable start to their trip. Instead of searching for taxis or navigating public transport, you can head straight to your accommodation.

Book with Welcome Pickups

Want to compare prices first? You can also check these trusted airport transfer providers before making your booking.

Compare with GetTransfer Compare with Holiday Taxis

Car Hire at Eindhoven Airport

For visitors planning to explore beyond Eindhoven itself, hiring a car at the airport is a practical option, and it is one of the easier airports in the Netherlands to do this at, since the terminal is small enough that rental desks and pickup points are only a short walk from arrivals. Major international brands including Sixt, Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Enterprise, National and Alamo all operate from Eindhoven Airport, with desks either inside the terminal or at a short shuttle-bus ride away depending on the operator.

Daily rates for a compact car typically start from around €25-35 in the off-season, rising to €45-60 or more during summer weekends and school holidays, before fuel, insurance add-ons and any one-way drop-off fees. Booking ahead through a comparison site rather than walking up to a desk on arrival almost always secures a meaningfully better rate, particularly for peak-season pickups when local stock runs low quickly given how many low-cost flights land within the same hour.

The airport’s location just off the A2 motorway is genuinely convenient for road trips: Eindhoven city centre is a 15-20 minute drive, Tilburg and Den Bosch are both under 40 minutes, and Maastricht is around an hour south via the A2, making a hire car a sensible choice if you are planning to combine an Eindhoven stay with day trips covered in our guide to day trips from Eindhoven. The Belgian border is also close, with Antwerp reachable in roughly an hour.

Do bear in mind that central Eindhoven has an increasing number of low-emission and restricted-access zones, and parking in the pedestrianised centre is limited and metered, so a car is far more useful for exploring the wider region than for getting around the city itself. If your trip is entirely city-based, one of the transfer options above followed by walking or the local bus network will almost always be cheaper and less hassle than renting a car you barely use.

Compare Car Hire Prices

If you’re planning to explore beyond the airport, hiring a car gives you the freedom to travel at your own pace. Comparing prices before you book can often save money while helping you find the right vehicle for your journey.

Compare prices from two trusted car hire comparison websites to search thousands of vehicles from leading rental companies, compare rental conditions, and find the best deal for your trip.

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Getting to Eindhoven Centraal Station and Onward by Train

It is worth repeating clearly, because it catches out first-time visitors: Eindhoven Airport does not have its own railway station. Unlike Schiphol, where you can walk straight off the plane and onto a train platform, here you must first take the bus (or a taxi or transfer) into the city to reach Eindhoven Centraal, the region’s main NS railway hub, before any onward train journey begins.

Once at Eindhoven Centraal, connections are excellent. Direct intercity trains run north to ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Utrecht, continuing to Amsterdam Centraal in around 80-90 minutes total, and south towards Maastricht in around an hour and a quarter. If your trip combines Eindhoven with the Dutch capital, our guide to things to do in Amsterdam and day trips from Amsterdam are useful next reads, and travellers planning a wider Benelux rail trip may also want to look at the Interrail Benelux Pass, which covers the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg on a single ticket.

Tickets for the onward train can be bought at self-service machines at Eindhoven Centraal, through the NS app, or with a contactless bank card tapped directly on the platform gates, which is usually the simplest option for visitors without a Dutch OV-chipkaart. If you plan to make several train journeys within a single day, comparing the cost against a NS Day Ticket or the Holland Travel Ticket can work out cheaper than paying per journey.

Travelling On to Other Dutch and Belgian Cities

Eindhoven’s location in the southern Netherlands, close to the Belgian border, makes it a genuinely useful gateway for a wider regional trip rather than a single-city stopover. Maastricht, with its distinctive Limburg character and cross-border position near Belgium and Germany, is around an hour away by direct train or car via the A2, and readers combining the two cities should also check our guide to Maastricht Airport transfers, since Maastricht Aachen Airport is scheduled to pick up additional flights during Eindhoven’s planned 2027 closure period.

Tilburg and Den Bosch, both under 40 minutes away by train, make easy half-day additions if you have a free afternoon, while Antwerp across the Belgian border is reachable in roughly an hour by car or a slightly longer cross-border train journey. For visitors who want to see multiple regions of the Netherlands and Belgium on one trip, the Interrail Benelux Pass is worth comparing against individual point-to-point tickets, particularly if Eindhoven is one stop among several.

If Amsterdam is also on your itinerary, note that Eindhoven and Amsterdam are served by two entirely separate airports, so it is worth double-checking which one your return flight actually departs from before booking a transfer. Travellers flying in and out of Schiphol on a different leg of the same trip should read our Schiphol Airport transfers guide for that side of the journey.

What to Expect on Arrival

Eindhoven Airport has a single, fairly compact terminal, which keeps the walk from the gate to arrivals short compared with larger hub airports. That said, because it is such a busy base for low-cost carriers, arrivals halls can get genuinely crowded when two or three flights land within the same 30-minute window, which is common in the early morning and around peak holiday departures. Passport and security queues can build quickly at these pinch points, so it is worth building in some buffer time if you have a tight onward connection.

The terminal has a modest but useful range of facilities: a handful of cafes and fast-food outlets, a small selection of shops including a pharmacy and newsagent, currency exchange, and free Wi-Fi throughout. A terminal expansion project has been underway to increase the building’s footprint from around 27,300 to 35,000 square metres, aimed specifically at reducing congestion at peak times, so facilities should continue to improve over the life of this guide.

One planning note that is genuinely important if you are booking travel more than a few months out: Eindhoven Airport is scheduled to close completely between February and mid-July 2027 for essential runway resurfacing and taxiway works, since the airport shares its single runway with the adjoining military air base. Transavia has already confirmed it will shift its winter 2026/27 schedule to Weeze Airport in Germany and to Maastricht Aachen Airport during the closure window, and Ryanair and Wizz Air are expected to announce their own alternative arrangements closer to the date. If your travel dates fall within that period, check your airline’s confirmation carefully rather than assuming you will depart from Eindhoven as normal.

Which Transfer Option Is Best for You?

If your only priority is cost and you are travelling light, the Hermes 400 or 401 bus is the clear winner. At a fraction of the price of a taxi, with frequent departures and a journey of well under half an hour, it is hard to beat for solo travellers and couples with cabin baggage who do not mind a five-minute wait at the stop outside arrivals.

If you land late, arrive with a group, or simply want the fastest door-to-door option without booking in advance, a rank taxi is the sensible middle ground: a modest premium over the bus buys you door-to-door speed and no luggage juggling. For anyone who wants total certainty, particularly families, business travellers on an expense account, or those arriving on a delayed evening flight, a pre-booked private transfer removes the guesswork entirely, with a driver tracking your flight and waiting regardless of delays.

Car hire earns its cost only if you plan to leave Eindhoven itself, whether that is a loop through Tilburg and Den Bosch, a trip south to Maastricht, or a cross-border run into Belgium. For a city-only stay, renting a car you cannot easily park or use in the pedestrianised centre is a false economy, and one of the other three options will serve you better. In short: bus for budget and light luggage, taxi for speed and small groups, private transfer for certainty and comfort, car hire for exploring the wider region.

Rupert’s Handy Travel Tips

Eindhoven Airport is small and efficient, but a little planning goes a long way when several low-cost flights land at once.

Have a contactless card ready: tapping in and out with a bank card on the Hermes 400 or 401 bus is usually cheaper than buying a paper ticket from the driver, and saves fumbling for cash.
Pack light if you’re taking the bus: luggage racks are small, so a family with several large suitcases will have a far easier time in a taxi or pre-booked transfer.
Book transfers ahead for late or early flights: the airport’s busiest low-cost schedules land very early or late in the day, exactly when bus frequency drops and taxi queues can form.
Double-check which airport you’re flying from: Eindhoven and Amsterdam Schiphol are entirely separate airports over 100km apart, so confirm your return flight’s departure point before arranging transport.
Watch the 2027 closure dates if booking ahead: the airport is due to shut for runway works between February and July 2027, so double-check your airline’s plans if your trip falls in that window.

Want to meet the reindeer behind our travel tips? Find out more in our page Who is Rupert?.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a train station at Eindhoven Airport?
No. Eindhoven Airport has no railway station of its own. You need to take the Hermes 400 or 401 bus, a taxi, or a private transfer into Eindhoven Centraal station before continuing by train, unlike Amsterdam Schiphol which has a direct rail link.

How much does the bus from Eindhoven Airport to the city centre cost?
Tapping a contactless bank card or OV-chipkaart on the Hermes 400 or 401 typically costs around €2.75-3.50, while a paper single ticket bought from the driver is more, usually around €4.50-5.50.

How long does it take to get from Eindhoven Airport to Eindhoven Centraal?
The direct bus 400 takes around 20 minutes, the all-stops bus 401 around 25-30 minutes, and a taxi or private transfer around 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic on the A2 corridor.

Is it worth taking a taxi instead of the bus?
For solo travellers with light luggage, the bus is cheaper and nearly as fast. For groups of two to four with heavy suitcases, or anyone arriving late at night, a taxi is often worth the extra cost for the door-to-door convenience.

Can I book a private transfer in advance for Eindhoven Airport?
Yes. Several operators offer fixed-price, pre-booked transfers with an English-speaking driver waiting in arrivals and flight tracking in case of delays, typically priced from around €45-55 for a standard car.

Which car hire companies operate at Eindhoven Airport?
Sixt, Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Enterprise, National and Alamo all have desks at or near the terminal. Booking online in advance rather than at the counter almost always secures a better rate.

Is Eindhoven Airport the same as Amsterdam Schiphol?
No, they are separate airports more than 100km apart. Eindhoven Airport serves the southern Netherlands and is the country’s second-busiest, while Schiphol serves Amsterdam. Always confirm which airport your flight uses.

Will Eindhoven Airport be open in 2027?
The airport is scheduled to close completely between February and mid-July 2027 for runway renovation work. Transavia has confirmed it will temporarily relocate winter 2026/27 flights to Weeze and Maastricht Aachen airports during this period; check with your airline if your travel dates fall in this window.

Last updated

August 2026.

We regularly review this guide to ensure bus routes, fares, taxi and transfer prices, car hire options and airport facilities at Eindhoven Airport remain accurate and up to date, and we will update this page as further details about the planned 2027 runway closure and any airline relocations are confirmed.

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Tagged:Eindhoven Europe - Western Netherlands

Rupert

Globetrotter (60+ countries) & Bow-Tie enthusiast. Hotel pillow connoisseur, breakfast buffet enthusiast, and firm believer in the window seat. Loves exploring off the beaten track followed by a decent slice of cake.