VISA AND OTHER PROCEDURES
European Union citizens only need a valid citizen card but can also use a valid passport to enter the Netherlands. Citizens of other countries may need a Schengen visa to enter the Netherlands even if only for tourist purposes.
HEALTH CARE
No vaccines or boosters are noteworthy for visits to the Netherlands. For more information on travel health care in FitForTravel (In English).
Take your European Health Insurance Card with you so that you can enjoy healthcare at a reduced cost and with special conditions, in case you have any unexpected problems.
TRAVEL TO NETHERLANDS
A TAP has several daily direct flights from Lisbon and Porto to Amsterdam. If purchased well in advance and at strategic times, the round trip flight can cost you just over €100. Other companies with direct flights from Lisbon and/or Porto to Amsterdam are Easyjet, Transavia and Ryanair who fly from Lisbon and Porto to Eindhoven. The latter have, as a rule, lower prices but charge extra for luggage that is too bulky or too heavy than just the conventional hand-held bag.
The Netherlands has a near-perfect transport system that reaches even the smallest towns. A rechargeable electronic card called OV Chipkaart it can be purchased and used in various types of transport.
INTERNAL FLIGHTS
Due à In a small area of the country, commercial domestic flights never made sense within the Netherlands and are, by and large, non-existent.
TRAIN
The basis of this system is the rail network which is modern, functional but somewhat expensive, with the km costing upwards of €0.25. Tickets must be purchased before boarding the train otherwise they may cost you your price (without discounts) plus a 35€ fine. Traveling by train from the far north of the country to the south takes about 4 and a half hours.
European visitors interested in exploring the most of the Netherlands (possibly also Belgium and Luxembourg) can choose to purchase the pass Interrail to the corresponding European zone. Non-European citizens can buy the Eurail corresponding.
BUSES
The railway network is complemented with bus service operated by different companies.
METRO
Amsterdam and Rotterdam have a metro. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht have tram networks.
CAR RENTAL
The Netherlands also has excellent conditions for exploring by car or caravan but bear in mind that parking in city centers can be scarce and very expensive, €3 to €8 or more per hour. For this reason, if you only plan to visit cities, a car will never be a good option.
A mini or economy car can cost as little as €15 per day outside high season, even less if the rental is extended over several days. In high season, prices increase considerably. Also remember that the Netherlands has very high fuel prices.
OTHER
Cycling is a predominant mode of transport in the ever-flat Netherlands with dedicated lanes that should not be occupied or traversed by pedestrians. Bicycle theft is, however, a serious problem, largely aggravated by the action of drug addicts. Use more than one padlock of different types always locked around a post or other fixed and solid urban structure. If you are away for more than a day, store your bicycle in parks guarded from train, bus or city center stations.
End of April to end of September is the interval in which you can expect higher temperatures (maximum of 18º to 23º) and – even far from guaranteed – sunny days.
The high season runs from June to the end of August.
The low season extends between November and March when temperatures can remain negative and rain or snow is very likely and can prove to be long lasting.
The Dutch currency is the Euro (EUR). ATMs are abundant throughout the country. Credit card payments are common everywhere. The Netherlands has a much higher cost of living than the Portuguese and that, in cities and other tourist towns, is greatly inflated by the invasion of visitors during the high season months.
ACCOMMODATION
It abounds in all shapes and sizes, especially in the most touristic cities and towns in the country. The cheapest are Dutch Youth Hostels (known as Stay Okay) and Bed & Breakfast. The first have prices starting at around €15 per night per person in the most spartan rooms, with shared bathroom. Bed & Breakfasts are common both in cities and in the countryside and can cost from €35 to €150 per night, per person, depending on location and time of year.
The short-term rental of apartments or houses to private individuals via specialized websites has also become popular. This practice is very popular in the Netherlands and, as such, it includes all kinds of prices and conditions. Cyclists or those exploring the Netherlands on foot can also rely on a network of accommodation in private houses with more than 4000 addresses. In this network called Vrienden op de Fiets, each night of stay costs from €20.
FOOD
The Netherlands is not exactly known for the excellence of its national cuisine, but many traditional dishes are interesting enough to surprise the most curious visitors. In the biggest cities and towns you will find plenty of restaurants with specialties from Europe and around the world, including Indonesians – Indonesia was a Dutch colony – and the Dutch territories and former territories of the Caribbean.
At the base of culinary excellence are Febo-style automatic ready-to-eat snack chains where for a few euros you can eat a fried meal, almost always too oily. On the opposite pole are the best sophisticated restaurants in Amsterdam and other major cities where a meal can cost several hundred euros.
INTERNET
As a country always at the forefront in terms of technology, the Netherlands has an abundant, reliable and extremely fast Internet. Unlike other technologically advanced countries – for example Japan – almost all private and business networks are closed to password holders. Your guest-house, inn, hotel or private apartment will certainly have a network for your use, otherwise you can use a Smart Phone, Tablet or laptop in a cafe or in strategic areas that municipalities have public networks. Even so, there are still several cybercafés in cities with average navigation costs of €1 to €2 per hour.
Alternatively, buy a SIM card from one of the many Dutch telecommunications operators and associate it with a suitable tariff for your length of stay and the Dutch territory visited. SIMs are usually free. The tariffs are many and change all the time, but they can be considered on a par with what is practiced all over Western Europe.