I’m Abi and I’m Kate and this is the Holiday Extras guide to Amsterdam. We’ll be telling
you all the essential information you’ll need before you arrive.
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. It’s about a four and a half hours’ journey
by Eurostar or it’s just an hour’s flight from London.
It’s one of the most popular destinations in Europe. Millions of people are drawn in
by the laid-back culture, hundreds of museums and galleries and, of course, the famous Red
Light District, home to legalised prostitution and soft drugs.
Amsterdam is served by Amsterdam Schiphol, the world’s fifth busiest airport. It’s
not far from the city and there are trains, buses or taxis to take you the short journey
to the centre. Trains take about 20 minutes to Amsterdam Centraal Station and you can
get tickets on Schiphol Plaza outside Arrivals. There are ten train stations in Amsterdam,
so make sure you get to the one that’s nearest your hotel. We found the train to be quick,
efficient and cheap. It’s definitely our recommended way to get in to the city.
You can take the 197 bus from bus stop B9 outside the airport. It takes about 40 minutes
to get to the city centre. The bus was crowded and we had to stand the whole way, so we’d
only recommend it if you’re staying in the south.
You can book a taxi on Schiphol.nl. However, taxis are expensive and will cost you around
€50.
Amsterdam’s fairly compact, with most sites within easy walking distance of each other.
You can get from Centraal Station down to Van Gogh Museum in the south, for example, in around
40 minutes by foot. However, there are lots of ways to get around the city quickly if
you prefer.
The tram is usually your best option. The stops are frequent and tickets are cheap.
There are maps at every stop but we recommend downloading GVB’s app to help plan your
route. When it comes to tickets, we recommend getting an iamsterdam card. It gives you unlimited
use of public transport, as well as free entry to many of the city’s hundreds of attractions
and museums. You can either get it online before you travel or pick it up once you get
here. And don’t forget, always tap in and out when using the tram.
If you’re feeling brave and want to see Amsterdam the local way, then you can do what
we did and rent a bike for the day. We hired from Star Bikes, which is a five minute walk
from the Centraal Station.
Amsterdam is the most bike-friendly capital city in the world and it shows. All roads
have dedicated cycle paths and riding round the city was surprisingly easy, even in the
rain! The locals can be quite impatient with tourists, so we recommend waiting until you’ve
been in Amsterdam for a day or two, just so you can get a feel for how the system works.
Remember to treat the cycle lanes as you would a normal road back home. Obey the traffic
lights and stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings. You’ll see lots of locals ignoring the rules
but you’ll be okay if you stick to them.
Amsterdam Oost, or East, is less touristy than some other parts of the city. We’ve
heard the food at the Dappermarkt is well worth a try. Nearby you can try local beer
and take a tour at the brewery.
De Pijp has the widest variety of restaurants and bars. We’d suggest checking out the
Albert Cuypmarkt for some Dutch stroopwafels. The Marie Heinekenplein is also here, home
to lots of bars and the Heineken brewery. Foodies, De Pijp is for you.
De Wallen is home to Amsterdam’s Red Light District, made famous by its coffee shops
and legalised prostitution. There are many companies offering tours of the area that’ll
show you its many secrets. We recommend AmsterdamRedLightDistrictTour.com. They provided us with a fun and informative
tour and were happy to answer all of our many questions.
Museumplein in the south is home to the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum.
The currency in Holland is the Euro and prices are generally lower than you’ll find in
London. Expect to pay about the same in Euros as you would in Pounds but remember that beer
is a little bit more expensive.
These beers cost €4 each. This coffee cost €2.50.
A 72-hour travelcard costs €17. Bike hire was €9 for 24 hours.
This brownie was €4.
Tipping in the Netherlands is only for exceptional service. 5-10% is about right.
If you need extra cash, there are ATMs all over the city that work with British cards.
However, some banks will charge you extra to withdraw when you’re abroad. Currency
cards like FairFX allow you to top up with cash before you leave and then take it out
for free when you’re here.
Lots of places in Amsterdam have free wifi, including popular tourist attractions like
here, in the Van Gogh Museum. WifiAmsterdam.nl has a list of free wifi spots across Amsterdam.
In general, the wifi was pretty good! And we found it was always fast enough to upload
photos, check social media and browse websites.
For more on Amsterdam, check out our Top Ten Tips in Under A Minute.