Netherlands country information

Kingdom of the Netherlands
Area: 41,526 sq km
Population: 16,645,313
Population density: 393 per sq km
Capital: Amsterdam

Passport & Visa

Passport Required?
British	Yes
Australian	Yes
Canadian	Yes
USA	Yes
Other EU	1
Visa Required?
British	No
Australian	No
Canadian	No
USA	No
Other EU	No

Passports

Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.

Note: (a) EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed. (b) 2. Nationals of Australia may be asked to show return ticket, proof of sufficient funds and health insurance for duration of stay.

Passport Note

The Netherlands is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.

Visas

Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to three months. An authorisation for temporary stay (MVV) (to stay for an uninterrupted period of more than three months) is not required by nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visa Note

Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements.

Getting there

Getting There by Air

The national airline is KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines (KL) (website: www.klm.com ).

Approximate Flight Times

From London to Amsterdam is 1 hour 25 minutes and from New York is 7 hours 20 minutes.

Main Airports

Amsterdam (AMS) (Schiphol) (website: www.schiphol.nl ) is a major international air transport hub 15km (9 miles) southwest of the city (journey time by train - 15 minutes). To/from the airport: The eight-seater Conexxion Schiphol Hotel Shuttle bus provides a frequent daily service, stopping at 100 hotels and returning to Schiphol. In addition, many major hotels in the city operate courtesy buses, and there are many public bus services from the airport to major towns. There is a direct rail link between the airport and Amsterdam Centraal Station, with frequent trains between 0600-0000 and every hour through the night. There are also direct connections to most Dutch towns and cities, and numerous destinations in Germany and Belgium. Plentiful taxis are available to the city. Facilities: Restaurants, duty-free shops, currency exchange machines, banks, art gallery, business centre, conference rooms and car hire.

Departure Tax

Included in ticket price.

Getting There by Water

Main ports: Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland) and Rotterdam. Regular car and passenger ferries are operated from the UK to The Netherlands via the following routes and shipping lines:

Stena Line (tel: 08705 707 070, in the UK only; website: www.stenaline.co.uk ): Harwich to Hook of Holland; journey time - 6 hours 15 minutes.
P&O Ferries (tel: 08716 645 645, in the UK only; website: www.poferries.com ): Hull to Rotterdam (Europoort); journey time - 10 hours.
DFDS Seaways (tel: 0871 522 9955, in the UK only or +44 1255 240 240, outside the UK; website: www.dfdsseaways.co.uk ): Newcastle to Amsterdam IJmuiden; journey time - 15 hours.

Getting There by Rail

Eurostar operates direct high-speed trains from London St Pancras International to Paris (journey time - 2 hours 15 minutes) and Brussels (journey time - 1 hour 51 minutes). Thalys (tel: + 32 2 528 2828, in Belgium; website: www.thalys.com ) then operates high-speed trains from Paris to Amsterdam (journey time - 4 hours), and from Brussels (journey time - 2 hours 40 minutes). Through booking is available with Eurostar (tel: 08705 186 186, in the UK only; website: www.eurostar.com ) or Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK only; website: www.raileurope.co.uk ). Rail travellers not using the Channel Tunnel link need to make some form of sea crossing; for details see Getting There By Water). The cost of the crossing is usually included in the price of the rail ticket.

Rail Passes

InterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail ).

Eurailpass: (website: www.eurail.com ) offers unlimited first-class train travel in 17 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months or three months.

Getting There by Road

The Netherlands is connected to the rest of Europe by a superb network of motorways. Although frontier formalities between The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium have now all but vanished, motorists (particularly on smaller roads) should be prepared to stop when asked to do so by a customs official.

The Channel Tunnel: Eurotunnel (tel: 0870 535 3535, in the UK only; website: www.eurotunnel.com ) runs shuttle trains for vehicles between Folkestone and Calais. Driving time from Calais to Amsterdam is approximately 4 hours.

Coach: Eurolines (tel: 0870 580 8080, in the UK only; website: www.eurolines.com ) runs regular coach services from the UK to The Netherlands. Passes: Travellers can book a 15- or 30-day pass.

Cycling & Maps

Cost of living

Netherlands: all prices in European Euros (EUR)

drinks and snacks			food: local markets; restaurants; and stores
water (mineral) water juice juice soft drink (can) soft drink (bottle) soft drink (bottle)	500ml 1.5 litre 3 x 200ml 1 litre 330ml can 500ml 1.5 litre	0.30 0.45 1.20 0.90 0.55 0.85 0.75 - 1.75	bread loaf-white bread loaf-whole grain brown bread rolls x 6 baguette croissant - large gemberkoek- gingercake	800g 800g 420g 350g each 475g	1.10 2.00 0.95 1.00 0.60 1.15
			patat met - chips+mayo veggie bami -fr noodles falafel sandwich kaas [cheese] souffle veggie pizza- takeaway vegetarian restaurant	one serving one serving each one serving med/large 2 course	2.00 5.00 3.50 1.00 6.00 / 9.00 15.00 - 30.00
beer - local beer - boutique wine wine cask - organic	330ml 330ml 750ml 3 litre	0.55 1.00+ 2.50+ 9.00
tea coffee (cafe / bar) Nescafe instant coffee - ground	20 bags per cup 50g 250g	0.70 2.25 1.95 2.00	rice (basmati) pasta eggs tomato extract - tin instant mashed potoato vegetarian burgers x 2	kg 500g per dozen 68g 200g 265g	2.00 0.40 2.20 0.10 1.50 2.00
soya milk milk vla [custard] yoghurt drink yoghurt / curd cheese jong [young] cheese - brie cheese oud [old] Magnum icecream	1 litre 1 litre 1 litre 1 litre 150g kg 200g kg each	1.55 0.85 1.10 1.00 0.60 6.50 0.80 10.00+ 1.90+	potatoes onions tomatoes carrots brussel sprouts broccoli spinach courgette cucumber	kg kg kg kg kg 500g 450g each each	2.00 0.75 3.00 0.90 2.00 0.80 1.00 1.00 1.00
cornflakes chips- crisps japanese rice snacks salted peanuts salted cashews banana chips sultanas dried apricots	375g pack 200g pack 200g 250g 200g 200g 350g 250g	2.35 0.80 0.55 0.35 0.95 1.30 0.55 2.00	apples oranges bananas pears nectarines kiwi fruit melon/ cantalope - large pineapple	kg kg kg kg kg kg each each	1.50 1.50 1.70 2.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00
chocolate stroop wafels museli bars gevulde koek biscuits - plain biscuits- chocolate	75g block 10 x 40g 6 x 23g 8 x 50g 400g pack 150g pack	0.60 1.30 1.00 0.70 0.75 1.15+	pineapple (can) oil (olive)	500g can 700ml	1.40 2.00
			peanut paste jam chocolate spread honey	350g jar 450g jar 400g 350g	1.15 1.20 1.60 2.30
* Majority of prices taken from either Aldi or Lidl supermarket chains, which are the cheapest places to shop at in The Netherlands.
accommodation			personal
budget city hostel budget guesthouse	15+ per dorm bed 35-45 twin share bathroom		deodorant - roll-on soap shampoo toothbrush toothpaste disposable razor toilet paper	50ml 120g bar 200ml each 100ml 5 pack 4 roll pack	1.50 0.50 1.50 1.00+ 1.10 4.00 1.10
eurocamping 1star	13.00+
internet	3 - 5.00 per hour

* tba = price to be announced
* July 2010: at time of writing 1.00 USD = 0.79 EUR
all prices have been taken from internet resources such as wikitravel, hostel world, leading supermarket chains, travel blogs, forums and of course our own travel experiences and purchases of everyday products in food markets, bazaars and local shopping facilities. They are only an indication and designed to give you a general impression of the cost of living in The Netherlands. Items are geared towards the budget conscious traveller with an occasional craving for a bit of luxury.

Source:www.exchange-rates.org

A couple of extra tips:

*	Prices in the Netherlands are fixed in shopping stores and supermarkets, however when spending a sizeable amount in one store, or buying in bulk it never hurts to ask for a discount.
*	Even though tipping in The Netherlands is optional, it is often expected in table service establishments if the service is good. On average, between 5 and 10% is acceptable. However, don't feel obliged if you don't wish to tip. Again in bars, it is entirely up to your own discretion as to whether you leave a fooi [tip] behind.
*	Public toilets charge a fee to use the facilities. The cheapest ones are usually found inside the large department stores.
*	Taxis are regulated and all run with a standard taxi metre. While tipping is not expected it is generally appreciated.
*	Plastic and glass bottles marked with the word Pfand require paying a bottle-deposit when you purchase them. They can be returned via the machines, usually located at either the front of the supermarket or near the drink sections inside. Here, you will get a receipt with the amount owing to you, which you present at the cash register when paying for your groceries.
*	You need to take your own shopping bags with you into the supermarkets. Plastic and cloth bags are available, but you have to pay for them.

Accommodation

The Netherlands is famous for its friendly approach to cyclists. In the capital Amsterdam there are around 750,000 people and more than 600,000 bikes. Thanks to the country’s flat terrain the popularity of cycling has led to the country’s money being spent on cycle paths and dedicated lanes. There’s no citywide bike rental system but some of the hostels in Amsterdam offer rental as standard if you need. Hostel Van Gogh has cycle hire for guests and it’s right in the centre of Amsterdam so you can easily cycle to the many bars, markets, shops, clubs and restaurants of the city. There are 2-6-person private rooms available and 5-8-person dorms. Dorms start at €25pppn and privates at €28pppn.

If you want to stay at one of the cheap hotels in Amsterdam try the Bicycle Hotel. It’s eco-friendly with solar panels and, as you can tell by the name, a strong attachment to the biking community. You can rent bikes, including those with child seats, and there’s plenty of parking if you bring your own. You’ll also get a big free healthy breakfast with cereals, orange and apple juice and all kinds of Dutch specialties, find it here Hostelbookers.com.

Outside the capital Stayokay Den Haag also offers bike rental from the reception desk. There are plenty of bike routes to explore. You can peddle on by the Madurodam, the Sea Life Centre or the Omniversum and explore the many shopping streets. Stayokay Den Haag now has modern spacious rooms with private sanitary facilities and good value 4 to 10-bed dorm rooms. Dorms start at €31.50pppn and privates at €34pppn.

Food & drink

Bike shops


Arnhem	De Fietsenmaker *** Steenstraat 79 6828 CE Arnhem T: 026-4435091 Website: www.defietsenmakerarnhem.nl
	Our experience: best bike shop in Arnhem. Stocks tonnes of goods, from Ortlieb bags to Tubus racks and from helmets to gloves. Great service!