Which means of transport to use Netherlands?

From the airport to the city centre Netherlands

Schiphol, Amsterdam's airport, is located 18 kilometers southwest of the city center. You can reach Amsterdam by bus, shuttle, train or cab

By bus. Bus services are provided by Schiphol Sternet, Zuidtangent and Interliner. The lines (197/370 and N72 in the evening) will take you to the center of Amsterdam in a variable amount of time depending on traffic conditions.

Shuttle bus service to Amsterdam hotels: Connexxion buses take you directly to your hotel. Every 10 minutes or so, between 6am and 9pm, a minibus (for up to 8 people) leaves Schiphol at the A7 stop, located right next to Arrivals Hall 2. Please remember to book your return ticket in advance. You can find out about routes and timetables at the Connexxion desk in Schiphol Plaza. KLM buses leave every half hour (in front of the main exit) for six of the city's major hotels and will take you close to your eventual place of residence (but the journey is longer and more expensive).

The train is the easiest, fastest (15 minutes) and cheapest (about €4.50) way to get to the central station about every 20 minutes (from 6am to 1am) from the basement of the terminal.

Finally, the cab which will take between half an hour and an hour, depending on the traffic, to drop you off at the foot of your hotel and will cost you at least 50 €.

Arrival by train Netherlands

The Thalys stops at Rotterdam Centraal, Schiphol and Amsterdam Centraal. From there, streetcars and buses are waiting to take you to your hotel. Both the Rotterdam and Amsterdam stations have a dense public transport network that will allow you to easily reach your hotel. Note that the previous stop for Amsterdam Centraal is Schiphol, which may be more convenient if you are staying in the south of the city. If you are staying in The Hague, please note that the Thalys does not stop there. The easiest way is to take the E line of the metro, which will take you to the center of The Hague in about 30 minutes.

Arrival by boat Netherlands

The large (and controversial) cruise ships arrive at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, near the central station.

The Wadden Islands are connected to the mainland by ferries, which should be booked in advance. Some are faster than others, but also more expensive

The Doeksen company connects Terschelling and Vlieland to Harlingen. Teso operates the Den Helder-Texel route and Wagenborg operates the Holwerd Ameland and Lauwersoog Schiermonnikoog routes

In Rotterdam, if you don't arrive by boat, you can still use the water cab to get around!

Public transport Netherlands

In Amsterdam, if you don't pedal, you'll need the streetcar network, which has about 15 lines. The Noord Zuid metro line, which was inaugurated a few years ago, can also be of service. Public transport is expensive, count €3.20 for an hourly ticket or €8 for a day ticket. Streetcars and subways run from 6am until about 12:30pm. The major regional carriers are Connexxion, Qbuzz, Arriva, Keokus and EBS. In the 3 main cities, transport is owned by independent municipal companies, GVB in Amsterdam, RET in Rotterdam and HTM in The Hague. The basic fare is €1.01, but each carrier may have its own basic fare. While the OV card operates nationwide, fares per kilometer vary from zone to zone

The Iamsterdam City Card , which includes admission to many attractions, also includes access to transportation (€65 per 24 hours, €90 per 48 hours).

OV-chipkaart: this rechargeable smart card allows you to travel by streetcar, metro, bus and train throughout the country and to benefit from certain discounts, but be careful, it is only really valid for a long stay. Tourists will prefer single tickets or traditional daily or weekly cards (from 7.50 € to 31 €).

With this magnetic card, you have to register when you enter the bus/tram/metro/train and then de-register when you leave by placing your card on the clearly visible terminals. Ask at the tourist office and at the GVB Tickets and Info Service Points.

The public transport network is efficient throughout the country and you are bound to find a bus that will make your journey easier, even in the countryside.

Bike, scooters & co Netherlands

Naturally, bicycles have the upper hand in the Netherlands and make scooters completely useless. In fact, they are prohibited. OV fiets (public transport bicycles) can be rented at the train station for €3.85. Tourists will turn to the rental companies, which have the advantage of offering itineraries that are often thematic. Swapfiets is also a possibility to have a spare bike for 16,90 € per month (75 € for an electric bike).

With a driver Netherlands

In the big cities, you will easily find cabs that are parked in strategic places. However, the prices are prohibitive... Remember to only take a licensed cab! The Uber service (uber.com/nl) is available in major cities.

By car Netherlands

Parking in the Netherlands is expensive. In Amsterdam in particular, with a prohibitive rate in the Grand Canal area: €7.50 per hour (Monday to Saturday from 9am to midnight and Sunday from 12pm to midnight). Cards valid for the whole day or night are available from vending machines. More advantageous, the "Park & Ride" system allows you to park on the outskirts of the city for €8 per 24 hours and receive 5 free return transport tickets. Underground garages are often full and are no cheaper (underground parking under the Museumplein, near the Leidseplein for example). Ideally, you don't need to worry about a car in Amsterdam.

The highways in the Netherlands are free and extremely well maintained. From 6 am to 7 pm, the speed limit during the day is 100 km/h, and on some sections it is even limited to 80 km/h. From 7pm to 6am the speed limit is 120 km/h with some sections at 130 km/h

Accessibility Netherlands

The Netherlands is not, from this point of view, a very accessible country, even if progress has been made in the development of train and metro stations, especially in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague.

Amsterdam is confronted with various accessibility problems that may make your trip difficult. The city has, for several years, been implementing a program to improve its infrastructure, and several movements and foundations are very active. The Stichting Gehandicapten Overleg Amsterdam (SGOA) is working intensively on a comprehensive guide to all attractions that are accessible to people with disabilities. For public transport, a great effort has been made for many years and the Noord Zuid line is perfectly accessible.

Tourist traps Netherlands

Never buy a ticket on the street, but at a vending machine or at the counter.