The Netherlands is a country located in Northwestern Europe and is often informally known as Holland. It has borders with Germany, Belgium and the North Sea. The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch and 77 percent of its population is also Dutch. The largest city and capital is Amsterdam. The Netherlands is home to the busiest European seaport in the Port of Rotterdam. It is also the busiest seaport in the world outside of Asia.
The climate in the Netherlands is a mild maritime one with cool winters and somewhat warm summers. High humidity is common in the Netherlands in any season. The Netherlands is well-known for its artistic history. Vincent Van Gogh, Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt van Rijn all hailed from the Netherlands. Some of the most popular tourist attractions include the Van Gogh Museum, the Amsterdam Canals, Dam Square and the Windmills of Kinderdijk.
Discover the destinations in the Netherlands
We present our discoveries in the Netherlands here.
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. The city is one of the hotspots for city tourism and attracts visitors from all over the world.
The province of Groningen is located in the north of the Netherlands. The capital of this province is also called Groningen, three small uninhabited Wadden islands (Rottumeroog, Rottumerplaat and Zuiderduintjes) belong to the region.
In Zuid-Holland lies the port city of Rotterdam, the second largest city in the Netherlands. A city break in Rotterdam is an ideal way to combine a visit to a world port with exploring a multicultural city.
The westernmost and largest Dutch island in the Wadden Sea is Texel. Not only the Dutch, but also the Germans love their holidays on Texel and come to the island again and again.
Travel information about Netherlands
Arrival
By plane
Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam is one of the largest airports in Europe and is served by numerous airlines.
Other airports are located in Eindhoven, Groningen, Maastrich and Rotterdam.
By train
The rail network in the Netherlands is quite dense and especially the trains to the major cities run quite frequently.
From Germany, some direct routes, for example coming from Frankfurt or Berlin are offered daily. In addition, regional trains run close to the border.
The main hub of the rail network is Utrecht.
By bus
The number of long-distance buses traveling to the Netherlands from Germany, for example, has increased steadily in recent years.
By car
The road network in the Netherlands is very well developed. Many vacationers like to travel by car, which can often lead to long traffic jams at the beginning of vacations and on public holidays.
Speed limits for passenger cars:
- Urban: 50 km/h
- Road: 80 km/h
- Freeway: generally 130 km/h, often there is a speed limit of 100 km/h.
- Attention: where until now the speed limit was 130 km/h all day, since March 2020 only a maximum of 100 km/h is allowed between 6 am and 7 pm. The signage on the freeways has been adapted accordingly.
By ship
Ferry connections to Great Britain are offered.
River cruises are offered on the Rhine or the Meuse, for example.
Entry regulations
These regulations only apply to the part of the Netherlands that is in Europe, the Caribbean parts of the Netherlands have different regulations.
Entry to the Netherlands for German citizens and citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland is possible with the following documents: passport, identity card.
Travel documents must not have been expired for more than one year.
Likewise, some other nationals may enter the country without a visa for up to 90 days per calendar year; other nationals require a Schengen visa to enter the country.
Bringing vaccinated and chipped pets is also without problems.
On the way in …
By plane
Flights within the country are no longer offered due to inefficiency.
By train
All major cities are connected by rail.
In local traffic, so-called Sprinter and Sroptreinen are offered. For long-distance traffic, there are ICs that stop at the larger stations.
In some, mostly more rural regions, a regional railroad company operates.
By bus
The regional bus network is very well developed.
By bike
The Netherlands is a cycling country. Large parts of the infrastructure have been adapted to cyclists.
A distinction is made between riders who use their bike as a means of transportation to work, school, or shopping, and riders who travel for tourism.
The regular riders find fast transit routes marked with red signs. The tourist riders, who often prefer to ride “nice” routes should follow the green signs.
Bike theft is a major problem in the Netherlands. It is safe and inexpensive to use a guarded bicycle parking lot (stalling) at train stations or in the city center.
Best time to travel
The Netherlands is characterized by a temperate maritime climate with quite mild temperatures all year round. It is often quite rainy. Most vacationers travel to the Netherlands from March to August.
Language
The official and colloquial language is Dutch. In some regions a dialect is spoken, such as Frisian or Limburgish.
English is a compulsory subject in school and the language is spoken quite well by many Dutch people.
Currency
The Euro is the valid currency in the Netherlands.
Tip
In the Netherlands, a service charge is already included in the bill in hotels, restaurants, stores and taxis. Tipping is always appreciated, but not mandatory.
Taxi drivers and wait staff are usually tipped 10 percent.
Power plug
Type C and F plugs/sockets are used in the Netherlands. Since these are also used in Germany, travelers from Germany do not need an adapter for their electrical appliances.