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Age restrictions
The age of consent in the Netherlands is 16. The age-limit for driving recently dropped from 18 to 17 years old while the age limit for buying alcoholic beverages was raised in 2014 from 16 to 18 years old.
Budgeting
Average costs in euros:
Glass of beer or house wine: €3−5
Main course at a restaurant: budget €8; moderate €15; expensive €30
Room for two including breakfast: cheap hotel €60; moderate hotel €120; deluxe hotel €200
Taxi to/from Schipol Airport: €30−50
Single bus/metro ticket: €2.80 (valid for two hours)
One-day travelcard: €7.50
Tourist cards: You can buy a City Card from the tourist office which provides free use of public transport and admission to numerous attractions, including the main museums, except for the Rijksmuseum where you get a €2.50 discount on your entrance fee. Cards are valid for one day (€49), two days (€59) or three days (€69).
Navigating your way around the city is fairly easy.
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
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Children
Amsterdam is a very child-friendly city, and right in the city centre you’ll see parents cycling with their children, or sometimes carrying young children on child seats or pulling them in carts behind them. Reduced-price admissions are available everywhere, and reduced prices on public transport. Many hotels can arrange baby-sitting services. Some use the Babysitters Club, which you can also use yourself through their Dutch/English website: www.babysittersclub.nl.
Climate
Amsterdam’s average winter daytime temperatures are around 5°C (41°F), falling to 1°C (34°F) at night, although temperatures can plummet to –10°C (14°F). The summer average is 22°C (72°F), falling to around 13°C (55°F) at night. Rain occurs year-round, but spring is generally the driest time.
Clothing
Even in summer it’s a good idea to bring a sweater or cardigan because the evenings can be cool. Moreover, due to Amsterdam’s proximity to the sea, the weather can change quickly. An umbrella is a vital accessory at almost any time. Warm clothes are essential in winter. In most situations, even if dining at a high-class restaurant or attending the opera, casual outfits are acceptable. Businesspeople often dress informally; Dutch business people tend to adopt a more stylish appearance than many of their foreign counterparts.
Crime and safety
Amsterdam is not particularly violent, but, as is the case in most major Western cities, petty crime is a problem. Exercise caution in the red-light district and beware of thieves and pickpockets, especially in crowded areas. Some scam artists and beggars prey on people emerging from Centraal Station, especially if they look new to the city. Be vigilant, especially if someone tries to distract you, which usually means someone else is nearby waiting an opportunity to snatch something. The same applies on trains travelling into Centraal Station: keep an eye on your luggage at all times and be suspicious if someone tries to distract your attention: telling you that you have something spilled on your clothing is a common decoy tactic.
Customs
EU residents can import or export unlimited amounts of goods for personal use, on which duty has been paid, although guidelines for personal use are as follows: 800 cigarettes, 400 cigars or cigarillos, 1kg tobacco, 10 litres of spirits, 90 litres of wine, 110 litres of beer.
Non-EU nationals or EU citizens travelling from non-EU countries can import tax-free goods to the following limits: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos, or 250g of tobacco, 1 litre of spirits or 2 litres of fortified or sparkling wine, 4 litres of still wine, 16 litres of beer and other goods including gifts up to the value of €500.
Non-EU residents can receive a refund of up to 13.75 percent on the Value Added Tax paid on goods purchased in certain shops to take home. To qualify for a refund you must spend more than €50 in one shop in one day, and the goods must be exported within three months. You must have the purchases, receipt and the refund cheque available for customs officials to view as you leave the country For further information contact www.vatfree.com.
If arriving from another EU member state there are no restrictions on the amount of local or international currency that can be brought into the Netherlands, or taken out again. If arriving directly from or traveling to a country outside the EU then amounts exceeding €10,000 (or the equivalent in another currency including banker’s drafts and cheques) must be declared.
Clogs at Klompenhuis.
Greg Gladman/Apa Publications
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Disabled travellers
Services for disabled people are better in The Netherlands than in most European countries. Museums and other public buildings usually have access for wheelchairs. Modern hotels will be fine but older hotels, especially in the tall historic canalside buildings, may not have lifts going up to higher floors.
The city itself is also tricky thanks to the traffic in places, the numerous canals with raised bridges, cobblestones, bollards and other minor hazards. Metro stations are equipped with lifts, but they may not always be easy to find. Trams and buses are difficult, train stations are generally good and there are special private wheelchair taxi services in the city such as Garskamp (020-633 3943), though you will probably need to book ahead.
The Accessible Amsterdam website (www.toegankelijkamsterdam.nl), which is in both Dutch and English, will tell what the situation is in Amsterdam’s public buildings.
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Electricity
Voltage in Amsterdam and throughout the Netherlands is 220V, 5...
