Capital
Amsterdam
Time
GMT +1 (-2 hours to Moscow).
Language
The official language is Dutch. Part of the population speaks English, French and German. See liuxers for Netherlands customs and traditions.
Telephone communications
Emergency services (police, ambulance, fire brigade) can be called on 112.
It is best to call from a pay phone, a call from it will cost several times cheaper than a similar service in a hotel. To pay for negotiations, newsstands and railway stations sell cards with a magnetic storage, some machines accept coins of 25 cents.
The code of the Netherlands is 31, you can call the country from Russia by dialing the combination: 8-10-31- area code – subscriber number. A call to Russia corresponds to the dialing: 00-7- area code – subscriber number.
Codes of major cities: Amsterdam – 20, Zaandam – 75, Maastricht – 43, Leeuwarden – 58, Rotterdam – 10, Tilburg – 13, Edam – 299, Etten – 315, Delft – 15, Kampen – 38, Nijmegen – 24, Haarlem – 23, Eindhoven – 40.
Transport
Public transport in the Netherlands is integrated into a single GVB system. The purchase of one ticket grants the right to travel by tram, trolleybus or bus for an hour. If you plan to stay in the city for a long time, then it is better to purchase a multi-use strippenkaarten ticket, consisting of 15 coupons (5 euros), a one-day dagkaart or a nine-day travel pass (22-30 euros). At night, travel in transport is 1.5-2 times more expensive than during the day.
The country’s rail transport is famous for its accuracy, and delays along the way are minimal. Suburban and intercity trains run every 1-2 hours.
You can order a taxi by phone or hire at a special parking lot. You will be charged 2 euros for travel in it, plus 1-1.5 euros for each kilometer along the way.
Car rental is provided to persons over 21 years of age. For paperwork, you must present a driver’s license and two credit cards. You can rent a bike on almost every corner. A day of rent will cost you 2-5 euros.
Accommodation
There are few hotels in the Netherlands, the rooms in them are distinguished by high prices. Service level is average. Use of the minibar or pay cable TV will have to be paid separately. In addition to hotels, you can rent a room in a private house, campus or rent a place in a campsite.
Currency
The official currency of the Netherlands is the euro. In circulation are banknotes worth 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5 euros and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 euro cents. Big money of 100, 200 and 500 euros may not be accepted in a store or restaurant. It is convenient to pay with coins for the services of a left-luggage office or in paid automatic toilets.
Banks
Banks are open on weekdays from 09.00 to 16.00. They provide the most favorable exchange rate. You can also use the services of post offices and exchange offices located at railway stations. American Express, Diners Club, VISA and other credit cards are universally accepted.
The shops
On weekdays, shops are open from 08.30 (09.00) to 17.30 (18.00), on Saturday the doors of outlets close 1-1.5 hours earlier. Some of them are closed to the public on Monday and Sunday mornings. In major tourist centers, they work seven days a week.
Shopping
You can save on gifts during the Christmas sales period, as well as if the purchase amount is more than 150 euros. In this case, you fill out a special form in the store, which entitles you to a refund of 17.5% of the purchase price. Money is paid at customs at the time of departure from the country.
The best souvenirs from the Netherlands will be tulip bulbs, products depicting windmills, wooden shoes, as well as sex toys from numerous sex shops in the country.
Tips
As a rule, the service fee is already included in the price of a hotel room or a meal in a restaurant. At the same time, the porter will not refuse a bonus of 1 euro, the maid will be happy with 1 euro per day, in a hairdresser and in a taxi it is customary to add 10% to the bill for work or travel.
Electricity
The mains voltage in the hotel rooms is 220V, an adapter is required.
Healthcare
When applying to the hospital, medical insurance is required, since treatment is paid. Vaccinations are not required before visiting the country.
