Money, Safety, and eSIM in the Netherlands
The Netherlands uses the euro (EUR, €) and is one of the most cashless countries in Europe — carry a contactless card and you're set for nearly everything, including some cafés and markets that no longer accept cash at all. It's very safe overall for tourists; the realistic risks are pickpocketing in crowded tourist zones (Centraal Station, Dam Square, the Red Light District) and bike theft, not violent crime.
The practical questions that actually matter once you land: whether you'll need cash at all (short answer: barely), what the real safety risks are (spoiler: it's pickpockets, not anything scarier), and how to get connected without international roaming fees.
Money: cards over cash, almost everywhere
The euro (EUR, €) is the currency. The Netherlands is unusually far along the cashless spectrum even by European standards — plenty of small cafés, food trucks, and even some markets are card- or app-only and will flatly refuse cash. A contactless debit or credit card with no foreign-transaction fee (check with your bank before you go) covers nearly every situation; carrying some cash as a backup is still sensible for smaller towns or older establishments, but you'll likely use it less than you expect.
| Payment method | Where it works best |
|---|---|
| Contactless card / Apple Pay / Google Pay | Everything — transit, restaurants, shops, markets, even some vending machines |
| Cash (euros) | A shrinking minority of small vendors; useful as backup, not primary |
| iDEAL (a Dutch payment app) | Mostly relevant for online shopping with Dutch retailers, not typically needed by visitors |
Is the Netherlands safe?
Yes, genuinely — Amsterdam ranks among the safest capital cities in the world, and violent crime against tourists is rare. The realistic risks are pickpocketing in the busiest tourist zones (Centraal Station, Dam Square, the Red Light District, Albert Cuyp Market, and the train to and from Schiphol Airport) and bike theft if you're renting one. Keep valuables zipped up in crowds and always use two locks on a rental bike.
The lower-stakes stuff worth knowing about: occasional street-level cannabis or drug-sale approaches near the Red Light District aimed squarely at tourists (politely decline and keep walking — licensed coffeeshops are the legitimate option, see our food guide), and the genuinely real risk of a bike accident if you're not used to cycling in dense city traffic — see our biking guide before you rent one.
eSIM and staying connected
eSIM is the easiest option if your phone supports it — providers like Airalo and Holafly sell data-only European plans from around $6–18 for 7–15 days, activated before you even land. A physical local SIM (from providers like KPN, Vodafone, or T-Mobile, sold at Schiphol Airport or any phone shop) works just as well if you'd rather have a local number too.
Tourist tax — the one cost that catches people off guard
Amsterdam charges a 12.5% municipal tourist tax on top of your accommodation cost — one of the highest tourist tax rates in Europe — and from January 2026 the Dutch national VAT on hotel stays also rose from 9% to 21%, pushing the combined tax burden on a hotel bill to roughly a third on top of the room rate. It's usually shown as a separate line item at booking or added at check-in — budget for it rather than being surprised by it.
ATMs and avoiding foreign card fees
You'll rarely need one given how cashless the country is, but if you do withdraw cash, use a bank-branded ATM (ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank) rather than a standalone Euronet or similar operator — the independent machines tend to charge a noticeably higher withdrawal fee and often push a bad 'dynamic currency conversion' rate if you let them convert to your home currency at the machine. Always choose to be charged in euros, not your home currency, when the ATM asks — your own bank's exchange rate is virtually always better than the ATM's. A no-foreign-transaction-fee travel card, or a multi-currency card like Wise, avoids the extra cost entirely and is worth setting up before you fly if you're coming from outside the eurozone.
Does my GHIC or EHIC cover me in the Netherlands?
UK travelers with a GHIC, or EU/EEA citizens with an EHIC, get access to Dutch public healthcare at the same cost as a local resident — genuinely useful if you need a doctor or hospital visit. But neither card is a substitute for travel insurance: they don't cover repatriation (getting you home if you can't fly commercially), private treatment, or anything non-medical like a cancelled flight or stolen luggage. Non-EU/UK visitors (US, Canada, Australia, most others) have no reciprocal healthcare arrangement at all, so a hospital visit is billed at full private rates — travel insurance genuinely matters here, not just as a formality.
Practical extras worth knowing
- Power outlets are the standard European two-pin round type (Type C/F) at 230V — US travelers need a plug adapter, and 110V-only devices without dual-voltage support will need a converter, not just an adapter.
- The emergency number nationwide is 112 for police, fire, or ambulance, same as the rest of the EU.
- Tipping isn't obligatory — service is included in the price by law — but rounding up or leaving 5-10% for good restaurant service is appreciated, not expected.