The Euro and a Card-First Country
The Netherlands uses the euro. It is one of the most card-oriented countries in Europe: most people pay with a debit card or phone for almost everything, and the Dutch word for paying by card, pinnen, is part of everyday speech. Contactless payment is standard in shops, cafés, restaurants, museums and on public transport.
Cash is still legal tender, but you will see signs reading "pinnen only" or "alleen pin" at some cafés, shops and kiosks, meaning cards only. The opposite also exists: a few small market stalls and older businesses prefer or require cash.
Which Cards Work
Dutch bank cards have long used the Maestro and V Pay networks, and banks are now switching customers to Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit. In practice, this means foreign Visa and Mastercard cards, both debit and credit, are accepted much more widely than they used to be, including at large supermarket chains.
Some caveats remain:
- A few small businesses still accept only Dutch debit cards.
- American Express and other card brands are accepted less widely.
Bring a contactless Visa or Mastercard as your main card, a second card from a different bank as a backup, and a little cash.
Cash and ATMs
Most bank ATMs in the Netherlands are run by Geldmaat, a shared network of the major Dutch banks; look for its yellow machines in shopping streets and stations. Your own bank may charge a fee for foreign withdrawals.
Useful points:
- €100 is usually plenty of cash for a week, mostly for markets and small purchases.
- Large notes (€200 and €500) are often refused; €50 notes are sometimes declined in small shops.
- Cash totals are rounded to the nearest five cents, so one- and two-cent coins are rarely used.
- Exchange offices, including GWK Travelex branches at Schiphol and major stations, change foreign currency, but rates are better if you simply withdraw euros or pay by card.
- If a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, choose euros. The conversion offered at the machine is usually worse than your bank's.
Paying for Public Transport
You can pay for trains, trams, metros and buses by tapping a contactless debit or credit card or phone at the card readers when you start and finish a journey. Use the same card or device to check in and out, and use one card per person. The older OV-chipkaart travel card is being phased out by the end of 2027, so visitors do not need one. Many city buses and trams no longer accept cash.
Tipping in the Netherlands
Tipping is appreciated but not expected in the way it is in North America. Restaurant prices include service and VAT, and staff are paid at least the statutory minimum wage. There is no standard service charge on Dutch bills.
Typical practice:
- Restaurants: Rounding up or leaving around 5 to 10 percent for good service is generous; for poor service nothing is expected.
- Cafés and bars: Rounding up or leaving small change is enough.
- Taxis: Rounding up is common but optional.
- Hotels: A small tip for housekeeping or helpful staff is a kind gesture, not a requirement.
Card terminals sometimes prompt for a tip. You can choose zero or a small amount without awkwardness. If you want staff to receive the tip directly, leave it in cash.
Paying Friends and Splitting Bills
Among Dutch people, splitting a bill is common, and many residents settle up afterwards with payment-request apps such as Tikkie, which are tied to European bank accounts. Restaurants will usually split a bill by card if you ask, though at busy places it is easier if one person pays.
One last practical point: tell your bank before you travel if it blocks foreign transactions, and keep its emergency number handy. If a card is lost or swallowed by an ATM, a backup card from a different bank means you can carry on paying while the first is replaced.
