Netherlands Travel Essentials: Documents, Plugs and Payments

Beyond clothes, the practical things to pack for the Netherlands are the right travel documents, a plug adapter for the two-pin Type C/F sockets, and a payment card that works for contactless payments, since many Dutch shops, cafés and transport services are card-only. Most other essentials, from toiletries to medication, are easy to buy locally.

Passports, ID and entry rules

The Netherlands is in the EU and the Schengen area.

• EU and EEA citizens can travel with a valid national ID card or passport.
• Non-EU visitors need a passport. Under Schengen rules it should be valid for at least three months after your planned departure from the Schengen area and issued within the previous ten years. Many nationalities, including UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Entry/Exit System (EES): since October 2025, non-EU travellers on short stays are registered at the external Schengen border with fingerprints and a facial image instead of passport stamps. Allow extra time at Schiphol and at ferry ports on the first entry.
• ETIAS: the EU's planned travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors is not yet in operation. Check the official EU travel site before booking, as the start date has been moved several times.

The Netherlands also has a general duty to identify (identificatieplicht): everyone aged 14 and over must be able to show a valid ID document to police on request. Carry your passport or ID card when you go out; a photocopy does not count as valid ID.

Plugs, voltage and charging

Visitors from the UK, Ireland, North America and Australia need a plug adapter. Most phone, laptop and camera chargers handle 100–240 V and only need an adapter; check the label. Devices made only for 110–120 V, such as some hair dryers and straighteners, need a voltage converter or are better left at home.

Useful extras:

• A multi-port USB charger, since older hotel rooms and canal houses often have few sockets.
• A power bank for days of navigation, ticket apps and photos.
• Trains on main routes often have sockets, but not every seat has one.

Money and payment cards

The Netherlands uses the euro. The country is one of the most card-dependent in Europe:

• Contactless debit and credit cards and phone payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay) are accepted almost everywhere.
• Card-only signs (alleen pin) are common in cafés, museums, shops and on some market stalls. Some places refuse cash altogether.
• Credit cards are widely accepted, but some smaller shops and some supermarkets only take debit cards. Bring both if you can.
• Cash is still useful for small market stalls and the occasional honesty box at farm stands; withdraw a small amount from a bank ATM (geldautomaat) rather than from independent cash machines with high fees.
• When paying by card, choose to be charged in euros rather than in your home currency to avoid poor conversion rates.

Public transport payment

You do not need to buy a special card for buses, trams, metros and trains. With OVpay, you check in and out with a contactless bank card or phone at the card readers at stations and on board. Use the same card or device for check-in and check-out, and always check out, or you will be charged a maximum fare.

Some notes:

• Each traveller needs their own card or device; one card cannot be used for two people.
• Most contactless Visa and Mastercard cards work, as do phone wallets, but not every foreign card is accepted; carry a backup.
• Alternatively, buy single tickets and day tickets from the NS app, ticket machines at stations, or local transport companies such as GVB in Amsterdam.

Phone and data

EU mobile plans roam at domestic rates within the EU. For non-EU visitors, local prepaid SIM cards and eSIMs are sold at supermarkets, phone shops and online. Check with your provider before travelling; many UK operators now charge for roaming in the EU.

Useful apps: NS (trains), 9292 (all public transport), Buienradar (rain radar), and a map app with offline maps.

Health, medication and toiletries

• EU travellers should carry their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC); UK residents can use a GHIC. Travel insurance is still recommended for everyone.
• Prescription medication: bring enough for the trip in original packaging, with a copy of the prescription. Some medicines that are sold over the counter elsewhere need a prescription in the Netherlands.
• Pharmacies (apotheek) handle prescription and many non-prescription medicines; drugstores (drogisterij) such as Kruidvat and Etos sell everyday medicines and toiletries.
• Tap water is safe to drink everywhere, so a refillable bottle is enough.
• Cannabis sold in coffee shops is tolerated within strict rules, but taking any across a border is illegal.

The emergency number is 112 for police, ambulance and fire.

Practical extras

• A tote bag: shops charge for plastic bags, and many supermarkets do not provide them free.
• Coins for toilets: many public toilets, including some at train stations, charge a small fee, though card payment is increasingly accepted.
• Earplugs: city-centre hotels, canal houses and areas near nightlife can be noisy.
• A small padlock for hostel lockers.
• Slippers or socks for canal-house stays, where steep, narrow stairs are easier without shoes.
• Copies of documents: a photo of your passport and insurance details stored offline helps if anything is lost or stolen.

Pre-departure checklist