Before you go · Amsterdam
Amsterdam essentials
The practical things worth knowing before you arrive, checked against official sources on 27 October 2026. Entry rules change: always check the official sources before you travel.
Updated October 2026
Entry to the EU
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) registers travellers from outside the EU electronically at the border.
ETIAS, the travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, is not yet in operation: the EU’s official site says it will announce the start date several months before launch. Never pay a third-party site.
From Schiphol
Schiphol has its own railway station beneath the terminal. NS trains run to Amsterdam Centraal in about 14–17 minutes, according to I amsterdam, the city’s official visitor site.
Arriving by train
Eurostar trains from London, Paris and Brussels arrive at Amsterdam Centraal. See our page Amsterdam by rail.
Trams, metro, buses and ferries
GVB runs the trams, metro, buses and the ferries across the IJ. Public transport in Amsterdam is cashless: check in and out with a contactless bank card or phone (OVpay), or an OV-chipkaart. The I amsterdam City Card includes GVB travel.
Book the big sights before you travel
The Rijksmuseum asks every visitor to book a start time; it is open every day from 9am to 5pm. The Anne Frank House sells tickets only online, for a time slot: every Tuesday at 10am CET, tickets are released for visits six weeks later. Book the Van Gogh Museum on its own website.
Customs and etiquette
Bike lanes are for bikes: look both ways before you step off the pavement, and never walk in the red cycle paths. Keep your voice down in the Begijnhof, where people live. Watch your bag in crowds and on busy trams.
Emergencies
Call 112 for the police, the fire brigade or an ambulance. For urgent medical help in the evening, at night or at weekends, call the out-of-hours GP service (Huisartsenposten Amsterdam) first. See our health page. Carry your EHIC or GHIC, or travel insurance that covers medical costs.
Questions and answers
Do I need ETIAS to visit Amsterdam?
Not yet: ETIAS is not in operation. The EU will announce the start date several months in advance on its official site.
How do I get from Schiphol to Amsterdam?
By NS train from the station under the terminal to Amsterdam Centraal, in about 14–17 minutes.
Can I pay cash on the trams?
No: public transport in Amsterdam is cashless. Check in and out with a contactless bank card, phone or OV-chipkaart.
How do I get Anne Frank House tickets?
Only online, on annefrank.org. Tickets are released every Tuesday at 10am CET for visits six weeks later.
What is the emergency number?
112.
Entry rules and transport change, sometimes at short notice. Check the EU’s official sites, ns.nl, gvb.nl and your government’s advice before you travel.