How to get to Holland. Transport in the Netherlands

How to get a visa to the Netherlands. How to get to Holland by plane, train, bus. How much does it cost to move within the country.

Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova

Citizens of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine with biometric passports do not need a visa to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for a short-term tourist trip (up to 90 days).

However, when entering Holland, it is important to have documents with you that would confirm the purpose of your trip, for example, a tourist voucher, hotel reservation. It is important to get health insurance. If you are traveling by your own car, then you will need an MTPL policy. Sometimes border guards may ask you to show a return ticket and announce the amount of money you have. For the Netherlands, this is 34 euros per person per day. You can take a bank statement, purchase traveler's checks, or prepare the required amount in cash. A certificate from work confirming your income will also be useful. All these measures are necessary so that the border guard officers are confident in your intentions to return home after visiting Holland.

Armenia

For Armenian citizens, entry into the Kingdom of the Netherlands requires a visa. It can be issued at the German Embassy in Yerevan, or at the visa center. The consular fee is 35 euros. To obtain permission to enter the country, you will need to provide the necessary package of documents, information about this can be found on the website of the German Embassy. Usually, it takes 5 calendar days to obtain a visa, but it is better to take care of additional time in case of force majeure.

Azerbaijan

Citizens of Azerbaijan for a visa to the Kingdom of the Netherlands should apply to the French Embassy in Baku. It has a visa center where you can apply for an entry permit. This procedure will take 5 calendar days. The consular fee will be 35 euros. The list of required documents can be found on the embassy's website.

Kazakhstan

If you are planning a trip to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, being a citizen of Kazakhstan, then you will have to pay 60 euros for a visa (this is a consular fee). The term for consideration of documents is from 10 to 14 days. Be prepared to provide a bank statement with an account statement, in which you should have an amount equivalent to 60 euros per day per person. You will also need medical insurance and a confirmation of your round trip ticket booking.

How to get there

Plane

Air transport these days is the fastest and most comfortable way to get to the Netherlands.

Russia

You can fly to Amsterdam from Russia from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Kazan. The connection between the capitals is carried out by many airlines - Aeroflot, KLM, Air France, Turkish Airlines, Adria, Aegean Airlines. The average cost of a direct ticket purchased 2 months before the departure date will be 225 euros. This is the price of a direct flight from KLM, which will take three hours and twenty-five minutes. The price for a similar Aeroflot flight will be 252 euros. With transfers it will turn out to be an order of magnitude cheaper - for example, Air Baltic offers tickets from 123 euros, although you will spend more than 5 hours on the way.

From St. Petersburg, you will fly to Amsterdam in three hours and five minutes, paying 250 euros for a KLM ticket, and for a connecting flight from Belavia you will pay 140 euros, but you will spend more than 6 hours on the way.

There are no direct flights from Novosibirsk to the Netherlands. You will have to fly through Moscow. Aeroflot and KLM airlines offer tickets from 362 to 500 euros, and the flight will take at least 10 hours.

Residents of Kazan will also have to fly to Amsterdam with a transfer, the price of a ticket from Turkish Airlines will be 135 euros, Belavia offers flights from 182 euros, and Aeroflot 239 euros. Travel time from 8 to 15 hours.

Belarus

Belavia planes fly directly from Minsk airport to Amsterdam for 144 euros, the journey takes two hours and forty minutes. This is the best option, although there are also flights with transfers from LOT and Air Baltic airlines, but they are longer and more expensive.

Ukraine

You can get from Kiev to Amsterdam by UIA (from 254 euros), KLM (from 264 euros). Travel time is 3 hours. For those who want to save money, there are options with transfers - from 125 to 164 euros. Such flights are operated by British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Belavia, LOT, Czech Airlines.
There are no direct flights for travelers from Odessa. Air Baltic will offer tickets from 108 euros, with a change in Riga, LOT from 155 euros with a change in Warsaw. Travel time from 5 hours.

Kazakhstan

Airplanes fly from Kazakhstan to the Netherlands from Astana. There are no direct flights. Average travel time is from nine to fifteen hours. You can find offers from UIA (change in Kiev), Belavia (change in Minsk), Aeroflot (change in Moscow). The cost of a ticket purchased 2 months before the trip ranges from 165 to 356 euros.

Moldova

The cheapest flight for residents of Moldova will cost 131 euros. The LOT airline operates flights from Chisinau to Amsterdam with a transfer in Warsaw, the journey takes five hours. TAROM flies from Chisinau to the capital of the Netherlands from 156 euros, with a transfer in Bucharest, the journey takes five hours and thirty five minutes.

Air Moldova, together with the Dutch and Belgian railways, offers a new product Air & Rail Holland - a journey from Brussels, where tourists arrive by plane to Amsterdam and Rotterdam by train. Tickets can be bought on the airline's official website and at Chisinau Airport.

Armenia

You can get from Yerevan to Amsterdam only with a transfer. The following airlines provide their services: Czech Airlines (with a change in Prague), LOT (with a change in Warsaw), Aegean Airlines (with a change in Athens). Travel time is about six hours, the cost is from 221 to 258 euros.

Azerbaijan

You can only get from the capital of Azerbaijan to the capital of the Netherlands with a transfer. It will take you at least 11 hours, the ticket price ranges from 241 to 300 euros. These flights are operated by Turkish Airlines, UIA and many other airlines.

Georgia

You can get from Georgia to the Netherlands from the airports of Tbilisi and Kutaisi. There are direct flights from Tbilisi operated by Georgian Airways (197 euros) and KLM (286 euros). The journey takes about six hours. For those who want to save money on a flight, there are options with one stop in Istanbul - from 119 euros (Pegasus).

You can fly from Kutaisi to Amsterdam with one change, however, all airlines performing such flights offer passengers an independent connection. Flights from 124 euros, Wizz Air and easyJet offer an option for connecting flights in Milan, Berlin. Travelers will have plenty of time between flights to explore the city.

Holland airports

In a relatively small European country, there are as many as six international airports. The main one is located in the capital, in Amsterdam and is called Schiphol. According to experts, it takes its rightful place in the top ten of the world's best airports.
The second largest airport in the Kingdom of the Netherlands is located 7 km from Eindhoven. This terminal is well known as a major cluster for low-cost airlines such as Transavia, WizzAir, RyanAir.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport is located directly in Rotterdam, South Holland. This airport was rebuilt after World War II in addition to the main one, Schiphol.

The other three airports in the Netherlands - Groningen Elde, Lelystad and Maastricht Aachen - also have international flights.

A train

Russia

Let's say you want to travel to Holland using ground transportation. There is no direct rail link between Russia and the Netherlands. If this does not bother you, choose a route with a change in Berlin or Paris. You will spend about 2 days on the way. Tickets cost from 166 to 371 euros.

Ukraine

Depending on which city you are traveling from, you can consider several options for routes, however, there is no direct train from Kiev or any other city in Ukraine. In any case, you will have to get to Warsaw, from there to Berlin and from the capital of Germany take a ticket to Amsterdam. Note that the distance between the capitals - Kiev and Amsterdam - 1781 km. The journey will take you about 32 hours, tickets cost from 144 to 226 euros.

Belarus

There is no direct train from Minsk to Amsterdam. Tourists will have to travel to the Dutch capital with a transfer in Germany or Poland. Ticket prices range from 149 to 275 euros. The journey takes over 25 hours.

Bus

Russia

There is a bus service between Russia and Holland, however, travelers will have to change trains in Poland. Buses run from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad. The road will take about two days.

Ecolines offers Muscovites a direct flight to Amsterdam. Buses start from the Tushinskaya bus station, spend 48 hours on the way and cover 2451 km. The ticket price is from 94 euros one way.

Ukraine

Ecolines operates regular flights from Kiev to Amsterdam. You will have to spend 45 hours on the road, covering 1981 km. One way trip costs from 80 euros.

The carrier Lviv Inturtrans organizes weekly direct trips to Amsterdam from Kiev. The ticket price is from 100 to 150 euros, the travel time is 38 hours.

Sem-expres organizes flights from Chernivtsi to Amsterdam every Saturday, the ticket price is 100 euros.

The record-holders in the transportation of passengers to Holland from Ukraine can be called the Busfor company. Their buses leave from Kiev, Dnipro, Zhitomir, Vinnitsa, Krivoy Rog and many other large cities of Ukraine. The cost of tickets is from 55 to 150 euros one way, depending on the starting point of the trip.

Belarus

Ecolines organizes bus trips from Minsk to Amsterdam. One way ticket costs from 100 euros, round trip tickets - from 180 euros. If you want to save money, then you can go with a change in Berlin. You will reach the capital of Germany with the Minsktrans company and from there take the Deinbus bus to Amsterdam. On the way 29 hours, price from 61 euros.

Moldova

Eurolines Moldova organizes flights from Chisinau to Amsterdam with transfers in Berlin, Brasov (Romania), Warsaw, Krakow and Wroclaw. The ticket will cost you 130-135 euros. In addition to the capital of Holland, you can choose other cities in the country - Rotterdam, Uttrecht, Breda, Arnheim or The Hague.

Car

Traveling by car is not the fastest and cheapest way to get to Holland. But he gives a lot of vivid impressions. It is not easy to calculate the exact travel time, since it depends only on you which route you choose and in which cities you want to stay on vacation, you may also want to get acquainted with the sights along the way. Be sure to check the package of documents, without which traveling by car is impossible: MTPL insurance, international driving license and documents for the car, medical insurance for each family member, foreign passports with visas.

Distance from Moscow to Amsterdam 2540 km, which takes about 26 hours. Going to Holland, you will have to drive through such states as Belarus, Poland, Germany.

Distance from Kiev to Amsterdam 1967 km, this is approximately 21 hours on the way. On the way, you will cross the borders with Poland and Germany.

From Minsk to Amsterdam can be reached in 17 hours, covering 1728 kilometers. On the way to the capital of Holland, you will pass all the same countries - Poland and Germany.

From Chisinau to Amsterdam can be reached by car in 23 hours on average. You will have to travel 2,184 km. To reach Holland you will cross the borders with Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, France and Belgium.

From Tbilisi to Amsterdam you will get there in 47 hours, covering 3900 km. The road runs through Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany. You can go through Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Germany.

Road to Amsterdam from Yerevan will take 52 hours. You will have to drive through Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, or through Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Germany. The average distance is 4500 km.

Travel from Baku to Amsterdam will take at least 52 hours, you will need to overcome 4200 km and the borders with Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany.

Travel within the country

Taxi

Please note that it is very difficult to catch a car in the city. In the capital of the Netherlands, taxis are called by phone or ordered over the Internet, and they board at special parking lots. Taxis may not be the fastest way to travel as there are many narrow, one-way streets in the city center. It is not recommended to take a taxi at the airport without "identification marks", this will save you from fraudsters. An average trip to the city center will cost 15 euros (landing from 2.89 to 4 euros and 2.1 euros per kilometer). Transfer to Schiphol Airport will cost you 40-50 euros.

Car for rent

If you have an international class license, insurance and a credit card, then you can rent a car. At Amsterdam Airport, the offices of Avis, Budget Rent-a-Car, Europcar, Autoverhuur B.v. , Hertz Automobielen Nederland, National Alamo Rent a Car and Sixt Rent a Car, whose staff can help you with this. The cost of renting an inexpensive car, such as a Volkswagen Golf, will cost you 20 euros per day, an all-wheel drive car such as a Toyota Land Cruiser will cost you 60 euros per day.

Bicycle rental

Amsterdam is an extremely cyclist-friendly city. For travel on two-wheeled vehicles, a separate lane with its own traffic lights is allocated, however, in the old city, cyclists ride together with vehicles. The rental price ranges from 13 to 20 euros per day, of which 3 euros is insurance against theft. You will be given a code lock for parking and a map. Check out the following companies - MacBike Bicycle Rental, Orangebike, Rentals & Tours, Frederic Bike, Damstraat Offer and Het Zwarte Fietsenplan. Cycling is a great opportunity to travel outside the city, and if you are an experienced cyclist, then travel around the country. You can ride the metro with bicycles by purchasing a separate ticket.

Features of urban transport

Amsterdam has an extensive public transport network. It includes buses, trams and metro. Tickets for these three types of transport are shared. The city is divided into zones, the more zones you need to cross, the more expensive the journey will be. The historic center of the city is "located" in one zone. A map showing the zones can be found at stops and inside transport. The ticket is purchased from the driver, from vending machines at metro stations. It costs 2.8 euros - this is any number of trips within 1 hour. You can buy one of two types of travel cards: D-card (hourly - 3 euros, for 24 hours - 7.5 euros, for 48 hours - 12.5 euros, for 72 hours - 17.5 euros) or I amsterdam city card. Rather, it is not exactly a travel card, but a multifunctional card that combines the functions of a travel card, a discount card and a card for entering museums and visiting attractions. A card for 24 hours costs 59 euros, for 48 hours - 74 euros, for 72 hours - 87 euros and for 96 hours - 98 euros. You can order it online and pick it up at Schiphol Airport.

In Amsterdam, the OV-chipkaart reusable travel card system operates. The cost of the card itself is 7.5 euros, the shelf life is 5 years. The purchased card is topped up with any amount, so that later on to drive around the city at the rate of 0.90 EUR landing plus 0.155 EUR per kilometer. That is why the check-in-check-out system operates in Amsterdam transport. The penalty for a "hare ride" will be 60 euros.

Buses

You can find the bus schedule at each stop. They run from 6 in the morning until half past midnight, and after them night buses leave the routes and serve passengers until half past five in the morning. You can use any tickets in them, except for travel cards. The night bus stops on demand - you just need to vote, you can buy a ticket from the driver.

Underground

This type of transport is very different from the concept of "subway". It consists of 4 lines (50, 51, 53 and 54) and is a combination of a high-speed surface tram and a classic underground. Note that many metro lines run along the railway, so some stations are simultaneously used by metro, commuter trains and intercity trains.

Tram

If you need to get somewhere quickly and conveniently, we recommend using trams. You will find their timetables at the bus stops. On the blue plates - the schedule on weekdays, pink - on weekends.

Tourists should take a ride on the retro tram, which runs on Sundays from 11:00 to 17:30 from Haarlemmermeer station to the Amsterdam Forest. Travel time 20 minutes Fare 7 EUR, children 4-11 years old - 4.5 EUR.

Tourist transport

The capital of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has special mobility opportunities created for tourists. Minibuses City Center Line run around the city center from 9:00 to 18:00, every day, every half hour. They pick up everyone along the route, you just have to vote. I buy a ticket from the driver, its price is 2 euros, and you can buy a travel card for a day for 6 euros. The bus runs on a circular route through the most popular attractions (Central Station, Waterlooplein, the old port of Osterdock).
Many travel companies in Amsterdam offer hop-on hop-off trips. By purchasing a ticket for 24 hours for 15 euros, tourists (for children costs from 8 to 10 euros), they can climb aboard and leave the bus as many times as they want, enjoying the audio guide excursion (also available in Russian).

Canal cruises

Amsterdam from the water is a special sight. Canal Bus offers tourists the same system as Hop-on Hop-off, only by boat. River trams run on 2 different routes with 20 stops. A ticket for a day will cost 20-25 euros, for 2 days - 32 euros. There are many alternative travel options along the city's waterways, including romantic dining walks past the city's most vibrant locations. You can book a boat with captains for 2-3 hours, such a cruise will cost tourists from 90 euros.

Move between cities in the Netherlands

Trains

For those planning to travel outside of Amsterdam, the site is useful. On it you can book and buy tickets, check the train schedule. There are 4 types of trains running around the country: Stoptrein (analogue of the electric train), Sprinter (an additional train that runs during rush hour), Sneltrein (high-speed train that does not stop in small towns) and Intercity (express train).

The cost of a trip from the capital to Maastricht and back will be 51 euros, from Haarlem to Amsterdam 4.2 euros, a trip to Zwolle will cost 36.6 in both directions, and to Scheveningen beach 33 euros one way (this is a ticket to The Hague and from there a tram to the beach).
Those who want to save money can buy a train pass - trein dagkaart, you need to look for it in Blokker, Kruidvat, Hema, Albert Heijn stores. Day ticket 13.99 - 19 euros. You can use it to get anywhere in Holland.

Bus

In Holland, traveling long distances by bus is not worth it. Intercity buses are best used for short trips - up to 10 km. Buses run regularly, but rarely, there are no direct routes between major cities. So, if you want to get from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, then you will have to stop by Schiphol, Haarlem, Leiden, The Hague and Delft on the way.

Communication

If you are planning to use mobile communication in Holland, the following information will be useful to you: country code 31, if you need to dial an international line, dial 00 or +. There are 5 mobile operators in the Netherlands: KPN (Telfort, Hi, Simyo, Lebara, Lyca mobile, AH Mobiel), Tele2, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile.

The cost of starter packs is very different (around 20 euros), many operators offer them free of charge, with the condition of replenishing the account for a certain amount. Often, when replenishing the account, the client receives the same or more amount to the account in the form of a bonus.

Note that calls to 0800 are free, while 09xx are quite expensive. Local mobile numbers start with 06.
If you are planning to call abroad, then buy SIM cards from Lebara and Ortel, these operators specialize in such calls. The cost of a minute of a conversation with Russia / Ukraine is 15-20 cents, within the country - 10 cents.

In some places on the street you can find payphones. Those owned by Telfort accept coins, while KPN only accept phone cards or credit cards. International telephones can also be found in the Internet cafe. There are no special problems with Wi-Fi, in many cafes, hotels, guesthouses, public libraries, railway stations and at Schiphol airport there is wireless Internet, trains are also equipped with Wi-Fi.

Residence

The cost of living in the most popular cities among tourists in Holland:
Amsterdam Rotterdam The Hague Utrecht Maastricht
3 * from 88 euros 50 euros 60 euros 89 euros 68 euros
4 * from 156 EUR 50 EUR 115 EUR 119 EUR 55 EUR
5 * from 245 euros 144 euros 144 euros 196 euros 409 euros
Apartments from 99 euros 68 euros 59 euros 65 euros 33 euros
Guest houses from 69 euros 54 euros 60 euros 72 euros 38 euros
Hostels from 22 euros 23 euros 22 euros 25 euros 30 euros

Climate and weather

In winter, the temperature rarely drops below + 1 ° С, and in summer it keeps within the comfortable +16 - + 22 ° С. In winter, frost and snow are possible, at this time the surface of natural reservoirs and canals freezes.

Warm seasons are the most suitable for travel. Guests should remember that the weather in the Netherlands is changeable: it is not always possible to predict when the cloudless sky will rain heavily. Precipitation in Holland falls all year round, except for rain, they appear in the form of thick fog. Cloudy days prevail over sunny ones. Therefore, umbrellas and raincoats are obligatory attributes of a traveler in Holland, as well as comfortable waterproof shoes, ideally a spare pair of rubber boots.

The settlements located on the coast are characterized by a milder climate, while in cities further from the coast, daily and seasonal temperature drops are more noticeable.

How to avoid problems in the Netherlands: dangers, scammers, drugs

Many tourists associate the Netherlands with the sale of soft drugs, but this issue is not so simple. The sale of soft drugs is indeed legalized in the country, but only in specialized establishments - coffee shops and smart shops. They can be found in the central area of \u200b\u200bAmsterdam by their red-yellow-green signs. The fact is that such establishments cannot be advertised, so their owners have to use such symbols, understandable to all marijuana lovers. The permitted dosage for sale is 5 grams (of hashish or dried hemp).

Note that Dutch hashish is much stronger than similar products in other countries, so you need to treat yourself to a joint with great care so as not to get an overdose.

The same applies to baked goods with hashish added. They call it "space pies". A newbie might eat too many marinated muffins and cause serious problems. If you have never tried anything like this before, check with the staff of the establishment.
Most coffee shops don't sell alcohol. Alcohol can be bought at the Rookies in the vicinity of Amsterdam's Leidseplein. In addition, only adults are allowed to enter these establishments.

For safety reasons, we have advised against buying drugs from street dealers.

However, the market for psychoactive substances is not limited to marijuana alone. You can buy raw or dried hallucinogenic mushrooms and smart drugs in smart shops. They are made from legal chemicals, but they work akin to illegal counterparts like ecstasy.

We remind you that in a state of drug intoxication you cannot drive and we do not recommend buying any prohibited substances on the street from your hands, as it is dangerous.

In case of any "emergency situations" dial the general number 112 - you can use it to call an ambulance, firefighters, rescuers and the police.

In large cities such as The Hague, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, you can be robbed by pickpockets, and theft of bicycles is generally read as a local "sport".

Finally, we note that there are many zealous animal defenders in Holland, so we do not advise you to wear clothes made from natural fur and leather.

Finally, when heading out into the woods, wear tight, light-colored clothing with long sleeves, and ditch shorts, open shoes to avoid tick bites.

Import and export regulations

Please note that the Netherlands has customs restrictions on the import of industrial food products that contain alcohol, tobacco and stimulants. You can bring with you for personal needs: up to 0.5 kg of coffee, up to 0.1 kg of tea, 250 ml of eau de parfum, 100 ml of perfume, up to 200 cigarettes, up to 100 cigarillos, up to 50 cigars, up to 250 grams of loose tobacco, strong alcohol not more than 1 liter, fortified wine up to 2 liters, still wine up to 4 liters and beer up to 16 liters.

It is prohibited to import drugs, precursors, poisons, explosives, ammunition and weapons, plants and bulbs without documents, meat and dairy products (except for baby food in sealed packaging weighing up to 2 kg), goods and souvenirs that contain biomaterial, protected animals.

Pets can only be brought in with an international passport and a vaccination certificate, a veterinary certificate obtained 10 working days before departure.

Historical relics and works of art cannot be brought into and out of the country. If you are planning to buy tulip bulbs, then ask the seller for a certificate from the Dutch Phytopathological Service.

When planning a trip, one of the first questions that travel lovers have is: "How are we going to get there?" Naturally, the fastest and most comfortable way is by plane. If you fly on a route, say Moscow-Amsterdam, then the easiest way is to buy a ticket for a flight by the Dutch company KLM or the Russian company Aeroflot. These carriers operate regular flights to the capital of the Netherlands, travel time is approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Photo from the website of the airline KLM

But, there is one big drawback in this - the high cost of tickets. To save on airfare, you can use the services of airlines that carry passengers by flights with a transfer in different European cities:

• Austrian Airlines (transfer in Vienna)
• Air France (transfer in Paris)
• Air Baltic (transfer in Riga)
• Czech Airlines (transfer in Prague)
• Estonian (transfer in Tallinn)
• Finnair (transfer in Helsinki)
• Lufthansa (transfer in Munich or Frankfurt)
• Malev (transfer in Budapest)

Almost all of the above companies fly from other major cities in Russia, such as Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Kaliningrad, etc. Detailed information about flights and conditions of their conduct is set out on the websites of airlines. You can go to the site of any of them by clicking on the name of the company of interest from the list above.

Due to the fact that the flights are not "direct", the cost of air tickets is reduced, but, for the same reason, the travel time increases. Although this has its advantages! While waiting for your connecting flight, you can visit Duty Free shops, in the airport transit area, or simply relax at the bar. Important! When booking tickets, carefully read the conditions of carriage, since many low-cost companies do not include baggage in the ticket price, which is paid separately. As a result, the price of a ticket can be almost the same as for a direct flight.

If for some reason the plane does not fit, then you should use other ways to get to the Netherlands - by train or bus.

Every day, from the Belorussky railway station in Moscow, a train departs, with a wagon attached to. Of course, the journey will take much longer (about 36 hours), but the advantage of the trip will be a wonderful opportunity to admire the views of European cities such as Vashava, Berlin, Cologne, Dusseldorf from the train window. And if you are lucky and find an interesting companion, time will fly by!

Well, in the end, you can go to the bus. On Tuesdays and Fridays, from the Moscow Bus Station, comfortable buses go to, almost repeating the train route. Travel time is a little over 2 days.

The Netherlands is a small state: you can easily walk around all the most interesting places of Amsterdam on foot, and in a week you will travel the whole country on your own, especially if you listen to our advice.

How to get around the Netherlands

Ticket machines at many stations do not accept bank notes or plastic cards from Russian banks, so you should always have enough "iron" change in your pocket.

In spring and summer, when the weather is fine, it is pleasant to travel between cities by bike: almost everywhere there are excellent marked bike paths and in any locality there is a bike rental service. You can, of course, rent a car, but the distances are short, and in cities you will have to constantly look for parking, and then pay a lot for it, so most tourists prefer public or private two-wheeled transport.

How to quickly see Amsterdam

If you need to quickly get to know Amsterdam, you should leave the central station and walk straight along the wide main street Damrak. On the left you will have lanes Red light district... You can walk in them first, and then return to the main road.

After about 10 minutes, when you pass Dam Square and the street becomes Rokin, on the right you will see the chime tower and the famous flower marketwhere you can get hold of bulbs of different colors, cuttings and seedlings of all kinds of plants. The main thing is not to accidentally buy cannabis seeds as a souvenir, which will greatly delight the border guards of any state.

After the market, after passing through it, do not go back, but continue walking in the same direction along another street, for example, along Koningsplein. On the way, you can look into one of the diamond shops, some of them have museums, where they will tell you in detail and show how to cut stones.

In 20-25 minutes you will reach Rijksmuseum, which houses an amazing collection of Flemish painting, and right behind it is van gogh museum - so, the Amsterdam minimum is fulfilled!

Why go to Haarlem

It takes you only 15-18 minutes to get from Amsterdam to Haarlem, so the Dutch, who work in the capital, but want to save money, as well as prudent tourists, settle in this small town near the ocean.

All the rest of the travelers come to this city on an excursion to see the town hall, church Sint Bavo with a large body, antique count's residence and meat market.

In spring, the surroundings of Haarlem are covered with seas of tulips and hyacinths - this is the main floral region of the Netherlands.

How to get to Keukenhof

Those who will be in the Netherlands from late March to mid-May should definitely visit the largest and most beautiful spring park in Europe -. It covers 32 hectares and is located between Amsterdam and The Hague on the outskirts of the small town of Lisse. Each year, 4.5 million tulip bulbs of more than 100 different varieties grow there. You will admire them as you walk 15 kilometers of paths.

The most convenient way to get to Keukenhof is from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (you will spend about 35 minutes on the way). During the season, a special route is introduced to the park. Also, such routes are traditionally organized from the city of Leiden (the journey will take about 25 minutes) and from the central railway station in The Hague.

If you want to save money, buy a complex ticket, which you can use to go back and forth by bus and visit the park.

Why go to Leiden

It will take 35 minutes to get by train from Amsterdam to the small old university town of Leiden. It is worth going to it to walk between typical Dutch houses on the banks of numerous canals, buy something on the Haarlemstrat shopping street, look at the ancient city \u200b\u200bgate, to the building of the weavers' guild, where the city \u200b\u200bmuseum, and taste the spicy spicy hard Leyden cheese with caraway seeds and cloves.

What to see in the Hague in one day

It takes about 50 minutes by train from Amsterdam to The Hague. In this city there is not only the famous Hague Tribunal, but also the state authorities of the Netherlands - the government and parliament work there.

Of the museums in The Hague undoubtedly deserves attention Mauritshuiswhere canvases of the "golden age" masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer are kept. With children go to Madurodam - walk between miniature copies of the main attractions of this country.

If you have more time, then take a tram and travel to a remote area Scheveningen, which is located on the shores of the Atlantic.

What to see in Delft in one day

In 50-60 minutes, a train from Amsterdam Central Station will take you to Delft. As in other old Dutch towns, you will see market square with an openwork building of the town hall, beautiful houses where various guilds used to be located.

Delft's calling card is its blue and white porcelain. Antique dishes and other fragile treasures are displayed in museum Lambert van Meertan or in a museum in prinsenhof Palace, and if you want to see how ceramic works of art are made - welcome to the excursion to Royal Porcelain Factory... Nearby is another famous landmark - the 75-meter Old Church - Ode Kerk, built in the XIII century.

Why go to Rotterdam

If you are already fed up with old houses on the banks of narrow canals and want to see the face of modern Holland, we recommend taking a day trip to Rotterdam. The train journey from Amsterdam will take a little over an hour.

Skyscrapers where the headquarters of many international corporations are located, huge ferries sailing across the seas and oceans, the country's highest observation deck on the TV tower, the best discos and nightclubs await you.

Among the most famous exhibitions - historical Museum (it is in a very curious 17th century building!) maritime museum (the ticket price includes the visit ship "Buffel" 1868, standing at the pier opposite). And in summer, after walking around the city, you can relax on the city beach Boompjes quay (near the Leuvehaven metro stop).

Amsterdam is attractive, May is damn attractive ... What to expect? Catch the idea of \u200b\u200bbudget travel before tickets go up!

Getting cheap travel in the spring and cheap flying to Amsterdam are two challenges with an asterisk. But there is a solution!

So let's take May of this year as an example. We buy tickets for 13.2 euros (one way) on the website of the radiant Ryanair and fly May 17 from Warsaw to Eindhoven. This is such a city in the heels of the Netherlands (from there, a stone's throw to Belgium, by the way). You can return 26 of Maybecause, as we can see, this is also the Day of the Cheap Ticket:

Eindhoven is a cool city, all space and modern. You can hang out there for a day, and then go all the way to Amsterdam.

So, let's go to Amsterdam!

You can get to the capital of permissiveness, oh, sorry, the Netherlands, in different ways. The easiest is - official shuttle AirExpressBus (as much as 22.5 euros, but this is not so offensive when you arrive for 13 euros; and sometimes there are discounts; the shuttle goes directly from the airport) or by buses Flixbus (they are significantly cheaper - usually 7-9 euros, but they leave from the Eindhoven station, that is, you need to get there from the airport; and they also travel twice as long as the shuttle).

Choose the option that suits you best on the carriers' websites or on the aggregator GoEuro ... Just keep in mind that Flixbus prices are constantly changing (due to dynamic pricing). Random screenshot from goeuro:

Voila! Here is Amsterdam! By the way, the central station, where the shuttle arrives, looks like a castle.

All! We walk, stare around, fall in love with architecture, visit Van Gogh, have fun with all our might. If you get tired of enjoying life in Amsterdam, you can skate to Belgium by buying tickets from the same Flixbus .

You can return home according to the same scheme, having flown away from Eindhoven.

But there is also an alternative.

If you went from Amsterdam to Belgium, then fly from there. After all, there is a large hub with a bunch of flights and cheap tickets to Poland and Lithuania - Brussels Charleroi airport. It was called "Brussels" clearly for fun and for marketing reasons: the capital of beer and chocolate is almost 70 km away, and on the scale of Belgium it is half of Belgium.

You can go to Antwerp (bus ticket - from 9 euros):

IN Ghent (bus ticket - from 12 euros):

Or, with a clear conscience, lay low in the gloomy Bruges (bus ticket - from 15 euros):

From Bruges and Ghent at a low-cost bus company Flibco there are transfers directly to Charleroi airport. And we need to go there! The ticket costs 5 euros if bought in advance (then the price grows unpleasantly).

Well, how to get from Vilnius to Minsk, you will definitely figure it out :)

This scheme of arrival in Amsterdam and return home from Belgium was personally tested by our editorial staff. We liked:)

Let's summarize!

• If you fly Warsaw-Eindhoven-Warsaw on May 17-26, then plane tickets and a direct transfer (shuttle) round-trip will cost 70 euros. The road to and from Warsaw will cost another 40 euros. Total: maximum 110 euros.
• If you return, say, through Ghent and fly from Charleroi to Vilnius on May 22, then all tickets with buses will cost ... 70 euros. The road to Warsaw and from Vilnius will cost 30-35 euros. Total: maximum 105 euros and a lot of impressions.

These are very, very reasonable prices for the end of spring. In winter, when crowds of tourists do not run to see Dutch tulips, tickets are pleasantly cheaper.

Flights from Vilnius to Eindhoven WizzAir, so if you monitor the dates and prices, you can fly faster and cheaper. For example, in winter there is no problem with this, and once, in a chilly December, the editor flew to Amsterdam to bask inside and out for 13 euros (this is how much the ticket for the Vilnius-Eindhoven flight cost). A return ticket Brussels Charleroi-Warsaw cost 8.5 euros. May God grant health to the one who invented low-cost airlines!

For comparison: Austrian airlines are ready to take you to Amsterdam (with a transfer in Vienna) on the same dates for 182 euros.

Direct flight Belavia - 241 euros.

Direct flights from Minsk-3 airport (i.e. Vilnius) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol offers airBaltic , prices - from 131 euros for round trip tickets.

Conclusion: the above scheme is flexible and viable, relevant for any time of the year and allows you to save on the road at least 2 times. And this is without taking into account all the promotions and sales, which we, reasonable travelers, never neglect.

* Prices are current at the time of publication of the article.

Bright impressions and profitable flights to you!

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How to get to the Netherlands

By air
You can fly to Holland by plane from Moscow and St. Petersburg with Aeroflot, KLM and State Customs Committee. The average cost of air travel is 13-15 thousand rubles. The most interesting airline in terms of cost, which flies with a connection, is Czech Airlines, or Estonian Airlines, the cost of a flight with a connection from 10 thousand rubles, in the off-season on promotions from 89 euros round-trip.

There are a number of interesting alternatives to travel through neighboring countries. You can use cheap air tickets to Cologne with Germanwings and Ural Airlines; Hamburg, Frankfurt or Dusseldorf with Aeroflot, AirBerlin and. Petersburgers often use the Finnish airline Blue1 with flights from Helsinki or flights to Dusseldorf, Bremen, Brussels Charleroi via the border airports of Lappeenranta, Tampere (), Kaunas (), Riga (), operated by low-cost airlines Ryanair or.

On the ground
You can get to Holland by train with a change in Germany. It is better to buy tickets on the website of German railways in advance (from 29 euros one way), tickets from Russia to Germany can be bought on the website of Russian railways or at the ticket office at the station, the cost will not be cheaper than a train, more suitable for those who do not like to fly ... A good solution would be to take cheap tickets to wherever they will be (for example, Frankfurt), and from there get to Amsterdam by a rented car (especially profitable if you are traveling with a company)

nshispeed.nl/en - Netherlands railway
thalys.com

Railway of the Netherlands

What's the best way to get to Holland?
The cheapest way is to buy tickets to Dusseldorf, Cologne or Hamburg with special offers. For example, I sold tickets for the period of 2011 for 5 thousand rubles, now such tickets are rare (more often you can buy AirBerlin for 99 euros). Much more often out of season or the State Customs Committee offers interesting prices from 11.5 tr. round trip from the cities of Russia to Amsterdam, at normal times the cost of tickets is kept in the region of 15-18 tr.

Accommodation in the Netherlands
Hotels, hostels, apartments, hostels can be booked on large reservation systems, always double-check the prices, because in different systems there can be extremely polar prices.

There are also a number of Dutch hotel booking sites:
houseboathotel.nl - accommodation in boat hotels
hotels.nl/

Hotels

When is the best time to visit Holland?

The Netherlands can be visited all year round, in summer there is a large concentration of tourists and high prices, in winter there are no queues to museums, hotel prices are two times lower. The most eventful and colorful month is April, when Queen's Day, World Press Photo exhibition, and contemporary art fair are held. Perhaps the best time is September, when the heat subsides, and there are noticeably fewer tourists than in August, in September the "Jordan" festival is held, music plays, canals are filled with boats, festive events are everywhere.