ATM services in Amsterdam

Amsterdam has plenty of ATM’s on the street where you can withdraw your money with most debit cards. In most shops and restaurants you can also pay with your debit card without any problems. A credit card is usually accepted everywhere.

Most banks and post offices are open from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Only major banks and post offices are open on Saturday. GWK Travelex is open every day of the week. Most GWK Travelex offices are located nearby train and bus stations.

You can exchange money at banks, post offices and exchange offices in Holland. Many hotels also offer this facility. And, of course, you can easily get money with your debit card from one of the many ATMs located throughout Holland.

In The Netherlands, Value Added Tax and service charges are included in your check in hotels, restaurants, shops and taxis. Tips for extra service are always appreciated but not required. It is customary to give taxi drivers and waiters a tip of about 10 percent. Many public restrooms have an attendant who is usually tipped EUR 0,50.

Safety in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is generally a safe city. There is a lot of police on the street, both striking as undercover.

As in all large cities are pickpockets often active in busy places and in cafes, bars and restaurants. Especially in the summer season you need to pay extra attention when you’re on public transport and in the train between Schiphol and Amsterdam Central.

Park your car please without any stuff in plain view. Even if it has no value for you, a window is broken in a second. Amsterdam is known for its tolerant policy towards (soft) drugs with all related trouble. Ignore people who are under the influence or suspicious customers who offer something.

Post office services in Amsterdam

Spread over Amsterdam you will find different Postal boxes. Postal boxes in the Netherlands are painted red or orange. Please note that the right hole on the box is for the local Amsterdam mail, the left one for all other mail (Dutch: overige postcodes). The post is collected every day at 6 PM, except for Saturday

For Postal business:
Amsterdam Central Post Office located in a proximity of the Dam Square (ca. 100 meters behind the Queens Palace), is a convenient place to send your cards and letters overseas, especially when you are not sure how many stamps to put on. It is also a good place to send small parcels, to buy telephone discount cards and useful stationary.
Opening hours: Monday-Friday 07:30 till 18:00,  Saturday 07:30 till 17:00

Public holidays of The Netherlands

Most shops and banks closed on public holidays. The public holidays of The Netherlands are:

How late do the stores open and close

– On Monday the stores open later then usual. The stores are open from 13:00-18:00.
– Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday are the stores open from 09:00-18:00.
– On Thursday there is a late shopping night in The Netherlands, stores are open from  09:00-21:00
– Sunday the stores are open from 12:00-17:00 (the Nieuwendijk, the Kalverstraat, and the 9 streets, others are closed)