By Air
The Netherlands’ national airline is KLM-Royal
Dutch Airlines (KL). KLM flies direct to all major
European, North American and Asia-Pacific cities.
KLM Excel flies between London Stansted and Maastricht.
Most major international airlines, and some low-cost
carriers fly to Amsterdam.
Approximate flight times: From
Amsterdam to Belfast is 1 hour 5 minutes; to London
is 1 hour 20 minutes; to Manchester is 1 hour
15 minutes and to New York is 7 hours(including
stopover in London).
International airports: Amsterdam
(AMS) (Schiphol) (website: www.schiphol.nl)
is 15km (9 miles) southwest of the city (travel
time by train – 20 minutes). KLM buses provide
a daily service from 0600-0000 departing every
15-30 minutes, stopping at a selection of major
hotels and returning to Schiphol. There is a direct
rail link between the airport and Amsterdam Centraal
Station, with trains every 15 minutes from 0600-0000
and every hour through the night. Trains to Zuid
Station (Amsterdam South) run every 15 minutes
from 0525-0015; return is from Zuid Station, Parnassusweg/Minervalaan
(via tram no. 5 from the city centre) from 0545-0040.
There is also a service to the RAI Congress Centre
every 15 minutes from 0525-0012. Return is from
RAI station (via tram no. 4 from the city centre)
from 0545-0040. Plentiful taxis are available
to the city.
Airport facilities include restaurants, duty-free
shops, currency exchange machines (able to convert
17 different currencies), banks, an art gallery,
baby rooms (free of charge and open 24 hours),
showers, a business centre (with fax, personal
computer and telephone facilities), conference
rooms and car hire.
Rotterdam (RTM) (Zestienhoven) (website:
www.rotterdam-airport.nl) is 8km (5 miles)
northwest of the city (travel time – 15
minutes). Bus no. 33 departs every 10 minutes.
Return is from Central Station (travel time –
20 minutes). Taxis to the city are also available.
Airport facilities include restaurant, bank, outgoing
duty-free shop and car hire.
Eindhoven (EIN) (Welschap) (website: www.eindhovenairport.nl)
is 8km (5 miles) from the city. Coaches run every
15 minutes and taxis to the city are also available.
Airport facilities include car hire, ATMs, restaurants
and outgoing duty-free shops.
Maastricht (MST) (Aachen) (website: www.maa.nl)
is 8km (5 miles) from the city. Airport facilities
include outgoing duty-free shop.
Groningen (GRQ) (Eelde) (website:
www.groningenairporteelde.nl) is 9km (6 miles)
from the city.
Enschede (ENS) (Twente) (website: www.enschede-airport.nl)
is 8km (5 miles) from the city.
Departure tax: None.
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By Land
ROAD: The Netherlands are connected
to the rest of Europe by a superb network of motorways.
All roads are well signposted with green ‘E’
symbols indicating international highways, red
‘A’s indicating national highways,
and smaller routes indicated by yellow ‘N’s.
The national speed limit is 120kph (75mph). Although
frontier formalities between The Netherlands,
Germany and Belgium have now all but vanished,
motorists – particularly on smaller roads
– should be prepared to stop when asked
to do so by a customs official. The yellow cars
of the ANWB/Wegenwacht (Royal Dutch Touring Club)
(tel: (70) 314 1420) patrol major roads 24 hours
a day with qualified mechanics equipped to handle
routine repairs. In case of emergencies, assistance
is available (tel: 60888 within The Netherlands
only).
All road vehicles are carried through the tunnel
in Eurotunnel shuttles running between the two
terminals, one near Folkestone in Kent, with direct
road access from the M20, and one just outside
Calais, with links to the A16/A26 motorway (Exit
13). Each shuttle is made up of 12 single- and
12 double-deck carriages, and vehicles are directed
to single-deck or double-deck carriages depending
on their height. There are facilities for cars
and motorcycles, coaches, minibuses, caravans,
campervans and other vehicles over 1.85m (6.07ft).
Bicycles are provided for. Passengers generally
travel with their vehicles. Heavy goods vehicles
are carried on special shuttles and drivers travel
in a separate carriage. Terminals and shuttles
are well equipped for disabled passengers, and
Passenger Terminal buildings contain a variety
of shops, restaurants, bureaux de change and other
amenities. The journey takes about 35 minutes
from platform to platform and about 1 hour from
motorway to motorway. Services run every day of
the year, and there are between two and five an
hour, depending on the time of day. There is a
reservation system and a turn-up-and-go service.
Motorists pass through customs and immigration
before they board the shuttle without further
checks on arrival. Fares vary according to length
of stay, time of day and time of year and whether
you have a reservation or not. The price applies
to the car, regardless of the number of passengers
or size of the car. The fare may be paid in cash,
by cheque or by credit card. For further information,
contact Eurotunnel Customer Services UK (tel:
(08705) 353 535; website:
www.eurotunnel.com).
Coach: Eurolines run coach services
from the UK to The Netherlands and from The Netherlands
to various destinations throughout Europe. They
have an office in Amsterdam at Julianaplein 5,
1097 DN (tel: (20) 560 8788; fax: (20) 560 8717;
e-mail: info@eurolines.nl;
website: www.eurolines.nl).
Further information can also be obtained by calling
Eurolines in the UK (4 Cardiff Road, Luton, Bedfordshire,
L41 1PP; tel: (08705) 143 219; fax: (01582) 400
694; website: www.eurolines.com
or www.nationalexpress.com).
Car hire: Major companies can be found in all
the main cities, among them Avis, Hertz, Budget
and Europcar.
RAIL: Eurostar operates direct
high-speed trains from London (Waterloo International)
to Paris (Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (Midi/Zuid).
It takes 3 hours from London to Paris and it takes
2 hours 40 minutes from London to Brussels. Local
trains run between Brussels and Amsterdam (travel
time – approximately 2 hours 45 minutes).
Eurostar operates eight daily services to Brussels
and Thalys International runs six daily trains
(seven in summer) onwards to Amsterdam and other
Dutch destinations.
The Eurostar trains are equipped with standard-class
and first-class seating, buffet, bar and are staffed
by multi-lingual, highly trained personnel. Pricing
is competitive with the airlines, and there is
a large range of different tickets and prices.
Children aged between 4 to 11 years benefit from
a special fare in first class as well as in standard
class. Children under 4 years old travel free
but cannot be guaranteed a seat. Wheelchair users
and blind passengers together with one companion
get a special fare. For further information and
reservations, contact Eurostar (tel: (0870) 6000
792 (travel agents) or (08705) 186 186 (public;
within the UK) or (+44 1233) 617 575 (public;
outside the UK only); website: www.eurostar.com);
or Rail Europe (tel: (08705) 848 848). Travel
agents can obtain refunds for unused tickets from
Eurostar Trade Refunds, Second Floor, Kent House,
81 Station Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PD, UK. Complaints
and comments may be sent to Eurostar Customer
Relations, Eurostar House, Waterloo Station, London
SE1 8SE, UK (tel: (020) 7928 5163; e-mail: new.comments@eurostar.co.uk).
Rail travellers not using the Channel Tunnel link
need to make some form of sea crossing, usually
by ferry or hovercraft; for details on sea crossings
see also under Sea above. The cost of the crossing
is usually included in the price of the rail ticket.
There are plenty of rail passes on offer to travellers
visiting The Netherlands, including discounts
for young and senior citizens. For further details,
contact Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.com).
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By Sea
The major ferry ports are Vlissingen, Rotterdam
and Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland). Regular
car and passenger ferries are operated from the
UK to The Netherlands via the following routes
and shipping lines:
Stena Line (tel: (08705) 707 070; website:
www.stenaline.co.uk): Harwich to Hook of Holland;
travel time – 3 hours 40 minutes (day),
6 hours 15 minutes (night); two sailings daily.
P&O Ferries (tel: (08705) 202020; website:
www.ponsf.com): Hull
to Rotterdam (Europoort); travel time –
12 hours; one sailing nightly.
DFDS Seaways (tel: (08705) 333 000 (within the
UK) or (01255) 240 240 (outside the UK); website:
www.dfdsseaways.co.uk): Newcastle to Amsterdam;
travel time – 16 hours.
Note: P&O European Ferries and Hoverspeed
UK run services to The Netherlands via Belgium.
French ports also provide connections.
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