Type and sockets at 230 V, central European time. The rules that catch visitors out are cannabis-related: coffeeshops are legal and the street outside them is not, with a EUR 100 fine for smoking in the centre of Amsterdam.
- The cannabis tolerance is for the premises, not the substance. Smoking on the street in central Amsterdam carries a EUR 100 fine.
- Coffeeshops are over-18s only with an original passport or ID card, capped at 5 g per person per day and serving no alcohol.
- Photographing or filming the window workers in the Red Light District is strictly forbidden, and phones get taken off people who try.
- Sockets are types and at 230 V, and English is near-universal - switching to it is not considered rude.
- Public toilets cost EUR 0.50 to EUR 1.00, paid by contactless card at the turnstile, which is another reason a card matters more than cash.
Local rules and cultural differences
- Cannabis in public - tolerated inside licensed coffeeshops, banned on the street in central Amsterdam and the De Wallen area in particular, with a EUR 100 fine. The tolerance is for the premises, not the substance.
- Coffeeshop rules - over-18s only, with an original passport or ID card. Sales are capped at 5 g per person per day, and no alcohol is served.
- Photography in the Red Light District - photographing or filming the window workers is strictly forbidden, and cameras and phones get taken off people who try.
- Alcohol in public - prohibited in areas signed Gedeeltelijk verbod alcohol, with fines from EUR 95.
- Drones - effectively banned across Amsterdam, which lies inside Schiphol's controlled airspace.
Everyday practicalities
- Power sockets - types and , 230 V, 50 Hz.
- Time zone - CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) from the last weekend of March to the last weekend of October.
- Opening hours - shops and supermarkets Monday to Saturday roughly 08:00-22:00 and Sunday 09:00-20:00; museums daily 09:00 to 17:00 or 18:00. Many smaller shops open late on Monday morning.
- Public toilets - usually EUR 0.50 to EUR 1.00, paid by contactless card at the turnstile. Another reason a card matters more than cash.
- Wi-Fi - free at Schiphol, on NS trains and on GVB vehicles.
- English is near-universal. There is no practical language barrier, and switching to English is not considered rude.
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