What to Expect when Moving to Amsterdam
I can sum up living in Amsterdam fairly easily. These are the three things you need to get used to about Amsterdam - bikes, trams and canals, plus the occasional 2 seater cars. Really Amsterdam is far more that a weekend break soaking up their relaxed laws… Instead, Amsterdam is a creative city with an abundance of culture, good food and great people.
From an internship back in 2020, I became an expert at the local travel system, I had the pleasure of owning a Dutch bike and I’ve seen more canals and bridges than I knew existed. And of course, I had more Amsterdam brunches than hot dinners. Having never been to The Netherlands to accepting an internship abroad, I moved and lived in one of my favourite cities.
Are you moving to Amsterdam or just going on a weekend break? As someone who has been there, done that, here are a few things I wish I knew before moving to Amsterdam.
Rent a Bike
Even if you don’t cycle, Amsterdam is the place to start cycling. They say cyclists are valued above pedestrians and this is absolutely true - once you start peddling around the cycling ecosystem you will feel superior. You can rent one from Swapfiets, which I did on a monthly basis. They were super helpful when it came to any issues and accommodating to a sudden return as I decided to return for the winter months. You will see the Dutch cycling all year long, with children in wooden boxes, dogs in baskets and shopping draping off handlebars so this isn’t necessary to do!
Be warned - my bike didn’t have the breaks that I was used to back as an eleven-year-old learning to cycle in Devon. Instead, many bikes offer coaster breaks - cycling against the pedals gets the breaks going. Trust me, you don’t want to forget this as I discovered this at a 4-way crossroad with tram, pedestrian, car and cyclist lanes - a moment of panic and sudden feet on the ground to halt movement.
Trams are the best public transport
Amsterdam is a relatively small city, and it's easy to get around on foot or by bike. The city is also well-served by public transportation, including buses, trams, and trains. You can purchase a public transportation card to make it easier to get around.
Trams became my best friend, if you get on in the middle then you will find the ticket booth to purchase one off tickets. Or, make sure to get yourself an OV-chipkaart for use of metro, tram, bus and trains. "OV-chipkaart" is a reusable card that you can load with credit and use to pay for your rides, this is the equivalent of a London Oyster card. You can also choose to purchase a disposable "GVB dagkaart" if you're only planning to use public transportation for a day.
These can be purchased from all over the city, including the majority of tram, train and metro stations with some supermarkets and convenience stores also offering the yellow ticket machines. You must remember to check in and out when you hop off any transport to ensure you are charged correctly. Also, the Dutch love a double decker train so make sure to try these!
Become a Train Setter, Not a Jet Setter
Being able to jump on a train and explore the Netherlands is something that I tried to make the most of (until Covid hit). After all, it isn’t every day that you can jump on a train and be in Den Haag or Utrecht, both beautiful cities, or jump on a bus for a few hours and end up in Brussels. Make the most of opportunities of being about to travel around mainland Europe without the Eurostar or flying.
The Dutch like to be direct
The Dutch life is a simple and social structure. They love a good, frank conversation and may tell you to “become more dutch”. If you are moving to The Netherlands to work then embrace this culture. Despite the Dutch approach, they are a very friendly bunch. Get used to people speaking to you in neighbourhoods, however don’t be surprised if they tell you what they think!
Everyone loves to speak in English
The Dutch are the best non native English speakers in the world with 95% of the population being able to speak English.
I’ve had many people talk at me in Dutch and having no idea what is going on, however largely people assume I am indeed British. I’m not sure what gave it away but even in my local neighbourhoods I would receive English conversation from the first word. I am not going to deny it, learning languages is not one of my fortes meaning my Dutch is very, very limited. However, I’m very lucky in that most Dutch natives are amazing at English (some even better than English people).
Dutch Shops and British Classics
Just like any city, Amsterdam is full of chain shops, but if you are looking for the classic British chains you may not find them.
Etos: The Netherlands offers Etos as an equivalent to Boots. Toiletories in Dutch supermarkets tend to be pricey so I definitely recommend shopping in Etos. You may be wondering if Boots is also found in Amsterdam, however this can only be found in Schipol airport.
Hema: it’s the go to for everything and anything. It reminds me of the good old Woolworth’s general stores or Wilkinsons.
De Bijenkorf: it’s the classic contender to Selfridges if you are looking for some department shopping.
Supermarkets: just like any country, you have the cheaper or more expensive supermarkets, in The Netherlands it is no different. Albert Heijn is the largest chain however, it can be on the pricier side. You can find Aldi and Lidl all over the city too, offering for slightly cheaper grocery shopping.
Febo: now this is a chain that you must just try. You will never be far from a McDonald’s in Amsterdam, but Febo offers a slice of Dutch cuisine whilst receiving fast food out of an automated vending machine. A novel concept that can be found all over Dutch cities, make sure to try the kaassoufflé - melted cheese inside a thin dough-based wrap, mmmmm!
Are you moving to Amsterdam? Comment below if you have any other questions before you make the move to The Netherlands!
Proost! Becky x