NS (the Dutch Railways) promote a travel card called the Amsterdam Travel Ticket .  I have recent seen it promoted at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport.  For €17 you can get: 2nd class travel from Schiphol Airport to any station in Amsterdam (see stations below) travel on trams, buses, night buses, metro and GVB ferries also valid on the Amsterdam Airport Express (397) and Nitliner (N97) bus Advantages  It is great to have a one card for everything instead of having to buy each ticket along the way. So ease of use is the main advantage. It can be busy on public transport around Amsterdam and it is nice to have one card to scan in and out ( check in and out ) and not worry about having to buy each ticket along the way Disadvantage Given that a single ticket from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central for only €4.30 (€8.60 return) unless you plan to spend more than €10 on buses/trams and ferry travel in one day it is cheaper to pay as you go! If you are coming and going to the airpo

The train trip from from Amsterdam to London rivals air travel any day. Easter 2018 will also see the introduction of a direct service from London to Amsterdam which will make the whole trip shorter and much easier. At the moment the non direct route can take 5-7 hours hours depending on the trains you choose to travel with. 1. Amsterdam Centrall to Brussels Midi 2.Brussels Midi- London St Pancras 1. Amsterdam-Brussels  You can choose to travel with a high speed Thalys train direct on this route. This will have you in Brussels Midi in under 2 hours (1.51 hours). This train however can be quite expensive if not booked in advance. Unless I can find a deal with the Thalys train I usually take the regular cheaper regional train. This is a longer journey (2.50 hours) and sometimes can travel via Rotterdam (and possible Roosendaal and Antwerp too). Remember the station name Brussels Midi means Brussels South in English and it is called Brussels Zuid in Dutch. Don't get confus

The train trip from from Amsterdam to London rivals air travel any day. Easter 2018 will also see the introduction of a direct service from London to Amsterdam which will make the whole trip shorter and much easier. At the moment the non direct route can take 5-7 hours hours depending on the trains you choose to travel with. 1. Amsterdam Centrall to Brussels Midi 2.Brussels Midi- London St Pancras 1. Amsterdam-Brussels  You can choose to travel with a high speed Thalys train direct on this route. This will have you in Brussels Midi in under 2 hours (1.51 hours). This train however can be quite expensive if not booked in advance. Unless I can find a deal with the Thalys train I usually take the regular cheaper regional train. This is a longer journey (2.50 hours) and sometimes can travel via Rotterdam (and possible Roosendaal and Antwerp too). Remember the station name Brussels Midi means Brussels South in English and it is called Brussels Zuid in Dutch. Don't get confus

What better way to explore the Netherlands then by bike, after all with its flat picturesque landscapes this compact country is perfect for cyclists! It is very easy to rent a bike when in the Netherlands many tourist locations offer bike rentals or bike tours as it is such a big part of being in Holland. For example Mac Bike is one I see a lot around Amsterdam. Hostels such as the Stay Okay usually have biked for guests and typically it is quite cheap or free. If you are thinking of renting a bike for a few days then I recommend the OV Fiets (bike) scheme. OV means Openbaar Veroer in Dutch which translates as public transport. This is very handy as the OV bikes are typically in or near the train stations. Either in the bike parking area (fietsenstalling) or at a self-service centre. Many cities have a bike scheme like this but in Holland with so many cycle paths in the city and dedicated cycle routes through the countryside to follow, it is an excellent option for a day trip!

The bigger stations like Amsterdam Centraal and Utrecht Centraal will have the facilities mentioned below. Remember not all stations will have exactly these facilities but you can see a list of train stations facilities per station here.  1. Toilets: WC or Toiletten . You will typically have to pay 70 cents. In many stations there is a bathroom attendant who can give you change but many of the newer stations have a coin operated entry - correct change only! You may also find a 2theloo  near the station too. But in general there are not many public bathrooms around the Netherlands 2. Lockers: I wrote a full post on prices and availability here. Usually self-service.   3. Banking. You can usually find at the least an ATM (Geldautomaat in Dutch) in or near the station. Bigger stations will have a GWK Travelex which offers currency  exchange, money withdrawal (using credit card, cheque or debit card) and in some cases advance ticket sales for big events.

There is nothing better than chilling with a coffee when on the train. If I have to go to work then it is my little reward for being up so early in winter keeps me nice and warm on the platform and if I am going on a long trip it’s purely to keep me alert and my usual happy self! Most main train stations in Holland have these 6 main coffee shops...... So here are the results of the ULTIMATE station coffee taste test: Kiosk €2.00 The price is quite high for what I find is a bitter and scorching hot coffee. The plus side is it is quite a large coffee so you get a lot of coffee for your €2.00. Better as a hand warmer in the colder days by the platform! You can get an extra strong version for €2.70. Result:4/10 Burger King €1.75 My god how does Burger King still survive? It takes so long to get served there. Can't they just use the McDonalds system? Anyway I eventually got my coffee and it was not as bad as I expected. It came from a machine but I didn't ta