Let me start with some good news first. You don’t need to dread about language issues at all. Dutch speaks good and fluent English. My Dutch colleagues often say that “our English is better than our Dutch😉”. Yes, it’s not a joke, many international surveys show that the Dutch are best at speaking English than any other non-native country.

If you still want to impress the locals, here are a couple of basic phrases in Dutch: "Dank U" = is a polite/formal way of saying thank you and “Bedankt” or “Dank je wel” is little informal/friendly way of saying your thanks. You might hear the waiter in the restaurants/shops may say “Alsjeblieft”, which is translated as “please” or “here you go”.

It doesn’t matter which season of the year you’re coming in or which tool you use to predict the weather, you can never ever predict the weather of Amsterdam. The forecasts may tell you a nice sunny day, but somehow the clouds of Amsterdam will surprise you with rain and wind.

Rainfall is quite common in Amsterdam (on an average there are 217 rainy days a year!). So, it’s never a bad idea to carry your rain jacket or umbrella. Don’t lose your hopes on Amsterdam yet; you know what they say: after rain comes sunshine😊, just be prepared mentally and physically, that’s it.

Amsterdam has one of the best public transport networks; trains, metros, trams, buses, and ferries all are fittingly interconnected - to help you get around the city. Taxis are expensive, but also the traffic can be crazy during the peak hours.

If you’re in the city for a few days, it’s sensible to buy the public transport chip card (OV-chipkaart) - a single chip card allows you to board all the modes of transports. The most convenient option for visitors is a disposable one-hour card or day card (valid for one to seven days). They allow unlimited journeys across the whole network, throughout the duration you choose.


Amsterdam is an incredibly bike-friendly city; there are designated bike lanes everywhere. Biking is fun, efficient (saves time & money) and the easiest way of getting around Amsterdam - just like the locals do!

With nearly a million cycles running around (yes, on a typical day, bikes account for more than 50% of traffic in Amsterdam), it may be quite challenging and you must pay attention to the traffic rules. Please don’t try to copy the cycling style/speed of locals, they’ve been biking there since they were 3 years old, you can’t match their skills😊.

As I mentioned above, the Amsterdam is filled with bikers and walking tourists; which makes it difficult to drive at the city center (especially for the newcomers/visitors). If you’re coming to Amsterdam by car, it is always wise to use parking garages or Park & Ride (P+R) facilities available outside the City Centre.

Believe me, this will give you peace of mind (from the stress of driving within the city) and perhaps may save you from some “heavy” traffic fines as well. P+R facilities are cheaper (or sometimes free) and will always have a good connection to the metro/train network.