eSIM for Amsterdam
For Amsterdam, a Netherlands eSIM covers the city and every day trip inside the country, from Haarlem to Utrecht. A visit usually lasts around three days, so a short plan is enough. Install it at home before the flight and switch it on after landing at Schiphol Airport.
Plans for Netherlands cover the whole country, including Amsterdam.
For a 3-day visit
How much data for 3 days in Amsterdam
- Light (maps and messages): about 1 GB
- Normal (plus social media and browsing): about 2 GB
- Heavy (video and video calls): about 4.5 GB
An estimate from typical use, not a measurement.
Arriving in Amsterdam
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has its own railway station below the terminals, and trains run from there to Amsterdam Centraal in about twenty minutes. The same station connects to Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, which makes Schiphol a handy base even if you stay elsewhere. Long-distance trains from other countries, including services from Brussels, also arrive at Amsterdam Centraal, and the station has tram, metro, bus and ferry stops out front.
Data on arrival lets you check the train departures in the NS app, find your tram stop and message whoever is meeting you. Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi with its QR code, since you will not want to hunt for a connection in the arrivals hall. Once you have landed, switch the eSIM line on, turn on data roaming for it, and keep your home line's data off.
Getting around
The city's trams, buses, metro and ferries are run by GVB, and its app shows routes and live times. Across the country, the 9292 app plans door-to-door journeys, and the NS app covers the trains. Payment is simple: OVpay lets you tap in and out with a contactless bank card or a phone wallet on trams, buses, the metro and trains, so a visitor does not have to buy a local card.
Bicycles are the way many people get around, and rental shops are easy to find near the station. Uber and Bolt both operate in Amsterdam, and the city's taxis can be booked through apps as well. Canal boat trips are usually reserved online. Keep a map open while riding and download an offline map in case you want to save battery.
Where you'll use data
Most visitors stay in the canal ring, the Jordaan, the Museum Quarter (the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk), Vondelpark, De Pijp and its Albert Cuyp market, and the Anne Frank House. Many museums and attractions ask for a timed ticket booked in advance, so QR codes on your phone matter more than printed paper. The NDSM wharf is reached by a free ferry behind Centraal Station.
Day trips inside the Netherlands use the same plan: Haarlem and the beach at Zandvoort, Leiden, Utrecht, Delft, the windmills at Zaanse Schans, and the tulip fields near Keukenhof in spring. Trains also run to Antwerp and Brussels, which are in Belgium, and a Netherlands plan does not cover Belgium. A Europe plan can cover several countries, but check its country list on our Europe page, since regional plans can leave countries out.
For a longer stay
Common questions
- Will the eSIM work as soon as I land at Schiphol?
- Yes, if you installed it before the flight. Switch the eSIM line on, turn on data roaming for it, and it connects once you are off the plane. If it does not, turn airplane mode on and off once.
- How much data do I need for three days in Amsterdam?
- About 2 GB for normal use: maps, the transit apps, messages, photos and social media. Heavy video calls or streaming push it towards 4.5 GB. The plan list on this page shows the estimate beside each plan.
- Can I pay for trams and trains with my phone?
- Yes. OVpay accepts a contactless bank card or a phone wallet at the readers: tap in when you board and tap out when you leave. Use the same card or device both times. Check the GVB and NS sites for details on checking in and out.
- Does an Amsterdam eSIM give me a Dutch phone number?
- No. These plans are data only. Calls and messages work through apps such as WhatsApp or FaceTime. If your bank sends codes by SMS, keep your home line on for texts with its data switched off.
- Will the plan work on a day trip to Antwerp or Brussels?
- No. A Netherlands plan covers the Netherlands only, and both cities are in Belgium. A Europe plan may include Belgium, so check its country list on our Europe page before you buy.