Money, card payments and tipping in Amsterdam

The euro and cash in the Netherlands

The currency of the Netherlands is the euro. If you come from a eurozone country, you pay without any conversion; otherwise, every payment or withdrawal goes through your bank's exchange rate.

Cash is still accepted in some shops, but its use is clearly declining. When you pay in cash, the total is usually rounded to the nearest 5 cents: 1 and 2 cent coins are rarely used. Some small shops refuse large notes, from €100 upwards. Carrying €20 to €50 in small notes is enough for a market, a tip or a terminal breakdown.

Bank cards: accepted almost everywhere

Supermarkets, cafés, museums, shops, taxis, market stalls: the vast majority of places in Amsterdam take cards, even for a few euros. Contactless payment is the norm, by card, phone or watch (Apple Pay, Google Pay). Above a certain amount, the terminal may ask for your PIN: make sure you know it before you leave.

"Pin only" and "cashless": when cash is refused

Many places display "pin only", "alleen pin" or "cashless" at the entrance or near the till. "Pinnen" is Dutch for paying by card: these places accept no cash at all. It is common in cafés, food halls, museums, concert venues and trams. On GVB trams, tickets bought from the conductor can only be paid for by card.

Maestro, V Pay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express

• Visa and Mastercard, credit or debit, are accepted almost everywhere.
• Maestro and V Pay, the European debit cards, also work in most shops and on public transport.
• American Express is accepted far less consistently, and it is not among the cards you can use to check in on public transport.

If your main card is an American Express, bring a Visa or Mastercard as a backup. Tell your bank you are travelling if it blocks payments abroad, and check your spending limit.

Paying for public transport by bank card (OVpay)

Since OVpay became standard, you no longer need to buy a ticket for trams, buses, the metro or trains in the Netherlands. Just hold your contactless bank card, or your phone, to the card reader when you board, and again when you get off. No registration or app is needed. Foreign contactless Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and V Pay cards are accepted.

On the GVB network, a journey costs a €1.16 base fare plus €0.217 per kilometre (prices observed in October 2026). The amount then appears on your bank statement.

Three rules avoid unpleasant surprises:

• Check out with the same card you checked in with; if you checked in with your phone, check out with the phone.
• Take the card out of your wallet before holding it to the reader, so that another contactless card is not read instead.
• One card per traveller: each person must check in with their own card.

If you use public transport several times a day, a GVB pass of 24 to 168 hours can work out cheaper: prices are compared in our guide to the cost of a trip to Amsterdam, and the network is explained in the guide to getting around Amsterdam. OVpay also works on the train between the airport and the city: see getting from Schiphol to central Amsterdam.

Withdrawing cash: Geldmaat machines

The cash machines of the major Dutch banks are grouped under the Geldmaat brand, found on shopping streets, in stations and in supermarkets. They accept the usual debit and credit cards, including Maestro, Mastercard and Visa. Any fees depend on your bank: check its terms for withdrawals outside your home country.

On tourist streets there are also private cash machines and bureaux de change that offer to convert the withdrawal into your currency or charge high fees. Use a Geldmaat instead, ideally during the day in a busy place.

Exchange fees and dynamic currency conversion (DCC)

If your card is not in euros, a card terminal or cash machine may offer to charge you "in your own currency", with a rate shown on screen. This is dynamic currency conversion (DCC). The rate applied is almost always worse than your bank's, and the difference can exceed several per cent of the amount.

• Always choose "EUR" or "pay in euros" on the terminal or cash machine.
• If a waiter or shop assistant makes the choice for you, ask them to cancel and start again in euros.
• To keep fees down, use a card with no foreign transaction fees.

These practices, and more serious traps, are covered in our guide to scams and safety in Amsterdam.

Tipping in Amsterdam: local customs

In the Netherlands, displayed prices include service and VAT. A tip is therefore never compulsory; it is a way of saying thank you when you are happy with the service.

• Café, bar, drink at the counter: round up to the next euro or leave the change.
• Restaurant: 5 to 10% of the bill for good service, a little more for an exceptional meal. Leaving nothing after poor service is acceptable.
• Taxi: rounding up the fare is common, but not expected.
• Free walking tour guide: the guide is paid through tips; give according to the length and quality of the tour.
• Hotel: a tip for housekeeping or the porter is optional.

When you pay by card, the terminal sometimes offers to add a tip or a percentage before payment. You can choose "0" or "no tip", or enter the amount you want. You can also leave a few coins on the table.

VAT and tax-free shopping for non-EU visitors

Dutch VAT (btw) is included in shop prices. The standard rate is 21%; a reduced rate of 9% applies to food, among other things. Since 1 January 2026, accommodation has been taxed at 21% instead of 9%, on top of Amsterdam's tourist tax of 12.5% of the room price excluding VAT.

If you live outside the European Union, you can reclaim VAT on purchases you take out of the EU in your luggage, on the following conditions:

• The amount paid for the goods is at least €50, including VAT.
• Since 1 January 2026, the invoice for a purchase in the Netherlands is registered digitally in the shop, with your name and passport number. Ask the shop assistant when you pay.
• The claim is validated by Dutch Customs through the NL Customs VAT app when you leave the EU, with the goods on you.
• The claim must be made within three months after the month of purchase.
• The refund is paid by the shop or a tax refund company; Customs only validates the claim.

Not every shop offers tax-free shopping: whether you are shopping in the Nine Streets or a department store, ask before you pay. Allow extra time at Schiphol Airport before passport control.

Summary table: paying in Amsterdam

Prices observed in October 2026.

Further reading

To estimate the total cost of your stay, see our guide to the cost of a trip to Amsterdam. How trams, the metro and ferries work is explained in the guide to getting around Amsterdam, and the traps to avoid are listed in scams and safety in Amsterdam. For a first day without a travel pass, follow the itinerary what to do in Amsterdam in one day.