Choosing by length of stay
| Your need | Best option |
|---|---|
| A few hours, tight budget | Library or café |
| 1 to 5 days, video calls | Coworking by the day |
| 2 weeks or more | Flexible coworking membership or accommodation with a desk |
Coworking spaces by the day
Amsterdam has dozens of coworking spaces, from international networks to small neighbourhood places. On booking platforms, day passes start around €24 and more often fall between €29 and €30 at addresses in the centre (Keizersgracht, Herengracht, Prins Hendrikkade). They generally include a desk, internet access and use of the common areas; coffee, meeting rooms and printing are often extra.
Before booking, check:
- the opening hours (often weekdays only);
- whether the weekend is possible;
- whether there are phone booths or rooms for calls;
- the cancellation terms.
Spaces in the Jordaan, Zuid or Oost are often cheaper and quieter than those in the historic centre. To choose your base, see where to stay in Amsterdam.
The OBA library, for free working
The OBA Oosterdok library, 5 to 10 minutes' walk from Central Station, is open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 10 pm and at weekends from 10 am to 8 pm. Entry is free, with no library card needed. Its floors offer large tables and sockets, and the 7th floor houses a restaurant with a view. It is the best solution for working a few hours without spending anything.
Two points to check on the spot:
- Wi-Fi: access may depend on registration or a membership; ask at the desk, and keep a mobile connection as a backup;
- quiet: some areas are calm, others livelier; bring headphones for calls.
Other OBA neighbourhood libraries exist, but their opening hours are shorter.
Cafés for working
Many cafés in the Jordaan, De Pijp and the East welcome laptops, especially in the morning. The rules differ from place to place:
- some only tolerate a laptop on weekdays or outside lunchtime;
- regular orders are expected if you stay for hours;
- a table near a socket goes early.
Always ask before plugging in. To find an address near your neighbourhood, see our guides to brown cafés in Amsterdam and to brunch and breakfast, where you can often settle in for the morning.
Staying connected
- SIM card or eSIM: the guide internet and SIM cards in Amsterdam compares the options for a short stay.
- Sockets: if you come from the UK, the US or Asia, an adapter is needed; see our power sockets in the Netherlands.
- Public connections: avoid banking on open Wi-Fi; a VPN protects your work data.
The legal rules: working on a tourist stay
Visitors from many countries can stay up to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area without a visa, but that status is a tourist stay. Working remotely for your employer or clients abroad, occasionally, is a situation each country judges differently, and the Netherlands has no specific visa for "digital nomads". Never work for a Dutch employer or client on the spot without authorisation. Before a stay of several weeks, ask the IND (the Dutch immigration service) or the embassy, and check your health insurance and your country's tax rules. Entry formalities are described in entering the Netherlands: passport, EES and ETIAS.
Organising a week of remote work
- Book accommodation with a desk, or a neighbourhood close to a coworking space.
- Take a day pass for the days with important calls.
- Keep mornings or evenings for sightseeing: the city is easy to visit between two work sessions, see Amsterdam in 3 days.
- Plan a budget: a €29 pass a day makes €145 for a five-day week.
Going further
To round off your preparation, read travel budget for Amsterdam, money, payments and tipping and getting around Amsterdam.
