Roaming: bringing your usual SIM card
The European "roam like at home" rule applies in the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and since 1 January 2026 in Moldova and Ukraine too. With a SIM card from one of these countries, your calls, texts and data in the Netherlands come out of your normal allowance, at the same price as at home.
Two limits are worth knowing:
- The fair use policy: on plans with a lot of data or unlimited data, your operator can set a cap on the data you can use abroad. It appears in your plan's terms; beyond it, a surcharge capped by EU rules may apply.
- Your stay must be temporary: the scheme is designed for trips, not for living long-term on a foreign SIM.
The UK and Switzerland are not covered by these rules: some British or Swiss plans include Europe, others charge a daily fee. The same goes for Canada and the rest of the world, where operators usually sell daily passes. Check what your plan includes before you leave; if the rate is high, a local SIM or an eSIM almost always works out cheaper.
Buying a Dutch prepaid SIM card
Three operators run their own network in the Netherlands: KPN, Vodafone and Odido, the name adopted in 2023 by the former T-Mobile Netherlands. Virtual operators use their masts and sell prepaid cards that are often cheaper: Lebara, Lycamobile and Simyo (on the KPN network). All these offers include use within the European Union, handy if you carry on to Belgium or Germany.
Prepaid offers for a short stay
- Odido: the card costs €10 with €10 of credit, plus €5 extra once you register in the customer account. The "Unlimited Data" bundles give unlimited internet in the Netherlands: €3.50 for the day (3 GB in the EU), €8.50 for 3 days (6 GB in the EU), €13.50 for 7 days (9 GB in the EU).
- Vodafone: the card is free when ordered online; a €5 version comes with €5 of credit. Unlimited data bundles in the Netherlands cost €4 for one day, €14 for 7 days, €24 for 14 days and €44 for 30 days. Vodafone also sells a prepaid eSIM.
- KPN: the prepaid card costs €4.99, with €7.50 of bonus credit once you register in the KPN Prepaid app. Download speed is capped at 25 Mbit/s, and the prepaid plan is not available as an eSIM.
- Lebara: 30-day bundles with unlimited calls and texts in the Netherlands, from €10 for 6 GB.
- Lycamobile: the "Bundel XS" gives 5 GB and unlimited national calls for 30 days for €10.
- Simyo: prepaid card on the KPN network, also available as an eSIM.
For a stay of a few days, the unlimited bundles from Odido or Vodafone are the simplest; for a month, a €10 Lebara or Lycamobile bundle is enough for most travellers. Standard out-of-bundle rates are high (€0.10 per MB at Odido and Vodafone): activate a bundle as soon as you buy the card.
Where to buy one, and do you need ID?
At Schiphol airport, two counters in Schiphol Plaza, before security, sell SIM cards: the Airport Telecom shop and the Service Point, open daily from 7am to 10pm. In town you'll find cards and top-ups in the operators' shops, in Albert Heijn supermarkets (KPN prepaid card at €4.99), in Primera stationery and book shops (KPN and Lebara packs) and at newsagents. Shops at Central Station and on the main shopping streets sell them too.
In the Netherlands, no ID is required to buy a prepaid card in a shop, unlike in France, Belgium or Germany. The online registration some operators offer is optional; it mainly unlocks the bonus credit. Your phone must be unlocked to accept a card from another operator.
Travel eSIMs: set up before you leave
An eSIM is installed by scanning a QR code, with no physical card, provided your phone is compatible and unlocked. Install it at home over Wi-Fi, then switch it on when you arrive: you keep your usual number for texts from your bank, while data runs through the eSIM. These eSIMs provide data only, with no Dutch number: you call via WhatsApp or another app.
- SimWallet, Odido's eSIM, is bought in its app with no need to be a customer: unlimited internet in the Netherlands for €2.50 a day, €12.50 for 7 days or €25 for 30 days.
- Airalo sells unlimited plans for the Netherlands on the KPN network: €10.50 for 3 days, €24.50 for 7 days, €62.50 for 30 days.
- Holafly lists its prices in dollars: $11.90 for 3 days, $27.50 for 7 days and $73.90 for 30 days, unlimited, with hotspot sharing limited to 1 GB a day.
Dutch operators' eSIMs are therefore often cheaper than those of international platforms, whose main advantage is covering several countries in one purchase.
Free Wi-Fi: airport, trains, library, museums
Airport and trains
At Schiphol, the Schiphol_Free_Wi-Fi network covers the whole airport: a session lasts four hours, after which you simply log in again for free. It's fine for messages and email, less so for video calls.
On Dutch Railways (NS) trains, free Wi-Fi is available on almost all Intercity trains, recognisable by the Wi-Fi logo on the outside: choose the "WiFi in de trein" network and accept the terms. How public transport works in the city is explained in our guide to getting around Amsterdam.
OBA library
The OBA Oosterdok library, near Central Station, offers free Wi-Fi to all visitors, no library card needed. It runs on Publicroam, a Dutch public Wi-Fi network: create an account once in the Publicroam app or on its website, then confirm it with the code sent by text message, which also works with a foreign number. The same account then works in other places equipped with Publicroam. The library computers cost €1.30 per 30 minutes for non-members.
Museums, cafés and hotels
The Rijksmuseum has free Wi-Fi throughout the museum, handy for using its app and free audio tours. Many cafés and nearly all hotels also offer access: ask for the password at the counter. On a public network, avoid logging in to your bank.
Power sockets and practical tips
The Netherlands uses 230 V power and type C and F sockets, the same as in France and Belgium: travellers from Switzerland, the UK or North America need an adapter.
- Download before you go the NS app for trains, the GVB app for trams and the metro, and the 9292 journey planner, which combines all public transport.
- Save offline maps of the city in your mapping app: they help when your battery is low or the network is overloaded, for example during big events.
- On a bike, holding your phone while riding is forbidden: mount it on the handlebars or stop to check your route. The rules are covered in our guide to cycling in Amsterdam.
- Contactless payment with your phone works everywhere, including on public transport: see our guide to money, payments and tipping.
Summary table
| Option | Price | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Plan from an EU country | Included | Roaming at domestic rates, possible data cap |
| Swiss, British or Canadian plan | Depends on operator | Outside EU rules, check before you leave |
| Odido prepaid | Card €10 (€10 credit) | Unlimited 1 day €3.50, 3 days €8.50, 7 days €13.50 |
| Vodafone prepaid | Free card online | Unlimited 1 day €4, 7 days €14, 30 days €44 |
| KPN prepaid | Card €4.99 | Speed capped at 25 Mbit/s, no eSIM |
| Lebara | From €10 | 6 GB and unlimited calls, 30 days |
| Lycamobile | €10 | 5 GB and unlimited calls, 30 days |
| SimWallet eSIM (Odido) | €2.50 to €25 | Unlimited for 1 to 30 days, data only |
| Airalo eSIM | €10.50 to €62.50 | Unlimited for 3 to 30 days, data only |
| Holafly eSIM | $11.90 to $73.90 | Unlimited for 3 to 30 days, 1 GB hotspot a day |
| Schiphol Wi-Fi | Free | Renewable 4-hour sessions |
| NS train Wi-Fi | Free | Almost all Intercity trains |
| OBA library Wi-Fi | Free | Publicroam account confirmed by text |
Prices checked in October 2026 on the websites of the operators and eSIM sellers.
Further reading
To estimate the total cost of your trip, see our guide to budgeting for a trip to Amsterdam. If you're arriving by train, getting to Amsterdam by train covers the routes from Paris, Brussels and Germany. And to avoid the most common traps once you're there, read scams and safety in Amsterdam.
