Frequently Asked Questions
About Our Tours
1. What types of tours do you offer?
I offer a range of tours, including walking tours of Amsterdam, visits to the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, Keukenhof Gardens and tulip fields, and unique experiences like the Amsterdam Windmill Tour. I provide only private tour options to suit different interests and preferences.
2. How do I book a tour?
You can start the booking process by filling out the contact form on my website or reaching out to me by email. We discuss your requirements by email and then I create the booking and you receive a Confirmation Email.
3. How do I pay?
There is a payment link in the Confirmation Email. Payment is online by credit card in advance at the time of booking. I do not accept cash payments on the day.
4. What is your cancellation policy?
You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund with some exceptions that are covered in more detail during the booking process.
5. What is included in the tour price?
The tour price covers guided experiences, any necessary tickets for museums or locations, and, for some tours, refreshments or snacks along the way. I’ll specify what’s included when we confirm the details of your booking. All taxes and fees are included in the tour price.
6. How long do the tours typically last?
Tour lengths vary based on the experience. Walking tours last 3 hours but can be shorter, however you still pay for 3 hours. Full-day tours can take 6–8 hours. I can adjust the tour length depending on your schedule and preferences.
7. What languages are the tours available in?
I conduct tours in English.
8. Can you accommodate special requests or mobility needs?
Absolutely! I strive to make my tours accessible to everyone. Let me know when booking if you have specific requirements, and I’ll do my best to plan accordingly, whether it’s providing alternative routes, arranging transport, or making special stops.
9. How should I prepare for the tour?
Comfortable shoes are a must, as some tours involve walking or standing. Be sure to check the weather forecast, and I recommend dressing in layers, as Amsterdam’s weather can change quickly. Feel free to bring a camera and any other items you might need. Bring a water bottle as tap water is perfect for drinking and you can refill the bottle at any tap or water fountain.
10. Where does the tour start and end?
Most tours start at a your hotel if it is at a central location in Amsterdam. Otherwise we can discuss the exact start and end points when we finalize the booking.
11. Do I tip the tour guide?
Of course we all love tips! But tips here must be earned, and are a reward for excellent service. They are not expected as in some parts of the world. How much is entirely up to you but 10 to 20% is what many people do and it is much appreciated.
About Amsterdam Generally
Buy the most recent Rick Steves Guidebook
Rick keeps his info up to date with all sorts of tips and advice and I strongly recommend buying his “Amsterdam & The Netherlands” guidebook. It is full of useful info and it is a comprehensive FAQ resource. He also has great recommendations for private tours – that would be me, and a bunch more of my fellow tour guides.
Getting from the airport to Central Amsterdam by taxi.
Many taxis are a rip off from the airport and Uber does not pick up from the taxi rank. So if you are used to Uber then just use the app and go to the pick up point. If you need to get a regular cab then make sure you get one that is from TCA. That stands for Taxi Centraal Amsterdam. They have lights on top with a red coloured section with TCA in white letters. Every journey with them must be on the meter, not for a price agreed with the driver. A fare froim the airport to central Amsterdam should be about 60 euros. I suggest always paying by credit card and asking for a receipt as then you have a record of the journey. If you feel you have been overcharged then you can phone TCA (number is +31 777 77 77) and give them the info in the receipt and they will refund you if that is the case. There are other taxi companies that also have lights on top but are not TCA. I would not get one of these.
Getting to the airport from Central Amsterdam by taxi.
This is so easy. Just phone TCA (number is +31 777 77 77) and book a taxi, you can do it the day before. Tell them when you need to be at the airport and ask them whattime to pick up. There is a fixed fee to the airport of 50 euros (for a car). I always confirm this when I book the taxi and I confirm it with the driver when they pick me up and In confirm that I can pay by credit card. This trip is not on the meter, as the price is fixed. When you book you wil receive an sms on your phone. Also when the driver arrives you will receive an sms. You can also traqck where the driver is in the first sms.
Trains, Trams, Buses and the Metro
This has become so much easier. On all of the above modes of transport you can just scan in and out with a credit card or with your phone using Google / Apple pay. But not with AMEX, only Visa or mastercard. It is very important to watch the scan display when you tap in and out to make sure it worked. If you don’t scan out properly you will be charged a greater amount than the journey price as it will think you are journeying all day!
Withdrawing cash from an ATM.
Unfortunately most of the ATMs you see around are a complete rip off. There is only one kind to use and these are called ‘GELDMAAT’. This is the machine shared by the major banks. You can see the yellow sign here. Sometimes the sign is smaller, with just the smily face part. You can find them on the street and in the entrance area of most larger supermarkets. Here is a link to the locator service. Another thing, you will be asked by the machine if you want the money ‘with’ or ‘without’ conversion. Choose ‘without conversion’. This means that your bank does the conversion for you (not the machine).
Changing cash.
There are a bunch of different foreign exchange shops on the Damrak, that is the road joining Central Station and Dam Square. Pott Change is the one that all the locals use as the rate is the best. There is only one branch and you can find it at Damrak 95, that is very close to Dam Square.
Credit cards
You can use Visa or Mastercard almost anywhere in The Netherlands. Amex is often refused. There are also many shops in more local areas that might not accept credit cards at all, only Dutch debit cards or cash. So some cah is a goopd idea but don’t hassle about getting it in the US, just get it from a cash machine here, see above.
Tipping in restaurants, cafes and bars – cash or credit card
In restaurants, cafes and bars tipping on your credit card is absolutely fine. The establishment will not ask you if you want to tip, we don’t do that here. But when you are told the amount of the bill, then you can tell the person to add whatever amount you want to give them as a tip, or you can tell them the total to charge your card, see below. I suggest giving them a number, don’t tell them to add a percentage, the system is not generally set up for that.
How much to tip, well this varies. Generally 10% to 15%. It depends on the food and the service received. If I go to a speciality beer bar, the beers cost about 6 to 7 euros, I tip 1 euro per drink ordered. In a restaurant I do 10% and then round it up a bit to a whole number. So if the bill comes and they say 113 euros, I tell them to make it 130.
Bring cold and cough meds with you.
You can’t get much medicine over the counter here, so bring and cold / congestion / cough meds that you like to use if you need them.
Didn’t bring meds and need them or need a doctor for something minor?
At Central Station, on the side of the big body of water, there is a pharmacy with a doctor on site so you can see a doc and get meds. This is not for medical emergencies, don’t go there with a broken leg. It has variable opening hours but is open every day from 10am to 7pm (some days earlier or later as well) It is called Amsterdam Central Doctor and Pharmacy.
Accident and Emergency at Amsterdam’s main hospital.
Our main hospital goes by the acronym OLVG. This has a 24/7 A&E. I hope you never need to visit here but if you do any taxi will take you there. Our emergency number here is ‘112’.
USA / EU Travel Plug Adaptor
You can get packs of 6 of these for $10 on that big onine retailer in the US. Phones and electric razors work fine in Europe. Hairdryers may be a problem with the different voltage but just about eveywhere has hardryers so perhaps it is not necessary to bring one anyway.
