Netherlands: destinations and travel tips

The Netherlands has been an EU member since 1958, part of the Schengen Area since 1995 and in the euro area since 1999. The capital is Amsterdam, parliament and government sit in The Hague, and the official language is Dutch. The time is the same as in Germany, and in an emergency the European emergency number 112 applies. In 2025, 834,106 passengers flew from the main German airports to the Netherlands, 99.8% of them to Amsterdam (own analysis of the Destatis statistics). Since 1 January 2026, 21% VAT has applied to overnight stays across the country. What applies to entry, safety and health is explained by the German Foreign Office in its travel and safety advisories.