THE NETHERLANDS - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1296

Just beyond the taxis are the platforms for the city's blue trams, which come along fre-
quently, ready to take you anywhere your feet won't (buy ticket or pass from conductor).
Trams #1, #2, and #5 (which run to nearly all my recommended hotels) leave from in front
of the station's west (main) entrance. All trams leaving Central Station stop at Dam Square
along their route. For more on the transit system, see here .
By Plane
For details on getting from Schiphol Airport into downtown Amsterdam, see here .
Helpful Hints
Theft Alert: Tourists are considered green and rich, and the city has more than its share of
hungry thieves—especially in the train station, on trams, in and near crowded museums,
at places of drunkenness, and at the many hostels. Wear your money belt.
Emergency Telephone Number: Throughout the Netherlands, dial 112.
Street Smarts: Beware of silent transportation—trams, electric mopeds, and bi-
cycles—when walking around town. Don't walk on tram tracks or pink/maroon bicycle
paths. Before you step off any sidewalk, do a double- or triple-check in both directions
to make sure all's clear.
Sightseeing Strategies: To beat the lines at Amsterdam's most popular sights, plan
ahead—either buy a sightseeing pass or advance online tickets (see details in the previ-
ous section). Friday night is a great time to visit the Van Gogh Museum, when it's open
until 22:00 (with far smaller crowds). On Saturday nights in summer, the Anne Frank
House stays open until 22:00.
Shop Hours: Most shops are open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00-18:00, and Sunday and
Monday 12:00-18:00. Some shops stay open later (21:00) on Thursdays. Supermarkets
are generally open Monday through Saturday 8:00-20:00 and have shorter hours or are
closed on Sundays.
Busy Weekends: Every year, King's Day (Koningsdag, April 27 most years, but April 26
in 2014) and Gay Pride (Aug 1-3 in 2014) bring big crowds, fuller hotels, and inflated
room prices.
Cash Only: Thrifty Dutch merchants, who hate paying the unusually high fees charged by
credit-cardcompanieshere,rarelytakeUScreditcards;expecttopaycashinunexpected
places, including grocery stores, cafés, budget hotels, train-station machines and win-
dows, and at some museums.
Internet Access: It's easy at cafés all over town, but the best place for serious surfing and
email is the towering Central Library, which has hundreds of fast terminals and Wi-
Fi (€1/30 minutes, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, daily 10:00-22:00, a 10-minute
walk from train station, described on here ) . The café across the street from Central Sta-