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Introduction
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Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, is an enjoyable city for the business traveler. Most of Amsterdam's hotels, restaurants and businesses are conveniently located in the city center.
Amsterdam lies in the North Western part of the Netherlands and has a population of about 1.5 million, making it Netherlands' largest city. Amsterdam owes its nickname "the Venice of the North" to its numerous canals, which give the city its distinctive atmosphere. Read more
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Business Information
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Amsterdam is a very favorable location to do business as a foreigner. Historically, the Dutch are used to dealing with cross-border business. Amsterdam is home to some well-known multinational companies such as ING, Philips Electronics and ABN Amro. Although Dutch is the official and everyday language, the vast majority of Dutch speak very good English, and as a business traveller you will not have any problem getting by in English. However, there are some special Dutch business habits you should know about.
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Arriving
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Most business travellers arrive at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Schiphol airport is a considered one of the world's most modern airports, with extensive top-quality tax-free shopping, good coffee bars and restaurants, a casino and even showers for the transit passenger.
A taxi ride from Schiphol to the city center of Amsterdam will take approximately 20 minutes and costs around € 35. Cab drivers would appreciate a small tip (say € 5), but tipping is not mandatory. It is also possible to take a train, which costs € 3.40. The train station is conveniently located within the airport and direct trains to Amsterdam Central Station depart every 15 minutes, or more frequently. Read more
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Getting around
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Getting around in Amsterdam is easy. Amsterdam has an efficient transportation system consisting of buses and trams. Taxis are reasonably affordable, too. Many locals, including business people wearing suit and tie, get around by bike.
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Hotels
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Amsterdam has a broad range of business hotels, ranging from the upmarket Amstel Hotel and The Grant, to a wide variety of more affordable places.
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Restaurants
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Fine restaurants can be found in some of Amsterdam's upmarket hotels. La Rive (in the Amstel Hotel) and Excelsior (in hotel de L'Europe) are safe choices for business lunches and dinners if you want to err on the expensive side. When you want to get a bit of a local feeling, Amsterdam has a large number of excellent places alongside the famous canals.
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Entertainment
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Amsterdam is well known for its nightlife. The city offers anything a metropole has to offer in terms of entertainment, from the infamous "coffee shop" to trendy nightclubs like Jimmy Woo and Sinners.
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Essentials
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- Timezone: GMT + 1
- Currency: Euro
- Population: 1.5 Million
- Electricity: 220 Volts
- Health: No vaccinations needed
- Visa requirements: No visa requirements from most countries
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Getting a local mobile phone and/ or simcard
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Getting a local simcard for your mobile can save a lot of money when you need to make local phone calls.
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