Page 259 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

THE NE THERLANDS  257

and 1am, after which they run onward connection to London. Buses in the Netherlands are
hourly. The journey takes 20 Stena Line offers a train and reliable and efficient, and they
minutes. Schiphol Airport ferry combination ticket from accept the OV Chipkaart, a card
station is also connected to London to Amsterdam. which can be loaded with credit
other cities in the Netherlands. The Dutch railroad system, at machines (found at bus and
operated by NS (Nederlandse train stations, post offices, and
Spoorwegen), is one of the supermarkets) and used on all
Arriving by Sea
most modern and efficient in means of public transport. The
Ferry companies offering car and Europe, with an extensive route card is held against a card-
passenger services from the UK network. The NS website offers reader upon entering and
to the Netherlands include P&O up-to-date information on train exiting the bus, train, or tram,
North Sea Ferries, with daily trips for tourists, plus details of and it is debited depending on
sailings from Hull to Rotterdam, special fares. It does not, however, the distance traveled. You can
and Stena Line, which sails from issue tickets, which you buy at a buy a Chipkaart at train and bus
Harwich to Hook of Holland. ticket office; alternatively, use stations, tobacconists, post
P&O also operates regular the OV Chipkaart (see below). offices, and supermarkets.
crossings from Hull to Zeebrugge The info line 9292 provides
in Belgium. DFDS Seaways runs details on all public transporta- Traveling by Car
an overnight service from tion in the Nether lands. If you
Newcastle to Ijmuiden. need to arrange train travel The highway system makes it
abroad, visit the offices of NS easy to travel to the Netherlands
International, located in from anywhere in Europe. Major
Rail Travel Amsterdam’s Centraal Station or roads (marked N) and highways
International railroad routes book through the website. (labeled A or E) are generally
provide a fast and efficient link well maintained. When driving
between Amsterdam and many Traveling by Bus in towns, especially in
other European cities. From Amsterdam, be careful of cyclists,
Centraal Station, high-speed Long-distance bus travel is an trams, taxis, and pedestrians.
Thalys trains run to Brussels in inexpensive, if tiring, way to Most of the principal
2 hours 30 minutes, and to Paris reach the Netherlands. Eurolines international car-rental firms
in about 4 hours. In both Paris has at least two daily services have offices in Amsterdam and
and Brussels, passengers can from the UK to Amsterdam, at Schiphol Airport, but local
change to the Eurostar for an via the Channel Tunnel. companies are cheaper.
DIRECTORY
Netherland Board Ireland easyJet Stena Line
of Tourism and Scheveningseweg 12, Den Tel 0330-365 5000 (UK). Tel 0844-770 7070 (UK).
Conventions Haag. Tel 070-363 0993. ∑ easyjet.com ∑ stenaline.co.uk
UK UK KLM Rail Travel
∑ holland.com/uk Lange Voorhout 10, Tel 020-474 7747
2514 ED Den Haag. Tel 020-7660 0293 (UK). 9292
US Tel 070-427 0427. ∑ klm.com Tel 0900-9292.
∑ holland.com/us US Ryanair ∑ 9292.nl
Museumplein 19, ∑ ov-chipkaart.nl
Tourist Offices in 1071 DJ Amsterdam. Tel 0871-246 0000 (UK).
the Netherlands Tel 020-575 5330. ∑ ryanair.com Eurostar
Transavia ∑ eurostar.com
VVV I amsterdam Emergencies Tel 352-2700 2728 (UK).
Visitor Centre Tel 0900-0737. NS
Centraal Station Ambulance/Fire/Police ∑ transavia.com ∑ ns.nl
Stationsplein, Amsterdam. Tel 112. NS International
Tel 020-702 6000. United Airlines
∑ iamsterdam.com Airlines Tel 800-UNITED-1 (US). Tel 0900-9296.
∑ united.com ∑ nsinternational.nl
Embassies American Airlines Thalys
Tel 800-433 7300 (US). Ferry Companies
Australia ∑ aa.com Tel 0900-9296.
Carnegielaan 4, 2517 KH British Airways DFDS Seaways ∑ thalys.com
Den Haag. Tel 0844-493 0787 (UK). Tel 0871-522 9955 (UK).
Tel 070-310 8200. ∑ britishairways.com ∑ dfdsseaways.co.uk Buses
Canada Delta Air Lines P&O European Eurolines UK Ltd
Sophialaan 7, 2514 JP Den Tel 800-241 4141 (US). Tel 08716-646 464 (UK). Tel 08717-818 178.
Haag. Tel 070-311 1600. ∑ delta.com ∑ poferries.com ∑ eurolines.co.uk

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