Page 436 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

434  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Tipping
Taxi drivers expect a tip of
around 10 per cent. Although
a service charge is included on
restaurant bills, it is customary
to round the bill up slightly
(see p403).
In hotels you may if you
like leave something for the
chambermaid after a longer
stay, even though it is not
generally the rule.
Flower seeds and bulbs, freely exported items (with certificate)
Public Toilets
Visas and Customs the Customs Helpline There is a limited number of
Travellers from other EU (Douanetelefoon), which gives public conveniences in the
countries can travel freely in precise information on Netherlands. In some cities
and out of the Netherlands customs regulations. Travellers you will find toilets where you
provided they have a valid from outside the Netherlands have to insert money into a
passport or European identity may be able to obtain infor- slot to open the door. Popping
card. For a stay lasting up to mation at their local embassy. into a café to use the toilets
three months, travellers from there is accepted practice in
Australia, New Zealand and Travel Safety Advice the Netherlands; some
North America need only a establishments have an
valid passport. Visitors can get up-to-date travel attendant who should be
EU residents may bring an safety information from the paid a small amount. Large
unlimited quantity of goods Foreign and Commonwealth retail stores and stations also
into the country provided they Office in the UK, the State have toilets, and you generally
are for their personal use. For Department in the US and the need to pay a small fee to use
tobacco and alcohol, the Department of Foreign Affairs these. The latter also have
following quantities are and Trade in Australia. nappy-changing facilities.
considered limits for personal On motorways you will find
use: 800 cigarettes, 400 cigars, Time toilets at all service stations.
1 kg of tobacco, 10 litres of
spirits, 20 litres of liqueurs, 90 Like all its neighbouring Electricity
litres of wine (or 60 litres of countries, the Netherlands
fortified wine) and 110 litres of is on Central European Time, In the Netherlands the electrical
beer. Duty will be charged on which is 1 hour ahead of voltage is 220 volts AC. Dutch
quantities exceeding these Greenwich Mean Time. Day- plugs are of the two-pin type,
specified limits. light saving (1 hour) operates and adapters are available for
For travellers from outside from the end of March to the visitors from countries with
the EU, the limits are 200 end of October. different plugs (for example,
cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 Sydney is 8 hours ahead, Great Britain).
cigars or 250 g of tobacco, Johannesburg 1 hour (the
2 litres of unfortified wine plus same as the Netherlands), Television and Radio
1 litre of spirits or 2 litres of New York is 6 hours behind and
fortified wine or liqueur wine Los Angeles 9 hours behind. The television programmes
or spirits, 50 g of on offer in the Netherlands
perfume, 0.25l of are undergoing a great deal
eau de toilette and of development at the
other items up to a moment. The traditional
value of €175. system was to have a large
Residents of other number of broadcasting
EU countries may no networks, each with their
longer import goods own political or religious
on which VAT has leanings, being given a certain
not been paid. If you amount of air-time on each
are entering or of the three public TV stations
leaving the EU, you (Nederland 1, 2 and 3).
can take non-VAT- More recently, however,
paid goods with commercial television stations
you. More details have emerged to compete
are available from Customers showing their appreciation with a tip with Hilversum (the town

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