Student Travel to Amsterdam

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Student Travel to Amsterdam

Amsterdam as a destination for students is very popular across the globe. It is a student friendly city with lots of things to do and amenities that appeal to student’s sense of exploration and adventure. Amsterdam used to be a cheap place for students but since the Netherlands changed the national currency to Euros back in 2002, the prices have hiked up to almost 50% of the original rate.

Still, Amsterdam remains a great option to visit if you’re on a limited student budget and because the city is home to a number of universities and higher education institutions the local businesses are in tune with student’s needs and wants. There are plenty of budget accommodations for you to consider such as hostels, cheap or hotels or even a campsite in the summer months that you can find here on our local guide to accommodation in Amsterdam.

Things to do on a budget

Amsterdam has some really enthralling sites to visit for free. You can take a leisurely stroll around the Amsterdam canal rings and have an awe-inspiring view of the city from one of the many city bridges, go for free boat rides on the ferry which connects Amsterdam to IJ Island or visit the Blomenmarket aka the Flower Market. See our things to do section; Free Amsterdam.

For students, this city holds a lot of allure as it offers everything from history, culture, shopping or just some plain old relaxing in an old and illustrious European city. One of the highlights of Amsterdam is its high-tolerance level to some of the more dubious activities such as prostitution and drug consumption and the Red Light District and Amsterdam’s coffeeshops are an obvious attraction.

The city has restaurants and bars to meet every budget and there are plenty of places where you can eat cheaply and still have a good meal and if you visit during the summer. You can also just grab some food from one of the many small supermarkets and have a picnic in the famous Vondelpark. Amsterdam’s nightlife is of course legendary and there are plenty of student bars and nightclubs that hold events especially targeted at students on specific nights.

Getting here

Getting here is pretty straightforward; just book a ticket to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Bear in mind, it has always been a popular destination, so cheap tickets could be hard to come by. The low cost airlines such as Easyjet do good deals but you need to book around 6 months before to get the best rates. If you are travelling within Europe you can always look for a good price with bus company Eurolines who sometimes have good deals. You could also drive but parking is ridiculously expensive in Amsterdam.

Getting to Amsterdam from Schiphol, there are a number of options you may use but trains and buses are by far the cheapest. Taxis are a strict no-no, unless you have no other alternative, due to the high rates.

Getting around

It is easy to travel around Amsterdam on a budget and due to the city’s compact size the whole city is walkable with the major attractions very close to each other. Renting bicycles is great fun and enables you to see a lot more in a shorter time and to explore some of the trendy outer districts of the city or even cycle out to the Dutch countryside along the River Amstel. Bicycle rental in Amsterdam is not expensive either, just make sure you use the big fat lock that you’re given or you might not get your deposit back at the end. If you are going to use public transport then make sure you get yourself an OV-chipkaart as this will save you a lot in comparison with buying tickets on trams, buses and metros.

Stay safe

As far as safety goes, Amsterdam doesn’t really witness violent crimes. The most that could happen is you being pick pocketed in a busy location, so always be careful. Also, try and avoid the bystanders who come and try to sell you drugs in areas like the Red Light District, just politely say no thanks or ignore them. In most cases they are selling vitamin c or headache pills.

You may also get offered a cheap bicycle by a junkie who has stolen it to make some easy cash. Don’t buy it, as tempting as it is when you are tired and too lazy to walk back to your hotel. It just encourages them to steal more and you could end spending the night in a cell if caught by the police who conveniently hide around the corner ready to pounce.

Useful links

The International Student Travel Confederation (ISTC) has a great website with information regarding travelling for students. They also have the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) that you can use to get discounts on all manner of travel related items, such as accommodation and attractions.