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Voykit pocket guide · Netherlands
Arnhem
Give Arnhem 2 nights: one day for the Airborne trail at Oosterbeek and the John Frost Bridge, then choose day two — Hoge Veluwe park or the city museums, not both.
Arnhem is Gelderland's capital and the gateway to the Hoge Veluwe national park and the Kröller-Müller's Van Goghs. The old centre was destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt modern, so the draw is the wartime story, the parks and the museums rather than an old-town stroll. It works as a 2-night base between Utrecht and the German border, or as a day trip from Nijmegen. Two nights is enough: the Airborne sites and the bridge fill one day, and the second day is a choice between the Hoge Veluwe and the city's own museums.
- Country
- Netherlands
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- None in particular; Dec–Feb is cold, grey and dark early (check)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards dominate; some shops and cafés are card-only and a few supermarkets accept debit cards but not all credit cards, so carry both.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–95 excl. bed · Mid €95–160 excl. bed · High €160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- KPN, Vodafone and Odido run the networks; Lebara and Lyca sell cheap prepaid SIMs in supermarkets and at Schiphol.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Police non-urgent 0900-8844
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard continental two-pin; UK and US plugs need adapters.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up.; Restaurant: 5–10% for good service; tell the server the total when paying by card.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Not expected.
- Water
- Tap water is among the best in Europe; restaurants may charge for it, so ask.
- Toilets
- Stations charge about €0.70–1; cafés expect you to buy something; free urinals (and a few public toilets) in city centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €3–4.50 |
| Lunch (sandwich or soup) | €8–14 |
| Dinner main | €16–26 |
| Beer, café / supermarket | €4–6 / €1–2 |
| Museum entry (Airborne, Kröller-Müller, Openluchtmuseum) | €9–22 |
| Train Arnhem to Nijmegen | €5–6 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AMS · Amsterdam Schiphol
- Train to Arnhem Centraal about 75 min, about €20.60 one way
- NRN · Weeze (Ryanair 'Düsseldorf-Weeze')
- 80 km (50 mi) southeast; public transport via Kleve and Nijmegen takes 2.5–3 h50 mi (80 km) southeast; public transport via Kleve and Nijmegen takes 2.5–3 h
- EIN · Eindhoven
- 85 km (53 mi) southwest; bus 401 plus train via 's-Hertogenbosch, about 100 min53 mi (85 km) southwest; bus 401 plus train via 's-Hertogenbosch, about 100 min
- DUS · Düsseldorf
- RE19 direct from Arnhem Centraal, about 99 min, hourly
Typical fares
- Schiphol → Arnhem Centraal, train
- about €20.60, about 75 min
- Arnhem Centraal → Oosterbeek, bus 352
- about 10 min
- Arnhem Centraal → Nijmegen, train
- about 20 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is walkable. Arnhem is the only Dutch city with trolleybuses; they run from the bus station built into Arnhem Centraal. Bikes rent at Stationsplein (about €5.20 a day, €25 deposit). Taxis wait at the station and are phoned, not app-hailed.
See and do
Known for
- Operation Market Garden and the John Frost Bridge
- Airborne Museum Hartenstein in Oosterbeek
- Hoge Veluwe and Kröller-Müller Museum
- Nederlands Openluchtmuseum
- Burgers' Zoo
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oosterbeek (Airborne Museum Hartenstein) | Bus 352 from Arnhem Centraal, about 10 min (check) | About 30 min (check) |
| Nijmegen | Train from Arnhem Centraal, about 20 min (check) | About 40 min (check) |
| Wijchen | Train from Arnhem Centraal (check) | check |
| Hoge Veluwe and Kröller-Müller Museum | Bus toward Otterlo, then park bus or the free white bikes (route and times check) | check |
Sleep
- Centrum (around Korenmarkt and Jansplein)
- Walk to the station, cafés and the Rijnkade; best for a short stay without a car.
- Station area (Arnhem Centraal)
- Handy beds next to the trolleybus hub; 5–10 min walk into the centre.
- Oosterbeek
- Village west of the city, walk to the Airborne Museum and war cemetery; quiet, good if the battle sites are your main reason.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallohah-loh |
| Thank you | Dank je weldahnk yuh vel |
| Please | Alstublieftals-tuh-bleeft |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel kost het?hoo-vale kost het |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ik met kaart betalen?kan ik met kaart buh-tah-lun |
| Where is the station? | Waar is het station?vaar is het stah-syon |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; three cheek kisses among friends; avoid: Hugging new acquaintances
- Directness: Say what you mean; expect honest, blunt answers; avoid: Taking bluntness as rudeness
- Punctuality: Be on time; diaries plan weeks ahead; avoid: Dropping in unannounced
- Money: Split bills; pay your share; avoid: Showing off wealth
- Homes: Bring flowers or a small gift; congratulate everyone at a birthday; avoid: Expecting dinner if invited for coffee
Scams and watch-outs
- The centre is post-war modern, not an old Dutch town: do not expect canals and gabled streets.
- Hoge Veluwe entry and the Kröller-Müller are separate tickets; the free white bikes run out on summer weekends.
- Oosterbeek is a separate village: allow 10 min by bus 352 from Arnhem Centraal, not a city walk.
- Trolleybus and bus fares are OV-chipkaart or contactless; buy at the station machine if unsure.
A safe, low-crime city by Dutch standards. The real risks are bikes on the pavement, pickpockets around the station at night, and Hoge Veluwe weather that turns on the open heath: carry a rain layer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Arnhem yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Operation Market Garden and the John Frost Bridge
- Airborne Museum Hartenstein in Oosterbeek
- Hoge Veluwe and Kröller-Müller Museum
- Nederlands Openluchtmuseum
- Burgers' Zoo
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Gemeente Arnhem (official): www.arnhem.nl/
- NS (Dutch Railways): www.ns.nl/en
- Airborne Museum Hartenstein: www.airbornemuseum.nl/en/home
- Wikivoyage: Arnhem, revision 5309607 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5309607
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Arnhem
Naar dit adres, alstublieft
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Arnhem; most are in The Hague, with consulates in Amsterdam. US citizens: US Consulate General Amsterdam (check).
Trolleybus and bus tickets are bought on board or with contactless; check current fares.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/arnhem). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.