Local Tip
Amsterdam runs mostly on cards: many cafés are 'pin only' and trams take a tapped bank card. For cash, use a yellow Geldmaat machine, not a souvenir-shop ATM, and budget at least €4 a withdrawal on a UK card.
Where to change money in Amsterdam
GWK Travelex is the chain you will see most, and the Netherlands Board of Tourism calls it the simplest place for visitors to change pounds; some larger banks exchange too. Ask for the euro total before agreeing.
- GWK Travelex Amsterdam Centraal (IJzijde) On the station's waterfront side at De Ruijterkade 24c; open 09:00-20:00 Monday to Saturday and 11:00-18:00 on Sunday.
- GWK Travelex Damrak Damrak 86, opposite De Bijenkorf and one of GWK Travelex's most popular branches; open 09:00-21:00 daily.
- GWK Travelex Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat Kalverstraat 150 is open 10:00-17:00 and closed on Sundays; Leidsestraat 103, near Leidseplein, stays open until 21:00 on weekdays.
Changing money at the airport
Schiphol lists eight GWK Travelex exchange desks, some branded simply Travelex: three before security, including GWK Travelex Schiphol Plaza in Arrivals Hall 3 (06:00-22:00 daily), and five after it. Several airport ATMs dispense euros and other currencies. NS trains into the city accept a tapped card or phone, but only at the undiscounted second-class fare.
ATMs and cards in Amsterdam
Most Dutch cash machines belong to Geldmaat, the yellow-branded network jointly owned by ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank. Since 8 December 2025 Geldmaat has charged €4 a withdrawal on cards from elsewhere in the European Economic Area. UK cards are issued outside the EEA, and for those the Dutch Payments Association says a different fee may apply; De Telegraaf reported in January 2026 that foreign cards pay at least €4 (charges can change). DutchNews and Yellow Bike both warn against standalone ATMs in souvenir shops, often Euronet machines. If an Amsterdam terminal offers to settle in pounds, decline and pay in euros so your own bank converts. Dutch terminals now all read Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard, and debit cards work almost everywhere; credit cards are less widely taken. Some bars and shops refuse cash, though Waterlooplein flea-market stalls may prefer it.
Paying for transport in Amsterdam
GVB trams, buses and metro take OVpay: hold a contactless card or phone to the reader when you board and when you leave, using the same one both times. GVB caps what it charges a card per day, and sells digital day tickets for one to seven days.
Good to know
- Tips aren't compulsory: the tourism board calls them a nice extra, suggests about 10%, and says you can add one to a debit-card payment.
- Very few shops take €500 notes, and some smaller businesses and supermarkets turn away €100 and €200 notes too.
- Fake police sometimes ask tourists to show their cash and cards; real Dutch officers rarely do this and carry no shiny badges. If in doubt, call 0900 8844.
- Pickpockets work in teams on trains and trams between Schiphol and Centraal Station.
Born in Amsterdam: the Exchange Bank, 1609
In 1609 the city opened its Wisselbank, or Exchange Bank, to cope with the hundreds of different silver and gold coins in circulation. Merchants handed in coins and paid one another by transfer, in bank money, instead: an early step towards the central banks of today.
Checked November 2026. Sources: De Nederlandsche Bank · Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Key Areas in Amsterdam
Click to open in Google Maps
- Exchange offices this guide names: GWK Travelex at De Ruijterkade 24c, at Damrak 86, at Kalverstraat 150, and at Leidsestraat 103.
- Cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap.
- Schiphol airport is off the map: GWK Travelex has desks there.
Exchange bureaux, banks and cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap. The map loads only when you ask for it.
Open Amsterdam in OpenStreetMap (new tab)
Amsterdam travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Amsterdam?
A GWK Travelex branch is simplest, with offices on Centraal Station's IJ side, Damrak, Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat, plus desks at Schiphol; some larger banks exchange too. Never change money with strangers in bars or on the street.
What does a Geldmaat ATM charge on a UK card?
Geldmaat charges €4 a withdrawal on cards from other EEA countries. UK cards come from outside the EEA and may pay a different fee; De Telegraaf reported that foreign cards pay at least €4. Fees can change, and your own bank may add a charge.
Can I use my UK card on Amsterdam trams and in supermarkets?
Yes on GVB trams, buses and metro. In shops a debit card is safer: Albert Heijn says all AH to go shops and many of its supermarkets take Visa and Mastercard credit cards, though franchised branches decide.
Checked September 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: Dutch Payments Association (Betaalvereniging Nederland) · Dutch Minister of Finance (letter to the House of Representatives) · De Telegraaf (via Headliner) · Geldmaat · Holland.com (Netherlands Board of Tourism) · GWK Travelex
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