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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 southeast; public transport via Kleve and Nijmegen takes 2.5–3 h50 mi southeast; public transport via Kleve and Nijmegen takes 2.5–3 h
- EIN · Eindhoven
- 85 km southwest; bus 401 plus train via 's-Hertogenbosch, about 100 min53 mi 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
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/
- Visit Arnhem / Arnhem tourism: www.arnhem.nl/Inwoners/english
- NS (Dutch Railways): www.ns.nl/en
- Airborne Museum Hartenstein: www.airbornemuseum.nl/en/home
- Nederlands Openluchtmuseum: www.openluchtmuseum.nl/?taal=en
- 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.