In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Netherlands
Efteling
Give Efteling one full day, two if you have kids under 10 or want the coasters without rushing; sleep in Kaatsheuvel, Tilburg or 's-Hertogenbosch.
Efteling is the largest theme park in the Benelux and one of Europe's most-visited, built around a fairy-tale forest rather than film franchises. It sits in North Brabant between Tilburg and 's-Hertogenbosch, opens 365 days a year, and is doable as a day trip by train and bus from either city. One day covers the highlights; two days let you ride the coasters more than once and see the evening shows.
- Country
- Netherlands
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep; December for Winter Efteling
- Avoid
- Dutch school holidays and weekends in Jul–Aug; Christmas week
- Stay
- 1–2 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 €70–110 excl. bed · Mid €110–180 excl. bed · High €180+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Park ticket, one day | €47–56 |
| Parking | €15 per day |
| Fries with mayonnaise | €4–6 |
| Poffertjes at Het Poffertje | €5–8 |
| Coffee or soft drink | €3–4 |
| Push cart for kids, per day | €5 |
| Self-service restaurant main | €12–18 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EIN · Eindhoven Airport
- About 45 min by car; bus and train via Eindhoven Centraal, check connections
- AMS · Amsterdam Schiphol
- About 1 h 15 min by car; train to Tilburg or 's-Hertogenbosch then bus
Typical fares
- Bus Tilburg station → Efteling
- about 25–30 min, at least hourly in the mornings (check)
- Bus 's-Hertogenbosch station → Efteling
- about 35–45 min (check)
- Car Amsterdam → Efteling
- about 1 h 15 min
Get around
Everything inside the park is on foot; it covers about 65 ha. A park train links one stop in the Fairy Realm and one in the Adventure Realm and loops the grounds. Wheelchairs are free to borrow; push carts for kids rent for about €5. Buses from Tilburg and 's-Hertogenbosch stations run at least hourly in the mornings; NS sells combined train-and-bus tickets. Parking is €15 per day. Free bike parking, and the surrounding polder routes are flat and green.
See and do
Known for
- Fairy Tale Forest (Sprookjesbos)
- Dreamflight (Droomvlucht)
- Python and Baron 1898 coasters
- Winter Efteling
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 's-Hertogenbosch | Bus from 's-Hertogenbosch station, at least hourly in the mornings | About 40–50 min |
| Tilburg | Bus from Tilburg station, at least hourly in the mornings | About 30–40 min |
| Breda | Car, about 25 min | About 35 min |
| Eindhoven | Train to Eindhoven Centraal, then bus or car | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Efteling Hotel and Bosrijk
- On-site: four-star hotel plus self-catering cottages and apartments; packages usually bundle park entry. Book months ahead for school holidays.
- Kaatsheuvel
- The village at the park gate; smaller hotels and guesthouses, walkable or a short bus ride to the entrance.
- Tilburg
- 15 min by car, about 25–30 min by bus from Tilburg station; more beds and evening restaurants.
- 's-Hertogenbosch
- 25 min by car, bus from the station at least hourly in the mornings; a historic centre to pair with the park.
- Waalwijk
- About 2 km away; budget chain hotels for a cheap night near the park.About 1.2 mi away; budget chain hotels for a cheap night near the park.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Pardonpar-DON |
| Thank you | Dank je weldahnk yuh vel |
| Two tickets, please | Twee kaartjes, alstubliefttvay KAART-yus, alst-oo-BLEEFT |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel kost het?hoo-VAYL kost ut |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ik met de kaart betalen?kan ik met duh kaart buh-TA-lun |
| Where is the toilet? | Waar is het toilet?vaar is ut twa-LET |
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
- Opening hours change day to day: check the official site before you buy.
- De Vliegende Hollander closes during Winter Efteling; most outdoor rides stop below 0 °C or in snow.
- Height limits are strict: 1.20 m on most coasters, 1.40 m on Baron 1898.
- Dogs are not allowed in the park; there is a kennel at the entrance building.
- Tickets are cheaper online in advance than at the gate; dated tickets sell out on peak days.
A well-run family park with low street crime. The real risks are queue-time heat and dehydration in summer, wet paths after rain, and pickpockets in the densest crowds around the entrance and shows.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Efteling yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fairy Tale Forest (Sprookjesbos)
- Dreamflight (Droomvlucht)
- Python and Baron 1898 coasters
- Winter Efteling
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Efteling official site: www.efteling.com/
- Efteling opening hours: www.efteling.com/en/park/opening-hours
- NS — Efteling train and bus tickets: www.ns.nl/uitgelicht/efteling
- Wikivoyage: Efteling, revision 5253878 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5253878
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Efteling
Naar dit adres, alstublieft
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies and consulates sit in Amsterdam or The Hague; check your country's list before you travel.
English is widely spoken; Dutch attempts are appreciated but not needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/efteling). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.