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Voykit pocket guide · Netherlands
Eindhoven
Give Eindhoven 1–2 nights: design and Philips heritage in the centre, Strijp-S for the industrial story, and it is a rail hub for Brabant day trips.
Eindhoven is the Netherlands' fifth-largest city and the country's design and technology capital, rebuilt after World War II around Philips. The centre is compact and walkable, Strijp-S holds the converted factory district, and Eindhoven Centraal puts Tilburg, 's-Hertogenbosch, Breda and Maastricht within an hour. Most travellers use it as a one- or two-night stop between Amsterdam and the south, or as a base for North Brabant.
- Country
- Netherlands
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (grey and wet); Dutch Design Week in late October fills hotels
- 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 €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 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 and ambulance 112
- 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 | €2.50–4 |
| Lunch (sandwich or broodje) | €7–14 |
| Dinner main, mid-range restaurant | €16–28 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / supermarket can | €4–6 / €1–2 |
| City bus single ride (OVpay) | €1.08 + €0.194 per km (check) |
| Train Eindhoven → Amsterdam Centraal | about €19.50 (check) |
| Museum entry (Van Abbemuseum, Philips Museum) | €10–16 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EIN · Eindhoven Airport
- 5 km from the centre; buses 400 and 401 run to the train station in about 20 min, roughly every 10 min in the daytime, no service between midnight and 06:005 km from the centre; buses 400 and 401 run to the train station in about 20 min, roughly every 10 min in the daytime, no service between midnight and 6:00 AM3.1 mi from the centre; buses 400 and 401 run to the train station in about 20 min, roughly every 10 min in the daytime, no service between midnight and 06:003.1 mi from the centre; buses 400 and 401 run to the train station in about 20 min, roughly every 10 min in the daytime, no service between midnight and 6:00 AM
- AMS · Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- NS Intercity to Eindhoven Centraal about 1 h 30 min, roughly €23; some trains change at Utrecht Centraal
Typical fares
- Eindhoven Airport → Centraal, bus 400/401
- about €2.74–5.35 depending on how you buy, about 20 min (check)
- Taxi Centraal → city centre
- about €10–15 (check)
- Train Eindhoven → 's-Hertogenbosch
- about €6.40, 19 min (check)
Get around
The centre is car-free and small enough to walk. Buses start and end at the train station; tap in and out with a debit or credit card (OVpay, about €1.08 plus €0.194 per km). Rent a bike for the outskirts, or use the umob app for shared bikes and e-bikes. Uber and Bolt cover the city; taxis wait on both sides of the station.
See and do
Known for
- Philips heritage and the City of Light
- Dutch Design Week in October
- Van Abbemuseum
- Strijp-S creative district
- Eindhoven Airport low-cost flights
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 's-Hertogenbosch | NS Intercity from Eindhoven Centraal | About 40 min |
| Tilburg | NS Intercity towards Rotterdam | About 45 min |
| Breda | NS Intercity towards Rotterdam | About 1 h |
| Helmond | NS Intercity towards Venlo, or bus line 24 | About 30 min |
| Geldrop | Local bus or bike from the south of the city | About 30 min |
| Efteling | Train to Tilburg, then bus towards Kaatsheuvel | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- City centre (Binnenstad)
- Walk to the Van Abbemuseum, 18 Septemberplein and the station; best for one night without a car.
- Strijp-S
- Converted Philips factories, design shops and food halls; one stop or a 15-min bike ride from the centre.
- Station area
- Practical for early flights and rail connections; the bus to the airport leaves from here.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Pardonpar-DON |
| Thank you | Dank u weldahnk u vel |
| This one, please | Deze, alstublieftDAY-zuh, alst-u-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
- Bicycle theft is common: use a proper lock and the free guarded bike parks under 18 Septemberplein or in the Heuvelgalerie.
- The centre inside the ring is a low-emission zone; diesel cars need at least emission class 5 and vans must be zero-emission.
- Central parking garages run about €4 per hour with a €24 daily maximum; use P+R Meerhoven for €4 per 24 hours plus a €0.50 return bus.
- Eindhoven Airport has no buses between midnight and 06:00: check your arrival time before booking a late flight.
Eindhoven is a safe city by day and on the main streets at night. The real risks are bikes on the pavement, pickpockets around Stratumseind bars, and drink-spiking in late-night venues: watch your glass.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Eindhoven yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Philips heritage and the City of Light
- Dutch Design Week in October
- Van Abbemuseum
- Strijp-S creative district
- Eindhoven Airport low-cost flights
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- This is Eindhoven (VVV tourist office): www.thisiseindhoven.com/
- Eindhoven Airport: www.eindhovenairport.nl/en
- NS (Dutch Railways): www.ns.nl/en
- Hermes bus company: www.hermes.nl/en/
- City of Eindhoven: www.eindhoven.nl/
- Wikivoyage: Eindhoven, revision 5338471 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5338471
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Eindhoven
Naar dit adres, alstublieft
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire and ambulance112
No embassies in Eindhoven; most countries are represented in The Hague or Amsterdam (check your own).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/eindhoven). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.