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Voykit pocket guide · Netherlands
Nijmegen
Give Nijmegen one full day plus a night: Valkhof hill, the Stevenskerk and the Waal riverfront, then use it as a base for Arnhem and the German border.
Nijmegen calls itself the oldest city in the Netherlands and marks 2,000 years of settlement. Most of the medieval centre was destroyed by a mistaken American bombing in February 1944 and later shelling, so the heritage is a handful of sites rather than a whole old town. It is the largest city in Gelderland, a student town, and the start point for the Four Days Marches each July. Two nights covers the centre and one day trip.
- Country
- Netherlands
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep
- Avoid
- Mid-Jul (Four Days Marches: 1.5 million visitors, roads closed, hotels full)
- 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, 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 in a café | €2.50–4 |
| Beer, draught in a bar | €3–5 |
| Lunch, sandwich or soup | €8–14 |
| Dinner, main course | €15–25 |
| Museum entry (Valkhof Museum, Velorama) | €5–8 |
| City bus single ride | €2–3 |
| Train Nijmegen → Arnhem, one way | €5.20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NRN · Airport Weeze
- 45 km southeast, just over the German border; bus SB46 to Nijmegen Centraal, about 65 min, every two hours28 mi southeast, just over the German border; bus SB46 to Nijmegen Centraal, about 65 min, every two hours
- EIN · Eindhoven Airport
- 60 km southwest; bus 400/401 to Eindhoven Centraal, then train via 's-Hertogenbosch, about 90 min total37 mi southwest; bus 400/401 to Eindhoven Centraal, then train via 's-Hertogenbosch, about 90 min total
- AMS · Amsterdam Schiphol
- 135 km northwest; direct train to Nijmegen twice an hour on weekdays, about 1 h 30 min84 mi northwest; direct train to Nijmegen twice an hour on weekdays, about 1 h 30 min
- DUS · Düsseldorf
- 110 km southeast; no good rail link, 2.5–3 h by commuter trains, about 75 min by car68 mi southeast; no good rail link, 2.5–3 h by commuter trains, about 75 min by car
Typical fares
- Train Nijmegen → Arnhem
- about €5.20 one way, 20 min
- Train Schiphol → Nijmegen
- about €24.50 one way, 1 h 30 min (check)
- Bus SB46 Weeze airport → Nijmegen Centraal
- about €11.88, 65 min (check)
Get around
The centre is compact: every downtown sight is within about 20 minutes on foot from Centraal station. RRReis city buses cover the neighbourhoods; commuter trains serve Lent, Dukenburg and Heyendaal. Bikes are the local default and the RijnWaalpad cycle highway runs to Arnhem. Leave the car out of the centre — six main roads meet at one roundabout and parking is expensive.
See and do
Known for
- Claimed oldest city in the Netherlands
- Valkhof hill and the Carolingian chapel
- St. Stevenskerk
- Four Days Marches (Nijmeegse Vierdaagse)
- Waal riverfront and the Waalbrug
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Arnhem | NS train from Nijmegen, 4–6 an hour, about 20 min | About 35 min |
| Oosterbeek | Train to Arnhem, then bus or a short train to Oosterbeek | About 50 min |
| Wijchen | Commuter train from Nijmegen, about 10–15 min | About 25 min |
| Kleve, Germany | Bus SB58 to Kleve; the Deutschlandticket is valid on this line | About 1 h |
| Amsterdam | NS train via Utrecht, change at Utrecht Centraal | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- City centre (Burchtstraat / Grote Markt)
- Walkable to Valkhof, Stevenskerk and the Waal; 10–15 min on foot from Centraal station.
- Bottendaal
- Quiet residential streets 5 min from the station, pubs and Thiemen Park; good for a longer stay.
- Lent / north bank
- Across the Waalbrug, newer housing and river views; commuter train to Lent.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HalloHAH-loh |
| Thank you | Dank jedahnk yuh |
| Please | Alstublieftals-tuh-BLEEFT |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel kost het?hoo-VAYL kost hut |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ik met de kaart betalen?kan ik met duh kaart buh-TAH-lun |
| Where is the toilet? | Waar is het toilet?vaar is hut twah-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
- Mid-July Four Days Marches: the centre becomes a 10-day festival, roads close and parking near the centre is almost impossible — book beds months ahead or avoid the dates.
- The centre is small; do not expect a preserved medieval old town — most of it was lost in 1944 and 1950s–70s rebuilding.
- Cyclists have priority on most streets and bike paths; look both ways before crossing.
- Dutch weather changes fast: rain in any month, so carry a light shell.
Nijmegen is a safe, ordinary Dutch city; the real risks are bikes on the paths, pickpockets around the station and Grote Markt on festival nights, and the July crowds during the Four Days Marches.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nijmegen yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Claimed oldest city in the Netherlands
- Valkhof hill and the Carolingian chapel
- St. Stevenskerk
- Four Days Marches (Nijmeegse Vierdaagse)
- Waal riverfront and the Waalbrug
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Nijmegen official city website: www.nijmegen.nl/
- Nijmegen Tourism: en.intonijmegen.com/
- Dutch Railways (NS): www.ns.nl/
- Arriva: www.arriva.nl/
- Airport Weeze: airport-weeze.com/
- Eindhoven Airport: www.eindhovenairport.nl/en
- Amsterdam Schiphol: www.schiphol.nl
- Düsseldorf Airport: www.dus.com/en
- Wikivoyage: Nijmegen, revision 5296438 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5296438
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Nijmegen
Naar dit adres, alstublieft
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance112
No embassies in Nijmegen; most countries have embassies in The Hague and consulates in Amsterdam.
English is widely spoken; Dutch phrases are a courtesy, not a necessity.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/nijmegen). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.