Tired of hearing blubbering babies and toddler tantrums when you’re trapped on a 10-hour flight? The airline Corendon has a solution: a “child-free zone” on their flights from Schiphol to Curaçao. 🤫
Starting in November, this “Only Adult zone” on Corendon flights will secure a more peaceful and nap-friendly journey for passengers who don’t want to be disturbed by kids, RTL Nieuws reports. 🤐
Pay the price
But those who want to avoid the ruckus have to cough up the cash; a seat for the Only Adult zone will tack on an additional €45 to your ticket — a fee many are apparently very willing to fork out.
This blissfully kid-free area will be divided off from the rest of the aircraft using walls and curtains, serving as a kind of childless first class. ⛔️👶
New trend or dead end?
Even so, Corendon is not the first airline to come up with this idea. Various international companies have already implemented their own kid-free zones onboard, but Corendon appears to be the first one of its kind in the Netherlands.
AirAsia X offers the Quiet Zone on its A330 long-haul flights, while Singapore-based low-cost airline, Scoot, offers its own version of the child-free zone with its ScootinSilence cabin.
— TAG Travel Assignment Group (@TAGTravel_Za) July 18, 2023
Will this trend catch on to popular Dutch airlines such as KLM, TUI, and Transavia? Evidently not…👀
A TUI spokeswoman pointed out that it might not be the best move considering “many families go on holiday by plane in the summer”.
Do you think this Only Adult zone is a good idea? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Before you get too excited about the morning sunshine and wear a nice summer outfit — remember to take a raincoat and some closed shoes because thunderstorms are coming. ⛈
Helaas, the afternoon brings a change with clouds and rain, reports NU.nl.
Grab your rain pants, and leave the umbrella at home because the rain showers might even get a bit rough in some areas.
How rough, you ask? Well, the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has issued a code yellow weather warning for seven of the 12 provinces in the Netherlands.
Humid and hot
Temperatures will reach highs of between 24 and 27 degrees Celsius today. However, you’ll feel like you’re in a sauna with the humidity.
By the afternoon, we’ll all be sticky and cursing the heat. Not for long, because the Dutch weather has another trick up its sleeve with rain — and a lot of it.
An afternoon of thunderstorms
If you plan to have lunch outside on the terrasje, you’ll have to take a rain check (literally). Thunderstorms, heavy showers, hail, and wind gusts of up to 75 kilometres per hour will occur in most parts of the country.
Provinces that have been issued the code yellow weather warning for the whole afternoon are South Holland, Utrecht, Limburg, North Brabant, Zeeland, Gelderland, and Overijssel.
Almost as quickly as the storm arrives, it will end. By the evening, the rain is expected to ease just in time for us to enjoy an evening stroll.
Friday will be a cooler day, reaching an average temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. The day will also be cloudy, making us miss the sunshine we’ve gotten used to.
Are you prepared for the heavy rain today? Tell us in the comments!
Update: The US Coast Guard has recently identified the man who was stranded on the island, previously thought to be Dutch, as German.
An impromptu getaway to the Bahamas sounds amazing — but not in the way it happened for this Dutchman. Why? Because he ended up stranded. On an uninhabited island. All alone.
The US Coast Guard rescued the 64-year-old Dutchman after the perilous ordeal of being shipwrecked on the uninhabited island of Cay Sal for three whole days.
How did this happen?
Unknown issues with his sailboat lead to the man being stranded on Cay Sal, an island located about 150 kilometres north of Cuba, reports De Telegraaf.
While many of us would have panicked, this man kept his cool long enough to use his innate Dutch innovativeness. To attract attention, he wrote “SOS” in the sand.
Images lead people to believe that he also used sails and pieces of plastic as shelter while he awaited rescue. Does that sound like an episode of Survivor or what?! 😬
An item that saves lives
You know that question, “What is the one thing you would want with you if you were trapped on a deserted island?” — well, the answer is apparently very simple: a flare.
Yep, that’s what ended up saving the stranded man. After his flares were spotted by the US coast guard near his sunken sailboat, the Dutchman was seen from above.
Before they could rescue him by ship, they dropped food, water, and a radio — we’re sure no delivery will ever bring as much joy as that one!
“We are proud to have saved this man’s life,” says Petty Officer Craig from the Coastguard.
“This case is a perfect example of why you need to have the right safety equipment on your vessel. If the flare had not been seen, there might not have been a happy ending now.”
The Dutchman was found in good health. And hey, if anything, he now has quite a story for dinner parties. 😉
What would you do if you were stranded on an island? Tell us in the comments!
After months of falling, the prices owner-occupied homes in the Netherlands are now increasing. Not only that, but houses have been selling faster and at higher prices since July.
There’s been an upward trend in housing prices since all the way back in 2013. Although they did lower slightly in August 2022, they’ve now been going back up since June 2023, according to Het Parool.
Good and bad news
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take it one step at a time.
This gentle rise doesn’t mean house prices are skyrocketing to the moon (yet) — we’re only talking about a lighthearted bump that might just make sellers crack a smile.
For potential buyers, it’s a reminder that the Dutch housing market loves to keep us guessing. It’s a game that, to be honest, we don’t really like to play.
Fewer houses are being sold overall
Of course, higher prices for homes mean fewer people can afford them. So it comes as no surprise that fewer and fewer homes are actually sold.
If you want to get into the nitty-gritty, we’ve got some numbers for you:
In July 2023, there was more than a 9% decrease in homes sold (compared to last year).
In the first half of 2023, 7% fewer homes were sold than in the first part of 2022.
In July 2023, the price of a home was more than 88% higher then in June 2013!
One of my coworkers said she started out working as a janitor and she was able to buy a house all while being a janitor, while in this day and age many of us have degrees and are struggling to make rent…I really have to ask, have things gotten better??
— MissBeenThereDoneThat💁🏿♀️🧜🏿♀️ (@DRealNikkiM) August 14, 2023
So it’s kind of a lose-lose for both sides: Buyers can’t afford houses, sellers aren’t selling houses. And in true Dutch housing crisis fashion, no one really knows what will happen next.
Have you tried to buy or sell a house in the Netherlands? Tell us your experience in the comments below!
Forget “hide your kids, hide your wife” — hide that expensive e-bike. Upwards of 100,000 bikes are stolen annually, and lately thieves are targeting more and more two-wheelers of the electric variety.
The politie are warning civilians that gangs who steal bicycles (often with the intent of crossing them over the border to Eastern Europe) are “getting smarter”, Hart van Nederland reports.
The hype surrounding e-bikes has expanded beyond the Netherlands, and now other countries are demanding more of them. That is why the Netherlands (which, in case you didn’t know, has bikes) recently became an international bike burglar’s dream for snatching them up.
Method to the madness
One innovative bike-stealing tactic that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the police is the tendency to use fake frame numbers.
This involves slapping a new sticker (purchased from some kind of online black market) on top of the e-bike’s original serial number plate to prevent getting caught. Some even go the extra mile and forge loading papers for their stolen bikes.
Many gangs are also using large transportation trucks, and cleverly changing their storage locations on a regular basis, which Politie.nl says makes them even more difficult to pin down.
Not only that, but for any seasoned bike thief, opening a lock with “special equipment” can be done within seconds and is essentially “child’s play”, explains René Middag, the police’s Mobile Banditism project leader.
How to make your bike steal-proof
Unless you want your bike to be ripe for the picking, it’s recommended that you use an additional external lock, attached to a fence or a post, in order to ward those bike swindlers away.
The police also advise that people register their bikes at Stop Heling, so you can suss out whether or not a bike has been stolen.
The problem is that not enough e-bike owners take note of their frame numbers, so even if a bike is retrieved, it often has too little information to make its way back home.
What are you doing to secure the safety of your e-bike? Let us know in the comments below!
Picture this: a high-speed rail adventure from Brussels to Amsterdam quicker than you can say “stroopwafel.”
And guess what? It doesn’t stop there. We’re talking a direct line all the way to Paris and even the vibrant streets of Berlin.
On top of that, plans are already in the works to connect Paris and Barcelona, so you can take your entire backpacking trip with just one train! At least, that’s what Italian rail giant Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) sets out to do.
Pay less for more frequent trains
Now, we might not have PhDs in economics, but we do understand one thing: if there is more of something, it’s less rare, so it’s less valuable, so it’s less expensive. That makes sense, right?
Now, how does this apply to trains? Well, FS’s introduction of more high-speed routes means that companies have more competition. And more competition (meaning more trains), means lower prices for customers.
The expansion is already spreading throughout Europe. Trenitalia, the brainiacs behind this grand plan, have already dipped their toes into high-speed rail action in France and Spain. Milan to Paris? Done.
And they’re eyeing other parts of Europe, with a twinkle in their eye for the Brussels to Amsterdam route, according to the Financial Times.
Trains are the new planes
Ultimately, the goal of all this (other than to make money, of course) is to offer affordable alternatives to taking short-haul flights. Gone are the days of endless airport queues, cramped aeroplane seats, and leaving a giant carbon footprint.
This journey across the Italian / Swiss Alps may have been the most beautiful yet. The train only went this way because of a derailment in the massive Gotthard base tunnel, which added two hours and a lot of beauty to our journey #interrailpic.twitter.com/nm8zShBQha
A white envelope drops at your doorstep, or a bill summary finds its way to your inbox, putting you into panic mode.
Don’t be alarmed, though: we’ll go through that Dutch utility bill together. 🤝
Utility bills are a mandatory addition to any adult’s life that no one really asks for. It’s the sign of adulthood that we wish we could just sweep under the front door’s mat, but alas, we need those bills paid to live.
Reading, let alone going through bills, is always a cumbersome chore — so here are five easy steps to handling your Dutch gas, water, electricity, and other utility bills!
1. Orientate yourself on the types of utility bills in the Netherlands
Whether it’s a water bill, electricity, or cellphone, the type of bill you have in your hands will determine the best strategy to go about understanding and paying that bill out of your way.
Gas and electricity bills in the Netherlands
When it comes to gas and electricity (together known as energy) bills, know that these will take the biggest chunk out of your monthly budget, so account for it and set it aside.
First, you have a network operator (netbeheerder), who is determined by your place of residence. In total, the Netherlands has seven grid operators based on region, and you usually have the same one running gas and electricity (energy).
Do some extra research to find out more about the utility situation where you live! Image: Depositphotos
No idea who that is? Enter your address through mijnaansluiting (my connection) to find out who’s responsible for keeping gas and electricity flowing your way.
Secondly, the Dutch energy market is privatised, meaning that (unlike your network operators) you get to choose between many (45+) regional energy suppliers — they are who usually bill you. 🤑 These suppliers are obligated to give you personalised offers on their energy contracts, so you get to pick, choose, and switch to whichever fits you best.
What is a personalised offer? As a prospective customer, your energy supplier is required to present you with a tailor-made contract offer (het aanbod op maat) with a bill estimate based on your energy consumption, your last annual statement, your lifestyle, and any possible welcome offers. It’s a great way to prepare for expenses ahead of time. 💸
When you pay your supplier, the total sum combines your energy consumption rate, grid management fees (which go to the operator company), plus taxes. Each year, you’ll receive an annual statement displaying all the numbers and figures clearly marked. This also means that you may be charged more or less depending on your address, as municipal taxes differ.
Reading your utility bills at first can be confusing, but you’ll get the hang of it! Image: Depositphotos
Energy supplier vs. network operator: Is there a difference between these two? Why yes! You sign your contract and get billed by your chosen energy supplier, but a network operator is there to ensure you’re supplied with gas and electricity safely through thick and thin. They’re also responsible for any maintenance or extensions within the grid.
The average energy bill in the Netherlands runs between €100 to €150 per month depending on your usage of kilowatt per hour for electricity (kWh) and cubic metre (m3) for gas consumption. For example, a solo international living in Amsterdam will pay between €1,200 to €1,500 annually, based on usage of 1,500 kWh of electricity and 1,000 m3 of gas.
Oh! And don’t freak out if you see two separate bills slide through your mail for energy. Although not very common, sometimes you get billed by your supplier and your network operator (netbeheerder) separately.
Note: While we aim to make these estimates as accurate as possible, gas prices in the Netherlands are continuing to rise.
Water bills and providers in the Netherlands are pretty straightforward: since it’s not a privatised sector, the provider is based on your address, where you’ll land within one of the 10 water districts. As for your bill, it will be calculated based on the amount of water you’ve used (measured in cubic metres) in addition to taxes.
The Netherlands makes sure all of its households get clean water. Image: Depositphotos
The bill will, therefore, depend on how many people you live with, or in other words, your collective consumption. Generally speaking, account for €150 annually per person.
Wondering who your water provider is? Simply enter your zip code through this handy tool to find out.
Internet and phone bills in the Netherlands
Who said utilities are limited to the gas, electricity, and water giants? The WiFi is a big deal too! There are many internet providers scattered throughout the Netherlands — although, depending on your address, you might be limited to a certain few.
Once you nail your contracts, you’ll have internet set up in no time! Image: Depositphotos
Where you live also determines which connections are available for you to power up your place with the blessing that is the internet: DSL, cable, or fibre.
As for phones, having a landline in the Netherlands (although an unlikely choice) is still an option. ☎️
Cellphone (mobile) services and their bills in the Netherlands are often clustered in a bundle with the internet (or cable TV, if any) for the convenience of having everything billed at once by one provider.
2. Understand your Dutch utility contract
Understanding what type of Dutch utility contract you have (or plan to switch to) is key to figuring out how the billing process works for you — and that applies to each of the utilities you sign up for.
An advanced instalment system
The majority of main Dutch utility bills (energy, water, and electricity) are based on an advanced instalment basis, meaning that you pay part of your annual energy or water bill every month in an amount that your supplier predetermines.
How is that amount determined? Your supplier takes multiple factors into account, such as your personal consumption in recent years, current prices — and whether those might be going up or down.
Money-saving tip: Would you like to pay less for your electricity during off-peak hours? We thought so too, so make sure that your contract is based on a double rate and not single-rated.
At the end of the year, your supplier only calculates how much of these utilities you have used within the year — turning those payments into advanced payments on your annual statement. That leaves you with three different scenarios:
If the amount of the 12 instalments you paid throughout the year equals the amount on your annual settlement, no further payments will be asked of you.
If you come out short, and your annual statement reflects more than what you paid throughout 12 months, then you’ll owe your energy company a check for the difference.
If you paid your utility company more than what you used, good news! They’ll either refund you or they’ll transfer the excess to the next year. 💰
A flat-rate contract
If you have a flat-rate contract, you’ll pay the same rate for the duration of the contract — no matter the rise, fall, or prices that follow, providing you with sort of a price guarantee. This type of agreement is a portable option for delivery costs from energy companies and for various mobile phone or internet contracts where you essentially pay per plan.
Pros: When it comes to energy-based flat rate delivery cost agreements, although these contracts tend to be more expensive, they do, however, offer to protect buyers from sudden price hikes.
Cons: The downside in the energy realm, however, is that they cannot take advantage of lower rates when prices drop, so that’s one thing to consider when mulling over such a contract.
Review your utility bill to see what would work best for you. Image: Freepik
Mobile phone contracts
These contracts are generally flat rate based, depending on two factors: whether you’ll be paying for the sim card only or if you’re signing a contract for multiple services in one combo, such as getting an internet contract in addition to a cellphone one.
Money-saving tip: Watch out for those “new customer deals” where the exciting and overly generous offer only lasts for a month or so. You’ll likely be stuck paying a hefty amount for the remainder of your contract!
Variable-rate contract
Also most commonly seen in energy contracts for delivery costs, this type of agreement allows for a maximum of two annual rate changes (usually on January 1 and July 1) within the duration of the contract.
Pros: With a variable-rate contract, you can benefit when the energy prices become lower
Cons: Change could be good or bad. So if the energy prices go higher, customers of this type of contract will be affected accordingly.
Take your time reviewing those utility contracts to get the best out of the best. Feature Image: Depositphotos
3. Know your municipal extras in the Netherlands
Aside from national and regional influences on your bill, the municipality of your residence in the Netherlands also plays a role in determining some of the details on that Dutch utility bill sliding through your mail slot. Those fees are referred to as municipal taxes or Gemeentebelasting.
The best way to learn about those taxes and review their annual rates is by visiting your municipality’s website directly. Here are some of the main ones:
An example of municipal extras would be Amsterdam’s water authority tax, a water maintenance fee that’s enforced in other municipalities as well, but within this region is enforced by the assigned water operator, Waternet.
With this tax, the cities provide clean water supply through your tap and prevent flooding — two key aspects of life in the Netherlands.
Additional (billable) services in the Netherlands
Although these bills are separate from your utilities, they do come in as a bundle of services provided by your municipality.
Take, for example, waste management or sewage maintenance fees: These are two of many examples of services that are provided by your township that you’ll be billed for in the form of a municipal tax.
4. Keep an eye on the meter
It’s an unappealing step, especially if the meter is stuck between rusty pipes somewhere dark and damp — but all things aside, it’s a simple and occasional task that can save you money in the long run.
For starters, you’ll occasionally (sometimes on an annual basis) be asked to do a personal meter reading with someone on the phone or to complete documents by the water or energy company or even your municipality.
It looks like a hassle, but trust us, those readings will come in handy. Image: Depositphotos
Being able to read your meter will also save you from future bill shocks since the tiny screen numbers can give you a clear idea of what your upcoming bills will look like.
Although a large portion of metres in the Netherlands reports accurate and automatic consumption to the provider companies, if you notice inaccurate meter reportings, you can always take the issue up with your supplier, as you could be paying more than you should.
Different kinds of metres
The easiest way to learn how to read a meter is to look up the manufacturer and the type of meter you’re looking at — whether it’s a smart metre, gas, electricity, or water.
Gas and water metres are usually mixed together since they report in the same unit (m3), so pay extra attention to these two: the gas metre is usually larger, whereas the water one is usually round-shaped.
5. Know your resources, rights, and obligations in the Netherlands
Even if you’re familiar with handling your utility bills, life can happen, and emergencies could occur. For those tough breaks, it’s better to acquaint yourself with the best resources out there. 👇
Filing complaints against your Dutch gas or electricity provider
So what happens if your provider changes something without notifying you or calculates your bill based on an inaccurate read? Well, the good news is that you, as a customer, can file a complaint to the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM).
After notifying your provider and operator (netbeheerder) of the complaint, you’ll either receive a suggestion with a solution or a clarification. If you’re still not satisfied with the answer, you can escalate with a formal complaint through the Dutch Foundation for Consumer Complaints Boards.
What happens if you can’t pay your Dutch electricity or gas bills?
If you believe you cannot pay your bill on time, you must notify your supplier ahead of time to prevent your energy from being cut off.
Additionally, the ACM created a sample letter for you to request help from your energy supplier. They might be able to arrange a payment plan option for you to pay your bill in instalments.
Dutch National Assistance line
Here’s some knowledge to save for rainy days. In case of electricity, gas, or metre problems, such as suspected leaks, you can call (+31)08009009, a 24-hour national number for assistance.
Those were our greatest of all-time hits on how to handle your Dutch utility bills like a pro in five simple and easy steps. So go on and face that fresh bill you’ve been obsessing over. You got this! 💪
Do you know of any more handy tips on taking control of Dutch utility bills? Spill them in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in March 2022, and was fully updated in August 2023 for your reading pleasure.
Yesterday afternoon the body of a male festival attendee, 23, was discovered in a canal in Biest-Houtakker.
On Sunday night, the 23-year-old victim’s family expressed concerns when he failed to contact them after the Dutch festival he was attending, called Decibel Outdoor, had ended, the NOS reports.
The police responded by issuing a citizen’s net for what was officially a missing person case and ultimately searching the forest near the festival grounds.
Coordinated search efforts
In collaboration with several other police units and the security team at Decibel Outdoor, the police tried to find the man in the forested area of the festival’s location.
Because of how difficult it was to see, they also deployed a helicopter for the search, RTL Nieuws reports.
Eventually, the body was discovered by a skipper in the canal on Biestsestraat, who saw something floating in the water and notified the police yesterday afternoon.
Het aangetroffen lichaam is van de vermiste man. De nabestaanden zijn op de hoogte gebracht. Wij wensen hen veel sterkte toe. Wij doen onderzoek naar de doodsoorzaak.
Translation: “The body found belongs to the missing man. The next of kin have been notified. We wish them a lot of strength. We are investigating the cause of death.”
A team of divers recovered the man’s body shortly thereafter. The cause of his death is currently unknown and still being investigated.
Second festival death
Unfortunately, this is not the only death that occurred at the Decibel Outdoor Festival this weekend.
On Saturday, the body of a different festival attendee, 19, was discovered in a tent on the festival’s camping grounds.
In fact, thermometers may even hit 30 degrees Celsius this Thursday, especially in the south. Until then, afternoon temperatures will be at a nice and toasty 25 to 28 degrees, reports AD.
A typical Dutch summer
Despite the two weeks of rain and cold a few weeks ago, it now turns out that we will still reach the average number of summer days this year. How many is that? Helaas, the average is only 28 days… But hey, that’s better than no days of sun. ☀️
For those dreading to hop into bed with the heat, don’t worry. Temperatures will drop between 13 and 15 degrees Celsius in the night — perfect for a good night of sleep ahead of a beach day. 🏖️
Unfortunately, it just wouldn’t be Dutch summer weather without some rain. From Thursday evening to the end of Friday, there is a chance of heavy showers raining down on our parade. ☂️
After the storm, temperatures will settle back to a cool and breezy 20 to 22 degrees Celsius on the weekend. Along with it, more rainstorms are likely, especially in coastal areas.
Do you like summer rainstorms? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
The body of a 19-year-old man was found at Decibel Outdoor, a hardstyle festivalnear the Dutch-Belgian border. The cause of his death is not yet confirmed.
The man was found in his tent at the festival campsite on the morning of Saturday, August 19.
When police came to his tent, they attempted to resuscitate him. He was taken away in an ambulance, but the festival organisers later received the news that he had passed away.
Initially, the cause of death was thought to be related to “wrong drugs”. Now, doctors think the man may have died due to a medical incident.
However, nothing has been confirmed yet, according to the NOS.
Festival spokesman responds
Tim Boersma, spokesman for Decibel Outdoor, has shared his feelings about the situation.
He says: “It is terrible, especially for the relatives. You organise a festival for 50,000 people and hope for the very best for everyone. It really leaves a mark on the festival.”
The investigation to determine the festivalgoer’s exact cause of death is ongoing.
