In the Netherlands, we love sustainability, sleep, and exploring new cities. Which is we’re super excited to hear that European Sleeper has announced two new destinations for its night train — Dresden and Prague!
In 2024, European Sleeper, the creators of the Good Night Train, will welcome these two new and exciting stops to their sleepy international train route.
Tell me more!
How it works is simple: you can hop onboard the European Sleeper train from any of the following Dutch train stations:
Roosendaal
Rotterdam Centraal
Den Haag HS
Amsterdam Centraal
Amersfoort Centraal
Deventer
The next step? Simply head to your seat, couchette, or sleeper cabin, nestle into your supplementary bedding, and catch some Zzz’s until you arrive at your chosen destination!
At the moment, European Sleeper can drop you off at any of the following cities:
Brussels
Bad Bentheim
Berlin Hauptbahnhof
However, from 2024, the route will stretch even further. Passengers can sail past Berlin and continue on to the stunning Dresden.
If Germany doesn’t tickle your fancy, geen probleem — you can always stay on board until you reach the Czech capital of Prague.
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to leave the bikes and stroopwafels behind and step into the magical realm of Festival Circolo — the biggest circus festival in the Netherlands!
From 13 to 22 October, artists and performers from around the globe welcome you to their performances in Tilburg’s Spoorpark. Their goal? To make you fall in love with contemporary circus! 🎪
The talented acrobats will have you holding your breath! 🫢 Image: Merk Tilburg
What exactly is Festival Circolo?
Festival Circolo is the largest festival for contemporary circus in the Netherlands. This year, the organisers are bringing you around 80 spectacular shows!
What is contemporary circus? Contemporary circus is the “love child of circus, theatre, dance, music, design, visual arts and everything that is fantasised about”. Forget about (mildly scary) clowns and sawdust — instead, contemporary circus tells a story, all while exploring the boundaries of the possible.
The festival hosts talented professionals to share with the audience what they’re most passionate about: circus!
There is a place for everyone at Festival Circolo: Whether you’re hearing impaired or not, visually impaired or not, able-bodied or disabled, 4 or 104 years old. The only requirement? You should be ready to fully immerse yourself in the magic. ✨
Breathtaking performances and much, much more
Of course, the main attraction at a circus festival will be the performances. These will take place across various tents in Tilburg’s stunning Spoorpark. Now, you might be thinking: “What’s the secret sauce that makes Festival Circolo so special?”
Well, it’s the incredible variety of shows that’ll have you grinning from ear to ear, holding your breath in suspense, or fighting to hold back tears (sometimes even at the same time!).
From jaw-dropping juggling acts to impressive handstand performances and touching stories, the performances at Festival Circolo will leave you wanting more. 🤩
But wait, there’s more than ‘just’ spectacular shows! Think workshops, lekkere food trucks, campfires, and playgrounds to keep the little ones entertained. We bet you won’t be bored!
So gezellig! Image: Supplied
What can I expect?
If you haven’t gathered by now, Festival Circolo has A LOT to offer. Let’s have a look at some of the programme highlights to get you excited!
To view the entire Festival Circolo programme, make sure to check out their website. 🤹
GLORIOUS BODIES by Circumstances / Piet Van Dycke
That’s not the kind of “headstand” we’re used to! Image: Supplied
Glorious Bodies is “a search for strength in ageing bodies”, and let us tell you: it’s a truly heartwarming act.
The performance features six acrobats between the ages of 55 and 67, who explore the strengths and limitations of the ageing body — all while destroying the clichés that surround old age. We highly recommend it! 🧡
🎪 Performing on 18, 19, and 20 October at Spoorpark Icarus.
En Attendant le Grand Soir by Le Doux Supplice
Ready to join in? Image: Supplied
Do you want to be a part of the fun? At En Attendant le Grand Soir, you can! 🕺
During this dance spectacle, the acrobats showcase their jaw-dropping talents. Slowly but surely, they include the audience in their show and ultimately draw you into a whirlwind of dance and fun.
🎪 Performing on 14 and 15 October at Spoorpark Cirque Pardi.
RUNNERS by Hippana Maleta
Sometimes it only takes three people to put on a hell of a show. Image: Supplied
This hilarious performance features three men, two treadmills, juggling balls and some live music. With their outstanding talent, the performers showcase just how impressive the human body can be.
And what about the treadmill, you ask? Well, it’s part of the show too! They play on it, create music with it, experiment, and, of course, fall on it. 🏃
🎪 Performing on 16 and 17 October at Spoorpark Icarus.
Festival Circolo is all about fun, diversity, and the spectacular art and effort behind circus.
If you have a free evening between 13 and 22 October, we hope to see you there!
If a visit to Amsterdam was on your 2024 bucket list, you may want to reconsider. Why? Because starting next year, visiting the Dutch capital will be a hell of a lot more expensive — due to skyrocketing tourist tax.
To combat overcrowding, the city of Amsterdam has been trying to become a little less attractive to tourists.
After banning large cruise ships, restricting weed, and flat-out telling young Brits to “stay away”, Amsterdamwill soon take things a step further. How so? By raising its tourist tax to be the highest in all of Europe, according to Trouw.
What does this look like in practice?
Good question! Amsterdam’s tourist tax currently sits comfortably at 7% — but in 2024, it will be raised to a whopping 12.5%. Yikes.
What does this mean for tourists? Well, at an average room rate of €175 (US$185) for one person for one night, tourists are currently paying €15.25 (US$16.20) in tourist tax.
Those who plan on visiting the land of tulips, clogs, and stroopwafels in 2024, however, will be looking at a total amount of €21.80 (US$23). Per person. Per night! 😬
The money accumulated from this tax will be invested into the neighbourhoods and boroughs that most need it, states the municipality of Amsterdam.
What about the locals?
If you live in Amsterdam, you can let out a sigh of relief. While the tourist tax is increasing drastically, local property tax and parking fees will not go up any further — at least for now.
The municipality “wants to spare residents as much as possible during this financially difficult time”. After all, Amsterdam’s goal is to make the city more livable for the locals.
Now all they’ll have to deal with is the massive housing crisis — oh, and the rats. 🐀😉
What do you think about Amsterdam’s newest measure to curb over-tourism? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
The Dutch government is currently working on an evacuation plan for the almost 200 Dutch citizens still stuck in Israel. Flights have been scheduled to carry them to safety.
When the conflict in Israel started escalating on Saturday, October 7, the Dutch government announced that its Dutch citizens had to leave the country on their own. This has now changed.
The citizens will be picked up on two flights, reports RTL Nieuws. The first flight is scheduled for today, on a Defense aircraft. The second flight, which will be on a commercial KLM aircraft, is scheduled for tomorrow, October 12.
Code red: do not travel
Up until now, the travel advice from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding travelling to the West Bank was a code orange.
A code orange warning entails that an area is unsafe and should only be visited if absolutely necessary. In many cases, the Dutch government may not be able to help travellers that choose to visit areas under a code orange warning.
Due to recent events, however, this warning has now been upped to a code red. This means that an area is too dangerous to visit and should be avoided at all costs.
The ministry urges citizens not to go to the West Bank. The same goes for the Gaza Strip, whose code warning was already red.
Whilst the code warning for East Jerusalem is still orange, whether it will change to red remains to be seen.
Because of this code red warning, Dutch citizens who choose to travel to the West Bank will not be helped by the Dutch government if they get put in danger.
Are you (or someone you know) currently in Israel? You can reach the Dutch Embassy in Tel Aviv at +972 37 54 07 77. If you’re calling from the Netherlands, dial +31 247 247 247 to reach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Please note: there may be significant waiting times.
Dutch companies in Israel
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is checking exactly how many Dutch companies are currently operating in Israel.
Although there’s no complete overview yet, we do know that companies such as Philips, ASML, and Unilever have employees there.
— Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇳🇱 (@DutchMFA) October 9, 2023
Philips has urged their employees to work from home as much as possible. ASML has 50 employees in Israel, and it’s unclear if they’ll remain there. Unilever has yet to speak on the matter.
We hate to be the bearers of heartbreaking news, but Amsterdam’s famous ice-skating winter wonderland on Museumplein will not take place this year. The reason? Dutch bureaucracy (of course).
For the first time in many years, Amsterdam won’t see its traditional ice rink on Museumplein. To make matters worse, the square also won’t have its tent with oliebollen and Glühwein.
No walking in a winter wonderland
As it turns out, even the magic of wintertime is not immune to Dutch bureaucracy. Since 2019, IceAmsterdam’s permit needed to be reviewed.
The Municipality of Amsterdam couldn’t seem to agree on some specifics, so much so that they’ve been in discussion with IceAmsterdam for — get this — three whole years.
Finally, the fateful day came last month when the municipality announced that IceAmsterdam may not grace us with their stunning ice rink in 2023. 😔
In IceAmsterdam’s own words, “Our discussions [with the municipality] have never provided clarity until suddenly, in September, we heard that [the ice rink] couldn’t proceed. We were astonished that it was cancelled at the last minute”.
To make the ice rink happen, IceAmsterdam would need to request a new permit. But because this news was only delivered in September, there’s no more time to get a permit for this year.
The silver lining
Because this is just a timely permit issue, there’s no reason to think that IceAmsterdam won’t put on its famous ice rink next winter.
People collapsing of heat? Rising sea levels drowning out the country? These problems could be faced by future generations if the NL doesn’t act now.
We’re all used to complaining about the cold weather in the Netherlands. But by 2100, the Dutch population might think of our current temperatures as a golden era.
Yup, according to experts, if we keep up the carbon dioxide emissions, Dutch weather conditions will only go south for future generations, RTL Nieuws reports.
40-degree weather, every other year
For the last six years, a group of 40 researchers at the Dutch Royal Meteorological Institute (KNMI) have collected data to determine what the future will hold depending on our environmental choices nowadays.
Researcher Karin van der Wiel of the KNMI believes 40-degree weather would occur every other year in the Netherlands if we continue to burn fossil fuels at our current rate.
She also says, “the number of tropical days will increase to 35 per year” — as opposed to the average of 5 days we currently experience per year. 🥵
In the most extreme scenario, temperatures could occasionally even rise up to 50 degrees Celsius.
The consequences? More death. That’s right — in those circumstances, the Netherlands would experience something very not-Dutch: people dying of heat.
But there is hope
Still, the KNMI wants to remind us that we aren’t completely doomed, and there is still an opportunity to turn this around.
If the Netherlands manages to cut back on emissions, then temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius would be a rare occurrence. 🌎
High temperatures aren’t the only threat for “our children and grandchildren”, says oceanographer Sybren Drijfhout.
Sea levels off the European coast are reportedly rising by roughly 2.5 millimetres per year, which isn’t a good sign for a country that has a large portion of its land below sea level… 😬
On Saturday, 7 October, Hamas militants in Gaza launched a large-scale surprise attack targeting Israel. On Sunday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally declared war.
Since then, over a thousand people have died: more than 700 Israelis and more than 400 Palestinians. Hundreds more people, including civilians and Israeli soldiers, have been captured by Hamas and are currently being held hostage.
Following the situation that transpired in Israeli and Palestinian territories over the weekend, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has issued a statement. He believes that “Israel has every right to defend itself”.
Mark Rutte affirms Dutch support for Israel
In a Dutch Tweet on X (formerly Twitter), Mark Rutte issued a statement on behalf of the Netherlands. He writes that the Netherlands “supports Israel in calling for an immediate end to violence by terrorist organisation Hamas”.
The government is also “extra alert” about the safety of the Jewish community in the Netherlands.
Just spoke with Prime Minister @netanyahu about the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel. I told him that the Netherlands unequivocally condemns this terrorist violence and fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself.
No evacuation of Dutch citizens in Israeli or Palestinian territory
The Netherlands has not yet announced any plans to evacuate its citizens who are currently in Israeli or Palestinian territory. “The choice to stay or leave is your own responsibility. The Dutch government cannot help you leave”, writes Netherlandsworldwide.nl.
The Dutch government advises “Dutch citizens in Israel to stay at home and, upon hearing the air raid siren, [to] immediately seek shelter in a bomb shelter or another secure location, and to follow the instructions of local authorities.”
While the government is closely monitoring the situation and “taking various scenarios into account”, it calls on all Dutch citizens present in Israel and the Palestinian territories to register with the Foreign Affairs Information Service.
Are you currently in Israel? You can reach the Dutch Embassy in Tel Aviv at +972 37 54 07 77. If you’re calling from the Netherlands, dial +31 247 247 247 to reach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Please note: there may be significant waiting times.
While Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv is open, many airlines, including Transavia, KLM, and EasyJet, have cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv on Monday.
Reactions to the situation differ by municipality
While there are no official flag instructions, the city hall in Amsterdam will fly the Israeli flag on Monday. This was decided by Mayor Femke Halsema “in line with the cabinet’s decision”, writes AD.
The Dutch Ministry of General Affairs, located at the Binnenhof, was ordered to raise the Israeli flag by Mark Rutte on Monday morning as well.
Rotterdam will not be flying any flag, while The Hague and Utrecht have opted to fly their own flags half-mast in support of the civilian victims.
In Rotterdam, several hundred people took part in a demonstration in support of Palestinians on Sunday afternoon, according to AD.
Rotterdam op de Coolsingle 0810023 / Today in Rotterdam(coolsingle-Netherlands) pic.twitter.com/rXBiaLwvWG
The Dutch government plans to keep a close eye on the situation as it develops in Israel and Palestine.
Travel advice for Israel has been set to orange, while the border areas near Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt are red.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be reached by phone day and night at +31 247 247 247. You can also ask questions via WhatsApp at +316 82 38 77 96.
Answers to frequently asked questions about the ongoing situation may be found here.
With the temperatures we’ve been having lately, it’s easy to forget that it’s already October. In fact, Weerplaza states that the weather was around 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual last week.
In the coming days, the temperatures will actually be around 20 to 23 degrees. Grab your swimsuit, summer’s not over!
Temperatures change, but the climate is the same
Make sure to pack your umbrellas this Monday because we expect some rain to start off the week, especially in the north of the Netherlands.
But don’t worry, because Tuesday will be a dry day everywhere. If you live in Zeeland, North Brabant, or Limburg, consider yourself lucky because these areas will see the most sunshine this week.
The rest of us will be graced with some very seasonal fog, setting the tone for Halloween. Our advice: put on a spooky movie, add some pumpkins to your house, and get cosy. 🎃
A chilly second half of the week
You might want to bring your raincoat out of the closet in the second half of the week because Wednesday will bring us some warm showers, according to Weerplaza.
And keep those umbrellas on you for Thursday because the weather will be truly unpredictable.
But what we do know is that it’ll be colder, with lower temps between 15 and 19 degrees.
An unpredictable weekend
Friday will bring warmer breezes and temperatures back to around 20 degrees. That being said, don’t get too hopeful: in true Dutch fashion, there will be more rain.
As for Saturday and Sunday, the weather will remain changeable. Your thermostats will start showing you temperatures between 14 and 17 degrees Celsius, but we’ll just have to wait and see if the sun will shine or if the rain will continue.
How do you usually spend the rainy October days? Tell us in the comments!
In the mood for a Copenhagen trip — directly from Amsterdam Central Station? Plans to make it happen are blowing full steam ahead and will be ready by mid-December 2025.
The Danish Railways (DSB) recently decided that there aren’t enough direct international trains going in and out of Denmark, so they want easier access to their country from overseas. 🚝
Instead, pesky direct trains to Hamburg and Stockholm are reportedly hogging all the attention. 😠
Reduced travel time ⏳
The DSB also explained they want direct trains between Copenhagen and Oslo, Gothenburg, Berlin, Prague, and Amsterdam, Treinreizer.nl reports.
For those travelling to the Danish capital, you currently have to change at least twice in both Osnabrück and Hamburg.
Before 2019, the train between Puttgarden, Germany and Rødbyhavn, Denmark, would literally travel on the boat (yep, that’s possible) to reach its destination.
However, a tunnel between these two locations is currently in the works; this “Fehmarnbelt connection” should be opened by 2029 and reduce the travel time from 4.5 hours to 2.5 hours. 🎉
Connections to Central and Eastern Europe
Recognise those Talgo trains from the Deutsche Bahn? Turns out, those are exactly the same carriages ordered by the DSB to fulfil their Amsterdam — Hamburg — Copenhagen train service dreams.
Danish trains also want to improve their travel connections to Central and Eastern Europe, and let’s just say they are right on track. 🚞
By lengthening the route of a pre-existing Hamburg — Prague train to include Copenhagen, the travel time between the Czech Republic and Denmark’s capitals should be shortened by one hour.
Commentators of Treinreiziger seem to be “on board” with the idea of a direct Amsterdam — Copenhagen train.
However, some people express concern about the ticket prices, while others retort, “Trains are cheaper in almost all countries than in the Netherlands.” *cough* They have a point. 💰
Are you excited about the easier travel access between Danish capitals and the Netherlands? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Construction of the life-changing new “hyperloop” is currently underway at the European Hyperloop Center in Veendam. The goal? Reach destinations such as Paris in as little as 30 minutes. 🤯
Last week, companies such as the Rotterdam-based Hardt Hyperloop threw a bash to celebrate the beginning of the construction of a “420-meter-long test tube” at the Dutch center, AD.nl reports.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
This isn’t any ordinary tube, however. It’s a hyperloop tube — and it could be the beginning of the end of transportation as we know it.
The invention is silent but violent, with the goal of whooshing passengers in a capsule noiselessly through a high-speed hyperloop — without any emission.
How high speed? Very. The hyperloop is expected to reach impressively (and scarily) high speeds of between 700 km to even 1200 km/h.
In terms of the hyperloop’s appearance, it takes the form of a capsule that “floats magnetically” through a tube that hurtles you from one destination to another, almost like a “vacuum”. 💨
The diameter of the tube is 3.5 meters, and it can hover both above ground and underground or “wherever there is space”. 👀
Apparently, cars, trains, and even planes will be no match for this new contender.
Mars Geuze of Hardt Hyperloop even asserts that aircraft will “only be necessary for intercontinental travel” once the hyperloop is on the market.
Elon Musk, who requires very little introduction, is apparently the driving force behind this project.
Back in 2017, Musk’s company, SpaceX, began a competition to see who could build the fastest hyperloop capsule. TU Delft is home to the winning team that Mars Gueze is a part of. 💪
Amsterdam to Paris in half an hour? 😮
Once complete, not only will you be able to reach any location in the Netherlands in under an hour, but you could also spontaneously swish over to Paris within 30 minutes. 🇫🇷
Yep, the hyperloop is sure to make you feel like you’re riding in a snazzy time machine. However, you’ll need to project yourself into the future before you can actually use it…🕰
That’s right, for the time being, a network still needs to be constructed across Europe in order to accommodate this design — which could take up to 17 more years.
The possibilities to fulfil your wanderlust will be endless. ✨
Still, some AD.nl commenters are wondering if it’s simply too good to be true and question whether “the human body is designed for these speeds”, for example.
What is your stance on this new hyperloop invention? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
