Rent, utilities, and now public transport. The NS has joined the trend of making everything more expensive by introducing a “rush-hour tax” starting in 2026.
You know that job that you’re commuting to, working extra hard in so that you can hopefully get a promotion so that you can afford your rent in a housing crisis? Well, it might get more expensive to get to it.
Trains have been busier than ever during rush hour, and the NS wants to encourage people to travel outside of peak travel times. This means that tickets for busy routes will likely become more expensive during rush hour, reports de Volkskrant.
We can’t help but notice that there’s a limitation here: the rush hour is determined by working hours. So a lot of people can’t travel during other hours because they have to get to and from work.
Budget-neutral plans?
But don’t get mad at NS yet! They allegedly won’t make any more money with this extra charge for the time in the day when there are the most people travelling. Because that makes total sense.
President of NS Wouter Koolmees states that this will be budget neutral. In an interview with de Volkskrant, he says that the rush-hour charge “leads to a discount on other routes. In this way, it will be quieter during rush hours, and many train tickets will become cheaper”.
Not the first time
Okay, full disclosure: NS has been trying to do this for years. There was talk of imposing a rush hour charge back in 2010 and 2017, but plans were never put in place.
So there’s hope that they don’t follow through this time either.
If you’re like us, you’re wondering where the glorious summer weather went. Well, you’ll be wondering for a bit longer until the sun decides to grace us with its presence again.
After a weekend of unpredictable Dutch weather, we are all hoping for sunshine to give us the oomph we need to start the week (coffee can only do so much, after all). Helaas,Weerplaza reports that there is a chance of rain early this week.
While Monday isn’t giving you the hope you need, set your sights on Friday, because things are going to take a turn for the better later this week.
Monday, no fun day
Will we see the sun today? Ja… sometimes anyway, as there will also be some clouds in the mix. It will be a very mild 20 degrees Celsius with strong winds blowing from the southwest — hold onto your bicycle seat.
Flat roads in The Netherlands feel like steep mountains because of their infamous winds pic.twitter.com/CzIpFLwoQx
While you’re trying not to be carried away by the wind, you should also try to stay dry with a raincoat. That’s right, the chance of rain increases further during the evening. Echt niet leuk!
Rain, rain, and the chance for more rain
Nee, you can’t put the raincoat away just yet. There will be more showers on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the rain could occasionally get heavy, like the burden of dealing with the Dutch weather.
The sun will occasionally shine to dry your tears that have mixed with the rain, and the temperatures will rise to about 20 degrees Celsius. The wind continues to blow from the southwest or west.
On Thursday, we’ll feel some relief. The possibility for a rain shower is still there, but there will also be more sunny periods. Hoera! We’ll even be blessed with slightly warmer temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius on the Wadden Islands and 23 degrees Celsius in the south and east.
Hello, sunshine!
Smiles will return as the sun does, so expect Friday to be full of them. There will be lots of sunshine, and the day will be a lot warmer than earlier in the week, with the mercury rising to between 22 degrees Celsius in the northwest and 26 degrees in Limburg.
If you think that’s leuk, you’ll love the prediction for the weekend — we’ll see temperatures of 25 to 28 degrees Celsius in the east and south with highs of 30 degrees or more possible.
You’ll be able to frolic on the beach on Saturday as the high temperatures are met with dry and sunny weather. Sunday poses some chance for rain and thunderstorms, so have all the fun you can on Saturday.
How will you celebrate the summer weather this weekend? Tell us in the comments!
Whether you’re a student exploring Europe during your gap year, a freelancer rocking that digital nomad life, or just a globetrotter making your way through your ultimate travel bucket list, staying safe while you travel should definitely be one of your top priorities. Enter… VPNs!
We’re sure you’ve come across the term somewhere out in the vast wonderland that is the internet, but it can get rather confusing figuring out what exactly a VPN is or why you need one.
We get the confusion, so we’ve compiled something to help: an introduction to VPNs and six reasons why you need one in your life. 🙌
First things first: what’s a virtual private network (VPN)?
A virtual private network (or VPN) is a handy-dandy piece of software that helps prevent hackers, government entities, and other nosey parkers from accessing or corrupting your private data.
Frankly, if you don’t want malicious parties trawling through every single bad photo you’ve ever taken (or using your credit card information to buy Kim Kardashian’s entire activewear range), you’re probably in the market for a VPN. 👀
This is because a VPN creates an encrypted connection between your devices and its own servers.
Roaming around Europe knowing that your data is fully protected is definitely the best feeling. Image: Freepik
Information from the websites you’re trying to access then gets routed through your VPN provider’s servers, keeping your devices fully protected behind the layer of security that the encrypted connection provides.
Any information from those websites is also relayed to you via this encrypted connection. This leaves internet villains none the wiser about who you are, where you are, or what any of your personal information is.
6 reasons to get a VPN if you’re travelling in the EU
We know what you’re going to say: “Europe’s pretty safe, so why do I need a VPN?”
However, much like registering for travel insurance, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when you’re planning to visit foreign countries.
(Oh, and did we mention that VPNs are pretty great at helping you save money, too? Echt handig! 😲)
1. Finding great travel deals will become an absolute breeze
As anyone that’s ever booked a holiday or boarded an international flight can tell you, travel is expensive. From purchasing tickets to booking accommodation (and more!), travel costs can rack up to eye-watering sums of money that’ll definitely put a damper on your pre-holiday excitement.
However, going on that restful little vacation to Venice doesn’t have to make your wallet cry.
By switching your VPN from a server in the Netherlands to one of many servers all over the globe, you can search for a travel deal that offers you the best korting (discount).
For example, when we’re looking for a room at the Pulitzer Amsterdam with no VPN connection, the price is €527.
Image: DutchReview
With a VPN connection to an Australian server, the price shoots down to €492 — saving €35 with the click of a mouse.
Image: DutchReview
2. You’ll be able to access all your favourite shows while on the road
Let’s say you’re enjoying a relaxing wellness spa in the Austrian Alps and desperately want to watch past episodes of Rick and Morty when you get there. Except (cue shock and horror!), the show’s unavailable in Austria.
Image: DutchReview
Maak je geen zorgen (don’t worry), because your friendly neighbourhood VPN is here to save the day!
Simply log into your VPN, select a server in a country that has the show available on your streaming service of choice, and then lean back to enjoy the show.
Luckily for us, Rick and Morty is available in Australia — so switching our Austrian server to an Australian one gives us full access to our fave show!
Image: DutchReview
3. Far from home? Your data will still be safer than all the gold in Fort Knox
Fun fact: you (probably) don’t have an FBI agent watching you at all times. What you do have, however, is a nosey internet service provider (ISP) that loves keeping an eye on everything you’re doing online.
If that wasn’t creepy enough, your ISP can then sell all the information they’ve collected about you to third parties.
Ja hoor, if you’ve ever wondered why you get spammed by a barrage of ads about a product, service, or location you’ve recently Googled whenever you’re online, it’s because your data has likely been sold to advertisers.
You may be in Venice, but your internet service provider doesn’t need to know that! Image: Freepik
But… what can you do if you don’t want grubby companies getting their hands on your data or tracking all your movements when you’re abroad? The answer’s simple: by investing in a VPN.
Instead of having your data publicly available for your ISP to sell to ad-crazy companies, a VPN will hide your IP address and encrypt your data to protect you from prying eyes.
By replacing your real IP address (a string of numerical values that personally identifies your device) with that of a VPN server and scrambling your data, attempts at farming your information will be successfully thwarted.
4. You can connect to public WiFi networks without worrying about being hacked
Public WiFis are great for staying connected whilst on the go when you absolutely can’t live without your bomb Spotify playlists or sharing that truly spectacular vacation reel on TikTok.
However, connecting to public WiFi is a bit like surfing out in the open ocean. You’re probably going to be fine and have an enjoyable experience, but there’s always a chance that there could be a huge, hungry shark nearby, ready to make you his meal.
Stay connected while you travel via public WiFi without stressing over being hacked! Image: Freepik
If you’d rather not find your leg in the jaws of a Great White (or your data in the hands of a hacker), you should definitely do your best to stay safe when surfing in unknown territory.
And that’s where VPNs step in! By hiding your IP address from hackers that want to identify and access your device, you’re safely rendered invisible to malicious parties from behind a screen of protection.
5. Your bank account will thank you for playing it safe
Imagine being about to buy a mouth-wateringly delicious box of éclairs at a French boulangerie, only to have your card decline. Repeatedly.
That just sounds like everyone’s worst nightmare, doesn’t it? However, banks can and do freeze credit/debit cards when they detect behaviour from the card that they think is fraudulent.
Keeping your banking details safe just got a whole lot easier. Image: Freepik
Whilst this is most helpful when you’ve actually had your card stolen, it can also happen when you use your bank card to purchase something online in a foreign country. If you haven’t notified your bank of your travel plans, some banks automatically assume that these transactions are shady and… boom, card frozen!
But, what if you don’t want the hassle of letting your bank know every single time you travel (or simply forget to do so)? It’s simple — just get a VPN.
By connecting your VPN to a server in your home country, you’ll fool your bank into thinking you’re safe at home. With transactions now raising no red flags, you’re free to enjoy your trip without worrying about having your card freeze.
6. A VPN is easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy to set up
Let’s be honest, dealing with software applications is a bit like eating a healthy meal.
You know it’s good for you, but if the cooking prep takes eight hours and has a list of hard-to-follow instructions, then you might just find your hand wandering towards the freezer for some greasy oven pizza.
Thankfully, you don’t need to be one of NASA’s rocket scientists to set up a VPN.
VPNs are insanely easy to set up — freeing up your time and energy for more important things. Image: Freepik
All you need to do just download the app, create an account, and choose from a range of servers all over the globe. That’s it — just a few clicks of a button, and you’re all set up. ✨
Hoera, that sounds great, but what if you need to turn your VPN off for some reason or just don’t want to use it any more? No need to sweat, because all you need to do is just quit your VPN in the app to turn it off and cancel your subscription if you want to stop using it.
Are you considering using a VPN whilst travelling around Europe? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Take that, Amsterdam! You have all the fame, the tourists, and the global recognition. Now it’s time you leave some for the rest of us. 💅
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) dropped down to second place in the Dutch university rankings. This is according to the latest QS MBA University World Rankings.
Using criteria such as academic reputation, employer reputation, international student ratio, employment outcomes, and sustainability, universities are given a score out of 100 and then ranked according to these.
UvA’s overall score is now 73.4, with the new number-one Dutch university boasting a score of 76.2.
So, can you guess which university is now the best in the Netherlands? No cheating! Ok, drum roll, please. 🥁
It’s the Delft University of Technology! Not only that, but this little academic gem is ranked the 54th-best university in the world.
Highs and lows
The university has been on a somewhat steady rise since 2012, but from 2020-2023 it was consistently declining in its ranking. Now, it’s made everyone eat their words, rising a whole 14 rankings in one year!
This is a big win for the city overall. While Amsterdam was distracted by legalising cannabis and getting unlimited booze, Delft was hitting the books — and it paid off. 💪
Entrepreneur, Marius Smit, plans to contribute to Amsterdam’s architectural beauty in a truly unique way. How? By building a floating cathedral made from recycled plastic fished from the city’s own canals!
— Online Kenniscentrum Duurzaam Ondernemen (@DuurzOndern) June 29, 2023
The ‘Cathedrall’ will be a grand cathedral-esque structure in Amsterdam but with a few funky twists.
First and foremost, it will be entirely made out of recycled waste materials — hence the ‘all’ in the project’s name, which represents the shared responsibility for the environment.
Not only that, but the whole structure will be floating on the waters of the capital city, Het Parool reports.
From plastic trash to useful treasures
Smit started the organisation, Plastic Whale, 12 years ago. Ever since, it has been keeping the Dutch canals clean by removing plastic waste (canal swimmers say thank you).
You might be wondering, and then what? Well, they turn the plastic into boats (woah) and designer office furniture! But even after all that, Smit says that he still has containers filled to the brim with fished-out plastic (please stop littering).
Together with the design studio D/DOCK and the impact innovation agency Max-G, Smit wants to give the continuously arriving plastic waste a new life in a beautiful 15-metre-high cathedral.
A building made out of recycled materials
You might see this project pop up in Amsterdam sooner than you think, with construction set to start at the end of 2023 and finish by 2025.
Smit wants to stay true to the impressive layout of traditional cathedrals. As a result, the ‘Cathedrall’ will have a big open space in the middle for exhibitions, events, and lectures with smaller side aisles.
He hopes that it can become a space for companies and governments to come together and move forward on the Netherlands’ path to a more sustainable and circular economy.
In order to complete the build, the group is also planning to collect residual materials from other sources that would otherwise just be laying around and polluting the city.
While the location of the ‘Cathedrall’ is still undecided, we know it will be in Amsterdam (and there are whispers that they’re considering plopping it at the Marineterrein or Kop van Java-eiland 🤫.)
Do you know of any other cool sustainable initiatives like this one? Tell us in the comments below!
Amsterdam’s city council is stepping up its game, showing some love and solidarity towards our transgender and nonbinary friends. How? The municipality wants to reimburse the costs of changing one’s gender on their passport.
The majority of Amsterdam city council members are in favour of paying the costs for changing someone’s gender on an identity document such as a passport or driving license.
This move would help accommodate transgender and non-binary people while a law to make the process easier continues to be postponed.
So far, no news has been released on whether the motion has passed.
How it would work
Changing one’s gender on official documents can be a real emotional and financial struggle: a new passport costs around €60, and a driving license costs around €44.
But on top of that, you also need an expert statement from a doctor, which can often cost more than €200.
For this reason, the Amsterdam city council wants to lend a helping hand. If the motion passes, they will offer to reimburse some of the expenses involved in this process.
That’s right, Amsterdam is making sure nobody gets left behind on their journey of self-identification.
Amsterdam is not the first
While we applaud the city’s progressive stance, let’s remember that other municipalities have been blazing a trail of their own.
Cities such as Nijmegen, Rotterdam, and Utrecht have already been twirling in the reimbursement parade. Amsterdam is just hoping to join the party!
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the significance of this positive step. By offering financial support for gender changes on passports, Amsterdam affirms transgender and nonbinary people’s rights and creates an inclusivity atmosphere.
In the words of GroenLinks council member Yasmine Bentoumya to Het Parool, “The correct gender registration can prevent unnecessarily painful or unsafe situations. There shouldn’t be a price tag on this.”
We firmly believe that everyone should be free to live authentically and be recognised for who they truly are. Kudos to the Amsterdam city council for trying to make it happen!
Have you tried to change your gender in official documents? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
You know how when you make a mistake, and you hope no one sees it? Well, someone at Yahoo News wasn’t so lucky. In fact, they made a big oopsie for the whole world to see — one that drives Dutch residents bananas.
You know, we know, everyone knows that Rotterdam and Amsterdam are different cities — or so we thought.
A blunder by the American news siteproved that their employees aren’t the best at geography. What was this great geographical error? They seem to think Rotterdam Centraal Station is in Amsterdam. 👀
Someone skipped geography class
The article was written to cover the art piece, Moments Contained, which is a statue standing in front of Rotterdam Centraal Station, reports De Telegraaf.
“The artwork is the main attraction of Amsterdam,” states the article by Yahoo “A must-see in the Dutch capital.”
We hate to burst your bubble there, buddy, but Rotterdam Centraal Station has that name for a reason — you know, because it’s in the centre of Rotterdam.
The blunders didn’t end there… “The bronze statue was made by the British artist Thomas J. Price and is located at Rotterdam Centraal, the largest train station in Amsterdam,” claims Yahoo News.
Translation: Haha! According to Yahoo, Rotterdam Centraal Station is “the largest train station in Amsterdam” and the monument is located at Amsterdam Train Station.
We’re not the only ones meeting this news with sighs of disappointment and laughing until our sides ache. Many people are taking to Twitter to share the blunder and suggest the news site “turn on Google Maps for a moment.”
The scramble to rent in the Netherlands has just reached a whole new level of frustration. Why? More and more people are now overbidding on rent in order to improve their chances of receiving an acceptance email. 🤦♀️
The housing crisis in the Netherlands has reached a whole new circle of hell. It’s now become more common for people looking to rent an apartment to participate in bidding wars, especially in the compact Randstad area, reports the NOS.
Yes, that’s right. People are overbidding, not to buy a home — but just to rent one.
So, if you fall in love with a place (or let’s be real, think that it’ll do…) in Amsterdam or The Hague, not only must you be super fast in expressing interest, but also be prepared to face other desperate competitors that are willing to flash their wallets.
Overbidding, bribery, stalking…
Why does the Dutch housing crisis just keep getting worse? At the moment, fewer and fewer landlords want to rent out their property in the Netherlands, and so the supply of rentals just keeps going down.
Due to the recently increased wealth tax on rental properties and the incoming maximum on rents next year, many landlords would rather sell than lose out on the extra cash.
And when you thought it couldn’t get worse, rental agencies are now reporting that prospective tenants are offering bribes of up to €5,000.
If you think that’s crazy, it gets worse. Some desperate tenants have resorted to stalking employees on social media and asking for special treatment.
A bit of hope
Thank goodness, there’s some hope. In a stand against this behaviour, one rental agency, Vesteda, has cut off anyone trying to get special treatment by using these methods, reports the NOS.
Let’s hope that other rental agencies take a similar stance and follow suit.
What have been your experiences trying to rent a home these last few years? Tell us in the comments below!
Vincent Meets Rembrandt will introduce you to the world of two Dutch icons, with a twist. Instead of just looking at the paintings (that’s like, so 18th century), become submerged in a moving canvasof Dutch Masters.
We’ve all seen the paintings, but haven’t you always wanted to be in one? Well, now you can. Head on over to the Noorderkerk in Amsterdam to not just see, but fully experience, the paintings of Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
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Just a stone’s throw from Amsterdam Centraal, this show is the first son-et-lumière (sound and light) show on this scale. It’s fully immersive, with the art projected throughout the whole interior of the Nooderkerk, from walls to ceilings.
Surround yourself with their flowers, angels, and mountains while diving deep into the allure of paintings like Rembrandt’s The Night Watch and Van Gogh’s Cherry Blossom.
You can walk through the paintings or, if you’re feeling more low-energy, kick back in a bean bag chair and enjoy the art.
(Side note: seeing this exhibition themselves would probably give these poor men an aneurism. The paintings are moving? Projected? On screens? What does that even mean?)
Worlds collide
Although their work was separated by centuries, Van Gogh and Rembrandt have much in common. Find out what exactly in this Vincent Meets Rembrandt immersive exhibition. After all, Van Gogh deeply admired Rembrandt and was greatly influenced by him.
When you find out how you’ll become so much more cultured that you’ll start talking in that weird transatlantic accent and never dare to pair red wine with fish. On top of that, you’ll sound smart to your friends (and that’s all besides, you know, gaining culture in a cool way).
Two icons, three-and-a-half ears, and countless amazing paintings. Step inside and experience them, because, as Rembrandt himself said, “Without atmosphere, a painting is nothing.”
Does the thought of AI taking over the world keep you up at night? Well, listen to this: there could be a digital euro (“e-euro”) in all Eurozone countries within the next five years.
The European Commission (EC) recently wrote a proposal to pitch this pioneering invention: a digital euro that can be used in any Eurozone country, stored in a normal bank account which you don’t receive interest from.
This would include some of the most popular Dutch banks, ING and ABN AMRO. You would also be able to pay using an e-wallet, and potentially without an internet connection.
Why bother?
What is the point exactly? The European Commission says its primary goal is allowing folks to travel anywhere they want in the Eurozone without having to muck around with cash.
Retailers would be forced — “obliged”, as NU.nl puts it — to comply with this new digital currency. However, they are also allowed to tack on a small fee, which reportedly won’t cost more than fees from payment methods that we’re already familiar with.
"In the #Netherlands people are quite happy to see the E-Euro coming". Is this how far Dutch people are already shaped into their technocratic control beliefs or does it show how far these politcians are removed from reality? Dutch people were never asked anything #Lagardehttps://t.co/j6mDdPFacW
Those tiny boutiques and corner shop retailers that refuse to use the e-euro are permitted to stick to cash only though. The others will just have to keep up with the changing times. 🤷♀️
Will it add fuel to the shopping addiction fire?
There’s also talk of the e-euro being manifested in the form of an app, but for now, it looks like e-wallets are the European Commission’s best bet.
Have you, like the rest of us, got a deplorable online shopping habit? Well, the digital euro could enable that even more, since you would be able to pay on webshops the way you would with a Tikkie, for instance.
You could also pay with e-euros when offline, buying groceries at the counter, for example. That way if your mobile data stops working, or there’s a “cyber attack”, you won’t be left hanging.
Borderline Orwellian
The European Commission’s proposal isn’t being greeted with a whole lot of enthusiasm. Not everyone is keen, considering their concerns over breaches of privacy.
Plenty of people are scared of the surveillance the European Commission would have over their digital wallets. Many are asking, could they get totalitarian on our asses?
Yesterday, the European Commission studied the implementation of the digital euro. One more step towards the end of individual freedoms. The abolition of cash can only lead to totalitarian social credit! Let's resist! https://t.co/395nvVaCND
— Mathis Mateo, MD ✝️☦️☯️☀️🌟🌙🕉🌹💎🚀👽 (@mateo_tao) June 29, 2023
Some say it’s only a matter of time before they start restricting how much alcohol, cigarettes, or unhealthy food we’re allowed to buy with the e-euro. O…kay. Brussels assures us they have no interest in doing that.
Another obstacle is the fact that some of the most common payment methods, including Visa, Mastercard, or Apple Pay, aren’t European-owned.
Several “experts” are complaining that the e-euro is not as anonymous as paying in cash. Whether or not these “experts” are actually drug dealers is open to speculation. 🤔
The Netherlands forgot cash existed
The good news is, this digital coin wouldn’t be introduced until 2028, because it would take at least five years to set up, meaning we have time to mentally prepare.
Also, retailers would still be obligated to accept cash from people, according to the European Commission.
Paying cash in the Netherlands currently feels near-impossible, with the abundance of self-scanners and scant ATMs.
Not only that, but European policymakers want to make it possible to withdraw cash from random stores when you haven’t even purchased anything there. Imagine asking that of the already reluctant Dutch customer service industry. 😬
Would this e-euro be a welcomed improvement or just another opportunity for robots’ world domination? Let us know in the comments!
