Emergency – When Every Second Counts
Is there an emergency — a situation in which every second counts? Then dial 1 1 2 (one one two).
This is the collective, nationwide emergency number for police, fire brigade and ambulance service.
No Emergency, But Police Needed
If there is
no emergency, but
you do need police assistance
then dial 0900 – 8844
Information
1888
0900, 0906 and 0909
These phone numbers carry extra charges as set by the companies that use them. They can represent service numbers, such as those of directory assistance or help-desks, but are also used by entertainment- and information services.
By law operators of such numbers are required to inform callers — at the start of each call — of the tariffs charged.
While some 0900 numbers allow you to make international calls at competitive rates, be aware that many mobile phone services add extra per-minute charges for calling a 0900 number — particularly when using prepaid plans. These extra charges tend to be high or, in some cases, exorbitant.
Public Phones
There are not many public phones left.1 You’ll find some at key locations, such as Amsterdam Central Station or at Schiphol Airport.
They accept credit cards and/or phone cards. The latter can be bought at call stores, supermarkets and tobacconists.
Basic Phone Information
Country code: 31
Amsterdam area code: 020
Calling a phone number in Holland:
From outside the country: 00 31 20 555 1111 (always drop the leading 0 from the area code).
From within Holland but outside Amsterdam: 020 555 1111
From within Amsterdam: 555 1111
Mobile/Cell Phones
In Holland, cell phones are referred to as ‘mobile phones.’
Dutch mobile/cell phone numbers start with 06
Notes:
- In 2009, Amsterdam had some 400 phone booths. Currently there are about 400 public telephones across the Netherlands. They are operated by advertising companies ↩
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