10 Tips for visiting Amsterdam as a wheelchair user
Amsterdam is a vibrant European city with lots of wheelchair-friendly things to do. If you’re planning a trip to the Dutch capital, you’ll want to do some research beforehand to get the most out of its accessibility. Below are my top tips for visiting Amsterdam as a wheelchair user — with wheelchair-friendly places to dine out, sleep, visit, and explore.
Decide which transportation option to/ from Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol) suits your accessibility needs
Many of you reading this will probably travel into the city from Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol). Amsterdam Airport offers wheelchair assistance.
To get from the airport to the centre, you can take a train, a bus, or a taxi.
Train and bus tickets can be booked online or by bank card at the time of travel. If you’d like wheelchair assistance for train travel, you must book this in advance. For more information, visit the Public Transportation page.
Standard taxis in The Netherlands are not wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair-friendly taxi companies include Taxi Brouwer and Staxi, amongst others. You can also book a wheelchair-friendly taxi through AmsterdaMobile.
Book wheelchair assistance for the train at least an hour before your journey
Amsterdam’s public transport network is made up of trains, metros, trams, buses, and ferries. The level of wheelchair accessibility — and potential staff assistance required — varies depending on the mode of transport. If you’d like wheelchair assistance to use the train, for example, this must be booked in advance.
Visit the Public Transportation page or read my blog post for more information.
Look up photos and accessibility reviews of hotels before you book a ‘wheelchair-friendly room’
Amsterdam has a range of wheelchair-friendly hotels. Many have standards similar to ADA regulations — but this is not the case for all. As the level of accessibility can vary, I recommend contacting the hotel directly and/or asking for photos of the accessible room. This way you can determine whether the hotel room facilities suit your needs. Wheelchair-friendly hotels in Amsterdam include:
Research which restaurants in Amsterdam are wheelchair-friendly (by using Able Amsterdam’s ultimate list)
As a historic European city with buildings dating back hundreds of years, many of Amsterdam’s restaurants are located in narrow, staircase-filled buildings. But fear not! The Restaurants & Cafes page highlights more than 40 wheelchair-friendly dining options throughout Amsterdam. Some of my favourite restaurants are:
Reserve your museum tickets in advance
Amsterdam is a museum-lover’s paradise. The Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank Museum are extremely popular tourist attractions. I highly recommend booking museum tickets in advance to ensure you’ll be able to visit. Don’t forget to check which museums have free entry for wheelchair chaperones.
Some of Amsterdam’s wheelchair-friendly museums include:
Cruise along Amsterdam’s canals
Canal cruises are a unique and exciting way to experience Amsterdam. Blue Boat Company offers various accessible city cruises and boat rentals throughout the year. Audio guides are available in 21 languages for all passengers. Blue Boat cruises are free for Amsterdam City Card holders.
Consider renting mobility equipment
Renting equipment is the perfect solution if you want to travel lightly, while still having access to all the mobility aids you need. From personal experience travelling as a wheelchair and rollator user, I know the importance of having the right mobility aids with you on a trip. Find out more about how you can rent mobility aids/ equipment through Able Amsterdam’s partnership with AmsterdaMobile.
Know where you can get your wheelchair repaired
Every so often, travellers visiting Amsterdam send me an urgent message asking for help. Mid-trip, their wheelchair has broken down — a flat tyre, a broken part, a faulty joystick, you name it. They’ve suddenly found themselves in desperate need of a wheelchair repair service in Amsterdam. Visit the Wheelchair Repair Services page for a list of companies that can help to repair your wheelchair.
Bring your disabled parking permit from your home country
In order to park in a disabled parking space in Amsterdam, you must have a valid disabled parking permit. This permit can be for the driver or passenger and must be clearly displayed on the window or dashboard of the car.
The Disabled Parking in Amsterdam page lists relevant rules and regulations. For additional information, please go to the City of Amsterdam website.
Use Able Amsterdam’s City Map to locate wheelchair-friendly toilets in Amsterdam
Wheelchair-friendly toilets are not the norm in all venues and restaurants in Amsterdam. Able Amsterdam’s City Map shows all wheelchair-friendly locations listed on the Able Amsterdam website. Each location page has information about/ photos of wheelchair-friendly toilet facilities.
Some of the best wheelchair-friendly toilet facilities can be found at:
Wheelchair-friendly public toilets in Amsterdam are limited, such as two near Leidseplein (one opposite Amsterdam’s Apple Store; another opposite De Balie), and one at Museumplein.
