Flights from Bilbao to Netherlands

Flights to the Netherlands from Bilbao

Vueling flies direct from Bilbao to Amsterdam in about 2 hours. From the airport, the train reaches the city centre in under 20 minutes, and the intercity services that cover the rest of the country leave from that same station.

That is why a weekend here goes such a long way. Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Leiden are all less than an hour away by train, so there is no need to pick a single city or move between hotels.

What documents you need to travel to the Netherlands

The Netherlands is part of the European Union and the Schengen Area, so Spanish and other EU citizens only need a valid national ID card (the DNI, for Spanish nationals) or passport, with no visa.

On Schengen flights the physical Spanish ID card (DNI) is required: the digital version is only valid on flights within Spain, and that detail catches people out at the check-in desk. Make sure your document is valid for your whole stay, and if you hold another nationality, check your case on the travel documents page before you book.

What to know when you land in the Netherlands

From the airport to the centre. The train leaves from inside the Schiphol terminal and takes under 20 minutes to Amsterdam Central Station, with very frequent departures throughout the day. It is one of the easiest airport links in Europe, so a private transfer is not worth paying for.

The train for everything else. The Dutch rail network is dense and punctual, and distances are short: no journey between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht takes more than 45 minutes. Staying in one city and visiting the others works better than switching hotels.

Rain and wind. The weather turns quickly at any time of year, summer included, when temperatures hover around 20°C. Winter is properly cold. A waterproof layer covers you for the whole trip.

Cycling. Here the bike is how locals actually get around, with dedicated lanes and genuine right of way. If you hire one, expect the rest of the traffic to assume you know the rules.

You pay in euros, sockets are types C and F at 230V, and English is spoken to a very high standard across the whole country.

What to do in the Netherlands

Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum are worth a couple of mornings on their own, and it pays to buy tickets in advance because the queues are long. The Anne Frank House, on the Prinsengracht, has to be booked weeks ahead. Jordaan and De Pijp are neighbourhoods to wander with no plan, and the Vondelpark sits a short walk from Museumplein. The canals make journeys longer than they look on the map, so allow for that when you string visits together.

Rotterdam

About 40 minutes away by train. Contemporary architecture on a city rebuilt from scratch after the war, the largest port in Europe and the Markthal food market. Piet Blom’s Cube Houses are the best-known image, with the Erasmus Bridge crossing the Maas right beside them. It is the perfect counterpoint to Amsterdam’s canals, and one day is enough to see it.

The Hague

Just under half an hour further on by train. This is home to the Mauritshuis, with Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, and to the Peace Palace, seat of the International Court of Justice. The Escher museum occupies the former royal palace. The Scheveningen district adds a beach 10 minutes from the centre, which is something almost nobody associates with this country.

Utrecht and the tulip fields

Utrecht has Amsterdam’s canal atmosphere without the crowds, with waterside terraces and a Gothic cathedral in the centre. The tulips at Keukenhof, near Lisse, flower for only a short window in spring, and the gardens are very close to the airport, so you can fit them in on the day you arrive or the day you fly home. Outside those weeks there is nothing to see there.

Luggage for your flight to the Netherlands

What you can take depends on the fare you choose when booking. The simplest fare includes a personal item that goes under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

For a weekend, a backpack or cabin bag is usually enough. If you travel in autumn or winter, a coat and waterproof shoes take up more space than you expect. Deciding while you book saves you surprises at the airport. Check the current conditions in Vueling’s luggage policy.