Traveling to Netherlands and flying to Amsterdam and wondering if you can buy a tourist sim card at Amsterdam Airport? Don't get stuck with high roaming charges or slow overseas data roaming plans.
This is a complete guide with everything you need to know before buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport in 2025.
Find out where to buy a prepaid sim card, up to date prices as per January 2025, my recommendation, a vlog with my experiences on arrival, info about eSIMs for Holland and more.
Buying a prepaid sim card at Amsterdam Airport is much more expensive than ordering a sim card for The Netherlands on the internet.
Table of Contents
- My recommendation
- Why buying a sim card for Amsterdam?
- Netherlands sim cards and EU data roaming
- Arriving at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Where to buy a sim card at Amsterdam Airport
- Best Amsterdam Airport sim card in 2025
- Best eSIMs for The Netherlands
- Order a prepaid sim card for Netherlands online
- Vlog about buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport
I was born and raised in Holland but I haven't lived in Netherlands for more than 12 years now. So every time I visit The Netherlands I also need to buy a sim card, just like any other tourists. But nowadays I simply get an eSIM for Europe on the internet every time I visit my family.
Looking for travel inspiration and things to do in The Netherlands then check out my list of the best places to visit in The Netherlands. Remember this is my country, locals know best!
Some links in this guide about buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I earn a small commission. This is at absolutely no extra cost to you.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom does NOT recommend buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport. Extremely overpriced! Instead order an eSIM for The Netherlands online. Easy, fast and much cheaper!
If you insist on buying a prepaid sim at Amsterdam Airport than go to the L-Mobi shop near arrivals 3. They have the best sim card deal for tourists at Amsterdam Airport. The best deal means €40 EUR ($41 USD) for a prepaid sim card with 15 GB data.
They do NOT have eSIMs at Amsterdam Airport, only physical prepaid sim cards are available for tourists.
eSIMs for Netherlands already start from just $1 USD and a Jetpac eSIM for Netherlands with 15 GB data is just $17 USD.
For more eSIM plans for Netherlands check my guide with the best eSIMs for traveling to Netherlands in 2025.
Prepaid sim cards for the Netherlands at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol are expensive. You will find cheaper deals buying a sim card in Amsterdam city center at one of the phone stores of Vodafone, KPN or Odido.
A great option for travelers is an international sim card. On Traveltomtom you can find an article with a comparison of the best international sim cards with global coverage in 2025.
Going on a trip around Europe then check out Traveltomtom's list of the best prepaid sim cards in Europe or my guide with the best eSIMs for Europe.
Why buying a sim card for Amsterdam?
Traveltomtom encourages travelers to stay connected for many reasons but most of all not to waste money on high roaming charges or slow overseas data roaming plans.
Overseas data roaming plans work fine at first but they reduce your data speed significantly. Not worth it!
Staying connected makes traveling to Amsterdam so much easier and more fun. Get directions from Google Maps, order an Uber, stay in touch with friends, find each other when lost, check your banking apps. etc.
Since I am on a journey to visit every country in the world I get to a lot of different countries and because I like to document all my travel tips you can already find more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world on Traveltomtom: USA, New York, Thailand, USA, Kigali, Cameroon, Panama, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Canada, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Barcelona, Dublin, London, Rome, etc.
So next time you are planning you adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest sim card advice. Bookmark me and let me help you save money when traveling.
Netherlands sim cards and EU data roaming
Free EU roaming means that you can use your data, voice and text allowance on Netherlands sim cards all over Europe. No borders, no roaming fees! Therefore you can use a France sim card in Holland and a Greece sim card in Denmark without any extra charges. Good thing about Netherlands sim cards are that they all include free EU data roaming.
But that does not mean that sim cards from The Netherlands are the best ones for traveling in Europe. Check out Traveltomtom's list of the best sim cards for Europe travel in 2025.
Or check out all my tips and find more info about EU data roaming costs in my guide for buying a local prepaid sim card on arrival in Europe, including a list of the best prepaid sim card for tourists per EU country.
Looking for an Amsterdam Airport Hotel? I stayed in Van Der Valk A4 Hotel, with a free shuttle from the airport and an amazing breakfast from 5:00 am onwards.
Traveling to the Netherlands? This is your chance to go off the beaten path! Netherlands is more than Amsterdam! Check out my blog about all the amazing places to visit in Netherlands.
Arriving at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has very fast, reliable and free WiFi for everyone. Well done! That is at least what I call a warm welcome to my country.
After disembarking the plane you will end up in the main airport between all departing passengers. There is no separate access for arriving and departing passengers. Which means Amsterdam Airport is very busy, but it also means you have access to all shops, facilities and restaurants before you go through customs and pick up your luggage.
The sign posting is very clear and if you follow the signs you will get to passport control first and then directly behind passport control there are the luggage belts.
At the luggage belts there are ATM's, airline service desks and public transport ticket machines.
There are three Arrival Halls: 1, 2 and 3 and depending on the airline and the origin of your flight you will end up in one of them. Every Baggage Claim hall has one sliding door into the arrival hall.
Once you get to the arrival hall there are loads of shops, supermarkets, (fast food) restaurants, bars and convenience stores.
Where to buy a sim card at Amsterdam Airport
All info and prices are updated as per January 2025 and prices are in Euros: €1 EUR = $1.04 USD and $1 USD = €0.96 EUR.
L.Mobi Kiosk main hall Amsterdam Airport
When you walk from Arrivals 3 straight into the main hall of Schiphol Airport there is something like a trolley or tiny little kiosk of L.Mobi Mobile. Here you can buy your prepaid sim card for the Netherlands. See the prices below.
For €40 EUR ($41 USD) you get 15 GB data and unlimited calls in The Netherlands. Only physical prepaid sim cards are available, no eSIMs.
For example an Ireland prepaid sim card gives you 20 GB data for €20 EUR ($21 USD), sim cards at Amsterdam Airport are expensive compared to other European countries.
Service Point Store
Between Arrivals 3 and 4 there is another place to buy a prepaid sim card at Amsterdam Airport and it is called Service Point. There is a price sheet available when you walk in. It is a pretty busy store, not just for sim cards, so expect a little less service here.
However, it is a very easy conclusion that the sim cards here are more expensive as you only get 10 GB data for €40 EUR ($41 USD)
Airport Telecom
Now there is finally a proper place to buy a sim card at Amsterdam Airport, but the offers aren't that great.The Airport Telecom store is located between Arrivals 1 and 2. They sell sim cards from multiple operators like Vodafone and Lycamobile.
The best buy would be 12 GB data for €40 EUR ($41 USD).
These sim cards do NOT come with free EU roaming, data is only valid in Netherlands.
Traveling onwards to other countries in Europe then click here to see my list of the best Europe travel sim cards in 2025.
Best Amsterdam Airport sim card in 2025
Although really expensive the best sim card at Amsterdam Airport can be bought from the L.Mobi Mobile shop nearby Arrivals 3. You pay €40 EUR ($41 USD) and get 15 GB data.
As said before buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport is expensive and not recommended!
Get yourself an eSIM, so much easier and above all much cheaper. A Jetpac eSIM for Netherlands with 15 GB data is just $17 USD.
For more eSIM plans for Netherlands check my guide with the best eSIMs for traveling to Netherlands in 2025.
Another option is to wait until you get to Amsterdam city center and buy a sim card for The Netherlands in a phone store . Read my article about the best prepaid sim card for tourists in The Netherlands in 2025.
Best eSIMs for The Netherlands
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to the Netherlands in 2025 is an eSIM. You can order one on the internet and it takes just a couple minutes. No more visiting a sim card store.
You order an eSIM for Netherlands on the internet, receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Netherlands eSIM installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Netherlands it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
For more info check Traveltomtom's complete guide with everything you need to know before ordering an eSIMs for Netherlands in 2025.
Here are some recommendations.
SimOptions
SimOptions is a very reliable eSIM provider and Traveltomtom has used SimOptions uncountable times in more than 50 countries around the world. I can totally recommend using SimOptions for ordering your Netherlands eSIM.
The Traveltomtom Team wrote down all pros and cons about SimOptions in our complete SimOptions Review.
Why using SimOptions? They offer data-only eSIMs but also eSIMs including calling and texting in all of Europe.
These eSIMs support incoming and outgoing calls/sms as they come with a phone number.
Bouygues Telecom
- 15 GB data-only for 15 days = $15.90 USD
- 20 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $21.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $32.90 USD
- 60 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $39.90 USD
Orange Holiday Europe
- 12 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 30 minutes international for 14 days = $28.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 120 minutes international for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 70 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 120 minutes international for 28 days = $55.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international eSIM for Netherlands via SimOptions.
These eSIMs are valid all over Europe and they include free EU data roaming. The best thing about these eSIMs for Netherlands is that they also include unlimited calling and texting.
Airalo
Airalo is a reliable eSIM provider that sells eSIMs for pretty much every country in the world.
Check out the Airalo eSIM plans for The Netherlands in 2025:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 2 GB data for 30 days = $7 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $9 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $20 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $30 USD
Click here for more info or to order a Netherlands eSIM via Airalo.
The above HèHè eSIMs are only valid in The Netherlands and do not support calling/texting. They are 5G ready and operate on the 4G/5G mobile network of KPN and Vodafone.
Make sure your phone is unlocked and is eSIM compatible before ordering an eSIM for the Netherlands.
For many more eSIM plans for Netherlands check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for Netherlands in 2025.
Order a prepaid sim card for Netherlands online
If your phone is not e-sim compatible but you would like to order a sim card for traveling to Amsterdam online before your trip then check out the following.
Arrive prepared in The Netherlands with an international prepaid sim card. You order them online and a physical prepaid sim card will be delivered to your home address. You put this sim card in your phone and it automatically connects to an available network upon arrival in Amsterdam, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for The Netherlands:
- 15 GB data-only for 15 days = $15.90 USD
- 20 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $21.90 USD
- 10 GB data + $2 calling credit for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 10 GB data + unlimited calls/sms for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 12 GB data + 30 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $44.90 USD
- 30 GB data + 120 minutes international + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 60 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $51.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international prepaid sim card for The Netherlands via SimOptions.
Personally Traveltomtom recommends the Bouygues Telecom or the Orange sim card with 30 GB data. I have used these sim cards a lot in the past and never had an issue.
But as mentioned many times before nowadays when traveling to Europe or The Netherlands I always use an eSIM. It is just so easy and done fast and as soon as the plane lands you are online.
Here are the best prepaid sim cards for traveling to Europe in 2025 or check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for Europe.
If you really want to buy a sim card in the Netherlands then wait till you get to Amsterdam city center and search for either a KPN, Vodafone or Odido shop nearby. In this link you can read all about the best prepaid Netherlands sim card.
Vlog about buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport
Check out my YouTube video about arriving at Schiphol Airport and my experiences buying a sim card for tourists.
My to go to hotel at Schiphol Airport is the Van Der Valk A4 Hotel. It provides a free shuttle from the Amsterdam Airport.
If you are interested what it looks like traveling to every country in the world then check out my Instagram profile @traveltomtom for some serious wanderlust. As of January 2025 I have visited more than 155 countries around the world.
If you have any questions please leave me a comment below. I am happy to help you out with your travel questions about traveling in the Netherlands or buying a sim card for your trip to Europe.
Enjoy your trip to my beloved country!