Getting a mobile phone when you first arrive

One of the first things you’re going to want to arrange when you get to the Netherlands is a local mobile phone number. It helps real estate agents take your seriously and helps in day to day life. Having mobile data helps enormously with navigating with map apps!

If you’re lucky, you already have a SIM unlocked EU compatible phone. If your phone is EU compatible, but not SIM unlocked then it’s worth checking with your provider if you can get it unlocked (preferably before you leave to come here!). If not, that’s probably the first thing to get your hands on. You can try on bol.com, visit your local kijkshop, or try mediamartkt.

Once that’s done you can visit pretty much any mobile phone shop and buy a pre-paid SIM card. My experience with Vodafone was that paying in cash was fine and there’s no address details required to get a prepaid SIM in the Netherlands. Fit it in your phone, follow the instructions (which with Vodafone were also in English) and shortly you have an active Dutch mobile phone number.