Anyone visiting Amsterdam should consider if they need a plug adapter to be able to plug their electronic devices and it is definitely a must-have when traveling. You can get a plug adapter all over the city and shops are open also during the weekends. Where should you go if you need to buy a plug adapter in Amsterdam?
You can buy a plug adapter at the CS station, in MediaMarkt; close to De Pijp, in Heck Electronics BV; downtown in Aurora Kontakt BV and all over Amsterdam in one of the many Blokker stores. If you haven’t arrived yet, you can order online a Europlug or buy it when you arrive at Schiphol airport.
I this article I will explain to you where you can buy a plug adapter depending on where in Amsterdam you are staying. If you don’t have your adapter just yet, you must definitely read this article to find out about shop opening hours and what is the closes place to you. There are some things that need to be explained, like when you will need an adapter and when a converter and I’ll share with you some useful information, it really depends on where you are coming from. Keep on reading! If you want to know more about converters and adapters in Europe, you can read this article; if you need to know more about converters in the Netherlands, read this article.
What Type of Adapter Do I Need?
Amsterdam (and the whole Netherlands) has the Europlug. This means that if you are coming from any other country from Continental Europe, you won’t need an adapter when you come here. You do need a plug adapter in Amsterdam, but only if you come from outside Europe or the UK and Ireland. The whole Netherlands has a type C plug, 230V capacity, and 50Hz. If you come from any other continent you will surely need an adapter and sometimes even a plug converter. For more information about the type of adapters you will need in Amsterdam, click here, it really depends on where you come from.
If you are coming from the UK or Ireland to Amsterdam, you will definitely need an adapter for the type C outlet. You can buy it here on Amazon. If you are coming from another continent, you most likely will need not only an adapter but also a converter.
Nowadays most companies produce electronic devices with a dual-voltage, which means that these can work both in North-American and Europe. If you come from the US or Canada, you need to check each device that you are planning on bringing and see if these are compatible. If not, you will have to end up having to buy a converter and an adapter. I recommend this adapter on Amazon and here you can get a converter.
Figuring out if you need a converter is very important. Of course, if you don’t have an adapter you won’t be able to charge your devices, but not using a convertor when you need one may damage your electronic devices (from your laptop and phone to your hairdryer and electric toothbrush). Electronic devices are designed with certain batteries and their engines have been constructed considering certain powers for the countries they are being sold on. It is very important to respect this to make sure we don’t burn the engine, the batteries or damage them.
If you are in Amsterdam and you need to get an adapter (or a converter if you come from a country with a lower voltage capacity of 110V or your device does not have dual-voltage), down below you have a list of places where you can buy them and their locations in the city. If you are from the US and Canada you may want to buy a converter online.
Best Places to Buy a Plug Adapter in Amsterdam
You can buy a plug adapter in many places all over the city, it all depends on finding the most convenient one and making sure that they have what you need. Adapters can cost between 5 and 15 euros, but converters are a little bit more expensive and can be as much as 35 euros. If you are planning on investing in something like a multiplug, it will also cost you more, but in this selection of places, you will find a lot of options.
Here you have a list with Amsterdam neighbourhoods and a selection of stores that sell plug adapters according to their location:
Centrum
MediaMarkt Amsterdam Center: some of you may know this shop, number one store for the purchase of electronic devices in some European countries. There are several stores in Amsterdam, but if you are downtown, close to the Central Station you will find this one (Oosterdokskade 67, 1011 DL Amsterdam).
This shop opens every day of the week, from 10 in the morning until 9 pm (except Sundays, from 11 am until 8 pm). And the best part: you can check all their products online and make sure that they have what you are looking for. This is also a great option in case you need a converter besides an adapter, or you are looking for something more specific such as an adapter or charger for your camera, a replacement battery, etc. Here you will also be able to compare prices and even get your hands on a multi-plug, for future trips or charging multiple devices.
You can also go to the MediaMark in West Amsterdam (Zuidermolenweg 20, 1069 CG Amsterdam), North Amsterdam (Winkelcentrum Boven IJ), and South-West (ArenA Boulevard 123-125, 1101 DM Amsterdam). They all open every day of the week, and they all have adapters, but the opening hours change depending on the store, so check that out!
De Pijp (Nieuwe Pijp)
Hecke Electronica BV is located in the beautiful neighbourhood of De Pijp (Ceintuurbaan 7, 1072ER AMSTERDAM). This shop is more oriented to cables and very specific electrical items, but it also has plug adapters for travellers from all over the world. They have a website (in Dutch tho’) but where you can check their products.
This store is opened from 9 am until 6 pm every day Mondays when they open at 11 am (and it is closed on Sundays). The prices are average.
Muntplein
Downtown, close to the Flower Market and Rembrandtplein, you will find Aurora Kontakt BV (Aurora Kontakt Vijzelstraat 27, 1017 HD).
This store is specialized in lighting, and of course, they do have adapters and converters. Because of their very touristic location, they offer a broad range of this type of products, maybe a little bit more expensive than if you buy it online, but it is an easy way of getting an adapter while walking around during your holidays.
Their opening time is similar to the one in De Pijp (closed on Sundays) and open every day of the week from 9:30 am until 6 pm (except Mondays and Saturdays when they open at 11 am and close a little earlier).
Museum Kwartier
I discovered De Tabakshoek when I was in the desperate need of a charger, and they have a lot of emergency cables, chargers, adapters, and converters. If you happen to be around Museumplein and you are in need of an adapter, you can always go there and see if they have what you are looking for.
As it names indicates, it is a small tobacco shop, but it is open every day of the week from 8 am until 11 pm and it is just 10 minutes away from the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum ( Pieter Baststraat 2, 1071 TW Amsterdam).
Old West Amsterdam
Radio Rotor Amsterdam is your place if you are close to Old West. They have an online catalogue where you can check if they have the adapter that you need on the store and all their products (Kinkerstraat 55, 1053 DE Amsterdam). It is worth mentioning that it is relatively cheap for Amsterdam.
RRA is open every day besides Sunday, from 10 am until 6 pm from Monday to Friday and from 9 am until 5 pm on Saturdays.
Spiegel Kwartier
In SpiegeKwartier, close to Leidseplein, you will find the biggest Apple Store in Amsterdam. Of course, it is only for adapters and converters for users of iPhone and iMac, but it is worth mentioning it (Hirschgebouw, Leidseplein 25, 1017 PS Amsterdam).
Like any other Apple Store, you can check online if they have what you need, and even order it and pick it up whenever you want. This is a little bit more expensive but like everything with Apple, you are paying for quality and design.
The Apple Store is open every day from 10 am until 8 pm ( the opening time a little later on Sundays), and it is located in a great spot, close to restaurants, bars and Vondelpark.
All Over Amsterdam:
If you are walking around in the city, you can also check out Souvenir Shops and BLOKKER. In most cases, touristic shops have a selection of items that some visitors may need urgently, such as adapters and converters. These places tend to be more expensive but it is worth checking them out.
On the other hand, BLOKKER is the typical Dutch shop where you will find a selection of random items that have nothing to do with each other, but one of the items you will find are adapters. There are around 20 of them all over Amsterdam, but the closest ones to the city centre are: Blokker Ferdinand Bolstraat, Blokker Kinkerstraat, Blokker Eerste Oosterparkstraat, Blokker Jodenbreestraat and Blokker Rozengracht.
