Do you still have to quarantine for 7 days when entering the country

It depends on your country of origin/departure. But even knowing that, accurate info can be rather hard to find since it changes so often...

I just got back from the Achterdam. I walked through the Alkmaar city center for about an hour, returning to the 'dam periodically, and by 10am I only saw two fat old broads (one Dutch, one EE I think) and nobody was that desperate apparently. Saw the same punters walking up and down the whole time. Oh well, we'll see. On a normal Sunday it's impossible to find anyone decent that early but I was just curious, thinking perhaps things might be different immediately after a shutdown.

1PM update: Lineup is shit, 1/3 normal occupancy, and far too many starved punters to make a visit worthwhile. I saw one new girl, semi-decent looking and someone I would have considered talking to if she hadn't been good enough to put the "NL" sign in her window. Thanks for the warning, dear. It helped to streamline an already depressing selection process. :-D

Coming from UK.Already booked would like go no matter what but if you have to quarantine there’s no point

According to this (official) site, the UK remains a "very high risk" area, though it doesn't say when the page was updated.

https://www.government.nl/topics/corona ... quarantine

They have this link to a questionnaire/app where it asks you 4 or 5 things and then tells you what you need to do: https://reizentijdenscorona.rijksoverheid.nl/en

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be good news but it depends on when you've scheduled your trip... things can change every 2 weeks or so as the government here reviews the measures in place.

Yes I think the partial reopening surprised a few, although they had said they would update us before the 15th. Restaurants are still closed, and the red light is only open until 5pm so it wouldn’t be great. Still, when you haven’t been for a while, I know the urge to get out there!

thanks for the report from Acherdam Bluto!

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video up on George Amsterdam's channel from the 15th (2days ago, same day as they opened ).

RLD Single. (2nd RLD in Amsterdam)

looks like the weather is shit however most windows are occupied. or at least more occupied than day time use to be the last 2 years between lockdowns.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTPJ0apVJHg&t=39s

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if restaurants are still closed I wouldn't bother to go as a tourist. however, as someone already pointed out earlier in this thread - Things can change rapidly.

To be honest I went at the start of Dec when curfew of 5pm was on and it wasn't a big deal breaker. I got to smoke weed and saw a few girls albeit I visited TS rather than straight ones. Yeah it was a bit rubbish after 5pm but you just adjust your timings accordingly.

Just to confirm that the mandatory quarantine for UK visitors is still in place. So the partial reopening last week is irrelevant as far as uk visitors are concerned.

The current measures are in place until next tuesday (January 25), with the government holding a press conference next Tuesday to announce what will happen after that. I'm guessing it will just be an extension of current measures as cases and hospitalisations haven't really fallen much (cases seem to have shot up yesterday).

that's realistic yes.

lets see what happens now when the 3rd shot is allowed for more or less everyone in january. (5-6month after the 2nd shot )

if that makes a large effect I would guess we'll see some lifted restrictions for restaurant / bars / night shift sexworkers in middle of mars.... wouldn't count on any mayor changes during feb....

Agree, it's unlikely the netherlands are going to lift the 5pm closure time for another few weeks.

One small positive for UK visitors is that the need to quarantine may be removed in the next few days. Infection rates in the UK are falling and the government have now removed even the small restrictions that were in place. If infection rates continue falling in the UK, there is a good chance that the UK may be moved from 'very high risk' to just 'high risk' by the netherlands, meaning no need to quarantine.

Personally the 5pm closure of the red light and private houses, together with restaurants being closed, means that I wouldn't visit. However I know others have commented that they would still be keen to visit.

Well, the Dutch government sprung a surprise on some of us here who believed that restrictions wouldn't be lifted:

https://www.government.nl/topics/corona ... nuary-2022

To be fair, even they admit its probably a surprise for the public and that they are "taking a big risk" as infection rates remain very high.

Anyway, restaurants are open again for eating in until 10pm, and the privehuis / red light can also stay open until 10pm.

Now us UK visitors just need the quarantine requirement to be removed! Soon we hope....

good news! funny how things can change fast. UK quarantine might be lifted next week already.... who knows.

if its open until 10pm is OK with me. no need to be out later than that anyway.. also the winter olympics coming up, so not that boring chilling at the hotel room when its closed.


for me it actually might be worth going then .Im within EU (sweden). lets say late feb, mars when its some degrees warmer than now. I just had my 3rd shot just for this scenario...
on the other hand, I lost interest a bit during this winter... anyone else feel the same? just the thought of traveling stresses me out for some reason etc...



would be intresting to hear from someone who is actually there this week. my guessing is that there will be girls in every window, taking their chancess to work, but it can also be the opposite if there are no tourists anyway....

Agree, I was only out until midnight anyway before Covid as there are 1 or 2 regulars I liked to see in the daytime shift so by midnight my energy was spent. I also like the long leisurely breakfast in my hotel! No big deal to adjust timings slightly.



Actually I'm the opposite - two years of almost no travelling has made me very keen to start again. I'm not feeling stressed about travelling.




A person on another forum wrote last week that streets such as OudeKennissteeg and Stoofsteeg are packed with girls working, and daytime punting is much better than before covid. In fact, he says that there are more beautiful girls working than at any time over the last 10 years!

He also says that there are only a few customers, so there is a lot of choice for them.

The 10pm new time might mean some daytime girls start their shift later, and work just early evening say 5pm - 10pm. I remember before Covid from 6pm - 8pm used to be very quiet in de wallen - few girls and few customers. Now there will be more girls.

See on dutch news.nl that quarantine rules for boosted vaccinated from UK is being dropped from February 2.
looks like my February trip will be on!.

Just contacted night time girl I usually see, she's working, as I usually see her at start of her shift, 10 pm close is no problem for me, Usually have plenty of day time fun anyway, probably be spoiled for choice this time. Will miss people watching after 10pm though.

jackpot!
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I just read a note on twitter regarding the debate about RLD is an overcrowded mess.

As bars/pubs/clubs been closed but windows open, Amsterdamers now can see what group making a mess. Im not surprised. real punters/weed smokers dont overcrowd the area and are not pissing, puking and screaming (as far as this lockdown showed) ...

its obvious they who comes for the party who makes the windows to move out of town.

Great news - thanks for the info. The dutch government website fooled me because they still haven't updated the english section on quarantine rules. However, they have updated the dutch part of the site with the lack of quarantine from 2 Feb. I must say they have gone the extra mile by asking you to have had the booster jab as well! A lot of countries are happy with just the initial one or two doses.

I'm with you that the night atmosphere and people watching is nice, and although i don't stay out that much later than 10pm, it would have been nice to have no restriction at all! But 10pm is a good start!

Looking forward to getting out there after more than 18 months.

Do you still need negative result before flying from UK

From my understanding of it yes, either PCR test 48 hrs before flight, or LFT 24 hrs before flight.

copied from uk government site regarding travel to netherlands

Fully vaccinated travellers aged 12 and over arriving in the Netherlands from the UK via aeroplane, ferry, passenger car, train or bus must show one of the following:

a negative PCR test result (taken no more than 48 hours before departure), or;
a negative antigen test result (taken no more than 24 hours before departure).

All passengers arriving in the Netherlands must carry a completed quarantine declaration form.