Knowing transportation vocabulary in Dutch will help you to better understand how to get around the famous city of Amsterdam and the Dutch countryside. Learn the basic vocabulary and how to ask about transportation-related things like how to order tickets, give basic directions, and more!
Just in case you didn’t know, Dutch is the official native language spoken in The Netherlands, which by the way is also called Holland. To easily get yourself around Holland aka The Netherlands, it will benefit you to know a bit of Dutch.
You don’t want to get lost or find yourself confused in the middle of an unfamiliar country! That’s why we want to help you learn transportation vocabulary and phrases in Dutch.
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So, let’s begin with learning a bit about The Netherlands and why you might want to travel there. After that, we’ll share the most important Dutch transportation vocabulary you need to know!
The Netherlands – The Basics
Here are some key travel facts about The Netherlands (Holland):
- Location: Northwestern Europe
- Bordering nations: Belgium and Germany
- Capital: Amsterdam
- Population: Over 17 million
- Other Major Cities: The Hague, Rotterdam
- Climate: Moderate maritime with mild winters and cool summers
- Weather: between 20°C (68°F) and 25°C (77°F) during the summer and 3-4°C (37-39°F) during winter
- Main Transportation Mode: Train and bicycle
- Public Transportation System: NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen)
- Interesting Places to Visit:
- UNESCO-listed Kastel von Breda
- Grote Markt
- The village of Kinderdijk
- Vincent Van Gogh House Museum
- Rijksmuseum (National Museum)
- Keukenhof (Garden of Europe)
- Anne Frank Museum
To visit each of these fantastic attractions, you’ll need to know how to get around. Let’s get learning!
Common Transportation Words In Dutch
The first thing to know is that transport and transportation in Dutch are the same words – vervoer.
Luckily when you visit you’ll find that Holland (The Netherlands) has one of the best transportation systems (transportsystemen) in the world. You’ll need a map (kaart) to get around, although these days, most maps are available online, especially through apps.
You’ll want to brush up on learning times and dates in Dutch too so you won’t miss your train or plane.
Besides having an incredible public transportation system, you can expect a lot of the usual modes of transportation too. Here is a list of the most common types of transport found in The Netherlands.
| English Word | Dutch Word | Pronunciation |
| Airplane | Vliegtuig | |
| Bicycle | Fiets | |
| Bus | Bus | |
| Canoe | Kano | |
| Car | Auto | |
| Coach | Coach | |
| Cruise Ship | Cruise schip | |
| Ferry | Veerboot | |
| Golf cart | Golfwagentje | |
| Helicopter | Helikopter | |
| Horse Drawn Tram | Door paarden getrokken tram | |
| Kayak | Kajak | |
| Lorry | Vrachtwagen | |
| Moped | Bromfiets | |
| Paddleboard | Paddleboard | |
| Sailboat | Zeilboot | |
| Segway | Segway | |
| Ship | Schip | |
| Skateboard | Skateboard | |
| Sled | Slee | |
| Taxi | Taxi | |
| Train | Trein | |
| Tram | Tram | |
| Truck | Vrachtwagen | |
| Unicycle | eenwieler | |
| Vespa | Vespa | |
| Wak/walking | Wandelen | |
| Yacht | Jacht |
Places To Get Transportation
| English Word | Dutch Word | Pronunciation |
| Airport | Luchthaven | |
| Bus station | Bushalte | |
| Bus stop | Bushalte | |
| Highway | Snelweg | |
| Metro Station | Metrostation | |
| Metro stop | Metrohalte | |
| Road | Weg | |
| Street | Straat | |
| Train station | Treinstation | |
| Tram stop | Tram halte |
How To Ask About Transportation In Dutch
Where is the train station?
Waar is het treinstation?
Which train station do I get off at?
Bij welk treinstation stap ik uit?
Where is the nearest metro station?
Waar is het dichtstbijzijnde metrostation?
Where can I get a taxi?
Waar kan ik een taxi nemen?
How can I get to the airport?
Hoe kan ik naar de luchthaven komen?
What’s the quickest way to get to the train station?
Wat is de snelste manier om naar het treinstation te gaan? c
Don’t forget to say thank you afterward!
Different Kinds Of Transportation Tickets
| English Word | Dutch Word | Pronunciation |
| Ticket | Ticket | |
| Bus ticket | Bus kaartje | |
| Train ticket | Treinkaartje | |
| Plane ticket | Vliegtuigticket | |
| Tram ticket | Tramkaartje | |
| OV-chip card | OV-chipkaart | |
| One-way | Een manier | |
| Round trip | Rondvaart |
How To Ask About Transportation Tickets In Dutch
How much is the bus ticket?
Hoeveel kost het buskaartje?
How much for a one-way ticket?
Hoeveel voor een enkele reis?
How much for a round-trip ticket?
Hoeveel voor een retourticket?
Do you have discounts for students?
Hebben jullie kortingen voor studenten?
Where can I buy a train ticket?
Waar kan ik een treinkaartje kopen?
Are there any tickets available?
Zijn er nog kaarten beschikbaar?
Car Related Vocabulary In Dutch
You may find that you’d rather rent a car than take the train or other modes of transport to get around. Here are some useful terms you should know when driving a car.
| English Word | Dutch Word | Pronunciation |
| Bumper | Bumper | |
| Door | auto deur | |
| Engine | Motor | |
| Fuel/gas | Brandstof | |
| Gas station | Benzinestation | |
| Gas tank | Gastank | |
| Headlight | Koplamp | |
| Number plate (license plate) | Nummerplaat | |
| Pedal | Pedaal | |
| Seat | autostoel | |
| Tire | Band | |
| Turn signal (blinker) | Richtingaanwijzer (knipper) | |
| Wheel | Wiel | |
| Windscreen-wiper | Ruitenwisser |
Car Related Conversational Phrases In Dutch
Where can I rent a car?
Waar kan ik een auto huren?
How much is the car rental?
Hoeveel kost de autohuur?
The engine has stopped working
De motor werkt niet meer
The car won’t start
De auto start niet
Where’s the nearest gas station?
Waar is het dichtstbijzijnde tankstation?
What kind of fuel does it use?
Wat voor brandstof gebruikt het?
The car has a flat tire
De auto heeft een lekke band
Airplane-Related Vocabulary In Dutch
Airplanes are most commonly taken to fly in and out of Holland, rather than within it. It’s most likely that you’ll be traveling by train, but just in case, here is vocabulary relating to planned travel.
| English Word | Dutch Word | Pronunciation |
| Aisle seat | Stoel aan het gangpad | |
| Arrival | Aankomst | |
| Board/boarding | Board/boarding | |
| Boarding pass | Instapkaart | |
| Cancelled | Geannuleerd | |
| Check-in | Check in | |
| Coach/economy | Coach/economie | |
| Delayed | Vertraagd | |
| Departure | Vertrek | |
| Flight attendant | Stewardess | |
| Gate Number | Gate nummer | |
| Luggage | Bagage | |
| Middle seat | middelste stoel | |
| On-time | Op tijd | |
| One-way ticket | Enkele reis | |
| Passport | Paspoort | |
| Pilot | piloot | |
| Roundtrip ticket | Retourtje | |
| Seat booking | Stoelreservering | |
| Terminal | Terminal | |
| Transit | Doorvoer | |
| Window seat | Plaats bij het raam |
Airplane Travel Related Phrases In Dutch
Is the plane on time?
Is het vliegtuig op tijd?
How long will the plane be delayed for?
Hoe lang heeft het vliegtuig vertraging?
Where is my gate?
Waar is mijn poort?
Which terminal do I go to?
Naar welke terminal ga ik?
I’d like a window seat
Ik wil graag een stoel bij het raam
Train Related Vocabulary In Dutch
| English Word | Dutch Word | Pronunciation |
| Aisle | Gangpad | |
| Cabin | cabin | |
| Cancelled | Geannuleerd | |
| Delayed | Vertraagd | |
| On-time | Op tijd | |
| Platform | Platform | |
| Seat number | Stoelnummer | |
| Train | Trein | |
| Train number | Trein nummer | |
| Train station | Treinstation | |
| Window | Venster |
Train Travel Related Phrases In Dutch
Which platform do I go to?
Naar welk platform ga ik?
Where is seat number (insert number)?
Waar is het stoelnummer (insert number)?
Do I get off here?
Stap ik hier uit?
How long will the train ride take?
Hoe lang duurt de treinreis?
Is there food available on the train?
Is er eten beschikbaar in de trein?
Are there washrooms on board?
Zijn er toiletten aan boord?
Sea Or Ship Related Vocabulary In Dutch
| English Word | Dutch Word | Pronunciation |
| Anchor | Anker | |
| Boat | Boot | |
| Bow | Boeg van een boot | |
| Cabin | Cabine | |
| Dock | Dok | |
| Docked | gedokt | |
| Jet ski | Jetski | |
| Knots | wind knopen | |
| Life jacket/ life saving device | Reddingsvest/reddingsmiddel | |
| Lifeboat | Reddingsboot | |
| Port | Haven | |
| Sailboat | Zeilboot | |
| Sea | Zee | |
| Ship | Schip | |
| Starboard | Stuurboord | |
| Stern | streng |
Traffic-Related Vocabulary In Dutch
Important signal signs with their Dutch meaning and pronunciation are below.
| English Word | Dutch Word | Pronunciation |
| Flashing light | Knipperend licht | |
| Green light | Groen licht | |
| Left curve ahead | Bocht naar links vooruit | |
| No left-turn | Geen linkse afslag | |
| No right-turn | Verboden rechtsaf te slaan | |
| No trucks | Geen vrachtwagens | |
| No U-turn | Geen U-bocht | |
| One-way street | Eenrichtingsverkeer | |
| Red light | rood licht | |
| Right curve ahead | Bocht naar rechts vooruit | |
| Speed limit | Snelheidslimiet | |
| Stop ahead | Stop vooruit | |
| Stop sign | Stopteken | |
| Traffic light | Stoplicht | |
| Two-way street | Tweerichtingsverkeer | |
| Yellow light | Geel licht | |
| Yield | Opbrengst |
Other Useful Transportation Vocabulary In Dutch
| English | Dutch | Pronunciation |
| Excuse me, could you help me? | Excuseer mij zou je mij kunnen helpen? | |
| Go faster | Ga sneller | |
| Go slower | Ga langzamer | |
| Go straight | Ga rechtdoor | |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel is het? | |
| Journey | Reis | |
| Money | Geld | |
| Pedestrian | Voetganger | |
| To the left | Naar links | |
| To the right | Naar rechts | |
| Travel | Reizen |
Want To Learn More Dutch?
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