Netherlands

Is the Netherlands safe to visit?

Yes. The Netherlands had 0.69 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people in 2023, one of the lower rates in Europe, and it ranks 17th of 163 countries on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary. We score it 88. Most of what goes wrong for visitors happens in the centre of Amsterdam: stolen phones and bags, scams, and too much to drink near the water. The surprise for many visitors is the roads, where bikes now kill and get killed more than cars.

Bikes: the main traffic risk

WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 3.4 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, one of the lower rates in the world, but the trend has turned. CBS counted 759 road deaths in 2025, 84 more than in 2024 and the highest number since 2007. That is about 4.2 per 100,000 people, close to the EU average and higher than Germany. The rise is mostly on bikes. 281 cyclists died, more than the 228 people who died in cars, and at least 41% of those cyclists were riding e-bikes. Another 59 pedestrians were killed.

Most of those cyclists were Dutch, many of them older riders. For visitors the risks are different:

• On foot: red asphalt is a bike lane. Riders, and the mopeds that share some lanes, move fast and expect you to stay out. Look for bikes before cars at every crossing.
• On a rented bike: keep right, signal with your arm, do not ride two abreast on busy paths, and cross tram rails at a sharp angle so your wheel does not catch.
• Trams: they are quiet and have priority. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary notes that drivers must stop when a tram or bus stops in the middle of the road, so passengers can get on and off.

If you drive, speed cameras are everywhere, motorway limits change by time of day, and fines are paid on the spot.

Pickpockets, fake police and street dealers

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says pickpocketing and bag-snatching are common in central Amsterdam and around Centraal Station, and that gangs work the trains and trams between Schiphol and the city. One person distracts you while another takes your bag. Thieves also walk into restaurants pretending to sell something and lift bags from chair backs. The US State Department also warns of overcharging and scams aimed at tourists.

Two scams are specific to Amsterdam. Fake plain-clothes police stop tourists and ask to inspect their cash and cards "for counterfeits". Real Dutch police rarely do this and do not carry shiny badges; if in doubt, call 0900 8844 to check. Street dealers in the Red Light District sell fake or adulterated drugs, and buyers get robbed. Our Amsterdam page has the neighbourhood detail, including how many pickpocketings the police record each year.

Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht see far fewer tourist-targeted thefts. Bike theft is the most common crime across the country, so use two locks on a rental bike.

Drug gangs and terrorism

The Netherlands has a serious organised crime problem, but it is aimed at rivals, not visitors. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes regular shootings, stabbings and attacks with homemade explosives between drug gangs in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. The risk to visitors is being in the wrong place at the wrong time, which is very small.

The national terrorism threat level was kept at 4 on a scale of 5 in June 2026, meaning the chance of an attack is real. The FCDO says terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks, one step milder than its wording for Germany or France, and the US rates the Netherlands Level 2. Expect visible security at stations, Schiphol and big events such as King's Day.

Water, weather and health

Water is the hazard the Dutch have spent centuries managing. About a quarter of the country lies below sea level, protected by dikes, dunes and storm-surge barriers that are among the best anywhere. Large-scale flooding is very unlikely; winter storms that stop trains and close beaches are more typical, along with summer heat waves.

The water risk for visitors is smaller and closer. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says people drown in Amsterdam's canals every year, mostly after heavy drinking or smoking cannabis, and the quays rarely have railings. Swimming in central canals carries a 160 euro fine. At North Sea beaches, swim near lifeguard posts, as currents can be strong.

Healthcare is excellent, and tap water is safe and good. Ticks in woods and dunes are the main outdoor health issue. The FCDO also warns about drink spiking in nightlife areas, particularly for young women and solo travellers.

How to stay safe in the Netherlands

• Look for bikes first, then cars and trams, before every crossing.
• On the Schiphol train and around Centraal, keep your bag on your lap, not on the rack or the seat beside you.
• Never hand cash or cards to anyone claiming to be police; ask to go to a station.
• Keep away from canal edges after drinking, and keep your drink in sight in bars.
• Carry your passport or ID card; it is a legal requirement.
• Call 112 in an emergency.

How we scored it

Violent crime (94), health (92) and natural hazards (89) are strong. Petty crime (72) is the weakest factor, because of organised pickpocketing in Amsterdam, and road safety (90) sits at the bottom of the top band: WHO's 2021 rate of 3.4 per 100,000 is low, but cyclist deaths have risen since. Compare Germany, which has safer roads but a worse recent record of attacks on crowds, and the UK, where the threat level is also 4 of 5.