Israel Travel Guide for Dutch Visitors (2026)

The Netherlands and Israel have one of the closest bilateral relationships in Europe — rooted in shared history, consistent diplomatic ties, and the Netherlands’ position as a top-five source of direct foreign investment in Israel. Hundreds of thousands of Dutch citizens have family connections to Israel, and the Protestant/Reformed pilgrimage tradition (the bijbelgordel — Dutch Bible Belt — runs from Zeeland to Overijssel) has sent organised Holy Land groups to Israel for generations. With KLM’s daily Amsterdam–Tel Aviv service, Israel is also one of the most conveniently reached long-haul destinations from Schiphol. This guide covers the practical essentials for Dutch passport holders.

For the broader trip-planning picture, see the complete first-time visitor guide and the safety guide.

Entry requirements: ETA-IL for Dutch passport holders

Dutch citizens are on Israel’s visa-exempt list — no full visa is required. Since January 2025, however, all visa-exempt nationals (including Dutch) must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA-IL) before boarding any flight to Israel.

Applying for the ETA-IL

• Apply at: iaa.gov.il — the official Israeli Airports Authority portal
• Fee: ₪25 (approximately €6–7 at recent exchange rates; charged in New Israeli Shekel)
• Validity: Up to 2 years, or until your passport expires — whichever is earlier; valid for multiple entries
• Processing time: Usually 72 hours; can take longer during high season — apply at least one week before departure
• Stay: Up to 90 days per visit as a tourist
• Ben Gurion on arrival: The airport no longer issues passport stamps; you receive a paper entry slip — keep it throughout your trip as hotels and some checkpoints ask to see it

See the full ETA-IL and visa guide for step-by-step instructions and common application pitfalls.

Flying from the Netherlands

Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Ben Gurion (TLV)

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines operates multiple direct daily flights on the AMS–TLV route year-round. Flight time is approximately 4 hours 45 minutes westbound (AMS–TLV) and 4 hours 30 minutes eastbound (TLV–AMS). The route is operated by narrowbody and widebody aircraft depending on season.

When to book: The cheapest AMS–TLV fares typically appear for October–November (after the Jewish High Holidays) and February–March. Passover (March–April), summer (July–August) and the High Holiday season (September–October) are peak pricing periods. Booking 10–16 weeks in advance tends to yield the best fares. See the cheap flights to Israel guide for fare-tool tips.

Payments: iDEAL, OV-chipkaart and cards in Israel

iDEAL does not work in Israel

iDEAL is a Dutch online payment system built on direct bank-to-bank transfers within the Dutch banking infrastructure. It is only accepted on Dutch e-commerce platforms and at Dutch online merchants — it does not work at Israeli card terminals, Israeli online stores, or anywhere outside the Netherlands.

What does work in Israel:

• Visa or Mastercard (debit or credit) issued by your Dutch bank — ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank, SNS, ASN Bank and most others issue a Visa or Mastercard. These work at Israeli ATMs and card terminals.
• Wise (formerly TransferWise) debit card — a Mastercard issued by Wise, widely used by Dutch travellers abroad. Typically offers better exchange rates than your Dutch bank’s foreign transaction fee (usually 1.5–3% at Dutch banks). Set up before departure at wise.com.
• Revolut / N26 — popular with Dutch digital-first banking users; both issue Mastercard/Visa debit cards that work in Israel.
• Apple Pay and Google Pay — both work at NFC-enabled Israeli terminals (most modern card readers in Israel support contactless).

OV-chipkaart

The OV-chipkaart is the Dutch public-transit smart card. It does not work outside the Netherlands. In Israel, all transit payments are made by cash or credit/debit card. Jerusalem’s new light rail accepts debit and credit cards directly.

Cash

The New Israeli Shekel (₪ / ILS) is Israel’s currency. Keep some cash for markets, shared taxis (sheruts), smaller restaurants and rural areas. Israeli ATMs (Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Israel Post Bank) are widely available and accept foreign Visa/Mastercard on the Plus/Cirrus/Maestro networks. Exchange rates at Ben Gurion Airport and hotel desks tend to be less favourable than city-centre exchange bureaus. See the Israel money guide for benchmarks.

Health insurance: zorgverzekering coverage gap

Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) does NOT cover medical costs in Israel. This applies regardless of your insurer — CZ, Menzis, Zilveren Kruis, VGZ, DSW, Zorg en Zekerheid, or any other Dutch zorgverzekeraar.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC / Europese ziekteverzekeringskaart) is also not valid in Israel. The EHIC applies only within the EU/EEA and a small number of bilateral-agreement countries (UK, Switzerland, a few Balkan states) — Israel is not on this list.

What this means in practice: If you are hospitalised or need emergency treatment in Israel, you will be billed as an uninsured private patient. Costs can reach thousands of euros for even a short hospital stay.

Recommendation: Buy a reisverzekering (travel insurance) that explicitly covers Israel before you travel. Providers such as Centraal Beheer, OHRA, Allianz Netherlands, InShared, Ditzo and AON offer policies covering Israel. Read the fine print: some Dutch travel insurance policies exclude “conflict zones” or “regio met verhoogd reisadvies” (heightened travel advisory areas) — verify that Israel is covered under your specific policy, and note that the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Buitenlandse Zaken) typically carries an elevated travel advisory for Israel that may affect policy terms.

Check the latest Dutch travel advice at nederlandwereldwijd.nl/reizen/reisadviezen before booking.

Power adapter and voltage

The Netherlands uses Type F (Schuko) plugs — two round pins with side grounding clips — at 230V/50Hz. Israel uses Type H sockets — a three-flat-pin V-shape unique to Israel — also at 230V/50Hz.

The good news: There is no voltage difference between the Netherlands and Israel. You need only a Type F to Type H plug adapter — no bulky voltage converter required. All standard Dutch electronics (laptop, phone charger, camera charger) will work on Israeli current with just the adapter.

A universal travel adapter with Type H compatibility is available at Schiphol Airport shops, Bruna/Primera stores, or online for €8–20. Buy one before departure — adapters at Ben Gurion arrivals are limited and overpriced.

Dutch-Israel historical connections

The Dutch-Jewish heritage

The Netherlands has one of Europe’s most historically significant Jewish communities. The Amsterdam Jewish quarter (the Jodenbuurt) flourished from the 17th century under Dutch tolerance; the Portuguese-Israelite Synagogue (Esnoga, 1675) on Mr. Visserplein remains one of the oldest functioning synagogues in the world. Many Dutch Jewish families lost members in the Shoah — the Netherlands lost approximately 75% of its Jewish population during the Second World War, a disproportionately high figure in Western Europe. Yad Vashem in Jerusalem holds records of Dutch Jewish victims and maintains a section on the Netherlands; the Names Database is searchable online and available in person at the Yad Vashem campus.

The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem form a natural pair for Dutch visitors with a particular interest in this history.

Protestant and Reformed pilgrimage

The bijbelgordel (Dutch Bible Belt) — a diagonal band running from Zeeland through the Veluwe to the Overijssel region — has a centuries-long tradition of Holy Land pilgrimage among Dutch Reformed and Calvinist communities. Organised group tours from the Netherlands regularly visit the Jordan River, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and Jerusalem. For the pilgrimage circuit, see the Christian pilgrimage guide and the Galilee Christian sites circuit.

Mobile phones and connectivity

Dutch SIM cards (Vodafone NL, T-Mobile NL, KPN, Odido) work in Israel on international roaming, but rates vary. Check your Dutch carrier’s international day-pass or zone pricing for Israel before departure.

For stays of a week or more, a local Israeli SIM is more cost-effective:

• Local SIM at Ben Gurion: Golan Telecom and Hot Mobile kiosks in the arrivals hall are typically open around the clock. A 30-day unlimited data SIM costs approximately ₪50–90.
• eSIM: Providers such as Airalo, Nomad and Holafly sell Israeli data eSIMs you can activate before departure. Compatible with iPhone XS and later and most current Android models. See the Israel eSIM guide for comparisons.

Dutch practicalities at a glance

Planning your Israel trip from the Netherlands

With a direct flight of under five hours, Israel is one of the most accessible non-Schengen long-haul destinations for Dutch travellers — closer than Curaçao and Aruba and on the same time zone as much of Eastern Europe in summer (UTC+3). A short Israel trip of 6–8 nights is entirely feasible without losing significant time to travel. The best time to visit Israel guide covers seasonal conditions; how much does Israel cost addresses the budget picture (broadly comparable to the higher-cost Western European cities). For the security picture, is Israel safe provides a current area-by-area breakdown.