đŸ‡łđŸ‡± Monzo in The Netherlands [Wiki]

Monzo Chat Travelling with Monzo
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This is a wiki crowdsourced by the Monzo Community to help you travel with Monzo.

Just like Wikipedia, anyone can edit it to help out others. If you have any tips or feedback for visiting The Netherlands with Monzo, please feel free to edit this guide. You can also add a comment or question below — someone will then incorporate your comment into the main text below and then delete your comment. To create your own “Monzo in 
” guide if one doesn’t already exist, just copy this template into a new post and write away!

Safe travels! :wave: :airplane:

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Currency

The Netherlands use the Euro (€)

Monzo users pay the MasterCard exchange rate with no added fees.

Card usage

Card payments are accepted very widely across the Netherlands; and an increasing number of businesses take cards only. Whilst some businesses did not previously accept Mastercard, with the withdrawal of Maestro from July 2023 this is no longer expected to occur.

The contactless limit is €25 for cards and unlimited (at the retailers discretion) for Apple and Google Pay. In some stores you will need to tap your card or device on the left hand panel of the machine and on others on the top of the machine, like in the UK.

In January 2023, the Netherlands rolled out OV-Pay a system across all major public transport operators, allowing you to tap in and out using a contactless bank card or Apple or Google Pay, as an alternative option to purchasing single tickets. It may be cheaper to purchase day or return tickets depending on your journey.

Payment and withdrawal limits

All Monzo cards have some payment and withdrawal limits. You can find further information here

Crowdsourced merchant data

The Monzo merchant data can be incorrect (eg. the map shows the wrong location or the name of the place is not correct). Please submit improvements to this data so it can get better for future visitors.

To edit this guide, just tap the pencil icon below. Alternatively, add a reply with your comments and someone from the community will incorporate your suggestions into the guide and then delete your comment.

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Just a bit of an update here - as of 2018, every Albert Heijn I have visited accept Mastercard Debit, however I can confirm that otherwise, the Netherlands are still one of the hardest countries to use a non-Maestro debit card in, the biggest issue being using busses. Always make sure you’re carrying a bit of cash!

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2019 - Update to this part of the post.

“It’s impossible to use Monzo cards in most Albert Heijn supermarkets as they are not accepted - only Maestro debit cards. Self-service tills are a no-no so you’ll need to withdraw cash and use the staffed tills with longer queues. The same will be true anywhere that says they only take debit cards.“

Albert Heijn do accept Monzo I have been there every day for a week so far contactless and pin and worked everytime.

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Just back from 4 days in Amsterdam. No problems using Monzo anywhere except hiring bikes on Marken (cash only) and one gift shop which had a lower spending limit for all cards.

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We got to Leiden on Wednesday and attempted to do a supermarket shop in Albert Heijn. Monzo wouldn’t work, and neither did any of my other visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards. The assistant advised us to withdraw cash from the ING cash machine in store and pay that way. I wouldn’t bank on your monzo working in most places tbh.

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With regards to the OVB Chipkaart, if you choose the ‘Anonymous’ version which costs €7.50, you can travel swiftly on trains buses and trams. You MUST have at least €20 on your card to travel on trains. Use your Monzo card to top up at machines in stations (Note: they don’t use the words ‘top up’, it’s something like’buy products’
)The card and anything left on it is valid for 5 years.

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Also, the Albert Heijn stores seem to take Monzo in Amsterdam but not in Maastricht. V odd that a chain has different rules in different cities. Btw, going back to the Chipkaart, you can put money on your Chipkaart on the bus using your Monzo card! Just ask the driver

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Can one use foreign debit/credit cards on the NS app?

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Tried my Monzo card at an Albert Heijn in Eindhoven and it did not work either

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No luck in August 2022 with Monzo in Albert Heijn in Wassenaar (near The Hague) either. Had to withdraw cash at the in store ATM so plan to have cash on me for the rest of the trip.

Very strange, it’s like the UK in the 90s. Though we’ve had a similar experience with Bancontact/Maestro only in Belgium so perhaps not unique to Netherlands.

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This will change over the next year. After the end of June next year, no new Maestro cards will be issued anywhere, so shops in the Netherlands (and Belgium) will have to accept Mastercard by then or even locals won’t be able to pay.

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Thanks @jzw95 that’s really interesting, especially to get the background and context. Roll on 2023!

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I’ve just got back from the Netherlands and my experience was that everywhere took Monzo and a significant number of places took cards only. Have updated the Wiki to reflect both my experience and some of the other threads on the forum :slight_smile:

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That sounds very convenient!

Hopefully it is a reflection of good progress made in preparation for Maestro’s phased withdrawal, as of this July.

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Unfortunately, still no luck with Monzo at Albert Heijn in Cuijk (near Nijmegen). I’ve had luck using it in the Albert Heijn To Go in Utrecht Centraal (train station) so seems to vary depending on what store.

Hopefully with the discontinuation of Maestro, they’ll become accepted everywhere.

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I recently spent an (awesome!) few days in the Netherlands, and unfortunately someone accessed my Monzo card - I’m hoping someone will recognise the merchant name because Monzo won’t help me.

Someone using merchant name ‘Nlovnqx58mpp84bj4m’ attempted to take €20 out of my UK account three times overnight (after I’d left the Netherlands) and Monzo allowed it on the 3rd attempt. I reported it as fraud but Monzo said there was no evidence it was fraud and released the funds. I said I wanted to contact the merchant who took the funds because I don’t know who it is, and Monzo refused and instead invited the merchant to contact me.

I have no idea who this merchant is - if they are legit, I can’t think who they are, why they’re using such a strange name, and why they won’t confirm the transaction with me. To me, it looks like a scam, I just wonder has this happened to anyone else in the Netherlands?

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Sounds like you tapped in on a tram or bus or train but forgot to tap out again, so they charged you €20. You won’t get it back.

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Nope, didn’t use any public transport beyond the train from Schipol to Centraal, which I bought a ticket for, so that’s not it. As I said, all of my spending is accounted for, and the merchant account is unrecognisable, and Monzo can’t put me in contact with them anyway.

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Currently on holiday here and seems to be working fine - although im mostly using it in trusted places and cash else where

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Top tip
 change your Uber account to monzo before you go. It’s so simple to use if you need a taxi! I didn’t realise it was linked to my lloyds account and got charged for each time we used Uber which was many times! Enjoy, it’s a beautiful city.