Bella!

[Sunny]

PMs are for the weak... I have a question about Amsterdam, and you live there.. ;p and I'd really appreciate it if you could give me some info.

There's a possibility I might spend a semester attending Gerrit Rietveld Academie, cause it's affiliated with my school... and so..

How's housing in Amsterdam? Is it insanely expensive? What would you say would be the average cost of a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment? (a shitty one, we have low standards... lol)

Is the public transportation system any good?

I'd love you forever if you could answer me <3

[Sunny]

bumpers, bumpers, bumpity-splits!

[RXP]

PM/MSN it up.

[Obie2trice]

I don`t live in Amsterdam but I`m a student in a city near to it. The costs for a room here are high, I think about a 300/400 euro pro month, but for the exact prices maybe Joy should visit this thread, or you should PM her, She lives in Amsterdam.

The public transportation is fine btw

[Tizzalicious]

It's a bitch to find a place there...the public transport is great I think...and I dunno about the prices either...

[Vicky]

It's a bitch to find a place there...the public transport is great I think...and I dunno about the prices either...

Me and Willem kept almost getting run over by trams when we went to NEMO :o

[Tizzalicious]

Me and Willem kept almost getting run over by trams when we went to NEMO :o

Hehe, well...going places by public transport is fine...I didn't say walking around with the trams around you is too ;)

[Vicky]

The trams are evil :P Can't tell which way they're going and argh :eek:

[JoY]

to Magdalena<3

Gerrit Rietveld academy, eh?? that's pure awesomeness chicka.

anyway.. it's rather difficult to find a place in Amsterdam, but it sure isn't impossible. it always helps a LOT if you know people here, it's THE way I found all of my places to live. people with good connections can find the cheapest/nicest rooms to rent most of the times. much cheaper, than the rooms you find, when you try to get one the 'official way'.
I guess there should be an arrangement for foreigners, who come study in Amsterdam, though. the government highly supports that.

when are you planning on coming to Amsterdam & for how long are you staying?? I might find you something, that isn't too insanely expensive. I could ask around (which most of the times works best), check some Dutch websides & give you the url's. for two bedrooms I think it'd cost something around 450 euros per month & the same goes for a bedroom + living room. & that is if you get a good deal. if you devide it in two, you'd both pay 225 euros, which is a great price over here. if you don't get a good deal however, it's probably going to cost you about 500-600 euros. that'd be a rather normal price, 600 being a bit expensive.

I'd recommend an appartment in either the Rivierenbuurt ('Riverneighbourhood'), or in Oud Zuid ('Old South'). those are safe & real nice areas to live in just outside the centre & the appartments there aren't too expensive most of the times. they cost much less, than in the centre of the city & as the public transport there is great anyway, you're in the citycentre in a flash, if you'd want to. Oud Zuid is the most popular neighbourhood in Amsterdam (many shops, terrific restaurants, nice cafés, the atmosphere is friendly, quiet & 'peaceful'), but also a bit more expensive than the Rivierenbuurt. the Rivierenbuurt also has a few nice shops & restaurants, though, & is by the Amstel, which is incredibly beautiful at night. oh, & in both neighbourhoods you'd live near the academy. (the Academy is real close to where I live & where my university is - I live in Oud Zuid)
if you want to go for the cheapest neighbourhood, I'd go for West, but you really have to be careful in that area & I can't even walk around there feeling comfortable, nevermind live there. also it's not the prettiest of neighbourhoods.
the old citycentre, or the Pijp, is awesomeness, but also - like I said - most of the times incredibly expensive. I used to live in the Pijp, because I got a great deal for six months, but when one time I tried to open the door & there was a junk sleeping on my doorstep all curled up, I knew I couldn't possibly be too surprised.
then there's East, which is just alright. it's overal pretty safe & relatively cheap, but the atmosphere isn't yay. the public transport isn't at it's best & there aren't too many nice restaurants, shops, or anything.
anywhere outside these areas you really don't want to live. (Noord/North, Uilenstede..), mostly because the public transport is relatively difficult there & also because it's insanely ugly.

the public transport is fantastic, so it doesn't *really* matter where you live, you'll always get anywhere you want to be. there are busses, trams, subways, trains (there are seven trainstations in Amsterdam; Sloterdijk, Central, Amstel, RAI, WTC, Duivendrecht & Schiphol)... cabs, if you're really desperate to get somewhere *giggle* & you can buy a bike for 10 euros from a junk at about every streetcorner. you can also get cheap (but less cheap) bikes here the legal way, so don't you worry. ;p bikes are definitely the way to travel here. the busses, trams & subways don't have the tightest of schedules, so they often come at a different time than they're supposed to. mostly a bit later, but sometimes earlier. it depends on where you live though, near the centre of the city they're almost always somewhat on time. they now & then get stuck in traffic, or have electricity problems (that goes for subways & trams), though, so if I may give you a tiny bit of advice; if you live in Amsterdam, make sure you're never in a hurry. *grins* if you're travelling with public transport & you've got to rush, you're bound to get too late at where you want to be & if you're travelling by bike, you can get in quite dangerous situations.

travelling by night also isn't a problem; trams & subways stop driving at about 1 in the morning, but there are special 'nightbusses' (nachtbussen), that cost you 3 euro & will take you at least close to where you want to be, depending on where you live & where the nearest stop is.

be careful with the trams; they don't stop for anything, or anyone that/who gets in their way.

UGH, this post turned out to be real fucking long. I hope it was slightly informative (not too much blabla) & that I could be of any help. *smile*

[MirandaV]

Trams are way too cool, indeed, they dont stop for you.

[JoY]

teehee, bumpage!!

[wheelchairman]

teehee, bumpage!!
I can just imagine the giggle.

[Eccentric Sara]

Amsterdam is SO cool!!! I went there on a uni fieldtrip and we had the afternoon off to mooch around!!!! I went in some underwear shops and er,shopped!!! Was coolies indeed! :D And yeah,the trams scared me!!! They seem to go so fast!!! Much scarier than the ones in Manchester!

[SicN Twisted]

Cocaine, ecstasy? Ecstasy anyone? Cocaine? I got good stuff for you. Cocaine, ecstasy? You want cocaine? You want ecstasy? Ecstasy, cocaine, cocaine, cocaine, ecstasy, ecstasy. Ecstasy and cocaine. I got cocaine, ectasy? You want ectasy, you want cocaine? Cocaine, ectasy?

If you enjoy that delightful soundtrack, it came with my friend's 300 Euro a month studio appartment.

[Linda]

Mags, you don't strick me as the type that would enjoy Amsterdam's daily soundtrack.

Do you mean strike?

[DUKESTER76]

i'll take an eight of coke

[SicN Twisted]

80 Euros, give or take. One of the benefits to living in the city in question.

[DUKESTER76]

i was watching American Pshyco today and it made me want some actually, my nose was tingling and stuff. but i dont do it anymore, i quit all drugs a few years back

[DUKESTER76]

how much does a euro transfer over to a dollar there???

[SicN Twisted]

I believe a Euro = $1.32 when rounded off. I may be wrong though, because it does change.

I started wanting some coke when I saw Run Lola Run.

[DUKESTER76]

that coke is way more addicting than weed huh. thats why they call it nose candy i guess