Smoking policy

No smoking in public transport

Owners of means of public transport (trains, buses, taxis, etc.) in Holland must ensure that their passengers are not bothered by smoke while travelling. In airplanes the ban on smoking was ordered quite a few years prior to this. It is now forbidden to smoke anywhere in railway stations in Holland. In the main concourse, on the escalators, in lifts, tunnels, passageways, waiting rooms and platforms that are roofed over. To oblige smokers, platforms with a roof have designated smoking areas. It is also allowed to smoke in the open air, for instance on platforms without a roof.

No smoking at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Effective 1 January 2008, no smoking is allowed in any of the public areas in the terminals of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The public areas at the airport no longer have any smoking facilities. Travelers are allowed to smoke on Jan Dellaertplein and on the pavement at departure level. Smokers should note that it is not allowed to smoke in the departure lounges after they have gone through passport control.

No smoking in pubs, bars and restaurants as from 1 July 2008

From 1 July 2008 it is no longer allowed to smoke in hotels, cafés and restaurants, fast food restaurants and discotheques. Smoking will no longer be allowed either in coffee shops, the cafés in Holland in which selling and using soft drugs is permitted, under certain conditions.
Individual establishments may set up closed smoking areas, however, staff will not be allowed to serve in these areas. Smoking is permitted outdoors, including in ‘pavement cafés’ (areas with outdoor seating adjoining catering establishments). The tobacco legislation does however apply to covered pavement cafés, for instance in shopping malls.