Access facilities

The main entrance and the box office are located at Amstel 1, facing the river Amstel.

The cloakroom is on the left of the main entrance on the ground floor.

The introductions (in Dutch) take place in the Odeonzaal. You will find the entrance opposite the cloakroom on the ground floor.

The dinner arrangement takes place in the foyer, 2nd balcony level, on the right hand side (the 'Even' side of the auditorium).

The toilets are in between the two cloakrooms on the ground floor and on the right-hand side of the foyer on the stalls level and on the 1st and 2nd balcony.

The shop is situated on the left-hand side of the stalls level.

The Friends’ desk is in the centre of the stalls level.

Use of the cloakroom is free of charge for visitors. For security reasons, it is not permitted to take your coat, bag and luggage into the auditorium. We therefore request you to hand in your coat, bag and luggage to the cloakroom. Bags no larger than A4 size (30 cm x 21 cm x 10 cm) are permitted in the foyer and auditorium. Bags larger than A4 size are not permitted and must be handed in at the cloakroom.

In special cases where required for reasons of general security, Dutch National Opera & Ballet can request to look inside any luggage you have brought with you. If deemed necessary, specially trained staff may also request your cooperation in making a body search.

The theatre is divided into three levels: stalls, 1st balcony and 2nd balcony. Seats with odd numbers are situated on the left-hand side of the auditorium on each level (use the left-hand entrance marked “Oneven”), and seats with even numbers are situated on the right-hand side of the auditorium (use the right-hand entrance marked “Even”).

When the performance begins, the doors are shut and it is no longer possible to enter the auditorium. THis is to ensure the other audience members are not disturbed during the performance. Latecomers can watch the performance on a monitor in the foyer. After the interval, if there is one, latecomers may then take their seats in the auditorium.

National Opera & Ballet is well-suited to accommodating wheelchair users. There is a lift as well as a wheelchair-friendly WC. A number of places in the stalls are reserved for wheelchair users and those accompanying them. The wheelchair places are all fitted with a screen for the surtitles.

You can pay in the lobby with PIN, credit card (Master Card and Visa) or cash. In a crowded hall with a capacity of 1,600 visitors, most guests all go to the bar at the same time, creating crowds and lines at the bars. Some tips to shorten your waiting time:

• Pay with your PIN card (also contactless). This is the fastest form of payment, thus keeping lines during breaks as short as possible.
• At the bar, one line often goes faster than the other. Keep an eye out and switch to the shorter line when possible.
• You can also choose not to stand in line at the bar during the break. Our breaks are approximately 25 minutes. There is plenty of time to do something different first, and move your bar-visit to after the first 10 minutes of the break.
• The middle bar at zaalniveau (main level) does not sell hot drinks. The lines at this bar are therefore shorter.
• Placing your order in advance prevents you from standing in line during the break. Click here to pre-order.
• You can order your break drinks at any bar before the start. They are then ready for you during the break. That omits waiting in line.

For the hearing impaired, National Opera & Ballet is equipped with an audio induction loop system. When purchasing tickets online or offline, please note that some seats do not provide a signal. These seats are indicated below. If you wear a hearing aid, we request you to ensure that the volume is not set too high, as it can cause acoustic feedback that is difficult to trace and which can disturb other members of the audience. 

No reception

Stalls
rows 1 through 5
rows 6 and 7 seat 2
row 8 seat 1
row 9 seats 2 and 3
row 10 seats 1 and 3
row 11 seat 3
row 12 seats 1 and 2
row 13 seats 1 and 2
rows 14 through 17 seat 1
row 18 in its entirety

1st balcony
row 6 in its entirety
row 5 seats 1 and 2
row 4 seats 1 and 2
row 3 seats 1 and 2
row 2 seats 1 and 2
row 1 seats 1 and 2

the entire 2nd balcony