Window Prostitution in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is famous for its legal and thriving prostitution industry. In particular, the city is known for its window prostitution, where sex workers openly advertise their services from street-level windows, displayed like wares in a shop.
This is your guide to how window prostitution in Amsterdam actually works.
General Information
Buying and selling sex is legal and strictly regulated in the Netherlands. This makes the city’s red-light districts safer and more transparent than their illegal counterparts elsewhere.
The areas are heavily monitored: you’ll see a strong presence of police (both uniformed and plainclothes), private bodyguards, and 24/7 camera surveillance. The most common crime is pickpocketing, so watch your belongings in the crowds.
The Sex Workers
The women working in Amsterdam’s windows are a diverse group.
Origin: An estimated 75-80% of the women come from Eastern Europe (especially Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria). The rest are a mix of Latin American, African, and Asian women. A Dutch woman in a window is a rarity.
Appearance and Age: The selection runs the gamut: young and old, thin and curvy, dark and fair, natural and silicone-enhanced.
Sex workers are legal adults (the minimum age for window work is 21) and are registered as independent contractors. They set their own prices and have the right to refuse clients for any reason.
The Process
The women wait in their windows, often dressed in lingerie, and may try to catch the eye of potential clients. When you find someone you’re interested in, you approach the glass door, which she will open a crack.
All negotiations about services, price, and duration happen right there in the doorway. Communicate clearly and respectfully. Once you reach an agreement and step inside, the curtain is drawn, letting others know the window is occupied.
Behind the window is a small room with a bed, a toilet, and a sink, where the agreed-upon service takes place.
Condom use is mandatory. Workers have access to regular, voluntary, and free STI testing. They also have panic buttons in their rooms, and in a threatening situation, police or private guards can be at the door in under a minute.
Note: If a window is lit with a blue or purple light, it signifies that a transgender sex worker is available there.
Opening Hours
Window prostitution is permitted almost around the clock, with a mandatory closing period from 6 AM to 8 AM.
- Day Shift (approx. 10 AM - 6 PM): A quieter time with fewer women working. Window rent is cheaper, so service prices might be slightly lower.
- Night Shift (approx. 7 PM - 5 AM): The district comes alive. The selection is at its peak, but so are the crowds. The busiest times are weekends between 9 PM and 2 AM.
Amsterdam’s Red Light Districts
There are three red-light districts in central Amsterdam, with a total of about 300 windows.
De Wallen (The Main Attraction)
This is the famous one—Amsterdam’s largest and busiest red-light district, located near the Central Station.
It has the most windows (around 200), but also the most tourists, noise, and theatrics. This is also where you are most likely to get scammed.
De Wallen is known for its bustling, party-like atmosphere. On weekends and during peak season, the area is packed with young revelers, which can make the environment loud and disruptive.
The vast majority of visitors here are tourists, gawking at the women as if they’re in a zoo—an attitude that both sex workers and local residents despise.
Photo:
Michielverbeek
,
CC BY-SA 3.0
, via Wikimedia Commons
During the day, the atmosphere is considerably calmer, but there are also far fewer sex workers available.
Different ethnicities and offerings are often concentrated in specific areas:
- Black and dark-skinned women work primarily around the Old Church (Oude Kerk).
- Transgender sex workers (Blue Light District) operate from windows lit with blue lights on Bloedstraat, Gordijnensteeg, and Koestraat. The majority of the trans women here are “pre-op,” meaning they still have a penis.
Singel & Spuistraat (The Insider’s Choice)
A few hundred meters west of the De Wallen circus, you’ll find the smaller Singelgebied red-light district, a local favorite with about 40 windows.
Oude Nieuwstraat is the heart of the area, but the windows are concentrated along a few parallel and intersecting streets.
The atmosphere here is quieter and more business-like. Most visitors are paying customers, not tourists. This is where people who know what they want come to avoid the crowds.
The women here are, on average, older and more experienced than in De Wallen. You might even find some Dutch women among them.
Most South American and Dutch prostitutes work on Oude Nieuwstraat. Eastern European prostitutes are concentrated in a building along Spuistraat. Asian prostitutes (mainly Thai) have spots along the Singel canal.
Ruysdaelkade (The Local Spot)
For a completely different vibe, take a 30-minute walk south from De Wallen to the De Pijp neighborhood, where you’ll find Amsterdam’s most discreet and least-known red-light area, Ruysdaelkade.
The area has about 40 red-lit windows, located mainly along the Ruysdaelkade canal over a stretch of 3-4 blocks.
This area is frequented primarily by locals; tourists rarely stumble upon it. The atmosphere is professional: no shouting tourists or gawkers—people come here to get business done quickly and without fuss.
Ruysdaelkade offers a quieter alternative to Amsterdam’s main red-light district, albeit with a much more limited selection.
Prices, Offerings, and Services
Sex workers in Amsterdam’s windows are independent contractors who set their own prices. All prices are negotiated directly at the door.
The starting price for any service is generally €50.
A short visit (typically 15-30 minutes) usually costs between €50 and €100. The basic service (“suck and fuck”) generally covers oral and vaginal sex with a condom. Prices naturally increase for longer durations.
In quieter alleys during the daytime, you might find services for less (under €50). But remember: making a ridiculously low offer is a direct insult.
Additional Services and Extras
Many sex workers offer extra services. The menu depends entirely on the provider, but here are a few examples of possible add-ons:
- Handjob
- Striptease
- Anal Sex
- Threesome with two women
- Erotic Massage
- Cum on body, tits, or in mouth
- BDSM/Kink
- Receiving oral sex
Some of these might be included in the basic package, but more often, extras will significantly increase the total cost.
The Golden Rule: Negotiate EVERYTHING upfront, BEFORE you go inside.
The most common scam goes like this:
- You agree on a price of €100 at the door.
- You go inside and hand over the money.
- The woman says that €100 only covers her getting undressed. Sex costs another €200.
- If you refuse, you’re out €100 and back on the street.
How to avoid this: Memorize this phrase and say it at the door, BEFORE you enter: “One hundred euros. Does that include oral and fucking? How many minutes?”
If the answer is vague, like “We can discuss inside”, turn around and walk away. It’s a trap. Be direct and demand a straight answer.
Payment
Payment is almost exclusively in cash. There are plenty of ATMs in the area. Using cash is also the safest option, as there have been reports of card scams where customers were charged hundreds of euros. The most secure approach is to leave your cards at the hotel and only bring the amount of cash you are willing to spend.
The Rules of Engagement: How to Behave
This is not an amusement park. The Red Light District is a professional work environment with strict rules. Follow them.
- NO PHOTOS. EVER. Taking photos is the number one rule and a major source of conflict. The women are not tourist attractions. They are at work and value their privacy. If you are caught, your camera or phone may be confiscated or thrown into a canal.
- BE RESPECTFUL. Don’t laugh, point, or loiter in front of a window in a group if you have no intention of buying.
- DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL ON THE STREET. This is prohibited in the De Wallen area and will result in a €95 fine.
- DO NOT BUY DRUGS ON THE STREET. This is illegal, and street dealers often sell fake substances or are simply trying to rob you.
- NEGOTIATE POLITELY. Haggling is part of the process, but a sex worker has the right to refuse a client. If your offer is rejected, don’t get offended; just move on.
- MAINTAIN GOOD HYGIENE. If you intend to purchase services, be clean. Basic hygiene is a sign of respect.
- TIME IS MONEY. When the agreed-upon time is up, you must leave. You don’t get extra time for free, even if you haven’t finished.
- CONDOMS ARE MANDATORY. All sex work is performed with a condom.
That’s it. It’s not complicated.
Amsterdam is a place where you can get anything for a price, as long as you understand and respect the rules of the game. It’s not love; it’s business.
