Country code Netherlands, +31 or 0031?
There are two spellings for the Netherlands area code, namely +31 and 0031. Which area code do you have to use? What is the difference between the two country codes for Netherlands and what are the different versions for?
The country code of Netherlands that starts with a “+” (i.e. +31) is the so-called international code (international spelling). It is primarily used in the mobile communications sector. Most cell phones can make an international call to the Netherlands using the +31 area code. This applies to almost every country in the world.
Unfortunately, there are phones (especially older models) that do not support the international spelling. The Netherlands area code with leading zeros (0031) is then used on these phones. The leading zeros are also referred to as the so-called traffic elimination number. When you call, they indicate that it is an international call.
Problem: Access code and area code 0031
In fact, the 0031 variant applies to calls to the Netherlands, especially in Europe. In other countries of the world, the international code 0031 will not work. Example: In the USA, international calls to the Netherlands begin with 011. An international call here begins with the area code 01131.
Conclusion
For calls from UK to the Netherlands you can always use the country code 0031. In other countries, the two leading zeros must be replaced by a different access code. The international dialing code (+31) for the Netherlands works in all countries in the world. However, it is not supported in all networks and by all telephone devices.
Example of calls to the Netherlands
To illustrate the use of the international dialing code for the Netherlands (+31 or 0031), here is another example:
You want to call the number 456789 with the area code 0123 in the Netherlands. In this case you can use the following numbers (from UK/Europe):
0031 123 456789
If you use a mobile phone, the following notation also applies worldwide:
+31 123 456789