Curaçao Country Code (+599): How to Call Curaçao
The Curaçao country code is +599 with national prefix 9, so you dial +599 9 then a 7-digit number. From the US dial 011-599-9-XXXXXXX.
Curaçao Country Code (+599)
How to Call Curaçao from Anywhere
Quick Reference
Country Code: +599 (shared)
Curaçao National Prefix: 9
Number Length: 9 + 7 digits
Exit Code (from Curaçao): 00
Time Zone: AST (UTC-4)
Emergency: 911 / 912
The Curaçao country code is +599, and Curaçao's national prefix within it is 9 - so you dial +599 9 followed by the 7-digit local number. From the United States that is 011-599-9-XXXXXXX. Every Curaçao number you will ever dial begins +599 9 and then seven more digits.
Here is the part most guides get wrong: +599 is a shared country code. It is not Curaçao's alone. After the Netherlands Antilles dissolved in 2010, +599 stayed in use by Curaçao and the Caribbean Netherlands - Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. The leading digit after +599 is what tells the islands apart, and Curaçao is the one that starts with 9. Get that 9 right and your call lands in Willemstad; miss it and you may be dialing a different island entirely. This guide covers exactly how to dial, how to read the shared code, the local carriers, and how to keep the cost of calling home low.
1How to Call Curaçao from Abroad
To call Curaçao, dial your country's exit code, then 599, then 9, then the 7-digit local number. The 9 is Curaçao's national prefix inside the shared +599 code, so it is always part of the number - never drop it.
Calling Format:
From the USA / Canada:
Exit code: 011
Landline: 011-599-9-462-3873
Mobile: 011-599-9-512-3456
From Any Mobile / Most Countries:
Use + (works worldwide), or 00 from Europe
Landline: +599 9 462 3873
Mobile: +599 9 512 3456
✅ Good to know: 011-599 and +599 work interchangeably. The key is the 9 right after 599 - that single digit is what routes the call to Curaçao rather than to Bonaire, Saba, or Sint Eustatius.
2Why +599 Is Shared (and Curaçao Is the "9")
+599 does not belong to a single country. It was assigned to the former Netherlands Antilles. When that federation was dissolved on 10 October 2010, the code was kept and split among the islands that remained on it. Today +599 is used by Curaçao and by the three islands of the Caribbean Netherlands. The first digit after +599 tells you which island you are reaching:
| Island | Prefix after +599 | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Curaçao | 9 | +599 9 462 3873 |
| Bonaire | 7 | +599 7XX XXXX |
| Saba | 416 | +599 416 XXXX |
| Sint Eustatius | 318 | +599 318 XXXX |
Why this matters:A directory or business card may list a number as just "+599 …" without saying which island. If it begins +599 9, it is Curaçao. (Note: Aruba and Sint Maarten are not on +599 - Aruba uses +297, and Sint Maarten is on the +1 721 North American plan.)
3Curaçao Phone Number Format
A full Curaçao number is +599 9 followed by 7 digits. Locally, the 9 and the seven digits are dialed together as an 8-digit number; internationally you prefix +599. After the 9, the next digit hints at the line type.
Landlines
After the 9, usually start 4, 7, or 8
+599 9 4XX XXXX
Mobiles
After the 9, usually start 5 or 6
+599 9 5XX XXXX
Reading a Curaçao number: You will often see them written (5999) 462-3873, where 5999 simply bundles the 599 code and the leading 9. Re-spaced, that is +599 9 462 3873 - the same number, just grouped differently.
4Curaçao Mobile Carriers
Curaçao's mobile market is a two-network race. Most family calls home now land on a cell phone rather than a landline. The main carriers are:
Flow
Formerly UTS, the long-standing local operator (mobile brand Chippie)
Wide coverage
Digicel
Caribbean-wide challenger with strong 4G
Main competitor
Does the prefix tell you the carrier? Not anymore. Thanks to mobile number portability, a number that starts +599 9 5 or +599 9 6 could be on either Flow or Digicel - subscribers can switch networks while keeping the same number, so you cannot read the carrier from the digits.
5Calling Between Curaçao and the Netherlands
Curaçao has a large diaspora in the Netherlands, where tens of thousands of Curaçaoans and other former-Antilleans live. That makes the Curaçao-Netherlands line one of the most-dialed routes on +599 - and the two ends run on quite different clocks.
Curaçao keeps Atlantic Standard Time (AST, UTC-4) all year, with no daylight saving. The Netherlands sits at UTC+1 in winter and UTC+2 in summer, so it is 5 to 6 hours ahead of Curaçao. To call family in Willemstad from Amsterdam, an early-evening call in the Netherlands reaches them in the afternoon - a comfortable time on the island.
Amsterdam (winter)
8:00 PM
→ 3:00 PM in Curaçao
New York (EST)
7:00 PM
→ 8:00 PM in Curaçao
Miami (EST)
7:00 PM
→ 8:00 PM in Curaçao
From the US East Coast, Curaçao is just one hour ahead in winter (and the same in summer), so almost any evening call works. From the Netherlands, aim for your evening to reach a sociable island afternoon.
6Cheapest Ways to Call Curaçao
| Service | Cost to Curaçao | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| BubblyPhone | Low per-minute rate | Any landline or mobile, calling family |
| Free (data) | App-to-app calls with friends/family | |
| Skype | $0.10-0.30/min | Computer-based calls |
| US carrier (AT&T / Verizon) | $1.00-3.00/min | Emergency only |
⚠️ Watch out: Calling a +599 number on a default US mobile plan can cost several dollars a minute. A VoIP service like BubblyPhone reaches the same Curaçao number for a fraction of that - which adds up fast when you call home every week.
7Pro Tips for Calling Curaçao
9️⃣ Never Drop the 9
The 9 after +599 is Curaçao's national prefix - it is part of every Curaçao number, not an optional area code.
🏝️ +599 9 = Curaçao
If a +599 number does not start with 9, it is Bonaire (7), Saba (416), or Sint Eustatius (318) - not Curaçao.
📱 WhatsApp First
WhatsApp is widely used on Curaçao - free for app-to-app calls before you pay for a direct call.
🕓 No Daylight Saving
Curaçao stays on UTC-4 year-round, so the gap with the US East Coast shifts by an hour between winter and summer.
＋ Use the + Sign
On a mobile, press and hold 0 to type +, then dial +599 9 and the seven digits - it works from any country.
🇳🇱 Calling the Netherlands?
The mainland Netherlands is a different code - +31, not +599.
Frequently Asked Questions
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