NL Netherlands: how to get around

The easiest way to travel around is by using your bank card (Mastercard/Visa) directly on the readers / gates. The working is similar to the older OV-chipkaart system, you check in when you start traveling (single beep), and check out when you stop traveling (double beep). You should use the exact same card when checking out. When you switch train operators, trams or buses; you also have to check out and check in again. There is no need to check out and back in when transferring from metro to metro or train to train from the same carrier/operator. You can use the OVpay-app to see details of your transactions and correct certain mistakes.

To prevent fraud some virtual bank cards are blocked from using the system (including digital Revolut cards).

You can only use OVpay for second class train travel and distance-based fares.

9292

In addition to being a journey planner the 9292 smartphone app can be used to buy tickets for the whole of the planned journey.

All public transport in the Netherlands (buses, trams, metros and trains) accept contactless smart cards called OV-chipkaart (OV stands for Openbaar Vervoer meaning "Public Transport"), sometimes also called the Public transport chipcard.

The OV-chipkaart comes in three versions:

• Disposable OV-chipkaart is a single-use ticket. It can not be reloaded. Some public transport companies in cities offer 1-, 2- or 3-day tickets offering unlimited use in certain regions.
• Anonymous OV-chipkaart used to be a card to load credit. Since the introduction of OVpay this card has been phased out, as you can use your bank card to travel on credit.
• Personal OV-chipkaart features the holder's photograph and is useful for monthly or annual season tickets that are not supported on bank cards/OV-pas. The card cost are €7.50. The online request form requires an address in the Benelux or Germany and payment by iDeal or PayPal, you may contact them if you live outside these countries as long as you have a valid IBAN bank account number. You get the card for free if you sign up with a NS season ticket (only iDeal supported).

Anonymous and personal cards must have a minimum stored value when travelling on the balance, which for NS trains is €20 (unofficially €16) and generally €4 for local public transit operators.

• Holland Travel Ticket allows unlimited travel through all off the Netherlands by train, tram, bus and metro for 1 day for €48 (May 2023).
• Interrail has passes for unlimited train travel throughout the Benelux for 3 to 8 days. The price for an adult ranges from €35,- to €50,- per day. €30,- to €43,- for the ages 12-27 and 60+. and kids age 0-11 travel for free. The more days you take, the cheaper. (June 2024).

• With an NS Off-Peak Group Ticket, you pay a fixed amount for a one-way ticket on a route that you select yourself. The bigger the group, the lower the price per person. €34 for 2 people (€17 per person) to €50 for 7 people (€7,15 per person). For reference a trip from Amsterdam to Maastricht is €29,40 per person.
• The Spoordeel Winkel of the NS they have deals include the travel from your local train station to popular attractions like the efteling. and other museums, zoo's, amusement parks and cities. These deals also include the entry to the attraction unless it's a city, then it includes a food and drink from the Kiosk at the train station.

Both of these deals are Only valid during off-peak hours. Meaning you can not travel between 06:30-09:00 and 16:00-18:30. Valid all day on weekends, public holidays. Except on Koningsdag (April 27).

• NS offers PriceTime Deal when you buy certain quiet train routes in advance via the NS app or NS.nl. The discount can be up to 60%, it cannot be cancalled and is only valid for a specific train time and route.

Most of the Netherlands is densely populated and urbanised, and train services are frequent to most big cities and larger villages and towns in between. There are two main types of trains: Intercities which only stop at major stations and Sprinters which stop at all stations. All types of train have the same prices. Also, there are high-speed trains called 'Intercity Direct' between Amsterdam and Breda, which only requires a supplement ticket between Schiphol and Rotterdam. Travelling all the way from the north of the country (Groningen) to the south (Maastricht) takes approximately 4 hours.

The Spoorkaart is a map of the railway system and shows all services. You can obtain the most recent version from this page on NS' website (listed under Informatie towards the bottom). Connections with only one train per hour are shown in thinner lines. A live Spoorkaart shows where trains are at the moment, with updates as they move.

Most lines offer one train every 15 minutes (every 10 min during the rush hours), but some rural lines run only every 60 min. Where more lines run together, the frequency is, of course, even higher. In the western Netherlands, the rail network is more like a large urban network, with up to 12 trains per hour on main routes.

The (NS) operates most routes. Some local lines are operated by Keolis, Arriva, Veolia and Qbuzz.

Because of the high service frequency, delays are quite common. However, the delay is usually not more than 5 or 10 minutes. Trains can be crowded, especially in the morning rush hour. Reserving seats on domestic trains is not possible.

One particular mistake tourists often make is getting on the wrong part of a train. Many trains consist of two parts with different destinations. Somewhere on the way to the final destination, the parts will be separated and will continue on their own to their respective destinations. In that case, the signs over the platforms will show two destinations and which part goes where: achterste deel/achter means back and voorste deel/voor means front, referring to the direction of departure. Feel free to ask other passengers or an employee.

Another frequently made mistake involves travelling from Schiphol to Amsterdam. From Schiphol you can go to either Amsterdam Centraal or Amsterdam Zuid (South). These railway stations are not connected directly and many tourists with the idea of going to Amsterdam Centraal wind up at South. Therefore, always check the destination of the train. From Amsterdam Zuid you can take the metro to Centraal, or a train to Centraal with an interchange at station Duivendrecht (2nd floor).

There is a convenient night train service (for party-goers and airport traffic) between Rotterdam, Delft, The Hague, Leiden, Schiphol, Amsterdam, and Utrecht, all night long, once an hour in each direction. On Friday and Saturday evenings, some train lines run an additional late train to other cities.

Most trains have two comfort classes (1e klasse and 2e klasse). Most regional lines not run by NS don't have first class. First class and second class are usually distinguished by different colour schemes. Signs with either "1" or "2" next to outside doors and carriage doors indicate class. Some zones in train are silent zones. Noise is to be kept to a minimum in these areas. They are indicated either by a stylised face in silhouette holding a finger to the lips, or a yellow oval with "Ssst". Usually, there's "stilte / silence" on the windows of a stiltecoupé.

Free Wi-Fi is available at almost all major train stations and in most trains. Electrical outlets are usually available in first class (except some regional trains) and in newer trains also in second class.

Most stations are small with only one or two platforms. Stops at towns or villages in general aren't provided with railway staff. However cities like Amsterdam and Utrecht have large central stations with up to 14 platforms. It can take 5, maybe even 10 minutes to move from one platform to another, especially for people who not familiar with the station.

The platforms are all numbered. When platforms are so long that two or more trains can halt at the same platform, the different parts of the platform are indicated with the lowercase letters a/b/c. On some stations, capital letters are used to indicate which part of the train stops at which part of the station. Do not confuse the lower case and upper case letters.

The network of regional and local buses in the Netherlands is fine-grained and frequent and usually connects well with the train network; by bus travellers can reach most small villages easily. However, for long-distance travel, these regional buses are not convenient and much slower than the train.

Previously, long-distance buses were only available on a small number of routes that aren't covered by the rail network; these buses have special names that differ by region, such as Q-liner, Brabantliner and Interliner and special tariffs. However, German long-distance bus company Flixbus has been expanding its range of domestic connections in the Netherlands, with ticket prices starting around €10.

The main local and regional bus companies in the Netherlands are Connexxion, Arriva, EBS, Keolis and Qbuzz. Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague have their own public transport company. A lot of Connexxion buses, especially around Amsterdam, Haarlem and Schiphol, operate under R-NET livery.

Many companies and regions have their own bus discount tickets, which are often cheaper than using credit on the OV-chipkaart.

Park-and-ride-(travel-)tickets: some towns and cities have special cheaper bus tickets from car parks near the city limits to the city centre, for outside rush hours, usually a return ticket.

Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht offer public transport at night. Only Amsterdam has a service all night and every night; in the other cities it is more limited to the beginning of the night or only during the weekend. Several other cities and regions also have night buses, usually even more limited. Some night buses cover quite a distance, such as Amsterdam-Almere.

Getting around at night might prove to be a challenge, with even Schiphol being hard to reach from several cities and villages directly around it.

You might need special night-bus tickets so be sure to check the city pages.

The two largest cities, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, have a metro network which consist of mainly elevated railways outside the city centres, and some kilometres underground railways within the centre.They are served by either RET and GVB. Line E of the Rotterdam metro has a start/final destination at The Hague Central Station.

Furthermore, there is a large city tram network in the agglomerations of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague; Utrecht has a few sneltram lines (fast tram or light-rail).

Cycling in the Netherlands is much safer and more convenient than in many other countries, because of the infrastructure - cycle paths, cycle lanes, and signposted cycle routes - and because of the small distances and flatness. All these factors plus many more additional facilities such as numerous picnic places, terraces, small ferry-connections and camping places, makes it often preferable to discover the country by bike rather than by car.

The proliferation of bicycles also means that you're seen as a significant part of the traffic mix - motorists will let you know if you don't keep to the rules and presume you are aware of other traffic. This is specially important to know in the very busy (chaotic) centres of the biggest cities. Here it can be sensible to get off your bike for a few hundred metres and/or leave the centre entirely by taking the bike onto a train, metro or randstadrail-tram).

Some things to know:

• Cycle lanes and cycle paths are indicated by a round blue sign with a white bike icon, an icon on the asphalt, or by red asphalt. Using them is mandatory.
• Cyclists must obey the same traffic signs as motorists, unless exempted. For example, a cycle icon under a no-entry sign, usually with the text 'uitgezonderd' (except), means cyclists may use the street in both directions.
• Where there is no cycle lane or path, use the regular road. This is unlike the rule in Germany and Belgium, where you are supposed to use the footpath in many places. Cyclists are not allowed on all (semi-)highways indicated as "Autosnelweg" or "Autoweg"
• On some narrow streets that do have a cycle path parallel to them, mopeds may be required to use the cycle path, rather than the main street (as is usual).
• Bicycles must have working front (white) and rear (red) lights. Reflectors are not sufficient. You may be fined (€40) for cycling in the dark without a light, and you seriously endanger yourself and other traffic by doing so. Small, battery-operated LED lights attached to your person are allowed.

Regular signs for bicycle routes are usually white, with a red border and lettering, more recreational/tourist routes to a town or village are green lettered. In rural areas as well as in nature areas, signposts may be so called Paddenstoelen (mushrooms). These are small boxes (more or less resembling the form of a mushroom) near the ground on which the destinations are printed.

There are different ways to use a bicycle:

• staying in a city, the bike can be used as a means of transport, to get from A to B. This is the way local people most of the time use it, for short journeys it is faster than car, bus or tram. Cyclists can also reach interesting places near the city, which may not be accessible by public transport.
• Many times bikes are also used as means to see nearby places and landscapes:
  • The many signposted cycle routes are designed for this, most of them take cyclists back to the starting point. Some rural routes go through areas inaccessible by car.
  • In most parts of the Netherlands it's possible to create your own routes by connecting marked and numbered points called "knooppunten". (see for more information planjeroute.nl (plan your route) .)
• Except for the rush hours in the morning and at the end of the afternoon, bikes can be taken on a train. Therefore, cyclists are to buy a supplementary ticket called "dagkaart fiets", which is easily obtained from the automated kiosks for €6. As an alternative, bikes can be easily rented at (or near) train stations. Folding bikes can be taken on board for free as hand luggage when folded. All trains are provided with specific bicycle entrances. Cyclists may park their bike here and also are allowed to ask people to move for this reason. Also in two western urban region's it's possible to transport bicycles for free by metro (Amsterdam/The Hague-Rotterdam) or randstadrail-tram (The Hague-Zoetermeer), except during daytime from Monday-Friday.
• More experienced cyclists may like to set off across the country. The national long-distance cycle routes are designed for this type of holiday; see Cycling in the Netherlands Long-distance routes.

The best online routeplanner for cyclists can be found at a wikiplanner made by volunteers of the Dutch cyclist union "Fietsersbond".

Bike theft is a serious problem in the Netherlands, especially around train stations, and in larger cities. If possible, use the guarded bike parking ('stalling') at train stations and in some city centres. They will cost up to €1.20 per day. In general, use 2 locks of different kinds (for example, one chain lock and one tube lock). This is because most bike thieves specialise in a particular kind of lock, or carry equipment best suited to one kind of lock. Ideally, you should lock the bike to a lamppost or similar. Bike thieves have been known to simply load unattached bikes onto a pickup truck, so they can crack open the locks at leisure.

In cities, bikes are often stolen by drug addicts, and they sell most stolen bikes too. They often simply offer them for sale to passers-by, if they think no police are watching. Buying a stolen bike is itself illegal, and police do arrest buyers. If you buy for a suspiciously low price (e.g. €10-20), or in a suspicious place (in general, on the street), the law presumes you "know or should have known" the bike was stolen. In other words, actual ignorance of the bike's origins is no excuse.

Bike thefts should be reported to the police. Please do so.

Bike shops are the best place to buy a second-hand bike legally, but prices are high. Some places where you can rent bikes will also sell their written off stock, which is usually well maintained. Most legal (and often cheap) second-hand bike sales now go through online auction sites like marktplaats.nl - the Dutch subsidiary of eBay.

Almost all Dutch train stations have bikes from the bike rental system OV-fiets. You need a personal OV-chipkaart with a free OV-fiets season ticket or NS Flex season ticket. these season tickets require a bank account that supports iDeal payments. The fee of €4.55 per day is debited automatically, and a surcharge of €10 for one-way rentals applies. Smaller stations usually only have a few bikes available so sometimes they are all rented out. A limited number of train stations also have e-bikes available for a higher fee. In Gelderland and Friesland some train stations have bikes from Deelfiets Nederland, for those bikes the fee is €6.00 per day.

"Weaker" parties in traffic such as cyclists and pedestrians enjoy extra protection from the law regarding liability when an accident occurs with a "stronger" party (e.g. cars). The basic idea is that the stronger participant (e.g. a car driver) is always liable when an accident occurs between a weaker (e.g. a cyclist) and the stronger party, unless force majeure can be proven. Force majeure is here defined as (1) the car driver was driving correctly and (2) the faults of the cyclist were so unlikely that the car driver did not have to accommodate his driving for them. When this cannot be proven, the car driver is liable, but this can be limited when the accident can be attributed to the behaviour of the cyclist, up to 50% (more if the cyclist was consciously being reckless).

The burden of proof for force majeure, for faults of the cyclist and for recklessness are with the car driver. Such things can be hard to prove, which is why in practice some people will say cyclists and pedestrians always have right of way, but this is incorrect.

A car might be a good way to explore the countryside, especially places not connected by rail, such as the Veluwe and parts of Zeeland. Drive on the right.

The motorway (freeway) network is rather extensive, though heavily used. Congestion, especially during peak hour, is usual and can better be avoided. On specific motorways (mostly around Amsterdam and Utrecht) the emergency lane opens as regular lane during congestion (Spitsstrook) indicated with a green arrow. If they open it is mandatory to use that lane. Never drive under a red cross (x), as that could be dangerous and may result in high fines. If you break down on a motorway call 112 or 0800-8002, a government arranged tow truck will bring you to the next exit for free, from where you can arrange your own road side assitance.

A motorway (autosnelweg) is indicated with a letter A/number combination which is placed in a red box. In the less urbanised parts, such as the south-west and the north, motorways are few. Many times connections there are made by a semi highway called Autoweg, or another N road. All these routes are indicated with a letter N/number combination in a yellow box. Most times, motorists will be directed by signage to the nearest A or N road, so those who would prefer a more scenic drive avoiding main roads will need to follow signs to local villages.

If you break down, phone the ANWB auto-club via the toll-free number 0800–0888. Your membership of a foreign auto-club might entitle you to discount rates on their services. Leased (business) cars and rental cars are usually covered by the ANWB services included in the lease/rental price; but you may want to check any provided booklets.

Road signs with directions are plenty, but having a navigation system is useful, especially in cities where there are many one way streets, and getting from one part of the city to another is not always so straightforward. Be careful not to drive on bus lanes, often indicated with a blue bus sign and markings such as Lijnbus or Bus, nor on cycling paths, marked by the picture of a bicycle, or by a reddish colour of the asphalt. Also, do not use lanes when the matrix display above the designated lane indicates a red "X" - this means they cannot be used and heavy fines can be given due to the danger when using them.

Fuel is easy to come by, but expensive. It might be better to fill your vehicle before entering the Netherlands, since the Belgian and German fuel prices can be up to €0.30 lower per litre. Unmanned petrol stations, such as TanGo or Firezone, save up to 10 cents, but are still expensive than their Belgian counterparts. They accept all common debit and credit cards. Along highways many petrol stations are open 24/7. All stations sell both petrol and diesel. Liquid Petroleum Gas is sold at quite a few petrol stations along the highways, but is never sold in built-up areas. The symbol for LPG gas is a green-coloured pump icon, set beside the general case black-coloured pump icon.

If you come to the Netherlands with your LPG-fuelled car, you will probably need an adaptor. If you buy that in your country, specifically ask for a Dutch adaptor. The plug sold as "European" (screw style), used in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, won't fit Dutch pumps.

Road rules, markings and signs are similar to other European countries but have some particularities:

• At unmarked intersections, traffic coming from the right always has priority. Traffic includes bicycles, horses, horse-drawn carts (recreational use and fairly uncommon), electric wheelchairs, small mopeds and motorised bicycles.
• Cycle paths are clearly marked and are widespread throughout the country.
• On motorways, on and off-ramps (slip-roads) are usually long and allow for smooth merging. However, returning onto the motorway from an exit lane is illegal. Passing on the right and needless use (other than for passing) of the outside lanes is prohibited. (Passing on the right is permitted only in slow, congested traffic.)

In built up areas public transport buses have the priority when leaving a bus stop, so be careful as they may pull in front of you expecting that you will give way.

If you are involved in an accident, both drivers need to complete and counter-sign a statement for their respective insurance companies (damage form/"schadeformulier"). You are required to have this form on hand. The police need to be notified if you have damaged (public) property (especially along the highways), if you have caused any sort of injury, or if the other driver does not agree to sign the insurance statement. It is illegal to hit and run. If the other driver does this, call the police and stay at the scene. The emergency telephonenumber is 112 (toll-free, will even work from disconnected mobile phones); the telephone number for a non-emergency police presence is 0900–8844.

General speed limits in the Netherlands are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside of built-up areas, 100 km/h on expressways (autoweg in Dutch), and up to 130 km/h on motorways (autosnelweg) during the night (19:00–06:00). In all of these cases, exceptions are common, with, for example many 30 km/h zones in built-up areas. 30 km/h zones are the home of unmarked intersections (so all traffic from the right has right of way!). On roads outside of built-up areas, speed is often limited to, e.g. 60 km/h, and on the motorway often to 100 km/h in urban areas. Almost all motorways have signs indicating a speed limit with a sign "6-19h" below, which means that the indicated speed limit is valid from 06:00 to 19:00, with a 130 km/h limit applicable at other times. From 2020, the maximum speed limit on highways is 100 km/h from 06:00 to 19:00.

Speed indicated on the dot matrix signs above the lanes always take precedence over anything else you see, both when the speed is in a red circle (the regular speed limit) or without (an incidental speed limit, indicating traffic or construction). A white circle with a diagonal bar in it indicates 'end of all speed limits from dot matrix signs' from which moment on you obey the ordinary signs.

Your speed will be checked nationwide by the police and fines are heavy. Exceeding the maximum speed with more than 50 km/h will result in seizure of your driving licence. After that driving is considered a criminal act. Pay extra attention to Trajectcontrole signs: that means that in the road you're driving there is an automatic system that checks your average speed on a long section. Radar detectors are illegal devices to have in your car. They will be impounded and you will be fined €250. Keep in mind that the police use so-called radar detector detectors to track down radar detector users, so it is best to turn them off. Drinking and driving is not allowed and this is enforced strongly. Breathalyser tests occur frequently, both on an individual basis (i.e. you get pulled over and the police see it necessary for you to undergo a breathalyser test) as on a bigger scale (i.e. the police has set up a designated control checkpoint on a highway). An unbroken yellow line next to the pavement means no stopping, a broken yellow next to the pavement means no parking. Some crossings have "shark teeth" painted on the road, this means you have to give way to the other traffic.

Police also use unmarked traffic surveillance cars, especially on the highways. They have a video surveillance system and often they don't stop you right after you commit a violation, but they keep on following you. That means if you do more violations, you'll be fined for everything you did. The policemen in unmarked cars are obliged to identify themselves after pulling you over, which means you shouldn't have to ask. Policemen in marked cars have to show their ID only when you ask them for it, but they too are obliged to show it when asked.

Urban driving in the Netherlands is considered by many tourists and locals alike to be an exasperating, time-consuming and expensive experience. The traffic systems of most city centres are designed to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, rather than motorised vehicles.

City roads are narrow, riddled with speed bumps, chicanes and a large variety of street furniture (with knee-high, asphalt-coloured anti-parking poles being probably the most dangerous threat to paintwork as they tend to either blend into the background or be beneath the driver's view).

Other hazards are:

• Pedestrians protruding on the road or crossing in dangerous and not-permitted areas.
• Cyclists have more rights and are more assertive in asserting them than in most countries, which can be intimidating to unaccustomed drivers. Please, always give priority to cyclists when turning across a cycle lane. If you are involved in a collision with a cyclist, you will be automatically liable (though not automatically guilty).
• Narrow bridges.

Parking in city centres can be expensive. Particularly in Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam, street parking is sometimes limited to only a few hours and prices are €3–6 per hour. Generally, underground car parks cost €4–6 per hour and may be by far the best choice for practical and safety reasons. Consider using public transport to avoid traffic jams and the great difficulties involved in finding a parking spot. P+R park and ride facilities are available at the outskirts of bigger cities; you can park your car cheaply there, and continue your journey via public transport.

Uber and Bolt operate in the Netherlands (updated May 2024)

The Dutch taxi system has been re-structured to change its bad reputation and sometimes exorbitant rates. While legal maximum charges now apply and all taxis are obliged to have a tariff sheet visible in the window, taxis still remain an expensive way to get around, and with good public transport, taxis are a much less popular mode of transport than in most places in the world. If you're travelling on a budget, public transport is a much better bet. With cluttered traffic in and around cities during rush hour, it's often enough faster too.

If you do want to take a taxi, you'll usually have to call one or order one online, so you might want to look up a company upon arrival. It's uncommon to hail taxis on the streets. In larger cities, you'll typically find a taxi stand at major train stations and sometimes close to entertainment districts. Drivers may want to convince you that you are obliged to take the first in line, but this is never the case. You are always free to pick the taxi of your choice. It is illegal for drivers to refuse short rides, but it's not uncommon for drivers who have obtained a front position to do so. Keep in mind that these guys sometimes wait for a long time to get to this position. If it's all the same to you, you might want to let them refer you to someone else. If you don't want to switch, or if it's the only taxi around, it may help to say you'll file a complaint and write down the taxi's number.

All taxis must have registered blue license plates and a board computer which also serves as the meter. They must have their rates visible on a tariff card and the driver has to carry a taxi driver's license card. Taxi companies are free to establish their rates, as long as they do not exceed the legal maximum. The driver is allowed to offer you a fixed price, as long as it's within legal maximum rates.

Taxi scams are common, though, and being charged more than double the maximum rate is not uncommon. If you have to pay a round price (e.g. €55.00), you're likely being scammed.

The maximum rates are the sum of the initial fee, the fee per kilometre and the fee per minute. They are set annually by the Dutch government. For a normal (4-person) cab they are €4.31, €3.17 and €0.52 (as of 2027). This means you'll pay more if you get stuck in traffic. For small vans (5 to 8 passengers), the maximum amounts are €8.77, €4.00 and €0.59.

Making your way on thumb is accepted and locals that take you typically expect no payment in return. It's less suited for short rides from small towns or minor streets, as the lack of traffic may cause a long wait. Hitch-hiking on the highways/motorways is not allowed but generally tolerated on the interchanges/access points, provided you do not create a dangerous traffic situation. Interchanges are indicated by a letter A/number combination printed in a red box on signposts.

Try to stay before the traffic sign highway/motorway (a blue rectangle with two separated lanes disappearing in the distances printed in white) or the sign of the front of a car, indicating the entrance to a semi-highway. Also try to stay on a spot where cars have slow speed and where it is possible for drivers to stop. The same safety rule applies to highway petrol stations and rest places, and to traffic lights on non-highway/motorway roads.

For longer distances, the large number of highway crossings make it difficult to find a driver going to your exact destination. A simple (cardboard) plate with your destination written on it is a common way to increase chances of finding the right driver, and may also convince suited drivers that they will not be stopping in vain.

There are recommended unofficial spots (liftplaats) (lift-stops) mainly at the edges of a few major cities:

• Prins Bernhardplein, before NS Station Amsterdam Amstel (on east side of the river Amstel) (past the bus stop). Leads to the ramp of the S112 of the A10, direction A1-E231/A2-E35. It is recommended for the directions Central-/East-Netherlands. For other directions/routes try also alternative spots.

Alternative spots / other directions (recommended for the directions West-/South-Netherlands):

• Amstel (on the west side of the river Amstel) near traffic-lights/Utrechtsebrug and near beginning-/end-stop of Tram-line 25. Leads to the ramp of the S111 of the A10, directions A2-E35-E25.
• Junction S109 of the A10, close to NS Station RAI (RAI Congress Centre; specially when there are large events or congresses). Leads to the ramp of the S109 of the A10, directions A2-E35-E25/A4-E19.
• At bus stop Amstelveenseweg / Ringweg Zuid just northeast from metro station Amstelveensweg. There is an on-ramp which leads to the A10 North, A4 (to the South) and A9 (both directions). What makes this location convenient is that cars can easily stop in the bus lane in order to pick you up.

• Utrechtsebaan next to the northside of the Malieveld, at the beginning of the A12-E30 towards Utrecht. Also possibilities towards A4-E19 for Delft-Rotterdam and for Leiden-Amsterdam

Alternative spots / other directions:

• Edge at the northwest-side of the Malieveld/crossing Zuid-Holland-laan, Boslaan (Utrechtse baan), Benoordenhoutseweg, towards Leidsestraatweg-N44-A44 for Leiden and Amsterdam.

• Graafseweg (Venlo and Den Bosch), at the major city-centre roundabout (verkeersplein) Keizer Karelplein (hitch-hiking on the roundabout itself is not recommended),
• near the Waalbrug/before the bridge in direction Arnhem,
• at the Annastraat, close to the Radboud University (RU)/University Medical Centre (UMC),
• at the Triavium, across shopping centre Dukenburg.

• Junction of Emmaviaduct and Emmasingel (200 m west of Groningen station). For directions West and South, towards Friesland, Drenthe, and Eastern, Western and Southern Netherlands.
• Junction of Europaweg and Damsterdiep. For direction East, towards the east of Groningen province and Germany.

• Utrecht close to petrol station and ramp of the Waterlinieweg near 'De Galgewaard' soccer-football-stadium, North/Northeast to A27/A28, South/East to A2/A12/A27.
• Due to reconstruction of the road, the liftershalte in Maastricht at the beginning of the A2 (near the soccer stadium De Geusselt) unfortunately has been removed in 2012.

Due to the small size of the country and the abundance of road and rail connections, there are no domestic flights.