Travel & Transport in NL

Transport

For a complete overview of Dutch transportation we recommend you use this link: http://www.holland.com/global/transport/gettingaroundholland/

Trams and buses
Tickets (strippenkaart) can be bought either on the tram or bus but a cheaper option is to purchase your ticket (strippenkaart) from a train station, supermarket, newsstands, post offices (PTT Postkantoor). Season tickets can be purchased at post offices, train stations and bus depots. For more information visit the Dutch public transport website (openbaarvervoer (OV))http://journeyplanner.9292.nl/

Domestic and international trains
You can get train information from the NS web site at http://www.ns.nl/cs/Satellite/travellers.

Taxis
You will find taxis relatively expensive throughout the Netherlands. Taxis have to be reserved and you cannot hail a cab/taxi in the Netherlands. Otherwise you can go to a designated taxi rank. You can reach the main taxi company in the following towns on these numbers (see also www.taxi.nl).

Driving
One should not assume to know the rules of the road in Holland. Our advice is to check out this link http://us.holland.com/e/9625/traffic+rules.php#driving. We strongly advise you take some time to read this information otherwise you will quickly learn that driving in the Netherlands is particularly hazardous and potentially confusing.

The speed limits are as follows:

in built-up areas: 50 kms per hour
outside built-up areas: 80 kms per hour
on the motorways: 100-120 kms per hour, unless otherwise indicated

Just a few Rules of the Road

Traffic coming from the right has the right of way unless otherwise indicated !
Vehicles turning off a road must give priority to cyclists and pedestrians who are continuing straight ahead !
Traffic entering a roundabout has right of way unless otherwise indicated.
Hands free phoning is mandatory in The Netherlands
The Driver and passengers must ALL wear seat belts
Children under 12 must sit in the back seat.

For a look at some of the most common Dutch road signs, please click here.

Parking
If the authorities allowed free parking in the major cities, the traffic would soon be immobilised. That is why a system of paid parking can be found virtually everywhere in all Dutch towns and cities. It can look like a free parking area but ALWAYS double check and look out for for the signs "betaald parkeren" (paid parking), "parkeerautomaat" (parking meter) and "laden en lossen" (loading bay only — usual maximum stay is 10 minutes).

For business and residential dwellings where paid parking is mandatory, a parking permit (parkeervergunning) can be requested from the applicable municipality. The cost of a parking permit varies not only from city to city but also between postcodes within a city. Company parking permits are more expensive than for private dwellings.

Caution: Make sure you put sufficient money in the parking meter or in the on-street parking dispenser; otherwise be prepared to receive a hefty parking fine.

Park-line
Parking is an easy and safe way for the cashless payment of parkingfees. Subscribing to Park-line enables you to park with your mobile phone (with both pre- and postpaid subscriptions of all operators) without ever to bother again for cash payment.

Being registered to Park-line Parking you will receive a creditcard sized transpondercard, to be placed in a plastic holder to the inside of your windscreen, serving as a digital parkingticket.

By calling with your mobile phone to the Park-line system you can either activate or deactivate your parking. Two short calls its all it takes for stressfree parking. park line