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Netherlands by car


Netherlands by car

Speed limits in the Netherlands
Speed limits in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has good roads to Belgium and Germany, and ferry links to Great Britain. The country has a dense, well-maintained trunk-road network. Borders are open under the terms of the Schengen Agreement. Cars may be stopped at the border for random checks, but this rarely happens. There are car ferry services from the United Kingdom, see below. As the UK is not part of the Schengen zone, full border checks apply. Driving in The Netherlands 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 do note that as of 2009 returning onto the motorway from an off-ramp lane is illegal. Passing on the right and needless use (other than for passing) of the inside lane(s) is prohibited. (passing on the right is permitted only in congested traffic)
  • Urban driving: Urban driving in the Netherlands is considered by many tourists and locals alike to be an exasperating, time consuming and expensive experience. 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 and moped riders generally tend not to adhere to the rules or traffic lights so preventive driving is crucial.
  • Narrow bridges.
  • Parking: 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 range between 3 and 6 euros per hour. Generally, underground car parks cost between 4 and 6 euros per hour and may be by far the best choice for practical and safety reasons.

    The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Netherlands


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    Netherlands Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.

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