For some trains you ll need to make a reservation in advance or to buy a ticket if you want to bring your bicycle on board.
Bikes on trains netherlands.
The dutch use bikes as a tool to feed their transit system.
In the netherlands it is fairly common to take your bicycle on the train nevertheless it can still be quite a hassle and there are some things that you need to take into account.
Moreover the national transit system seemingly provides one crucial condition.
Buying or reserving a bicycle ticket.
The structure of railway operation in the netherlands is very similar to that in germany.
Citizens use the train and cycling systems in an integrated manner with combined bicycle train transport recently demonstrating strong growth.
Bike rack at leiden lammenschans station there is a good spread of railways in the netherlands with frequent regular links between the major cities.
Taking your bicycle on the train in the netherlands.
Outside of the rush hours all domestic trains take bicycles.
50 percent of all trips that take place on the transit system in the netherlands begin with a bicycle ride.
The bike is an integral part of everyday life rather than a specialist s accessory or a symbol of a minority lifestyle so dutch people don t concern themselves with having the very latest model.
You can get from one side of the country to the other with your bicycle in a matter of hours.
Having taken everything from a folding bike to a bunch of recumbent bicycles.
So it might surprise some people that the railway network in the netherlands has a rush hour ban on bicycles on trains.
This makes the train a good way of exploring different parts of holland.
An off peak bicycle ticket can also be used on other carriers however you may not take a bicycle with you on the ice train thalys or ns buses.
You are travelling outside of rush hour.
You can book your train trip with bike at the ns international service center or the ns international counter at one of the tickets service offices at the larger train stations.
Holland has an extensive rail network with regular services all over the country.
The netherlands seems to exhibit the unique conditions that allow cycling on the country level instead of only the city level.
It serves two goals.
The dutch are the world leaders of combining bicycle and train trips 40 of rail commuters use bicycles to get to stations.