How cycle friendly are Dutch trains?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

How cycle friendly are Dutch trains?

Post by foxyrider »

How cycle friendly are Dutch trains? I ask as its looking increasingly likely that i'll need to use them this summer to get back to Rotterdam (returning from Denmark).

German and Danish railways i've used but Dutch only without a bike. Are there bike areas/carriages? is there a charge? Do you need to book in advance?
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
slowpeddler
Posts: 151
Joined: 6 Aug 2010, 5:33pm

Re: How cycle friendly are Dutch trains?

Post by slowpeddler »

Hi
Yes there is a charge, I think about 6 Euro. So many people cycle that they discourage cycles on trains. The sprinter trains have cycle places but the NS Intercity might only have a couple of places at each end. Overall passengers and staff are pretty cycle friendly. I've seen bikes piled up at the end of the Intercity trains and no-one batted an eyelid.

There are also restrictions for rush hour trains, esp Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

Lastly, last year there is a new system of composting your ticket at the start and finish of your journey and if you switch train companies you stamp your ticket on the platform at each change of trains.

I'm sure a bit of web-research will give more info.

Enjoy it, it is worth the effort

John
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