Biking
The Netherlands are a country of biking, plain and simple. Using an average 1.3 bikes per citizen, we undertake 4.5 billion trips per years (give or take a few), adding up to 15 billion kilometer – an average of 880km per year for each individual.
It is for this reason that the Netherlands is one of the few countries in the world, where biking is so regulated.
Bike paths – mostly visible by their red colouring – are found everywhere. There are also dedicated bike streets and even bike “highways” (for instance between Nijmegen and Arnhem). These streets are planned to minimize the amount of crossings and increase their safety and clarity. All this serves to facilitate cyclists as much as possible.
Safety
Wearing a safety helmet is not compulsory in the Netherlands and very few people use them. For newcomers to biking and the Dutch cycling lanes however – particularly children – it might be advisable to wear one.
Parking your bike -AFAC-
It is important to properly park your bike in the inner city. If you don’t, you run the risk that the AFAC will remove it. This is an organization responsible for removing illegally parked bikes. You can reclaim your bike for a small fee at the AFAC. More information about the AFAC, visit their website: afac-nijmegen.nl
It is good to know that there are several (free) places to park your bike. An overview:
- Stationsplein (free)
- Stationsplein basement (paid)
- Fietstransferium station (free)
- Bischop Hamerstraat (free)
- Plein 1944 (free)
- Marienburg (free)
- Stadhuis (city hall; free, open on Saturdays and “Koopzondagen”, those Sundays on which shops are open)
- Molenstraat (free)