The Netherlands

You need only one guide in order to follow the Dutch part of the North Sea Cycle Route; the Basiskaart netwerk LF-routes. The guide contains pullout maps of all the LF-routes  and a small guide with practical information.

Basiskaart netwerk LF-routes
ISBN 978 90 72930  45 3
Publisher: Fietsplatform
Scale of maps: 1:150.000
Price: 24,95 EUR

In the Netherlands the North Sea Cycle route follows the national network of Landelijke Fietsroutes (LF-routes) national bicycle routes, covering a total length of about 6,500 kilometres.
Between Hoek van Holland and Callantsoog - on the west coast: the LF1 North sea route. In the north, on the Wadden sea coast between Callantsoog and the German border: the LF10 Wadden sea route. Both routes are fully signposted in two directions with white, square signs bearing green lettering: the name and number of the route, followed by the letter a or b in order to indicate the direction of the route.
Every 10 kilometres you will find an additional NSCR board with information along with the regular signposting.

If you want to make trips it is easy to continue along another route. There are several other signposted routes which cross the North Sea Cycle Route (LF12, LF4, LF2, LF7, LF15 and LF14). You can also simply follow the normal signposts for cyclists, which describe places and distances in red on a white background. The use of a map of the area is then advisable.

It is easy to hire a bicycle at the Rijwielshop or Fietspoint. The tariff is low, you can hire a bicycle starting at about 6,50 EUR a day for a bicycle with back-pedal brake and no speed. What's more, many signposted routes go pass NS-railway stations. In order to hire a bicycle you need to have valid identity papers and please take the deposit into account. If you want to be sure that a bicycle will be ready, book by telephone.

The bicycle may go along with you on the train outside the rush hours. This is very simple, you buy a 'Dagkaart fiets' (day card for bicycle) at a NS-ticket machine and put your bicycle on that part of the train especially reserved for it. This bicycle storage space is recognizable by means of the bicycle sticker on the side of the train. The price of a day card for the bicycle amounts to 6,00 EUR regardless of distance or destination. However, it is only valid outside rush hours. The exact conditions are found in the folder 'Fiets and trein' (bicycle and train). This is available at the NS-railway stations or may be ordered via internet from Fietsplatform. Inland rail transporters other than NS (Dutch rail) may demand different prices or conditions.

The Netherlands have a fine public transport system. An intricate train network often comes quite near to the route. Where the route cannot be reached by train, the local bus company often offers a regular service to even the smallest of villages. Friesland, Groningen and Zeeland are however, thinly populated. The frequency of trains and buses is less high here.

Information concerning train connections and timetables is to be found on the website of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Rail). The website public transport Nederland can be used to plan your transport by train as well as the bus connections.