Amsterdam
is a city born for walking, especially at downtown, where there is really scarce
parking place and the narrow streets complimented by canals and differing ground
levels make it difficult to drive. There reasons have made local authorities encourage
the use of public transport instead of personal vehicles: a measure that surely
has a lot to do with this fact is the total lack of free parking in Amsterdam.
In
order to find a space free of charge, you should check certain areas outside the
A10 Ring Road, which are the only exceptions to the rule. Back in the city, wherever
there is a parking spot, there is an automatic ticketing machine nearby, even
if you don't see it right away or you can't find any warning signs posted. Unless
you use these machines, a "wielklem", the name given to a bright yellow
wheel clamp, is attached to the cars. If this is your case, attend any of the
two City Surveillance offices (the Head Office is located on Weesperstraat 105A),
within the 24 hours following the incident, and you'll have to pay to have the
"wielklem" removed. Otherwise, the car will be towed away.
City
Surveillance Department
Phone:
+31 (0)20 5530333
(Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm, and Saturdays from
8am to 3.30pm).
There are service points at Weesperstraat 105A, Beukenplein
50, and De Clercqstraat 42-44.
The ideal
way to avoid these problems and the bustle of traffic in central Amsterdam, especially
in holidays, is to park the car in the outer suburbs and reach downtown through
the tram or metro systems. There are even parking permits that last a day, a week
or a month, sold at the Surveillance offices, and special services provided by
the hotels in the city: despite the rather high cost, some offer three-day tourist
passes for parking either inside or outside the canal belt.
Electronic
Route Information Signs
Amsterdam
boasts special features so that no tourist or foreigner loses his way around the
city. Along the motorways, there are electronic route information signs that indicate
the situation of traffic on roads or junctions ahead, showing possible alternatives
to avoid traffic jams or streets with an intense flowing of vehicles. All you
have to do is follow this signs, and they will surely drop you off at your destination
in the shortest time possible.
Ring
Road
The ring road A10 is a really
important track either to enter central Amsterdam or to leave it behind on your
way to nearby attractions. It runs around downtown, and it provides junctions
leading to many destinations in the city.
Park
& Ride
Taking into account the
difficulties that driving around central Amsterdam implies, the Park & Ride
facilities located in the suburbs come in really useful. These services provide
an easy access to various means of public transport, so that you can park your
car and reach the main sightseeing points at downtown way easier.
Click
here for Park & Ride facilities
Useful
Numbers:
ANWB
- Dutch Automibile Association
Museumplein 5
Phone: +31 (0)20
6730844
Contact centre: +31 (0)88 2692222
City
Hall Information Centre
Amstel 1 (Waterlooplein entrance)
Phone: +31
(0)20 6241111
