Rotterdam

Rotterdam
<map lat='51.92' lng='4.452' zoom='12' view='3'/>
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Information
Country:	Netherlands
Province:	Zuid Holland
Population:	617.347
Major roads:	A13, A15, A16, A20, A29
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Rotterdam is a city in the Netherlands in the province of Zuid Holland.

Hitchhiking out

Northwest towards Delft, Den Haag (A13)

Coordinates: 51.9296, 4.4464 ^Google OSM
Close to Blijdorp metro station, there is a fuel station at the beginning of A 13, very easy to reach. If you get out of metro, follow the road S113 and pass by the park with a little lake, go under the bridge and you should already see the spot. It did not look busy but hitchhiking with a sign can be probably also possible because cars are still relatively slow and there is a lot of shoulder.

East towards Utrecht, Arnhem, Apeldoorn, Amersfoort, Germany (A20) E 25

Option 1

Coordinates: 51.9342, 4.4650 ^Google OSM
There is a great spot directly north of the central Station. It is about a 25 minute walk or take tram #25 in the direction of Schiebroek until the stop Schieweg, which is just before the tram goes up onto a bridge over the motorway. Continue walking in the same direction on the right-hand side. During peak hours the traffic is very heavy and is slowed down by traffic lights feeding the traffic onto the motorway at intervals. There is a small parking area, so drivers have ample room to stop.

Option 2

On the A16. Take the Metro to Kralingse Zoom and walk south down the Kralingse Zoom and then left at the Abram van Rijckevorselweg until you get to a huge roundabout with an on-road. There's a lot of space for cars to stop and a lot of traffic, but getting on the other side of the roundabout can be a tad dangerous and it's probably technically speaking illegal to stand there. A sign is a must.

Option 3

'Knooppunt Kleinpolderplein' at the A20. Walk a little bit with the bicycle path 50 mtr and you can hitchhike just before the sign that shows you are entering the highway. It is a 10 minutes walk from ' Diergaarde Blijdorp' , the zoo. A sign is a must and probably also technically speaking illegal. I had to wait 30 min. for a car with the sign 'Utrecht' but a sign with 'Eerste Benzinestation' will do even better probably.

Option 4

Coordinates: 51.9669, 4.5901 ^Google OSM
Best spots are often at a BP de Vink petrol station on the highway, one could also choose to take the train (direction Utrecht, Leewarder, Groningen, Zwolle, Uitgeest or Gouda Goverwelle) or metro (A or B direction Nesselande or Binnenhof) to Rotterdam Alexander. Here you can take bus 190 to Gouda and get off at Luxemburgsezoom. From here you walk a few meter back to the roundabout and you go right to the bridge over the highway. You do not want to go over the bridge but pass it on the left side. You can walk until the highway and go left to the petrol station. This spot can also be reached from metrostation 'De Tochten', however, a longer walk is necessary.

West towards Hoek van Holland and ferries to England

The ferries from the Hook of Holland to England do not often carry trucks and therefore do not always offer free options. To get to the ferry terminal you can blackride the train to Hoek Van Hollland Haven. You can also hitch there from one of the many service stations on the A20 with someone going on the ferry. After speaking to drivers on the A20, most trucks passing through there terminate at the port, which means no free ferry. That being said, you could hitch to where they terminate and continue to Calais.

At the Hook Of Holland you can ride a ferry to Harwich, England. It is hard if not impossible to get across without paying. On the ferry you can ask around to find someone driving to your destination, even walking around with a hitch sign, and possibly start a conversation

South towards Dordrecht, Breda, Antwerp, Lille (A16) E 19

Option 1

Take tram line 21 (direction De Esch) to the Woudestein stop. Once in Woudestein you need to follow the big road in front of you. Keep walking in the direction of the Erasmus university. If looking for rides at traffic lights is your thing, then there's plenty of opportunity on the way. But if not, keep on going until you reach the motorway which crosses in front of you. It's about a 15 minute walk. The only place to stand now is next to the last traffic light. Traffic density is quite high but unfortunately so is the speed of the traffic. It's best to have a sign here because although traffic can only be going north or south, there are plentiful exits on the way.

Option 2

Coordinates: 51.9156, 4.5157 ^Google OSM
Shell petrol station south of the city that feeds on to the A16. It is directly to the west of `Oude Plantage, De Esch, Rotterdam, The Netherlands` and is walking distance from Gerdesiaweg Rotterdam train station and from trams. It has good visibility for you and your potential rides and a slip road entering the station where your ride can stop. From the station, head South until you hit the river, then head west (left) and you will see the station on the side of the river.

South towards Berg-op-Zoom, Middelbourg, Antwerpen, Gent (A29, A4, A58)

Coordinates: 51.8443, 4.5138 ^Google OSM
Take tram line 25 to the terminus "Barendrecht Opstelstoor Carnisselande". Walk 5 min. towards left when facing the river. There is a ramp to get on the A29. Traffic is slowed down by traffic lights, there's a big emergency lane for the cars to stop and there is also a BP Ziedewij petrol station.

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Dutch cities with more than 100.000 inhabitants

> 500.000: Amsterdam • Rotterdam

300.000-500.000: Den Haag • Utrecht

150.000–300.000: Eindhoven • Tilburg • Almere • Nijmegen • Groningen

100.000–150.000: Amersfoort • Apeldoorn • Arnhem • Breda • Dordrecht • Enschede • Haarlem • 's-Hertogenbosch • Leiden • Maastricht • Zoetermeer • Zwolle

If you search cities with less than 100.000 inhabitants, have a look at the seperate Provinces articles. You find them at the bottom of this page.

Cities in Zuid Holland

> 100.000: Rotterdam • Den Haag • Leiden • Dordrecht • Zoetermeer

50.000-100.000: Schiedam • Vlaardingen • Gouda • Alphen aan den Rijn • Spijkenisse • Capelle aan den IJssel

25.000–50.000: Katwijk • Leidschendam-Voorburg • Ridderkerk • Rijswijk • Barendrecht • Maassluis • Hellevoetsluis • Gorinchem

'<25.000': Hook of Holland