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{{infobox Country|map = <map lat='52.2' lng='5.2' zoom='6' view='0' country='Netherlands'/>|language = Dutch, Frisian|capital = [[Image:HitchDelft.jpgAmsterdam]]|pop = 17,869,000|thumbcurrency = Euro (€)|right|250pxhitch = <rating country='nl' />|BW = NL}}The '''Netherlands''' are a member state of the [[User:Mdsmendes|MdsmendesEuropean Union]] hitching in as well as the Netherlands[[Schengen Agreement]].Hitchhiking in the '''Netherlands''' is quite easy, and legal in most places, though not on motorways. The basic idea is that when you're allowed to walk somewhere, you can stand there for hitching too. Roads where it is not permitted to walk are indicated by: *Standing on a round white motorway entrance just in front of the motorway sign with red edge depicting a pedestrian. *a rectangular blue sign depicting is allowed as well as standing on a petrol station along the motorway. Cars are also not allowed to stop here. *Asking the Dutch people at a square blue sign depicting a car. Cars are also not allowed to stop hereservice station is faster than waiting while using the thumb for hitchhiking.

However[[File: standing Hitchhiking across the creek.jpg|thumb|250px|There are many creeks in the Netherlands and they can make it hard to get to petrol stations on the motorway]]<!--Roads where it is not permitted to walk are indicated by:* a round white sign with red edge depicting a pedestrian.* a rectangular blue sign depicting a motorway entrance just in front of the . Cars are also not allowed to stop here.* a square blue sign is depicting a car. Cars are also not allowed as well as standing on a petrol station along the motorwayto stop here.

// this information seems to be quite ineffective in terms of multimedia use. I even can hardly imagine how these sign look like. Alternative: Make a picture and put in in here ;) Any other ideas? // -->Since 1991 Dutch students have a card providing them with free public transport (either in on weekends or during the week), so hitchhiking is not as popular as it used to be. In some university towns, There there are still official [[Liftershalte|liftershaltesliftershalte]]s, '''official hitchhiking spots'''. Other good places are petrol stations along the motorways and the entrances The current government intends to make an end to the motorway free public transport for students from larger cities (when there is a stopping space such as an emergency lane). On such a place the average waiting time is 5-45 minutes (same as Germany). A major difference with [[Germany]] is that many lifts are not longer than 50kmbeginning of 2016.

Useful tip: Free use of Internet PC's in every city libraryOther good places are petrol stations along the motorways and the entrances to the motorway from larger cities (when there is a stopping space such as an emergency lane). On such a place the average waiting time is 5–45 minutes (same as Germany). A major difference with [[Germany]] is that many lifts are not longer than 50 km.

To get At petrol stations you should definitely try to talk to Germany can be people, which will probably work out fine if you don't dress up like a bit difficult, because some hippie. Many people are afraid they could get in trouble will not stop their cars if you have marijuana (illegal stand with the board but tolerated will take you if you ask them in the Netherlandsperson (which is a general hitchhiking principle) . Try to speak in Dutch or other drugs with youEnglish. HoweverFrench and German often work too, if you're but not on a highway as effectively. Most likely the Dutch people will avoid you can walk over while speaking in German. In the border Netherlands, there are as well a lot of seasonal workers and immigrants. There are particularly a lot of people from Poland and Bulgaria. Thus, it is fairly easy to get another ride behind ita lift for instance straight to Poland if you know the language or are communicative enough to sway Polish people to take you.

At gas Sometimes the petrol stations workers tell you can try to talk to not ask people, which will probably work out fine if you don't dress up like a hippie. Try and speak in Dutch or Englishfront of the shop directly. French and German often work too, You can then hitch at the exit of the station which is mostly just as good but not as effectivelyits disadvantages of course.

==TownsUseful tips ==<* Download and print [http://www.franknature.nl/hitchhike/hitchhike_cardboards_NL.pdf 42 ready made hitchhiking signs] for easy hitchhiking all across the Netherlands!* Use of Internet PCs in every city library, for a small price. Also you can find lots of public wi-- this fi networks that you can be put connect your laptop with for using the internet.* When hitching in provinces once the Netherlands for a longer period (or when you're living there), it's getting advisable to get a bit bigger ''chipkaart'' This is a lot cheaper than buying a one way-ticket or day-ticket on the bus or tram. See for all info http://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/?taal=en** '''The old ''Strippenkaart'' isn't available any more as of November 2011. The two options now are the new ''chipkaart'' or the new tickets called ''Gemakskaart'', which is way more expensive than the old ''Strippenkaart''.'''* Banks and supermarkets often have free coffee and sometimes even cookies. * 'Lefier' (or local job-centres) have free coffee and sometimes jars of free chocolates and mints.* Some employees of petrol stations may tell you not to hitch in front of the station, where the pumps are. Finding a ride at the parking lot, or thumbing where the back of the station starts is not a problem. Keep petrol station employees for friends and avoid starting unnecessary discussions. * Shell has internal guidelines to only allow customers on their property. A hitchhiker may therefore be asked not to talk with drivers in the forecourt of the station, but this rarely happens. If this happens, buy a coffee or inexpensive whatever-bar, and ask for the receipt. This will formally make you a customer!:: <b>Dutch Hall of Shame</b>of petrol stations where hitch-hikers have been asked not to talk with costumers on the forecourt: Service station Kloosters (Shell), A59, Tilburg --> Eindhoven ([[User:Fverhart|Fverhart]] was asked once out of 4 times), other hitch-hikers have also been asked not to talk with costumers '''Winner of Most Unfriendly Petrol Station Award in the Netherlands''': Service station Swentibold (Shell), A2, Maastricht --> Eindhoven ([[User:Fverhart|Fverhart]] was asked once out of 6 times): Service station Haarrijn (Shell), A2, Amsterdam --> Utrecht ([[User:Fverhart|Fverhart]] was asked once out of 7 times)* When using trains in [[NuthNetherlands|The Netherlands]], you may be able to travel at a discount rate (-40%). Travelling with a printed ticket is no longer possible. Every traveller needs to have an OV-chipcard to use public transportation. You need to active "Samenreiskorting" (travel together reduction) on your OV-chipcard. The procedure is described [http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/ov-chipkaart/menu-ov-chipkaart/travelling-with-the-ov-chipkaart#travelling-with-an-ns-season-ticket-holder on the website of NS (Dutch railways)]. If you have activated this and checked in with 40% reduction you can travel together with another traveller with an "NS abonnement" (NS season ticket holder), so you need to find somebody who has one, ideally before departure of the train. This is valid on weekdays after 09:00 and during the weekend without limitation (however, there are several types of season tickets nowadays, and some of them do not qualify for discount during the afternoon rush hours).

==RoadsLinks ==* [[A2 (Netherlands)]]

==External links==* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/467054706678994/ Facebook group Hitchhiking in Belgium and the Netherlands]* [http://www.franknature.nl/hitchhike/hitchhike.htm Hitchhiking in the Netherlands], by [[User:Fverhart|Frank Verhart]].* [http://www.liftershaltenederlandlift.info Liftershaltenl/ Nederland Lift], campaign to promote hitchhiking as a daily means of transport.* [[Hitchhiking_in_the_Netherlands_Survey|Survey about hitchhiking spots in the Netherlands on a map.]]

[[es:Países_BajosPaíses Bajos]][[fr:Pays Bas]][[nl:Nederland]][[pl:Holandia]][[ru:Нидерланды]][[tr:Hollanda]]