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'''{{FULLPAGENAMEE}}''' is a city in the [[Netherlands]], located about 15 kilometers kilometres from [[Den Haag]].== Hitching In ==If you're on a ride to Den Haag, ask to be dropped off at highway exit Zoetermeer (just after the huge Siemens windmill). Tell your driver to turn right at the traffic light an then immediately right again. At the upcoming traffic light you can get off. The driver should make 2 left turns to get back on the motorway again.

You're now fairly central: Go trough the tunnel and follow the road: Bleiswijkseweg, Den Hoorn, Schinkelweg, Dorpsstraat and you'll end up in the city centre (<1 km). == Hitching Out Hitchhiking out ==

At The railway station Zoetermeer (not Zoetermeer Oost) (tram stop Driemanspolder) you will find a bridge for motorised vehicles, next to the pedestrian bridge ''Nelson Mandela''. On the northside north side of this bridge there is a busstop bus stop (walk up the ramp). From here you can Hitch hike to Den Haag, but also Delft and Rotterdam as well as further south should be possible . At the bus stop Fonteinbos on the road Afrikaweg (about 200 metres from the spot mentioned above) is an official hitch hiking spot. This hitch hiking spot is useful to acquire rides towards Den Haag, Delft and Rotterdam as well as further south. To reach this spot from hereCentrum West bus station, walk over the pedestrian bridge, walk down and turn right at the traffic lights, trough the pedestrian / cyclist tunnel.

=== North towards [[Leiden]], [[Amsterdam]]===In the CenterCentre, next to the AIVD building (big ugly gray building with a lot of security cameras) witch in on Europaweg you will find road N206 (Zwaardsloodseweg). Here is a busstop, bus stop and a small parking spot space, these are ideal for hitchhikinghitch hiking.

Hitchhiking in At the bus stop Pruimengaarde on the road Australieweg is an official hitch hiking spot. This hitch hiking spot is useful to acquire rides towards [[Gouda]] and [[Utrecht]]. In [[Gouda]] it is very easy to obtain a ride to [[Utrecht]].To reach this direction is best done spot from tram stop Palenstein, walk under the viaduct, turn right on the small bicycle road Kangaroepad, after a while turn right trough the tunnel and then up to the bus stop. == Public Transport ==Zoetermeer has two tram lines and various bus lines to most areas of the city. The tram goes to Den Haag (If you hitchhike . Be aware that though most of the two tram routes are the same, both lines start and finish differently. paying works like everywhere in the Netherlands. The city has two zones Oosterheem and everything else. In the trams are ticket vending machines witch accept coins only. The driver doesn't sell tickets, sometimes controllers do. You don't have to pay when the machine is broken. After 9:00 a cheap trip to Den Haag you'll and back can be at the end of the highway at made using a certain point "Dalurenretour Den Haag Plus" (trafic lightsoff-peak return for The Hague metropolitan area) here just go back in the opposite direction, EUR 4.)

However it is possible to go east directly from Zoetermeer. This spot is illegal to use because it is has two railway stations on the highwayDen Haag - Gouda line, i have never been in trouble though. Be advised that getting only so called ''sprinter'' trains stop at the spot is not very safe since there is no emergency lane or pedestrian area. The spot itself however is not dangerous.Go to railwaystation Zoetermeer Oost (not Zoetermeer) and walk to the end of the platform, over the bridge and keep folowing the path next to the railway-track for about 20 minutes. You will get at a big concrete bridge over the railway track and the highway. from under the bridge you can see the highway entry lane on the other side of the railway track. at the beginning of the bridge is a grass ramp, climb this and walk over the bridge over the railway track to the entry lane, after about 20 meters the emergency lane starts here you can hitchhike. try to get a ride to at least the next gas station, (just after Gouda) because the villages in between don't produce much traffic.Getting at Zoetermeer Oost is done by bus 71,72,74,170,204 74 will even take you further to the spot, it drives under the bridge then get off and walk back a bit. bus 74 however doesn't run that oftenrailway stations.

== Public Transport ==On the night between Saturday and Sunday Zoetermeer has two tramlines is connected to the night railway network by bus B17 to Rotterdam central station and various bus lines to most area's of the city. The tram goes N5 to Den Haag. Be aware that though most of the tram routes are the same both line start centre (Buitenhof) and finish different. paying works like everywhere in the Netherlands. central station (the city has two zones Oosterheem Nighttrain stops at Den Haag Hollands spoor, take bus N1 to Buitenhof and everything else. In the trams there are transfer, same ticket vending machines). the driver does not sell Night bus tickets neither do the controllers. These machines however often don't work. I estimate that cost about 2/3 of them is brokenEUR 4. If this is the case, it is not possible to buy a ticket so the ride will 00 and can be free. Make sure you have money in coins to buy a ticket would bought at the machine have worked so you can prove you noble intentions. This is at your own risk. The fine is € 38,40 but I never got onedriver.

Zoetermeer is not so exitingtoo exciting, but a nice centrally located city from where you can pay visits to the many historical cities around it. Zoetermeer has an ols old centre consisting of only one street and some parks is witch for you can to have a relaxing walk. Zoetermeers architecture is very interesting as the city is build almost entirely in compliance with the VINEX Spatial Planning bill (even the street names are in alphabetical order).

Not reallyZoetermeer is pretty safe, though like crime rates are lower then in every average big cities in the Netherlands.The mayor of Zoetermeer has declared alcohol prohibition zones in the city you should use your headcentre and in some parks and squares. :) == Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==