• Public Transportation
Public transport in the Netherlands is the most convenient means of transportation. Trains run with high frequency. The same goes for buses and trams. Almost any place or town in The Netherlands can be reached by a combination of tram, bus or train. If you have any questions, there are information desks for buses, trams, and trains at every railway station.
Merchant Marine : total: 635 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460 GRT/5,212,557 DWT by type: bulk 1, cargo 375, chemical tanker 59, combination bulk 1, container 71, liquefied gas 13, multi-functional large load carrier 15, passenger 12, petroleum tanker 28, refrigerated cargo 37, roll on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 7 foreign-owned: Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 9, Germany 54, Ireland 14, Norway 9, Singapore 1, Sweden 19, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 31, United States 16 registered in other countries: 241 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways : total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways : total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2003 est.)
• Highways & Underground
The buses in the Netherlands are mostly privately owned. The private company serving Enschede is called OOSTNET. The central bus station in Enschede is opposite the railway station. Bus timetables are displayed at the station and can be bought on the buses. Within the city, there is usually a bus connection to all parts of Enschede every thirty minutes. Buses run to neighbouring towns and villages at least once per hour. A multiple-ride ticket is cheaper when you want to travel by bus, tram or underground.
If you plan to travel by taxi when you arrive at a railway station, you should ask for a Treintaxibiljet (Train-Taxi ticket). The Train-Taxi takes a maximum of three passengers, who may each have a different destination. These taxis cannot only take you from, but also to a station, provided you have a connecting train trip, plus a Train-Taxi ticket.
› Railways:
The train is probably the best means of getting around if you want to explore the Netherlands and or the surrounding countries Germany and Belgium . There are regular train services to cities like Amsterdam , Rotterdam and Utrecht . Cities like Berlin , Brussels and Paris are all within a day's traveliing range. Most of the larger cities in The Netherlands are accessible by modern intercity trains, which run at least every half an hour. You can buy return tickets for trains, but remember that the return journey has to take place on the same day. If you are not travelling back on the same day, two single tickets must be purchased on the different days, unless you have one of the several special travel passes that are available. If you plan to see more of The Netherlands while you are here, it would be advisable to buy yourself a Voordeeluren- kaart, which gets you a 40% discount on train tickets. The Voordeelurenkaart is valid for one year and costs approx. €35 Remember that the Voordeelurenkaart cannot be used before 09.00 hrs on weekdays.
› By Bike
Cycling is the cheapest and most popular form of transport in The Netherlands. There are over 11 million bicycles for 15 million people! This is the regular transport vehicle the Dutch use. Every Dutch person will own at least one bicycle. Children learn to ride bicycles, or rather tricycles, when they are appr. 2-3 years old. After a year or two they progress to bicycles. Bicycle paths run all over the country, and often there are separate lanes for bikes in cities. Cycling is especially useful for short distances and in urban traffic. |
