The Best Reasons to Cycle in Amsterdam

---

If you’re visiting Amsterdam on holiday this year, you may be debating how to get around. While the city boats an impressive public transport network, featuring buses, trams and metro lines, there is only one real answer to this question – you’re going to have to cycle.

I don’t want to hear your excuses. I do not care that the last time you on a bike it had stabilisers. I am particularly uninterested by your claims that you “cannot ride” (that’s not a thing). You’re getting on a bike. Period.



Here’s why:

Cost
Renting a bike is by far the cheapest way to get around Amsterdam. Metro cards, even the vaunted OVI Chip Card, still cannot compare to the flexibility and affordability of cycling. Shop around for the best deal on rental and make sure that you clearly understand the deposit agreement – if it seems like an unreasonable amount don’t take it!



Lifestyle
Cycling is a big part of any Amsterdammers life – over 35%!o(MISSING)f all journeys inside the city centre are taken by bicycle. So if you want to feel like a local, you have to take a bike.

Guided Amsterdam bike tour services are a great way to find your feet in the fairly insane traffic system – try to find one that provides bikes so you can get a little practice in before renting your own.



Guided Amsterdam Bike Tour
Although you can find free walking tours at Dam Square, these are basically tourist traps. The tours last little more than an hour, and you simply cannot get a real sense of the city in such a short amount of time.

Guided Amsterdam bike tour services are available at many bike rental places, and are doubtless the best way to get to know the city. The best ones are at least 2 hours long, which is about the time it takes to see a good cross section of the cities highlights.



Flexibility
The beauty of the bike is that you can use it any time. This gives you great transport flexibility, which you might not otherwise get from public transport. Although there is a night service for buses, it runs hourly and doesn’t cover the majority of the city.

If you plan on eating out late, for instance, you are going to be feeling pangs of jealousy as other people speed off home while you wait for the bus to take you to a point 10 minutes walk from your accommodation.

Safety
Amsterdam is one of the safest cycling cities in the world, boasting over 35,000 kilometres of bike paths. Cyclists rule the roads by weight of numbers, and display a shocking contempt for traffic laws.

Expect to find bikers in pedestrian zones as a matter of course, and for God’s sake, do not ignore the sound of bells, or worse, attempt to stand you ground in front of an oncoming cyclist – this will not end well for either party. You will genuinely feel safer on a bike – if you can’t beat em’…

---