Amsterdam Tourism Guide

Amsterdam has almost 800,000 people, and around 600,000 bicycles. Because of this, it’s a very bicycle-friendly city, and much of its personal transportation and traffic takes place by bicycle. On any given weekday, you’ll see people in suits commuting to work, parents taking children to school and people getting groceries – all by bike. Renting a bicycle is a great way to see the city, learn its layout, and discover the entire city is really quite accessible.

There are many places that will rent you a bike, but most of them will simply hand you your bike and send you on your way. With the list of etiquette rules below, though, you’ll quickly be riding like a local.

1. Ride where you’re supposed to! Sometimes this is a bike lane, sometimes it’s the road. Very rarely (almost never) is it the sidewalk. Generally, bike lanes are marked, and if there is no bike lane, resort to the road. When in doubt, pay attention to where (the majority of) the other cyclists are.
   
2. Go with the flow! Cycling in Amsterdam can be intimidating to anyone who’s never biked on a scale like that in this city. The easiest way to get into the rhythm of the city’s bike culture is simply to go with the flow. Like driving, hesitant drivers hold up traffic and cause a nuisance and possible risk to other drivers. As long as you’re moving with the bike traffic, you’ll be fine.
   
3. Stay to the right! If you’re riding slower than the flow of traffic because you’re sightseeing or simply not comfortable with the speed of traffic, stay to the right of the road or bike lane, and allow bikes or cars to pass you.
   
4. Pull over! If you want to consult your map or stop and take a photo, pul completely over, out of the bike land and onto the sidewalk. This way you won’t interfere with the flow of traffic behind you.Watch for tourists! Now that you’re on a bike, you are part of traffic. While Amsterdam residents recognize this, many tourists have a hard time making this connection, and will step without thinking into the bike lanes.
   
5. Don’t ring your bell unless you need to! In the U.S. and elsewhere, the bell on a bicycle is often just a toy. In Amsterdam it’s a tool to let pedestrians and other cyclists know you’re there. Riding around ringing a bicycle bell for no reason is similar to driving your car around honking the horn for no reason.
   
6. Watch out for tram lines! While it’s common sense to watch out for trams, another risk occurs right below, even when no trams are around – the tram line. The gap along the rail is just the right size to grab a bike tire, which could send you tumbling. When you have to cross over a tram line, do it from as close to a 90-degree angle as possible.
   
7. Obey red lights! While you may see many cyclists blowing through red lights, the law (and safety) dictates that cyclists should follow these signals the same way cars do. Many locals seem to exhibit a sort of sixth sense for darting through traffic against the signals. Don’t credit yourself with these abilities, and stay safe. In a car/bike collision, the bike always comes up short.

It may seem like a lot to remember, but if you’ve been driving, it’s very similar. In addition, taking visual cues from (the majority of) the other cyclists on the road will have you rolling along like a local in no time!