11 Fun Facts about Amsterdam Bikes and Dutch Bikes
Amsterdam is one of the best cities in the world for cycling! Here are some fun facts about cycling in the Netherlands and Amsterdam Bikes you might not know!
1 – Amsterdam Central Station has two bike garages that are underwater!
The garages opened in January and February 2023 and have spots for 11,000 bicycles! See the time-lapse of the construction project here:
2 – There are more bikes than people in the Netherlands!
There are approximately 23 million bikes and 17 million people, so about 1.33 bikes per person.
3 – In just Amsterdam, the Amsterdam bike path’s total length is over 500 kilometers (320 miles).
4 – The Dutch cycle in every weather (rain, snow, and even hail). 63% use their bicycle every day.
5 – In 2022, the Dutch Government announced a €780 million investment in cycling infrastructure.
6 – The Netherlands has been the world’s leading cycling nation since about 1912.
7 – Thousands of bicycles end up in the canals every year.
The city has a barge with a giant magnetic arm to pull the bicycles from the bottom of the water.
8 – Utrecht holds the world’s largest bike garage with over 12,500 bike spaces!
The garage is connected to Utrecht Central Station and is split up into three levels!
9 – It was not until the 1970s, that a popular movement rose against car-oriented city patterns due to a large amount of cyclist deaths.
Utrecht shown below looks completely different with highways running right through the city where canals now flow.
10 – Dutch transport everything on their bike from Christmas Trees to their kids to school.
A common bike is a bakfiets which is a bike with a giant container on the front for your children, a case of beer, groceries, flowers, or even a bookcase!
11 – The Rijksmuseum has a bicycle path right through the middle of the building.
Making it the only museum you can cycle through in the world. See our local’s guide to Amsterdam Itinerary to get inspired for your trip!
Ready to get on a bike and tour Amsterdam? Check one of the guided bike tours below! Spending 3 days in Amsterdam? Check out our 3 Day Amsterdam Itinerary!
