A ten-day loop from Amsterdam: the Afsluitdijk to Friesland, the canals of Giethoorn, Utrecht, the windmills of Kinderdijk, Rotterdam, Delft and The Hague, then the flower fields of Keukenhof before Haarlem. Legs rarely exceed two hours' driving; the real issues are cyclists' right of way, the zones reserved for recent diesels, and parking, which you solve by leaving the car at a P+R.
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
April to September, and late March to early May for the flowers: Keukenhof is only open from 18 March to 9 May 2027. In winter no road closes, but the days are short, Keukenhof is closed and Kinderdijk runs on reduced hours.
🚗 146 km · 2h05 of driving from Amsterdam
A8 towards Zaandam, A7 via Hoorn to Den Oever, then the 32 km of the Afsluitdijk. In Friesland, A31 via Harlingen.
🚗 84 km · 1h15 of driving from Leeuwarden
N354 to Sneek, A7 then A32 towards Steenwijk. Paid parking on the edge of Giethoorn: the centre is car-free.
🚗 121 km · 1h40 of driving from Giethoorn
N333 via Blokzijl, A6 across the Flevoland polders, then A27 to Utrecht. Diesel: Euro 5 minimum in the city.
🚗 79 km · 1h15 of driving from Utrecht
A27 then A15 to Alblasserdam for Kinderdijk, then A15 and A16 to Rotterdam.
🚗 27 km · 35 min of driving from Rotterdam
A13 to Delft, then the Rotterdamsebaan tunnel into The Hague. Diesel: Euro 4 minimum in the city.
🚗 47 km · 1h of driving from The Hague
N44 via Wassenaar, then N208 via Lisse and Hillegom, through the bulb region.
🚗 32 km · 35 min of driving from Haarlem
Skip Friesland and the Afsluitdijk: Amsterdam (1 night), Giethoorn (1) via the A6 and Flevoland, Utrecht (1), Rotterdam (1) via Kinderdijk, The Hague (1), Haarlem (1). Back to Schiphol in 20 minutes.
| Rental only, April (most expensive month) | ≈ €43 a day |
|---|---|
| Rental only, September (cheapest) | ≈ €31 a day |
| Small car, average | ≈ €35 a day (Kayak, Schiphol, Sept. 2026) |
| Vehicle | City car: narrow streets, canal bridges and tight spaces. No point going bigger. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | At Schiphol, on the day you set off, after seeing Amsterdam without a car. Return to Schiphol, 20 minutes from Haarlem. |
| Your car | No vignette and no motorway tolls, except the A24. Diesel: check its Euro standard before The Hague, Amsterdam and Utrecht. |
| Age and card | 21 with most rental companies, plus a young driver surcharge. Credit card required for the deposit. |
| Insurance | Excess often high, excess waiver optional. The deposit blocked on the card can equal the excess. |
⚠️ No car in Amsterdam: parking is expensive and there is a €79.10 fine without a ticket. Rent on the day you leave or park at a P+R.
Any valid European Union licence is enough, with no International Driving Permit. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Priority to the right unless signed otherwise, cyclists included. Trams always go first.
Motorway: 100 from 06:00 to 19:00, up to 130 at night where signed. Expressway 100, frequent 30 zones.
0.2 g/l during the first five years of holding a licence. Frequent random breath tests.
When turning, let cyclists going straight on in the cycle lane through. Mirror and blind spot at every turn.
Euro 4 minimum in The Hague, Euro 5 in Amsterdam and Utrecht. Cameras, €130 fine, no prior registration.
In Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and The Hague. Stop when a tram stops in the middle of the road.
Off-peak. Return with an OV-chipkaart or a paper GVB ticket: bank cards are not accepted for the discount.
Blankenburg Tunnel, west of Rotterdam, no barrier. Pay on e-tol.nl within 3 days, otherwise a €9 reminder.
Holding a phone while driving is banned. Fixed holder only.
≈ €2.43 per litre of petrol, €2.48 diesel
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 536 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €90 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
GlobalPetrolPrices, 21 September 2026. Dearer than in Belgium (€1.98) and France (€2.15): fill up before the border.
| Motorways | Free, no vignette |
|---|---|
| A24, Blankenburg Tunnel (off the route) | €1.57 per car (2026), to pay on e-tol.nl within 3 days; €9 reminder, then a €35 fine |
| Western Scheldt and Kil tunnels | Tolled, off the route |
| Amsterdam P+R | €6 for 24 hours; €13 for the first 24 hours on weekdays before 10:00 |
| Parking in Amsterdam without a ticket | €79.10 fine, plus at least one hour of parking |
| Zaanse Schans | €15 parking per visit |
| Kinderdijk | €21 per adult (10% less online), parking €9.75 |
| Dom Tower, Utrecht | €13.50 per adult |
| Environmental zone without entitlement | €130 fine, plus costs |
| Keukenhof | Open from 18 March to 9 May 2027 only |
|---|---|
| Kinderdijk | 09:00-17:30 until 1 November 2026; closed 25 December |
| Kinderdijk car park | From 16 March to 1 November, Alblasserdam Transferium only |
| Afsluitdijk Wadden Center | Open Wednesday to Sunday |
| Afsluitdijk (A7) | Reinforcement almost complete, road open to traffic |
| Giethoorn centre | Car-free: car parks on the edge of the village |
| Amsterdam P+R | 4 days maximum, 24 hours at P+R RAI |
Allow 7 to 10 days for this loop of 7 stages and 9 nights from Amsterdam: Friesland via the Afsluitdijk, Giethoorn, Utrecht, Kinderdijk and Rotterdam, Delft and The Hague, then Haarlem. No leg is much more than two hours' driving. In 7 days, skip Friesland and the Afsluitdijk.
Car only: €280 to €390 of rental over 9 days depending on the month (€31 to €43 a day, Kayak), about €80 of petrol at September 2026 prices for some 550 km at €2.43 a litre, and no tolls on the route. Add parking: €6 per 24 hours at the Amsterdam P+R, €15 at Zaanse Schans, €9.75 at Kinderdijk.
At a P+R on the outskirts: €6 for 24 hours on weekdays after 10:00 and at weekends, €13 for the first 24 hours on weekdays before 10:00, 4 days maximum. The discount requires a return trip on public transport, with an OV-chipkaart or a paper GVB ticket on the way back. On the street without a ticket, the fine is €79.10.
No: Dutch motorways are free and need no vignette. The only exceptions are the Western Scheldt and Kil tunnels, off the route, and the A24 west of Rotterdam: €1.57 per crossing in 2026, no barrier, to pay yourself on e-tol.nl within 3 days, hire cars included.
Yes if it is recent enough: at least Euro 5 in Amsterdam and Utrecht, Euro 4 in The Hague. Petrol, LPG and electric cars can go anywhere. There is no registration to do, even with a foreign number plate: cameras read plates and the fine is €130. Rotterdam, Delft and Haarlem have no zone for cars.
Above all it takes attention in towns. Cyclists coming from the right have priority like other vehicles, and when turning you must let through those going straight on in the cycle lane. Check mirror and blind spot at every turn, give way to trams, and leave the car at a P+R in the big cities.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/netherlands · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
