Cycling is a must when you visit Amsterdam! Because every Dutch person, young and old, uses this means of transport. We learn it from an early age and it is therefore a very common way to get from A to B.
Renting a bicycle is therefore an experience you really want during your visit to Amsterdam.
There are good cycling paths almost everywhere for safe driving and it is definitely recommended when the sun is shining. There are a number of ways to rent a bicycle. We explain these below:
1. OV-bike
You can pick up a OV bicycle (public transport bicycle) from stations throughout the city. This costs € 3.85 per 24 hours. After 72 hours you pay a surcharge of € 5.00. You then return the bicycle to the point where you picked it up.
Keep in mind that in order to rent an OV bicycle, you need a personal public transport card.
2. Rental companies
It is of course possible that you’re visiting Amsterdam for a short period from another country, and therefore do not have a public transport card. Then it is useful to temporarily rent a bicycle from a rental company.
BimBimBikes
This rental company is an online intermediary between you and other bicycle rental companies. Here you can book, book and pay for your rental bike online. Very useful if you don’t want to search much! How that works exactly we explain very simply below:
Step 1. Visit the BimBimBikes website and choose the country and city you want to go to.
Step 2. Then you get an overview of the rental companies at your chosen location and you can compare the prices. Here you make the decision where you would like to rent a bicycle.
Step 3. On the page of the company where you would like to rent your bicycle, choose the number of days in the calendar at the top right.
Step 4. Then enter the type and number of bicycles you want to rent. The total amount of your selected bike(s) will appear on the right.
Step 5. Complete your payment with Paypal, Mastercard, Maestro, Visa or iDeal. As soon as your booking has been received, you will receive a confirmation of receipt.
Rent a bike at BimBimBikes here.
3. I want my own bike
Are you visiting Amsterdam for a longer period of time? For example for your studies or work? Then buying a bicycle is a smart choice. Our tip is to buy a second-hand bike. This is nice for your wallet and less of a disappointment when it gets stolen (which unfortunately happens regularly). To buy a bicycle, we recommend checking out Marktplaats or an Amsterdam community Facebook group.