Travel Archives - Page 4 of 8

Amsterdam ferries to be tested after collision with pier leaves 13 injured

Safety experts are to carry out an examination of ferry services in Amsterdam following a collision with a pier at the weekend that left 13 people injured. Sunday’s incident happened at about 3.45pm, when a passenger ferry from Buiksloterweg hit the pontoon behind Centraal Station. None of the victims was seriously hurt but two were examined in hospital, one for a broken wrist and another because she was pregnant. The city’s public transport authority GVB said the collision may have been... More >

DutchNews.nl destinations: exploring the shores of Ameland

Whether you’re in search of nature, cosy inns, history, kitsch, or just a few good meals, you can find all of them on the Wadden Sea island of Ameland. Brandon Hartley recently visited the often overlooked island. Ameland is sort of like a kid sister to its more popular southern siblings. Texel and Terschelling tend to hog all the attention but there’s plenty to do and explore along its shores and further inland. Centuries ago, Ameland stood apart from the... More >

Man dies in crash after stones fall on A58 motorway

A man has died and another is seriously injured after several lumps of stone fell onto a motorway in Noord-Brabant. The A58 was closed at Moergestel, near Roosendaal, as police dealt with the aftermath of the accident, which happened in the early hours of Monday. The 60-year-old victim died at the scene while a 55-year-old man was seriously hurt, AD reported. Police believe the debris fell from a van or lorry and are trying to trace the driver, who may... More >

DutchNews.nl destinations: take the train for a weekend in Rotterdam

With Eurostar now running a three-hour service from London to Rotterdam, the city’s fortunes as a tourist hub are set to boom. So, get over there now and appreciate the fantastic views, great museums and excellent cocktails before the British stag parties take over, says Molly Quell. Only slightly smaller than Amsterdam by population, Rotterdam is the Netherland’s second largest city. It is home to the largest port in Europe, a fact which is partially responsible for its diverse population... More >

Minister denies claims of discrimination against elderly drivers

Infrastructure minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen has rejected claims that police discriminated against elderly motorists by suspending their driving licences. In the last three years 229 drivers over the age of 70 had their licences confiscated because police suspected they had medical conditions that made them unfit to drive, NOS reported at the weekend. Subsequent tests showed they were in suitable health, but some had to wait up to seven months to get their licences back. CDA MP Maurits von Martels... More >

Mystery as petrol station roof collapses on A58 in Zeeland

An investigation has been launched after the roof of a petrol station roof collapsed in the middle of the night. Police said nobody was hurt and there was no sign of a collision at the Total garage on the A58 between ‘s-Heerenhoek and Arnemuiden in the early hours of Tuesday. Emergency services were called to the scene just after 2am and found the roof had collapsed in the middle and landed on the petrol pumps and kiosk. The fire service... More >

Government wants tourists to venture beyond Amsterdam

The Dutch government has pledged to try to relieve pressure on tourist hotspots such as Amsterdam following an 11% increase in visitor numbers over the last six years. Economic affairs minister Mona Keijzer said she wanted to ‘encourage visitors to go to less well-known parts of the country’ in order to spread the burden and create jobs in the provinces. In a letter to MPs, she said she wanted to work with provincial administrations to ensure that tourists ‘can enjoy... More >

DutchNews.nl destinations: explore Leiden’s canals without the tourist hustle

Once considered a broken down, blue-collar burg, Leiden has shed this reputation in recent years to become a sort of ‘mini Amsterdam’. Brandon Hartley shares a glimpse at one of the most often overlooked cities in the Randstad. At first glance, it might be easy to mistake the canals of Leiden for those in Amsterdam’s Jordaan district. They’re lined with picturesque houses, arched bridges, and the occasional house cat snoozing in the sun. While the city lacks the world famous... More >

Yellow alert as icy roads cause rush-hour tailbacks

Icy conditions disrupted traffic in the Monday morning rush-hour following overnight snow and sub-zero temperatures. A yellow alert was issued for the entire country apart from Zeeland as wet roads turned to ice in the early hours. The worst conditions were in Gelderland and Overijssel, where several accidents caused delays on the A28 and A50 motorways. A minibus overturned on the A28 between ‘t Harde and Harderwijk, on the eastbound carriageway heading towards Amersfoort, after skidding on ice. The ANWB... More >

DutchNews.nl destinations: getting windblown in winter on Texel

In the winter, a wander along a blustery Texel beach is a popular way to blow the cobwebs away – lekker uitwaaien, as the Dutch would say. Robin Pascoe visited the biggest of the Wadden Sea islands. Just a few minutes by ferry from the navy town of Den Helder, Texel’s regular population of over 13,000 is constantly inflated by a steady stream of holidaymakers all year round, mainly from the Netherlands and Germany. Texel is a something for everyone... More >

Trains between The Hague and Rotterdam to run every five minutes

Trains between The Hague and Rotterdam will run every five minutes from 2025 to meet rising commuter demand. The government is spending €300 million on upgrading the line and stations between the two cities to allow eight intercity trains and six sprinters to make the journey in both directions every hour. The biggest change is between Rijswijk-Zuid and Delft, where the number of lines will be increased from two to four. The change has been made possible by the completion... More >

Dutchman among tourists arrested in Cambodia for ‘pornographic dancing’

A 22-year-old Dutchman is among 10 foreign nationals arrested in Cambodia for engaging in what police called ‘pornographic dancing’. Police broke up a house party in the tourist resort of Siem Reap, near the historic temple complex at Angkor Wat, attended by around 90 people. Most have been released but eight men and two women were detained, including five Britons, two Canadians, a Norwegian, a New Zealander and a Dutch national. Photos from the event show people dancing fully clothed,... More >

Vandalism on railways on the rise despite extra surveillance

Vandalism on the railways is on the increase in spite of new preventive measures introduced by operator ProRail. The company recorded 649 incidents last year, compared to 608 in 2016. They include shopping trolleys, surfboards and bricks being placed on the tracks. ‘People often don’t realise that their actions can lead to life-threatening situations,’ said a ProRail spokesman. The most costly form of vandalism is graffiti, which costs €4 million a year to clean up. In recent years ProRail has... More >

Dutch rail operator braced for ‘huge losses’ on UK franchises

National rail operator NS is facing big financial losses on its British operations, according to informed sources in the UK transport sector. ‘NS subsidiary Abellio is making very aggressive moves which can only lead to substantial losses, which NS and the Dutch taxpayer will have to bear,’ the Telegraaf quoted a top figure in the UK rail sector as saying on Wednesday. Last year NS/Abellio was fined €41m by the consumer watchdog ACM for abusing its position in tendering for rail... More >

Cheap flights from Schiphol need to end, says former environment minister

The age of cheap flights in the Netherlands may be nearing its end as Schiphol airport approaches its capacity of 500,000 aircraft movements a year, former environment minister Hans Alders has warned. Speaking at the New Year reception for the Dutch airline association, the Labour party politician who now serves as chairman of Schiphol’s regional committee said there needed to be a better balance between the economy and sustainability. Lelystad Airport, which is due to relieve Schiphol by taking over... More >

Afsluitdijk blocked for several hours after bridge fails to close

Traffic on the Afsluitdijk was held up for several hours on Monday after a bridge failed to close. Long queues built up on the A7 motorway that runs over the dike heading from Friesland to Noord-Holland after the bridge at Den Oever jammed at around midday. Traffic flowing in the opposite direction was unhindered. Engineers are on the scene but it is not clear how long it will take to fix the problem. The ANWB has advised drivers heading out... More >

More realistic emission tests trigger steep rise in car purchase tax

Several models of car are set to become more expensive in the Netherlands after new environmental impact tests showed they emitted more CO2 than previously thought. The new tests were introduced after it emerged that manufacturers such as Volkswagen and BMW were using software to manipulate the results of their emissions checks on a massive scale. Like its predecessor, the new Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Procedure is a laboratory test, but imposes more ‘real-life’ conditions such as temperature and tyre... More >