Netherlands Guide
Getting around
By car
For the most part, driving around the Netherlands is pretty much what you would hope: smooth, easy and quick. The country has a uniformly good road network, with most of the major towns linked by some kind of motorway or dual carriageway, though snarl-ups and jams are far from rare. Rules of the road are straightforward: you drive on the right, and speed limits are 50kph in built-up areas, 80kph outside, 120kph on motorways – though some motorways have a speed limit of 100kph, indicated by small yellow signs on the side of the road. Drivers and front-seat passengers are required by law to wear seatbelts, and penalties for drunk driving are severe. There are no toll roads, and although fuel is very expensive, at around €1.60 per litre (diesel €1.3), the short distances mean this isn't too much of a factor.
Most foreign driving licences are honoured in the Netherlands, including all EU, US and Canadian ones. If you're bringing your own car, you must have adequate insurance, preferably including coverage for legal costs, and it's advisable to have an appropriate breakdown policy from your home motoring organization too.