HazedandConfused

Easy enough by train? Or should we rent a car?

richardsonsnm

It is very easy to take the train, and unless you want to see the countryside, the train is the way to go. You do NOT want a car in Amsterdam, period. But the Netherlands is beautiful, and driving is the only way to see it, but in town, you don't want the car, and Amsterdam is a VERY confusing town to drive in.

KT

As said above, it's very easy. Reasonably freqquent direct trains, take about 2 1/2 hours. For schedule info, go to www.ns.nl (then click on English).

artstuff

We travelled by train from Amsterdam to Maastricht, and it was "easy enough."

In fact train travel was so easy that we left Amsterdam, travelled to Utrecht (33 minutes) where we stashed our luggage in a locker at Centraal Station while we spent time exploring the city. Then we hopped on a train to Gouda (22 minutes), explored that quaint little town, then backtracked to Utrecht, picked up our luggage and headed on to Maastricht (1:59). We were using a rail pass (BeNeLux) which gave us the flexibility.

OR, just take the direct route, which KT mentioned. The trains in the Netherlands are fairly clean and seem to run pretty much on time...at least we've never experienced any problems with them.

Enjoy your trip. Peace.

Robyn >-

HazedandConfused

Thanks so much for the info!!!! A pal and I made the mistake of trying to drive in Seville. I'm a little gunshy...

PalQ

NL5xHaze and Confused?

HazedandConfused

NL5xHaze and Confused?
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HazedandConfused is an unfortunate nickname that stuck about 10 years ago.

PalQ

By taking the train you won't see the countryside? Au contraire - if the train doesn't go thru the countryside what does it go thru? In fact my experience driving in Holland is that if you take the main highways they are often lined by trees serving as wind blocks - i think you actually see more of the countryside on the train! Especially the driver who sees little but the road driving. But to see the small towns yes though most people driving this route would take the autoroute and would not pass thru any towns but around them - or else it would take all day. I've always marvelled at the countryside i see from Dutch trains - the canals, endless sheep- and bovine-filled fields, old farmhouses, occasional windmills, cyclists on bike paths!