Düsseldorf to Amsterdam by car

Route and stops

1. Düsseldorf Airport (DUS). Pick up your car and join the A44/A3 north.
2. Emmerich / German–Dutch border. Last German fuel stop – fuel is usually cheaper than in the Netherlands.
3. Arnhem. Optional stop: Kröller-Müller Museum in the Hoge Veluwe national park.
4. Utrecht. Canal city with wharf cellars – a good lunch break.
5. Amsterdam (P+R). Park at a P+R on the A10 ring and take public transport into the centre.

Rental car rules for the Netherlands

• Declare the Netherlands at booking or at the desk – usually allowed for a cross-border fee.
• Dropping off in Amsterdam means a high international one-way fee; a round trip is usually cheaper.
• Dutch motorways are generally limited to 100 km/h by day (06:00–19:00).
• Modern rental cars generally meet Amsterdam’s low-emission zone rules.

Parking in Amsterdam: use P+R

Amsterdam has P+R car parks along the A10 ring road. You only get the discounted rate (about €6 per 24 hours off-peak, maximum 96 hours) if you travel into the centre and back by public transport and pay the parking fee within an hour of checking out. Street parking in the centre, by contrast, costs up to around €8 per hour.