What's the shortest route from A to B and is there a more scenic alternative? Are there road works along my route? Where can I find somewhere to rent a bicycle or have my bike repaired? You can find all this and more on the online cycle route planner. There are different online cycle route planners covering Holland you can choose from.
For this website we have chosen the online cycle route planner of the Dutch cyclists' union the Fietsersbond. It's easy to use, up to date, offers many options and - more importantly - you can select the English or German language.
The online cycle route planner is a good addition to conventional maps:
- It gives you the most recent information, as it can be updated at any time.
- You can zoom in for lots of detail, or zoom out for an overview of a larger area.
- You can customise your map by adding information that is relevant for you, e.g. road works, tourist information, bike rental places, bike shops, bike friendly accommodation.
How does the online cycle route planner work?
Step 1: select your route
Normally you'll do this under 'Get your biking directions'. Enter your starting point and destination in the 'From' and 'To' boxes. Then select your route type, e.g. scenic route, shortest route, junction network, racing bike. Then click on 'Get directions'. You'll then be given the length of the route, a map with the route and cycling directions. If you want to do a round trip, you can add as many 'via points' as you want. For this you need to go to '+ more options'.
The cycle route planner can also select a route for you. Go to 'Get your bike route' and indicate how many kilometres you want to cycle. Don't forget to select your route type. The cycle route planner will only suggest one possible route. Clearly there will be many more options.
Step 2: customise your map
If you want, you can customise your map by adding information that is relevant for you. To see the numbered cycle network and all the national long-distance routes (LF routes) on the map, click on the tab numbered junctions at the top of the map. To add information such as road works, tourist information, bike rental places and accommodation to your map, click on the tab locations at the top of the map and tick the relevant boxes. Please note that to see the icons, you need to be zoomed in close enough.
Step 3: print or download your route
You can either print or download your route. If you choose the print option, you get a PDF with a map of your route and cycling instructions. Unless you've selected a short route, the map won't be detailed enough to cycle on. At the bottom of the PDF there is a QR code you can scan with your mobile phone.
You can also download your route for your GPS. You can choose between a GPX file, KML file or both as .zip. Unfortunately, in this section the instructions are only in Dutch.
Online cycle route planner for mobile devices
The online cycle route planner is also available as an app for mobile devices, so you can use it while you're out on your bike. You can download the app for free via the following link (in Dutch):