Rules for bicycle parking
There are different rules for bicycle parking in The Hague. In general, a bicycle may not be left standing unused on the street for more than 28 days. However, in the downtown area the maximum time is 7 days. After this period the municipality is allowed to remove the bicycle.
The municipality is checking public spaces in search of unused bicycles and wrongly parked bicycles. This ensures that the streets do not quickly become cluttered. This way the city stays attractive for everybody.
Is your bicycle gone?
Is your bicycle no longer where you left it? It is possible that the bicycle was removed by the municipality and taken to the Begin external link: Bicycle Depot Haaglanden(External link), end external link.. You can pick up your bike there within a period of 2 to 6 weeks. This depends on the bicycle label your bicycle had. The municipality will take apart derelict bicycles right away and the old parts will be reused.
Sometimes the lock or another part of the bicycle gets damaged when the bicycle is removed. The municipality will not compensate you for this.
If your bicycle is gone and it is not at the Bicycle Depot Haaglanden, then it was probably stolen. Always Begin external link: report theft to the police(External link), end external link.. The police are paying extra attention to stolen bicycles. If the police find your stolen bicycle, you will be notified. The bicycle will be taken to the Begin external link: Bicycle Depot Haaglanden(External link), end external link.. You can pick it up there for free.
Bicycle labels
The municipality will never remove your bicycle without giving a warning. The bicycle will first get a label. The label states that the bicycle will be removed unless you move it before a certain date or time. The amount of time you get depends on where the bicycle is standing and the situation. If you do not remove the bicycle on time, it will be taken to the Begin external link: Bicycle Depot Haaglanden(External link), end external link..
Municipal surveillance officers and employees of the Bicycle Depot Haaglanden are able to identify themselves. If you see that somebody is about to remove your bicycle, always ask for their identification.
A yellow label indicates that your bicycle clearly is no longer operable. It has therefore been marked as a neglected bicycle (derelict bicycle). The municipality is checking the entire city for neglected bicycles.
Does your bicycle have a yellow label? Then you have 3 days to remove the bicycle yourself. If this does not happen, the bicycle will be taken to the Bicycle Depot Haaglanden and taken apart. The old parts will be reused.
A green label indicates that a bicycle is not standing in a parking area within a designated zone:
- Den Haag HS train station
- The Hague’s Central Station (Den Haag CS)
- Leidschenveen train station
- Grote Marktstraat and surroundings (pick up the bicycle from the Kranestraat on the same day)
- Ypenburg train station
- Laan van NOI train station
- Mariahoeve train station
Does your bicycle have a green label? You will then get 30 minutes to park your bicycle in the right spot. If this does not happen, the bicycle will be taken to the Bicycle Depot Haaglanden. You can pick up your bicycle there within 6 weeks. The fee is € 25.
A blue label indicates that a bicycle has been parked for longer than 7 days in a row in one of the parking facilities (for example, a bicycle rack, U-shaped bicycle stand or parking spot) in a designated zone. A bicycle will then be marked as an abandoned bicycle.
The designated zones are:
- Den Haag HS train station
- The Hague’s Central Station (Den Haag CS)
- downtown shopping area (including Grote Marktstraat and surroundings)
- Ypenburg train station
- Laan van NOI train station
- Mariahoeve train station
Did your bicycle get a blue label? You will then get 2 days to remove your bicycle yourself. If this does not happen, the bicycle will be taken to the Bicycle Depot Haaglanden. You can pick up your bicycle there within 6 weeks. The fee is € 25.
A purple label indicates that a bicycle has been parked in the public space for longer than 28 days in a row. These bicycles will be marked as abandoned bicycles. The municipality is checking the entire city for abandoned bicycles.
Did your bicycle get a purple label? You will then get 2 days to remove your bicycle yourself. If this does not happen, the bicycle will be taken to the Bicycle Depot Haaglanden. You can pick up your bicycle there within 2 weeks. The fee is € 25.
Report an abandoned bicycle
You can report an abandoned bicycle to the municipality. Look at the page Begin link: Clearing away abandoned bicycles in your neighbourhood, end link. .
Rules per area
Downtown
Is your bicycle parked for longer than 7 days in a bicycle rack or parking space in the downtown area? Then it is considered an abandoned bicycle. Surveillance officers will bring your bicycle to the Begin external link: Bicycle Depot Haaglanden(External link), end external link.. You can pick up your bicycle there. The fee is € 25. Look at The Hague’s downtown area on the map.
Grote Marktstraat and surroundings
Is your bicycle parked for longer than 7 days in a bicycle rack or parking space in the Grote Marktstraat and surroundings? Or longer than 30 minutes outside a bicycle rack or parking space? Then surveillance officers will bring your bicycle to the Kranestraat parking facility. You can pick up your bicycle there for free. The following working day the bicycle will be transferred to the Begin external link: Bicycle Depot Haaglanden(External link), end external link.. You can pick up your bicycle there. The fee is € 25. Look at the Grote Marktstraat and surroundings on the map.
Train stations
Your bicycle is not allowed to be left for longer than 7 days in a bicycle rack or parking space in the area around the Hollands Spoor, Central Station, Laan van NOI, Leidschenveen, Mariahoeve and Ypenburg train stations. If your bicycle is parked here longer, surveillance officers will bring your bicycle to the BBegin external link: icycle Depot Haaglanden(External link), end external link.. You can pick up your bicycle there. The fee is € 25.
Residential neighbourhoods
Was your bicycle left on the street in another residential area for longer than 28 days? Then it will be considered an abandoned bicycle. Your bicycle was taken to the Begin external link: Bicycle Depot Haaglanden(External link), end external link.. You can pick up your bicycle by paying a € 25 fee.
Bicycle parking
Would you like to park your bicycle for a longer period? Read all of the information on the Begin link: Cycling, end link. page under the heading ‘Parking your bicycle’.
Parking facilities
Would you like to park your bicycle? Place your bicycle in 1 of the Begin link: guarded bicycle parking facilities, end link. . You can find all the bicycle parking facilities on the Begin link: map of The Hague, end link. .
Park your bike
Look at the parking facilities on the map
Also see
- Begin link: Report an abandoned vehicle, end link.
- Begin link: Request a bicycle stand, end link.
- Begin external link: Uitvoeringsbesluit parkeervoorzieningen (RIS294625)(External link), end external link. (in Dutch)
- Begin external link: Bijlage Verhouding tussen fout gestalde fietsen (RIS294626)(External link), end external link. (in Dutch)