© 2024 New Atlas
Bicycles

City of Amsterdam takes bicycle parking underground, and under water

By Paul Ridden
January 26, 2023
City of Amsterdam takes bicycle parking underground, and under water
On-street bicycle racks are being removed to free up space and make the area around the Amsterdam Central Station more pleasant for pedestrians, so if you want to park your bike you're going to need to head u
On-street bicycle racks are being removed to free up space and make the area around the Amsterdam Central Station more pleasant for pedestrians, so if you want to park your bike you're going to need to head underground
View 5 Images
On-street bicycle racks are being removed to free up space and make the area around the Amsterdam Central Station more pleasant for pedestrians, so if you want to park your bike you're going to need to head u
1/5
On-street bicycle racks are being removed to free up space and make the area around the Amsterdam Central Station more pleasant for pedestrians, so if you want to park your bike you're going to need to head underground
The interior of the Stationsplein bicycle parking facility is inspired by water-based themes
2/5
The interior of the Stationsplein bicycle parking facility is inspired by water-based themes
Construction of the Stationsplein underground (and under water) bicycle parking facility near the Amsterdam Central Station
3/5
Construction of the Stationsplein underground (and under water) bicycle parking facility near the Amsterdam Central Station
The IJboulevard underground parking facility is due to open in February, and will accommodate 4,000 parked bicycles
4/5
The IJboulevard underground parking facility is due to open in February, and will accommodate 4,000 parked bicycles
The recently opened Stationsplein facility can accommodate 7,000 parked bicycles, while the IJboulevard underground parking center will take 4,000 more when it opens in February
5/5
The recently opened Stationsplein facility can accommodate 7,000 parked bicycles, while the IJboulevard underground parking center will take 4,000 more when it opens in February
View gallery - 5 images

Folks in the Netherlands love to get from A to B by bike, which can lead to problems when it's time to park up. Underground parking garages are one way to go, and the City of Amsterdam has just finished a huge project near the Central Station that puts thousands of parking spots under water.

In an effort to take bicycle parking racks off-street and make the area around the Amsterdam Central Station more accessible for pedestrians, the city commissioned two new underground parking facilities to be constructed. Not only underground, but also under water.

Part of a large-scale renovation project, the design for the first was undertaken by Rotterdam-based studio wUrck architecture, and work began on the station side in 2018. Stationsplein has been constructed more than 9 m (30 ft) below the Open Havenfront by the Max Bögl Group, under the water between Prins Hendrikkade and Stationseiland.

Officially opened by Minister for the Environment, Vivianne Heijnen, on Wednesday (January 25), the structure can accommodate 7,000 parked bicycles – making it Amsterdam's largest parking facility for bikes. The bright and airy interior riffs off water-based themes and is accessed from street level by stationary and moving walkways.

A second facility on the IJboulevard that will be home to 4,000 parking spots is due to open next month. In the coming weeks, on-street bicycle racks will start to be removed to de-clutter the area and make for a much more pleasant aesthetic.

Sources: City of Amsterdam, wUrck

View gallery - 5 images

Tags

BicyclesParkingCyclingAmsterdam
4 comments
Paul Ridden
Paul Ridden
While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before hopping over to France for 10 years, where he started work for New Atlas in 2009. Now back in his native Blighty, he serves as Managing Editor in Europe.

Most Viewed

Load More
4 comments
guzmanchinky
Amsterdam is one of the best places in the world, full stop. And I love how everyone walks or uses bikes, and it's a disgrace that cities in California, where I live, and which has some of the best weather in the world, has a laughable bike infrastructure.
zort
Skaters are gonna love those up-ramps!
(Especially if they can hack the speed controls).
frb
only 7000 bikes? in utrecht we have one for 12500 bikes:

https://www.utrecht.nl/wonen-en-leven/verkeer/fiets/fiets-stallen/fietsenstalling-stationsplein-utrecht-grootste-ter-wereld/
Aross
This is something every mayor of every city in North America trying to remove cars from roads and replace them with bicycles should look at, especially the mayor of Montreal.