Car hire The Hague

Introduction

The Hague is the seat of the Dutch government and parliament, although it is not the country's capital, as many people think. The city likes to present itself as the 'Court City', because Queen Beatrix lives and works there. The Hague as an image to match: stately and important.

Population

The third largest city of the Netherlands has almost 500,000 inhabitants.

Location

The Hague is located in the west of the Netherlands, on the North Sea coast. Together with Rotterdam, Amsterdam and other cities, The Hague makes up the urbanized area known as the Randstad. Rotterdam is located at 25 kilometers, Amsterdam at 55 kilometers and Utrecht op 65 kilometers. The seaside resort of Scheveningen is a suburb of The Hague.

Economy

With the presence of government, parliament and ministries, The Hague is a typical service city. Almost one in three of its inhabitants is employed by the government, followed by business services. International institutions play an important role, not only in the economy, but also in the international feel of the city. The International Courts are located in The Hague, which makes The Hague the "world's court room".

Tourism is especially important due to the presence of the seaside resort of Scheveningen. In addition, The Hague has beautiful historical buildings, especially near the Binnenhof (the parliament).

Airports

The Hague does not have an airport of its own, but Rotterdam Airport is close by. From this airport, flights depart for destinations in the Netherlands and Europe. The national airport of Amsterdam Airport (formerly: Schiphol) is located at 30 kilometers to the north-east of The Hague.

Public transport

The Hague has an extensive network of trams and buses. In addition, work is underway on Randstadrail, a lightrail project with will connect the tram network of The Hague and the metro network of Rotterdam. The first 'tram-trains' will become operational at the end of 2006, although some time will elapse before the whole system is up and running. To use the public transport system, you need to buy a strip card, which can be bought at newspaper stands and in many other places. The number of zones you travel determines how many 'strips' you need to stamp.

In 2007 there will be a high-speed connection between The Hague and Brussels.

Traffic and Parking

The city has fairly wide boulevards, which make driving in The Hague easy. Around the city center lies the so-called Centrum RING, which is indicated with green and yellow signs. Via this route you can easily find your destination in the city. Within this ring there is also a parking route, past all the car parks, which in all offer a mere 6,500 spaces and are often full. The car parks along the beaches of Kijkduin and Scheveningen may offer an alternative outside the Summer period. Parking your rental car in the center may be difficult and is fairly expensive. If you forget to fill the parking meter, you will be fined € 47.

Hotels

The Hague has a large number of hotels, but they are often occupied. As the seat of government, the city often attracts foreign delegations, diplomats and civil servants. During the Summer, the hotels in Scheveningen are often fully booked, which is why it is recommended to book in advance, to avoid disappointments.

External Sources

For more information about The Hague, we recommend Google, and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, The Hague
• VVV The Hague (several languages)
• Municipality of The Hague (Dutch and English)