Parking in the Netherlands
Parking is at a premium in most Dutch cities; there are clear regulations on who may park where, and when...
Parking is not allowed next to black and white or yellow curbs.
There is a severe lack of parking in Amsterdam and other major cities. In an effort to reduce congestion, many cities have a park and ride scheme (P+R-locaties). The driver parks at an organised, out of town location and then finishes the journey on public transport to the city centre.
The ANWB website lists all park and ride schemes in an area, enter the postcode of the city (in Dutch)
P-Zone
In almost all urban districts parking is not free. In metered parking areas (marked by a 'P zone' sign) parking tickets are available from the central meter machine (usually grey or yellow) at the side of the road.
The ticket must be displayed in the front window. Failing to display a ticket may lead to the parking police putting a boot (yellow locking device) on the car and fining the driver. If the car is towed away the costs can run into hundreds of Euros.
Meter machines on the street vary in terms of method of payment allowed (in large urban areas, most have English-language directions). In some cases, a bank pin/chip card or credit card will work, or in some cities (Rotterdam is one) parking cards can be bought from the central parking authority (ask at the local town, city or district hall).
Blue Zone
A time-stamped parking disc - displayed on the dashboard - is needed to park in urban blue zone areas. These discs are available from motor club offices, tobacco shops and police stations.
Parking is also available in large, multi-storey or underground parking garages. Payment may be in cash or by pin/chip cards.
In more residential areas, permits for residents are available.