Chapter 06 · Moving around the polder

Transport in Hoofddorp.

Few towns in the Netherlands are as deliberately built on connectivity as Hoofddorp. It sits on a junction of rail, motorway and cycle path — and a stone's throw from one of Europe's busiest airports.

— 01

Hoofddorp railway station

Hoofddorp station lies on the east side of town, beside the Beukenhorst office district. It is served by the Schiphol Line, the railway that connects Amsterdam with Leiden and The Hague via the airport. Several intercity and sprinter trains call each hour: a few minutes to Schiphol, around fifteen minutes to Amsterdam-Zuid, and about twenty minutes to Amsterdam Central.

The station also hosts a large bus interchange functioning as a regional hub: town and regional buses and the R-net corridor towards Aalsmeer, Schiphol and Amsterdam all meet here. Combined with the large bike parking facility, the station area is one of the busiest mobility nodes in the region.

— 02

Motorways around the town

Hoofddorp is bordered or crossed by motorways on three sides. The A4 runs along the east side north-to-south, linking Amsterdam with The Hague and Rotterdam; it has several Hoofddorp exits. The A9 lies to the south and west, carrying traffic towards Haarlem, Alkmaar and, via the Gaasperdammer tunnel, towards Diemen. The short A5 branches westwards at the De Hoek interchange.

For local traffic, the N201 provincial road is important; it crosses the polder and connects the Bollenstreek with Aalsmeer and Uithoorn. Within the town, the Hoofdweg, Kruisweg and the district ring roads form a clearly readable grid.

— 03

Cycling in a polder

The drained-polder grid makes Hoofddorp a pronounced cycling town. Streets run dead-straight, parks and canals carry segregated cycle paths, and there are virtually no inclines. A bike ride across the entire length or breadth of town typically takes fifteen to twenty minutes.

Beyond the urban edge stretches an extensive network of polder cycle routes: along the Ringdijk around the Haarlemmermeer, the Geniedijk of the Defence Line of Amsterdam, and through woodland, canals and farmland. Many routes are part of the Dutch “knooppunten” numbered network and link Hoofddorp with Vijfhuizen, Cruquius, Aalsmeer, Lisse and the bulb-growing region. Dedicated high-speed cycle routes serve commuters to Schiphol and Beukenhorst.

— 04

The link with Schiphol

Rail

One stop away

Schiphol Airport is one station from Hoofddorp; Schiphol-Noord and the airport are also linked to the town by R-net buses.

Road

Direct via the A4

From the A4 most parts of the airport are within a ten-minute drive. Many businesses around Schiphol-Rijk and Beukenhorst rely on this daily.

Bike

Polder paths

Segregated cycle paths run between Hoofddorp and Schiphol-Oost, partly along the Geniedijk — an attractive option for those living in town and working at the airport.

— 05

The junction on the map

Rail, motorways and airport at a glance.