stickshifts and seat belts, bucket seats have all got to go. when we're driving in the car it makes my baby seem so far...
rules are rules in the netherlands. if you or your partner fall under the 30% tax ruling you can trade in your US license for a dutch license within a year. if you do not fall under that rule you can trade in your car keys for bike keys or take driving lessons. first you have to take the theory test, you can take the test in english (the books are poorly translated, but the test is in the same poor translation) and then you take a practical test. most people usually fail both at least once and if you have driving experience you can estimate about 10 hours of lessons to be prepared for your exam. if you get an automatic license you cannot drive a manual car.
Driving Schools/Theory Test Instruction:
cbr (theory driving exam reservation)
to schedule your driving exam go to this site. it is all in dutch, but you can request an english exam. it takes a couple of weeks to get a date, so schedule early and make it your deadline to be prepared and ready- otherwise you will keep postponing it. go early and try to request a seat in the front. they have a rows of tables and tv screens that hang from the ceiling. i was on the third row and a little far for my taste from the screen. the tests are timed, so do practice tests online (i suggest traffictrainer below). many people don't pass the first time, so don't be discouraged if you don't pass.
theory books
study materials can be found here. i used traffic manual (option 1), but you can google them and order them online at other sites or at the american book center http://www.abc.nl/search/detailed.php?isbn=9789058621825&valuta=g (for a few euros you can get a 10% discount card that is good for a year) OR you can borrow them from the centraal library in amsterdam http://www.oba.nl.
groupon
are you familiar with groupons? fairly often they have deals for driving lessons, i couldn't find one for automatic only when i was looking, but it never hurts to monitor the deals for discounted driving lessons!
maxor
can't trade your driver's license for a dutch driver's license? learn how to drive an automatic here.
traffic trainer
this is a great site to help you practice for the test. i would not take the test without practicing on this site or another site-similar- first. the test is timed and has two sections. when you take the test you are in a large room with rows of tables and chairs. each chair has a small keyboard with numbers and letters set inside the table. there are tv screens throughout the room hanging from the ceiling- no individual computer screens.
cbr (theory driving exam reservation)
to schedule your driving exam go to this site. it is all in dutch, but you can request an english exam. it takes a couple of weeks to get a date, so schedule early and make it your deadline to be prepared and ready- otherwise you will keep postponing it. go early and try to request a seat in the front. they have a rows of tables and tv screens that hang from the ceiling. i was on the third row and a little far for my taste from the screen. the tests are timed, so do practice tests online (i suggest traffictrainer below). many people don't pass the first time, so don't be discouraged if you don't pass.
theory books
study materials can be found here. i used traffic manual (option 1), but you can google them and order them online at other sites or at the american book center http://www.abc.nl/search/detailed.php?isbn=9789058621825&valuta=g (for a few euros you can get a 10% discount card that is good for a year) OR you can borrow them from the centraal library in amsterdam http://www.oba.nl.
groupon
are you familiar with groupons? fairly often they have deals for driving lessons, i couldn't find one for automatic only when i was looking, but it never hurts to monitor the deals for discounted driving lessons!
maxor
can't trade your driver's license for a dutch driver's license? learn how to drive an automatic here.
traffic trainer
this is a great site to help you practice for the test. i would not take the test without practicing on this site or another site-similar- first. the test is timed and has two sections. when you take the test you are in a large room with rows of tables and chairs. each chair has a small keyboard with numbers and letters set inside the table. there are tv screens throughout the room hanging from the ceiling- no individual computer screens.
Renting Cars:
car 2 go
these are electric and you can pick them up and drop them off anywhere (different locations). you probably have to have an international or dutch driving license, but the website doesn't specify the requirements.
green wheels
you need to know how to drive a stick shift and probably have an international license, if not a dutch license. you pay a monthly fee and then a charge when you use the car. good news- they are located all over the city. the site is only in dutch.
car 2 go
these are electric and you can pick them up and drop them off anywhere (different locations). you probably have to have an international or dutch driving license, but the website doesn't specify the requirements.
green wheels
you need to know how to drive a stick shift and probably have an international license, if not a dutch license. you pay a monthly fee and then a charge when you use the car. good news- they are located all over the city. the site is only in dutch.
