Travelling with a Bicycle to the Netherlands

There’s nothing quite like exploring a new country on two wheels! Travelling with a bike from England to the Netherlands gives you so much freedom to explore the country and beyond.

The Netherlands is renowned as the perfect European country to explore by bike. There are many cycle routes and National Parks to explore, made easy as the landscape is so flat.

If you’re looking for a more metropolitan adventure, the liberal capital of Amsterdam is known for being a cyclist’s paradise and the route up the coast from Rotterdam is one not to be missed.

Travelling to Europe with us from 12 October 2025? There’ll be a new EU border system you need to know about - the Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaces manual passport stamping for travellers heading to Schengen countries.

What’s changing?

The EES is a new digital border control system being introduced across the EU. Instead of getting your passport stamped, you may have your fingerprint and a photo taken the first time you travel after 12 October.

Once registered, your record is valid for up to 3 years, so for future trips, you’ll just need a quick fingerprint or photo check.

What to expect with P&O Ferries

• Before travel, there’s nothing to do - simply bring your passport as usual.

• Board as usual.

• First trip since 12 October 2025, you may be required to register your fingerprint and photo at the port on arrival in Europoort. You will be directed on disembarkation. 

• Any trip thereafter will simply require a quick ID check using your fingerprint or photo.

Find out more about the new Entry/Exit System by visiting the gov.uk site.

If you’re bringing your bikes with a car, make sure that you remember to include any attached racks or boxes in the height and length of your vehicle when making your booking.

Before boarding the ferry, please make sure that everything is securely fastened – we wouldn’t want any damage to come to your (or anyone else’s) property, especially as the North Sea crossing is a long journey and the sea can get rough!

You may want to consider buying a bicycle rack that attaches to the back of your vehicle, making it easier to check everything is safe and secure before the journey.

Another thing to make sure is that you disable your car alarm before making your way from your vehicle to the passenger deck, as the movement of the ferry can set alarms off during the night.

If you are travelling without a vehicle you must check in via the car lanes, and not as a foot passenger. Cyclists getting our ferries from Hull will ride or walk up the ramp with their bicycle to deck 7 and all vehicles will be suspended until you reach the roof. Once you are on deck 7, a marshal will direct you were to go and secure your bicycle. 

Top tip: bicycles count as vehicles, so make sure you’ve thought of this in advance when making your booking. Remember – only one bicycle is allowed per booking.

Make sure you get to the Port of Hull with plenty of time to spare – check in closes 90 minutes before the ship is scheduled to depart, we recommend arriving plenty of time before this to prevent any hold-ups, as the Hull to Rotterdam ferry terminal can get busy.

Make sure you bring with you:

• Reflective clothing
• Puncture repair kit
• Portable phone charger

You may also want to read up on European cycling laws, as you could get fined for something that is legal in the UK.

It is also a good idea to make a note of places to stop and rest along your journey route and let your accommodation know in advance when you are planning to arrive.

To book a single or return ticket with a bicycle you can book on the website via the book now buttons. Please note: you can only have 1 person and 1 bicycle per booking when booking on the website.

If there are a group of you, you must book your tickets with your bicycles individually online or if you wish to add more than one bicycle or person onto your booking, please call our customer support team on 01304 44 88 88.

Call centre opening hours can be found on our contact us page.

Selected sailing times apply.