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I'm travelling with 4 friends to Amsterdam in March. We're planning to take the train as for a day trip in Arnhem and would like to bike around and see some of the sights.

My question, what is the best place to rent a bike for one day?

I understand that the trains are bike friendly, but will it be a pain to bring 5 bikes on? Will I have to pay to take the bike on?

I understand there are bike rentals at the train station in Arnhem, but it looks to be a membership system. Not sure if it's worth the time/money to sign up and do it that way. http://www.ov-fiets.nl/

Would love to hear from anyone with experience.

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  • The ov-fiets is meant for small distances, mostly for people visiting some place in the centre for work. I don't think they're comfortable for longer rides.
    – Bernhard
    Feb 20, 2013 at 12:33
  • @Bernhard I disagree with you there. Often they are the same bikes in a different colour then the regular rentals. If you rent a OV-fiets at Wageningen, close to Arnhem, you still need to cycle quite a distance to the city center of Arnhem
    – user141
    Feb 20, 2013 at 15:29
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    From experience I can tell you that the OV bikes are quite comfortable. It's not suitable for racing or downhilling or something, but very suitable for laid-back trips through the nature (on-road) or city.
    – Saaru Lindestøkke
    Feb 20, 2013 at 18:33

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According to the stations information about Arnhem (Dutch language only), you can rent bicycles right at the station for 7,50 per day. They demand a deposit of 50 euro's and it is advised to make reservations by phone at: +31 (0)26-4421782

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You can take your bike on the train outside rush hours (rush hours: 06:30 - 09:00/16:30 - 18:00) and it will cost you €7.5 per bike, per day. But don't get your bike in Amsterdam and transfer it to Arnhem, this is just way too much hassle.

According to this website, there are 5 bikeshops where you can rent bikes in (the neighbourhood of) Arnhem. Namely:

Here is a map showing these bikeshops around Arnhem. In this way you can decide which shop you choose based on the region where you want to bike.

I've linked the above names to the rental web page (or contact page if there's no rental page) so you can see the information for yourself. As you don't speak Dutch and the website might be unavailable I've also summarised the information below. Prices are per day, unless otherwise noted. Regular opening hours are 09:00 - 17:00.

Reerink Rijwielen

Bike's can be delivered and picked up by the company (probably additional costs). On Sunday and Monday they're closed, so no bikes can be rented or returned.

  • Mountainbike - €15
  • City bike - €7.5, with electrical engine €30
  • Kid bike - €5
  • Half wheeler - €7.5
  • Deposit - €50

It's mandatory that you can show an identification document. If you choose a mountain bike, keep in mind that you have to return it clean. Otherwise a €10 charge per dirty bike will be incurred.

BikeLife Groesbeek

This company does not have rental information on their website, but you can e-mail them or give them a call to ask for their rates. Closed on Sunday and Monday.

Nol Mastbergen

Closed on Monday and Friday open until 20:00.

  • Mountainbike - €15
  • Three speed city bike - €7.5
  • Electrical bike - €22.5
  • Tandem bike - €15
  • Deposit - €100

It's mandatory to show a valid identification document. If you rent a bike for a week you will only pay 5 days. If you want to rent a bike you can make a reservation by phone (+31 317 31 23 72).

Peter Oversteegen

Closed on Mondays unless it's a school holiday. This varies per year so if you want to rent a bike on Monday you should just contact them to ask if they're open.

  • Mountainbike 29" wheels - €20
  • Mountainbike 26" wheels - €17.5
  • Kid mountainbike - €12
  • Multispeed City bike - €8.5
  • Multispeed Tandem - €18
  • Kid bike - €6
  • Half wheeler - €6
  • Kid tandem - €18 or €10 for a half day
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  • Wow, that's awesome. A tonne of information here. I'm going to have to set aside some time to go through it all. Definitely sounds like it's better to rent in Arnhem, just need to decide what bike to get, and where is convenient compared to the train station.
    – raydowe
    Feb 20, 2013 at 19:53
  • Make sure you check the map first, as that will probably define which shop you want. If you want close to the train station check @Andra answer
    – Saaru Lindestøkke
    Feb 20, 2013 at 19:55
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In addition to Andra's answer: most larger bicycle shops can provide rentals.
And yes, taking bikes on a train is going to cost you. Not sure about the current rate, but was something like €10 one way when I last did it years ago, so it may well be cheaper to rent.
There are also restrictions on bikes in trains, limiting you to specific trains at specific times (no rush hour trains for example) and frequently a maximum of 2-3 bikes per train car that has facilities to take bikes (not all do) so you may not even all be able to take the same train.

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  • Thanks for the info. Looks like bringing them on the train from Amsterdam isn't the best option. Had a look around for rental shops in Arnhem but haven't had any luck yet.
    – raydowe
    Feb 20, 2013 at 17:03
  • It is €6 per day (2016) to bring a bike on the train but as it is only €7.50 for renting a bike at the station rental, and not much more for other rental places, it is easier to rent in the location you are going.
    – Willeke ♦
    Apr 30, 2016 at 11:34
  • The 'bring your bike on the train' ticket now cost €6.90 (2019) and it is (and has always been) a day ticket for the bike, so the same whether you use it once of several times.
    – Willeke ♦
    Apr 21, 2019 at 9:54

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