Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Maastricht Aachen Airport (www.maa.nl) is a small facility 10km (6mi) north of the city. It has direct flights to Amsterdam; these are mainly used by business passengers transferring to international flights.

Frequent trains link Maastricht with Amsterdam (2.5hr), Rotterdam (2.5hr) and Utrecht (2hr), and there is an hourly international service to Liège in Belgium, where you can catch trains to Paris, Cologne and Brussels.

The bus station is to the right as you exit the train station. There are daily buses to/from Brussels and the nearby German town of Aachen.

Getting around

The best way to experience the compact heart of Maastricht is to just stroll. Don't miss streets south and east of Vrijthof: you'll be rewarded with a medieval labyrinth punctuated by fabulous shops and cafes.

All local buses stop at the train/bus station, and at the market square (Markt) on the western side of the river. Buy tickets on board or in advance with a multiple-journey pass called the strippenkaart (strip card).

As in any Dutch city worth its salt, you can rent bikes. Head to Aon de Stasie, just to the left as you exit the train station.

From the access roads into the city centre, drivers should follow the signs indicating the location of various large parking garages.