Tunnel for cyclists and pedestrians built in Amsterdam to reach the central station

The Netherlands amaze us all again: a tunnel for cyclists and pedestrians has been built underneath Amsterdam’s central railway station to quickly reach the trains, buses and ferries.

The tunnel running under Amsterdam’s central railway station, which was built in 1880, now allows pedestrians and cyclists to safely reach trains. Great for saving time.

 

The path for cyclists and pedestrians wasn’t opened as soon as the building works were finished; its opening was postponed until the tunnel was closed to cars which were diverted to another tunnel located behind the station.

 

Amsterdam Centraal
Thanks to the tunnel cyclists and pedestrians can reach the entrance to Amsterdam’s central station

 

Amsterdam’s tunnel for cyclists and pedestrians in the central station, in detail

The tunnel is 110 metres long, ten metres wide and three metres high. It is half cycling lane with sound-absorbing asphalt, and half large sidewalk. The pedestrian side is light-coloured and the cyclists’ side is darker. It’s nice to walk under the tunnel since there are no cars and it is lined with beautifully decorated tiles that can be seen while walking as well as cycling.

 

With its simple but refined design, one can reach the bus station and ferry terminal by going through this tunnel, located behind the station. Beforehand, cyclists had to pedal around the station or walk through it. It’s well lit with natural as well as artificial light, the latter being useful when it’s dark outside.

The opening of the pedestrian underpass has also aroused controversy because there were already two bike paths running around the station.

The wall decorations along the sidewalk feature a fleet of blue vessels sailing in rough seas in 1700. There are stewards who direct traffic in case of overcrowding of shared spaces outside the tunnel. In shared spaces cyclists must obviously pay attention to pedestrians, that’s why there are speed bumps for bikes where there are pedestrian crossings or the entrance into shared spaces.

 

Featured image by bicycledutch.wordpress.com

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