Category: Study Visits

The Dutch Cycling Embassy recently welcomed a delegation from the South Tyrol region in Italy for a two-day study visit focused on cycling infrastructure, spatial planning, recreational cycling and sustainable mobility. Among the participants from different South Tyrollean cities and towns was Daniel Alfreider, Deputy Governor of South Tyrol and Regional Minister for Ladin Education and Culture, Infrastructure, and Mobility.

The first day started with several presentations from Dutch experts. Ben Schaipp, Fietsmeister opened the program by sharing practical examples of cycling infrastructure design and implementation in the Netherlands. This was followed by a presentation from Wim van Tilburg, Mobycon on bicycle-friendly spatial planning, the important relationship between urban development and active mobility as well as how dutch cycling infrastructure changed throughout the decades.

After the presentations, the delegation joined a cycling tour through Utrecht led by mobility experts Elke Schimmel, november:city and Shelley Bontje, Dutch Cycling Embassy. During the ride, participants explored several examples of Dutch cycling infrastructure and discussed the planning principles behind them. Particular attention was given to bicycle parking solutions at Utrecht Leidsche Rijn Station and the impressive bicycle parking facilities at Utrecht Central Station.

To conclude the day, the group traveled by train to Maastricht for a joint dinner and informal discussions. There, the delegation was joined by Haskoning experts Sjors van Duren and Paolo Ruffino, as well as Nero Odour from the Province of Limburg and Limburg Deputy Elianne Demollin-Schneiders. The evening provided an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss mobility challenges and opportunities in both regions. During the discussions, it became clear that South Tyrol and Limburg share many similarities, from their strong regional identities to their commitment to sustainable mobility and tourism.

The second day began with a welcome session and an engaging presentation in the town hall of Maastricht on attractive public transport and tourism, delivered by Dana Deliever and Angèl Willems. This was followed by presentations from Paolo Ruffino and Sjors van Duren. Paolo highlighted the economic significance of cycling and demonstrated how a data-driven approach can support mobility policy and investment decisions. Sjors discussed strategies for finding and creating space for cycling infrastructure, particularly in environments where competing demands on public space are common.

Following the morning sessions, the delegation embarked on a cycling tour through the Limburg region towards the southern border of the Netherlands. After a pleasant lunch accompanied by insightful discussions, the group continued their ride through the rolling hills of Limburg. Along the route, participants experienced examples of rural cycling infrastructure and discussed the integration of agricultural traffic with cycling networks in countryside settings.

The study visit concluded at the Town Hall of Valkenburg, where the delegation was welcomed by Deborah Bekkers, Head of Public Space at the Municipality of Valkenburg. The visit ended in true Limburg fashion with coffee and traditional Limburgse vlaai.

We would like to thank all speakers, experts, and participants for their valuable contributions to this inspiring study visit. We look forward to seeing how the lessons and ideas exchanged during these two days will contribute to the future of cycling and sustainable mobility in South Tyrol.

The Dutch Cycling Embassy was honoured to welcome a group from the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation of Northern Ireland for a Study Visit to Utrecht on May 13th. As well as an informal exchange, focusses on the Netherlands cycling paradise as well as waterland, on the afternoon of the 12th, supported by Rick Lindeman of Rijkswaterstaat.

On the 13th, joined by expert Erik Tetteroo, founder of HOD works, the group spent the morning learning from his extensive expertise. Through his presentation on cycling in the Netherlands with a special focus on the transit-bike combination and an interactive quiz on cycling, there was plenty of space for interaction and exchange.

In good DCE fashion, the presentation continued with a cycling tour of Utrecht led by Erik after a delicious lunch at The Greenhouse. In a couple hours the delegation got the chance to see several parts of the city and experience Dutch cycling culture firsthand. Highlights from the tour included visiting the Stationsplein bicycle parking facility whose capacity reaches 12,500 bikes, the busy Vredenburg cycling junction, the Maliebaan and the Oosterspoorbaan cycling path. We thank everyone for their participation and keen engagement and look forward to more fruitful exchanges!

Would you like to experience Dutch cycling culture first-hand?
Get in touch with us to organise your own study visit. We would be delighted to welcome you.

The PolyMonde program from Polytechnique Montréal visited Utrecht this week for an immersive study visit hosted by Dutch Cycling Embassy, giving 25 students and staff firsthand insight into the Dutch approach to sustainable urban mobility.

PolyMonde is a long-running student-led industrial mission that brings together future engineers to study international best practices across key sectors. The 2026 mission focuses on resilient territories and cities, industrial automation, and advanced chemistry and innovative materials, with Belgium and the Netherlands selected for their global leadership in sustainable urban development and mobility innovation.

The Utrecht program began with a guided cycling tour through the city centre, where participants experienced the Dutch cycling network from the saddle. Led by International Relations Manager Chris Bruntlett, the tour highlighted how Utrecht has integrated high-quality cycling infrastructure with public transport, compact urban planning, and people-centred street design to create a safe and accessible mobility system for all ages and abilities.

Following the tour, the group gathered for lunch at the Dutch Cycling Embassy, creating an opportunity for informal discussion and exchange between the visiting delegation.

The afternoon continued with a series of presentations exploring the policies, planning principles, and long-term investments that have shaped the Netherlands into a global leader in cycling. Discussions covered topics such as network design, governance, traffic safety, behaviour change, and the economic and social benefits of active mobility.

For many participants, the visit provided a valuable opportunity to connect engineering, urbanism, and sustainability in a real-world context. By experiencing Utrecht’s cycling culture firsthand, the PolyMonde delegation gained practical insights into how resilient and liveable cities can be designed around people rather than cars.

On 15 April 2026, the Dutch Cycling Embassy welcomed a high-level delegation from the Tauragė Region in Lithuania for a half-day study visit in Utrecht. The group of eleven participants, including mayors, municipal directors, and regional representatives, came with a clear ambition: to shift their region away from car dependency and toward more sustainable, cycling-friendly mobility, even in a predominantly rural, low-density context.

The afternoon opened at the DCE office with a welcome and introduction, before the floor was handed to Christien Rodenburg of New Urban Mobility. Drawing on her many years as a cycling expert at the Municipality of Utrecht, Christien walked the delegation through how Utrecht has transformed its approach to cycling over the decades, not just through infrastructure, but through changes in municipal organisation and behaviour as well. She framed the mobility transition around three interconnected components: infrastructure, organisation, and behaviour, and showed how Utrecht has worked on all three simultaneously as the city evolved. To make Utrecht’s story relevant beyond a major city context, she brought in examples from smaller settlements such as Houten and De Bilt, demonstrating that the principles are transferable to villages and rural areas, precisely the context Tauragė is working in. A interactive Q&A followed, with the mayors engaging closely on questions of governance and implementation.

After the presentation, the group mounted bikes for a two-hour guided cycling tour through Utrecht. The route took the delegation through the inner city and on to the Overvecht, offering a first-hand look at some of Utrechts most instructive cycling features. Highlights included cycling streets that prioritise bike traffic, well-designed roundabouts that balance safety and flow, and of course a visit to the bicycle parking facility at Utrecht Centraal illustrating what truly intermodal mobility can look like in practice. The tour also touched on connectivity as a design principle, a theme directly relevant to Tauragė, which already has some cycling infrastructure in place but is working to stitch it into a coherent network.

We thank Christien Rodenburg for her expert guidance and her ability to translate Utrecht’s cycling story into lessons applicable far beyond its borders. We also thank the Tauragė delegation for their curiosity, engagement, and commitment to building a greener region.

Would you like to explore Dutch cycling practice through a study visit of your own? Get in touch with us, we would be delighted to welcome you.

On March 24th and 25th, the Dutch Cycling Embassy, in collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat, had the pleasure to welcome a diverse European delegation for a study visit in the context of an Interreg project focused on cycling and waterways. The delegation consisted of representatives from several local and regional bodies, from Italy, Spain, Romania, Slovenia and Denmark all of whom eager to learn from Dutch cycling-history and -practice.

The group started the first day in Amersfoort where they had the chance to learn more about the history of cycling and canals in Utrecht as well as elsewhere in the Netherlands, the price-efficiency of the integration of cycling and waterways and the international differences that exist in policy and property through means of some presentations. We extend special thanks to Bert Toussaint (Historian Rijkswaterstaat), Herbert Tiemens, (Municipality of Utrecht), Paolo Ruffino (Haskoning) and Freek de Lier (Decisio) all of whom drew from their expertise to share knowledge with the group.

In the afternoon, participants had the choice between two cycling tours, each of which explored different aspects of cycling in the Netherlands. One was led by Marco Mulder (Arcadis), whose tour focused on how infrastructural choices make cycling attractive, looking at intersection designs, user comfort, network design and bicycle parking. Ruben Loendersloot’s (Loendersloot International) tour looked at rapid cycling connections, the facilitation of intermodal transport, network design and CROW standards. Through these insightful tours, participants were able to gain first-hand experience with Dutch cycling planning and even experience an after-school rush-hour on bikes.

On the second day, in Utrecht, the delegation braved the wind, cold and rain to discover Utrecht by bike, with a tour in the morning, and one in the afternoon. In the morning, they had the choice between Alina Prey’s (Goudappel) tour focused on cross sector cooperation involving water management & cycling route integration with water network, and Arjan Freije’s (Movares) tour on cycling route integration with water network & maintenance, durability & life cycle management. Highlights included cycling over the impressive Daphne Schipperbrug and its seamless connection to the community it serves, and the Catharijnesingel, a famous example of a large freeway re-turned into a canal.

After a filling lunch in the centre, the groups embarked onto their second tour. One group, led by Melissa Bruntlett (Modacity Creative), toured around Utrecht, passing by the Oosterspoorbaan and Utrecht Science Park by the while learning about communication, participation and cultural change in the Dutch context. The other tour, given by Fred Schoonhoven (AbelLeisure), ventured further out the centre, exploring technology & data on waterfront routes & signage, wayfinding & digital information.

All participants regrouped afterwards over some drinks after the tours, followed by a quiz created by the participants and later a shared dinner.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this study visit possible, to all experts, and to the participants who hopefully return home with new insights and a spark of inspiration.

Would you like to experience Dutch cycling culture first-hand?
Get in touch with us to organise your own study visit. We’d be delighted to welcome you.

From March 10th to 12th, 2026, the Dutch Cycling Embassy welcomed a high-level delegation from the China Academy of Transportation Sciences (CATS), a research and policy institute under the national Ministry of Transport, to the Netherlands for a three-day study visit.

The program brought together researchers, policymakers, and mobility experts from China with Dutch practitioners to exchange knowledge on cycling policy, infrastructure design, and the integration of active mobility into urban transport systems. The program included site visits, expert presentations, and guided cycling tours through some of the Netherlands’ most prominent cycling cities.

The study tour began in Amsterdam, where the delegation attended the Intertraffic conference and participated in a joint session titled ‘Bridging Bicycle Kingdoms.’ The program also included a ‘Sino-Dutch Seminar on Cooperative Development of Active Mobility’, featuring presentations from Dutch organisations and experts alongside representatives from China.

On the second day, the group travelled to Utrecht, widely recognised as one of the world’s leading cycling cities. There, participants took part in an e-bike tour along the F28 cycling highway, followed by presentations from the Municipality of Utrecht and a visit to the city’s iconic bicycle parking facility at Utrecht Centraal Station.

The final day took place in The Hague, where the delegation met with representatives from the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, CROW, and SWOV. These sessions focused on national active mobility policy, design guidelines for cycling infrastructure, and road safety. The program concluded with a cycling tour of The Hague before the delegation departed for Beijing.

The study visit highlights the growing international interest in Dutch cycling expertise and the value of cross-border collaboration in promoting sustainable mobility. By combining policy discussions with real-world cycling experiences, the visit provided the CATS delegation with first-hand insight into how the Netherlands integrates cycling into everyday transport.

Through exchanges like this, the Dutch Cycling Embassy continues to support knowledge sharing between the Netherlands and partners around the world working to create safer, healthier, and more sustainable cities.

On January 7th and 8th, 2025, the Dutch Cycling Embassy participated in a high-level study visit from Japan, as part of the SIP Smart Mobility Platform: a multi-year project that hopes to promote the use of bicycles as a core element of transportation infrastructure.

The delegation consisted of representatives from: the Cabinet Office, Keio University, Tohoku University, Oriental Consultants, and Mobility Innovation Alliance Japan.

International Relations Manager Chris Bruntlett joined the program, which included an exchange with the Technical University of Delft, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) in The Hague, and a walking tour of Utrecht followed by a meeting on future international cooperation in smart mobility.

We hope to continue this collaboration at a conference hosted by the Mobility Innovation Alliance in Tokyo later this year, followed by the 2027 Velo-city Conference in Ehime Prefecture.

On November 24th and 25th, 2025, the Dutch Cycling Embassy hosted a high-level delegation from the Beijing Municipal Commission for Transport, for whom we coordinated a study visit of Utrecht, Amsterdam, and The Hague. Along with our partners at the Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat and Netherlands Enterprise Agency, we arranged tours of some of the infrastructural highlights, with a special focus on bicycle parking at train stations and regional cycling highways. This latest cooperation builds on our rapidly expanding knowledge exchange with China in the field of active mobility, as we serve as a bridge between two of the great bicycle kingdoms. This will culminate in our fourth visit of 2025 next week, for a series of meetings with Shanghai Municipality and Tongji University. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the program, including Pui-Yuen Cheng, Whitley Roefs, Teun Zeegers, Odilia Knap, Arlette van Gilst, Daan Noordanus, Edward Douma, Ran Zhang, and Diona Shen.

From 11 to 13 November 2025, the Dutch Cycling Embassy welcomed a delegation from across Hungary for an intensive three-day study visit focused on cycling culture, network planning, and people-centred mobility. The Active Hungary Development Center brought together a diverse group of public-sector professionals, including deputy mayors, project managers, traffic safety and engineering specialists, representatives from national ministries and road authorities, police officials, and leaders from cycling and tourism organisations. Their broad expertise and shared enthusiasm created an engaged and dynamic group eager to learn from Dutch practice.

Day 1, Houten
The visit began in Houten, long known for its deliberate shift toward a bicycle-first urban structure. Arjan Breider (Hart voor Verkeer) guided the group through the evolution of Houten’s network over the past decades, illustrating how the city’s design continues to shape mobility behaviour today. In addition, Nils Bruinsma (Arcadis) provided an in-depth presentation on network planning and the urban–rural relationship, highlighting how regional connectivity strengthens everyday cycling.

Day 2, Rotterdam
On the second day, the delegation travelled to Rotterdam to experience a city actively transitioning from car-oriented planning to people-centred streets. The cycling tour offered views of the city’s bold urban development, with highlights such as the underground bicycle escalator/tunnel and the iconic Erasmus Bridge. Lior Steinberg (Humankind) spoke about Rotterdam as a city of change, demonstrating how moments of challenge can open up opportunities for rethinking public space. Melissa Bruntlett (Modacity Creative) complemented this with insights into communication strategies as an essential part of bicycle promotion and engagement.

Day 3, Utrecht
The final day took place in Utrecht, with a focus on bicycle parking, maintenance, and infrastructure design.
Christien Rodenburg (New Urban Mobility) led a bicycle parking cycling tour, demonstrating the variety and scale of Utrecht’s facilities. Along the way, Ed Spiller (Fietshangar) demonstrated a fietstrommel, showcasing practical local parking solutions.

At the DCE office, Martin Bathoorn and Bas Mulder (Municipality of Utrecht) shared how the city approaches the maintenance of cycling infrastructure, emphasising that good design starts with choosing the right location, giving trees space to grow, and planning for long-term quality. Maurits Lopes Cardozo (Bike-minded) discussed design principles rooted in experience and behaviour.

Impressions
Throughout the visit, participants expressed admiration for the consistency and quality of Dutch cycling environments. Some of the most appreciated elements included:

• the recognisable red cycle paths
• intuitive, low-stress intersections and eye contact culture
• large-scale yet user-friendly parking facilities
• the absence of unnecessary signage
• the relaxed flow and smaller speed differences between cyclists
• communication as a crucial ingredient of behavioural change
• small interventions that can make a major impact

We extend our sincere thanks to the Active Hungary Development Center for bringing the delegation together, and to all participants for their curiosity, engagement, knowledge sharing, and the good moments we shared.

Would you like to experience Dutch cycling culture first-hand?
Get in touch with us to organise your own study visit. We’d be delighted to welcome you.

On the afternoon of Monday, November 3rd, 2025, the Dutch Cycling Embassy hosted a small delegation of advocates from the Sama Velo organization in Daka, Senegal. This half-day session was part of a larger study visit of the Netherlands that included meetings with DCE network participants november:city, SportUtrecht, and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. To kick off the proceedings, the group visited the DCE office, where International Relations Manager Chris Bruntlett provided an overview of cycling in the Netherlands, and discussed the specific challenges in their local context. Following that, the delegation took a cycling tour of Utrecht, visiting Centraal station’s bike parking facility, the Catherijnesingel, and the world’s busiest cycling lane along the Vredenburg It was a pleasure to host the group and to engage in their questions.