Car Rental - Haarlem
The Dutch city of Haarlem is small but perfectly formed, with plenty of attractions among its cobbled streets. You’ll find cozy cafés and restaurants around the scenic waterfront, along with many shops and historic buildings.
Haarlem is just a short drive from the capital Amsterdam, so it’s an excellent location for discovering the Netherlands. Car rental in Haarlem makes it possible to explore the city, as well as the Dutch coast just a few miles away.
Whatever the reason for your visit, you’ll find several of our car rental pick-up locations in and around Haarlem. So, you can collect your vehicle at a time and place that’s convenient for you.
Landing at the nearby airport? You’ll find we have a car rental desk at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, less than 12 miles away from Haarlem. You can pick up your car when your flight lands and, with our Hertz best price guarantee, you’re sure to secure a great deal.
Haarlem Locations
A Quick Guide to Haarlem
Haarlem is a classically beautiful city filled with historic buildings and churches, along with modern shops, bars and cafés. Whether you need a business or holiday car rental, its excellent location close to the coast and Amsterdam makes it a great base for a Netherlands visit.
Historic Haarlem
Haarlem is not a large city, but there’s still plenty to see and do in your car rental. One of its most popular attractions is the Grote Kerk, also known as St Bavokerk. This magnificent building is home to the famous Müller organ, which covers its west wall and was once played by a young Mozart. You can also admire its Renaissance artworks and stained-glass windows, before heading across the street to the Vleeshal, a historic market building that today houses a fascinating modern and contemporary art museum.
This area of the city, known as the Grote Markt, is home to a regular market on Saturday and Monday. Here you can join locals and tourists as they browse the stalls for Dutch delicacies such as cheese and preserves, as well as exploring the vintage stalls for clothing and antiques.
Haarlem is also an important center for the world-famous Dutch flower trade. Make a beeline for the Keukenhof gardens in Lisse just a few miles south of the city, where in the spring you can see rows of beautiful tulips coming into bloom.
Beach Vibes
Close to the coast, Haarlem is ideal if you want to catch some seaside sun. A Haarlem rental car puts it within easy reach.
One of the resorts closest to the city is Bloemendaal, a trendy beach area where you’ll find a cool selection of cafés, clubs and beach bars where live bands and DJs perform.
This part of the coast is also home to Thijsse’s Hof, a wildlife garden with hundreds of species of native plants. And, of course, its sandy beach is a great place to relax and soak up some sun.
A Day in Amsterdam
If you have some spare time during your visit to Haarlem, a trip to the Dutch capital is a must. Especially as it’s only a short drive with a Haarlem car rental.
Amsterdam has a reputation as one of the most charming cities in Europe, with its distinctive canals surrounded by magnificent town houses and a peaceful, relaxed way of life.
There’s so much to see and do that it’s almost impossible to fit it into one visit. But a great place to start is by exploring its canals. Visit Reguliersgracht where you can see the famous view of seven bridges or enjoy an evening visit to the beautifully illuminated Magere Brug over the River Amstel. You can also take a boat tour of the canals to learn more about this unique city and its heritage.
Other highlights in Amsterdam include the Rijksmuseum, where you can see iconic works of art such as Rembrandt’s Night Watch. Perhaps the most famous Dutch artist of them all, Vincent van Gogh, has his own dedicated museum where you can see Sunflowers and other major pieces.
If you’re more of a sports fan, it’s just a short drive out of the city to the Johan Cruijff Arena, formerly the Amsterdam Arena. There you can take a tour and learn all about the Dutch soccer club Ajax. Renting a car for your visit to Haarlem makes it possible to explore all this and more at your own pace.
Driving In and Around Haarlem
The Netherlands is a relatively small country. So, renting a car from Haarlem could be one of the best ways to explore it during your stay.
Haarlem is connected to Amsterdam by the N200 provincial road, which also leads in the opposite direction towards Bloemendaal and other destinations on the coast. Another major city, the port of Rotterdam, is around an hour south of Haarlem along the A4.
The road network in the Netherlands is very well maintained, with clear signs. It should make driving in your Haarlem rental car easy and safe.
There are only two toll roads, the Western Scheldt Tunnel on the N62 and the Dordtse Kil in the south of the country. Most roads are not too busy, although you may find a build-up of traffic in major cities such as Amsterdam and Utrecht during the morning and evening rush hours. Like most countries in Europe, Dutch cars drive on the right and overtake on the left.
There are speed cameras on many Dutch roads and, if you’re found to have committed a driving offense, you can be given an on-the-spot fine. Speed limits are clearly signposted, while seatbelts are compulsory for all passengers and the driver.
When you rent a car in Haarlem, you’ll find there’s plenty of parking available in the city center. In many areas, you will need to pay. But there are a number of streets where you don’t need to purchase a ticket – you’ll just need to check a permit isn’t required.
Many of the main parking lots in Haarlem can be found at the train station, De Appelaar in the city center, and at Raaks, close to the Grote Markt.
