Cycling in Leiden
Zuid-Holland
Leiden is the oldest university city in the Netherlands: Leiden University was founded in 1575, and the city still breathes academic history. The Academiegebouw, the Pieterskerk where the Pilgrim Fathers prayed before departing for America, and the Hortus Botanicus all sit in the historic centre. With nearly 50 percent cycling modal share, Leiden ranks in the Dutch top three.
The narrow canal streets such as Rapenburg (considered by many the most beautiful canal in the Netherlands) and Breestraat call for nimble cycling: some streets are barely wide enough for an oncoming cyclist and a pedestrian. Hoogstraat and Haarlemmerstraat are mostly pedestrianised with cycling corridors. At Beestenmarkt, close to Leiden Centraal, sits one of the largest open-air parkings in the city.
Leiden lies on the transition from coastal climate to inland: salty air from Katwijk and Noordwijk mixes with inland air flows, producing unpredictable weather. Commuters heading to The Hague or Amsterdam frequently take the train from Leiden Centraal, one of the busiest stations in the Netherlands.
Theft is a real problem: around 1800 bikes per year in a city of 125,000 is relatively high. The student population drives plenty of opportunistic theft. An ART-2 lock is the minimum; for pricier bikes, ART-3. Mirrors and bells are popular because of the busy, narrow street network.
Most relevant for Leiden
Weather
Leiden sits on the transition between coast and inland, producing genuinely unpredictable weather: sometimes coastal-stormy, sometimes calm and inland-like. Salty air from Katwijk does bite at chains a little, though less than right on the sea. Morning and evening rush hours frequently see rain showers rolling in from the west; keeping a lightweight rain jacket in the pannier is smart.
Parking
Leiden Centraal has parking on both sides; the largest underground facility holds around 5000 bikes, free for the first 24 hours. Beestenmarkt is a large open-air parking in the centre. On the university campus in the Bio Science Park and at the LUMC, spacious racks are provided. In the narrow canal streets parking space is limited, and enforcement acts quickly when pedestrian paths are blocked.
Theft
For a city of 125,000, 1800 thefts per year is on the high side, driven largely by the student population of over 30,000. Hotspots are the centre around Breestraat and the station area. ART-2 is the minimum, ART-3 for e-bikes. Insurers charge an average premium for 2300 postcodes, slightly below Amsterdam but above Eindhoven.