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🇳🇱 Same-country drive · Netherlands

Driving from The Hague to Nijmegen

A direct route guide for your road trip from the seat of Dutch government in The Hague to the ancient streets of Nijmegen.

Drive time
1h 51m
Distance
136 km
Same day?
Yes, half day
under 4 h
Fuel cost
≈ €24
petrol · diesel ≈ €18
Tolls
Toll-free
no charges en route
EV charging
Unknown
not yet surveyed
Countries
🇳🇱 Netherlands
1 country
On this page

Route map

Route options

Other paths OSRM found between the two cities — handy when traffic, tolls, or scenery matter more than raw speed.

Avoids motorways

+1h
Distance:
147 km
(+11 km)
Duration:
2h 52m

Via: N322 · Van Heemstraweg · N320

How else can you make this trip?

Driving is the focus of this guide; here's how cycling, coach, and (soon) train and plane stack up for the same pair.

By car

1h 51m

136 km · €24 fuel

See details ↓

By bus

No direct service

Our coach data (FlixBus + BlaBlaCar) doesn't list a direct service for this pair. National operators (e.g., National Express in the UK, Eurolines feeders) may still cover it — check their site directly.

What the drive is like

Drafted from the route's computed data on April 25, 2026 and reviewed against the route summary card. Read our methodology.

You depart The Hague via the A12, pushing east through the heavy Randstad traffic toward the Utrecht junction where the character of the landscape begins to shift. Once you clear the urban sprawl, the motorways open up into the typically flat, efficient Dutch polder landscape. You will transition onto the A2 and then the A15, following a route that prioritizes heavy freight movement from the port of Rotterdam toward the German hinterland. Expect lane discipline to be high, but stay alert for sudden speed fluctuations as the smart motorway gantries adjust limits in real-time to manage congestion.

As you navigate the final stretch onto the N322 and the A73, the terrain subtly lifts, offering a rare change from the absolute flatness of the coast. The approach to Nijmegen reveals the city's unique geography along the Waal River, marked by its hilly topography that stands in stark contrast to the low-lying western provinces. Keep an eye on your speedometer, as the national limit of 100 km/h is strictly enforced by both fixed cameras and frequent trajectory checks.

Crossing into the outskirts of Nijmegen, you will notice the pace of driving slows as the city's ancient, narrow street layouts begin to influence traffic flow. Remember that the Netherlands maintains a strict 0.5 BAC limit, and the police presence is consistent on these major arterial routes. There are no vignettes or tolls to manage, but ensure your vehicle is registered correctly for any local low-emission requirements if you intend to drive deep into the historic city center, which remains largely pedestrian-friendly and best explored on foot after parking.

Route highlights

  • The Utrecht junction interchange complexity
  • The transition from flat polder to the undulating landscape near the Waal River
  • The historic riverside architecture upon entering Nijmegen
  • The smart motorway systems managing traffic flow near major cities

Trip plan

How to think about the drive: one day, split, or overnight.

Short hop

Under two hours behind the wheel. Grab a coffee, set the playlist, done before lunch.

Distance:
136 km
Duration:
1h 51m (free-flow, no traffic)

Must-know before you go

The things a driver from another country wouldn't think to ask about — fines, stickers, payment cards, opening hours.

Tolls, vignettes & road payment

No motorway tolls, but Westerschelde tunnel charges

Tip

Dutch motorways are free for cars, but a few specific crossings charge. The Westerscheldetunnel near Vlissingen is €5–7. Kil Tunnel (A29) and Liefkenshoektunnel (Antwerp side) are similarly priced. Pay contactless on entry — there's no booth queue.

Driving rules & habits

Bicycles have right-of-way at unmarked junctions

Useful

In the Netherlands, cyclists are treated as full traffic and often given priority you'd expect from a pedestrian crossing back home. Always check the bike lane before turning. At a roundabout in town, cyclists get the inside line and you yield. The rule that bites is unmarked junctions in residential streets — yield to the bike.

Fuel stations

Contactless cards work at virtually every motorway pump

Tip

Major brand stations (Shell, Total, BP, Repsol, Cepsa, OMV, Eni, Esso) take Visa and Mastercard contactless without an issue. American Express and Diners are spotty south of the Alps. A €100 pre-authorisation hold is normal — it releases within 5 days. Carry €50 cash for the rare independent station.

Money & connectivity

EU roaming covers calls, texts and data at no extra cost

Tip

Your home EU SIM works at home rates across every EU member, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The "fair use" cap on data only applies if you're abroad more than four months. For a 2-week road trip, just use your phone normally — but switch off "data roaming" if you're leaving the EU into UK / CH for any segment.

Emergency & breakdown

112 works everywhere in the EU and continental neighbours

Tip

Single number for police, ambulance, fire — works from any phone, any network, any country. On motorways, the orange SOS pillars every 2km connect direct to the regional traffic control centre and pinpoint your location. Use them over your phone if you can — it speeds the response.

Rules, fees, and thresholds change. Always verify against the official source the day before you drive — this page is a checklist, not a legal reference.

Main roads

The highways this route spends the most kilometres on.

  • A12 Utrechtsebaan
    54 km
  • A2
    28 km
  • A15
    18 km
  • N322 Maas en Waalweg
    15 km
  • A73
    6 km
  • N323 Prins Willem-Alexanderweg
    4 km
  • S103 Graafseweg
    2 km

Route character

How much of the drive is motorway vs. secondary vs. rural.

Motorway drive — fast, predictable, uneventful.

Motorway
79%
Secondary
16%
Other / rural
5%

Drive difficulty

At-a-glance feel: how demanding is this drive for one driver?

Overall

Easy

Straightforward drive. One driver, one day, little to worry about beyond fuel and a toilet stop.

  • No major complicating factors — motorway-heavy, single country, comfortable length.

Fuel & tolls

Rough cost expectation for a typical EU passenger car. Treat as an estimate — pump prices change weekly.

Petrol (RON 95)

≈ €24

10.2 L × €2.39 / L · 7.5 L/100 km

Diesel

≈ €18

8.2 L × €2.26 / L · 6 L/100 km

Electric (DC fast)

≈ €16

24 kWh × €0.65 / kWh · 17.5 kWh/100 km

Public DC fast charging — slower AC charging at home or hotels typically costs about half.

Prices last refreshed 2026-05-25.

Weather by month

Average daytime high / overnight low and typical monthly rainfall, over the past five years.

🇳🇱 The Hague

Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
11°
14°
17°
10°
21°
14°
21°
15°
22°
15°
20°
13°
16°
11°
11°
111mm 65mm 67mm 80mm 78mm 52mm 114mm 76mm 95mm 120mm 128mm 86mm

hot mild cold

🇳🇱 Nijmegen

Month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
12°
14°
19°
10°
22°
13°
23°
15°
23°
15°
21°
13°
15°
10°
10°
95mm 65mm 69mm 80mm 85mm 69mm 92mm 74mm 71mm 96mm 81mm 74mm

hot mild cold

Next 5 days at Nijmegen

Live forecast — refreshes every few hours.

  • Sun 7

    19° / 13°

    0.4mm

  • Mon 8

    🌧️

    20° / 12°

    40.8mm

  • Tue 9

    🌧️

    17° / 11°

    15.6mm

  • Wed 10

    🌧️

    15° / 10°

    4mm

  • Thu 11

    🌧️

    15° / 10°

    4.4mm

Forecast: MET Norway

Directions

Turn-by-turn summary of the main manoeuvres, generated by OSRM.

Show all 15 manoeuvres
  1. Sirtemastraat
  2. Utrechtsebaan (A12) 54 km
  3. (A12) 0.5 km
  4. (A2) 25 km
  5. (A2) 2 km
  6. (A15) 18 km
  7. Prins Willem-Alexanderweg (N323) 4 km
  8. Prins Willem-Alexanderweg (N323)
  9. Maas en Waalweg (N322) 7 km
  10. Maas en Waalweg (N322) 8 km
  11. (A73) 6 km
  12. Neerbosscheweg 3 km
  13. Graafseweg (S103) 2 km
  14. van Diemerbroeckstraat

Frequently asked

What is the speed limit on Dutch motorways?

The daytime speed limit on Dutch motorways is generally 100 km/h. Always follow the overhead gantry signs, as these can lower the limit during peak hours or due to traffic conditions.

Do I need to buy a vignette for this drive?

No, there are no road tolls or vignettes required for driving on public motorways within the Netherlands.

How this page is built

Compiled by COD Solutions Oy from open European data — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for the route geometry, Open-Meteo for monthly climate normals, and Google Gemini drafts the narrative and FAQ from the computed route data. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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