Video: Amsterdam opens part of new IJ River promenade, 4,000-space bike garage

For several years, the space between the bicycle path behind Amsterdam’s Central Station and the IJ River has been obscured by construction material and fencing. A portion of that was cleared away this week as the City of Amsterdam revealed part of a new 6,000 square meter promenade with a perfect, unobstructed view facing the river and Amsterdam-Noord. The city also opened its second new large bicycle garage this year, with enough space for 4,000 bicycles underneath the promenade and Central Station pedestrian areas.

The city installed a long wooden steps along the new boulevard leading to an expansive platform that allows people to sit by the water. “The walking area is already looking good with tiles and natural stone benches,” the city said in a statement.

”We are still working on it, but we expect the boulevard to be completely finished in April.”

Entrances to the new underground parking facility are located on the waterfront at the back of the station. This is part of the project to replace the Fietsflat, a three-storey bicycle on the west side of the train station designed to hold 2,500 bicycles.

With 4,000 spaces, the new facility on the waterfront side of station is quite a bit smaller than the 7,000 space underwater garage that also opened in January. The city claims that garage is the first of its kind. The smaller garage on the north side of the station also has its own innovations.

Construction of the garage included baskets that were added to the submerged portion of the facility which fish can use as a hiding spot. “We used specially roughened concrete to help mussels and plants grow.”

Additionally, the builders tried to incorporate as many natural and reusable materials as possible, with wood portions of the ceiling, and recycled plastics.

It has two above-ground entrances for people bringing their bicycles in or out, and two other entrances for pedestrians. The digital signs in front indicate how many spaces are available, and lighting inside the garage guides people to an empty space. There are also racks for some bicycles that take up more space. Screens inside also show departing train times, and the facility will be staffed during opening hours for security reasons.

However, “Cargo bikes, fat bikes and scooters cannot park in the parking facility. They can go to the specially designated areas on the De Ruijterkade,” the city said. “Tricycles, cargo bikes and fat bikes can also be parked in the Stationsplein Oost parking facility. This parking facility is located on the ground floor; so you don't have to go down with your bike.”

The bicycle garage is free to use for the first 24 hours. After that, it costs 1.35 euros per 24 hours. The pricing is the same as the other three Central Station parking facilities.

Anyone who still has a bicycle on a rack at the back of the station will need to pick it up by March 13, though vehicles on the Fietsflat needed to be removed by Friday. The city will remove all bicycles from the area and send them to the city’s Fietsdepot in the Westpoort industrial area.