Amsterdam's famed Central Station bike storage to be dismantled by year’s end
The municipality of Amsterdam has confirmed that the iconic fietsflat near Centraal Station, a popular landmark for bike storage, will be permanently removed by the end of the year, according to Het Parool. The decision comes after years of service as a free storage point for bicycles and scooters and follows the opening of a new, large underground bicycle garage at Centraal Station.
The fietsflat, built in 1999, originally served as a temporary solution to the city’s bike parking shortage, with plans for its demolition set for five years after construction. However, the structure stayed in use far beyond its intended lifespan, until it closed in January 2023. At the time, the new underground parking garage, which accommodates 7,000 bicycles, opened. This garage is free for the first 24 hours, providing an alternative storage option for the thousands of cyclists who frequent the area daily.
In an announcement made by Amsterdam’s Traffic Alderman, Melanie van der Horst, in April 2023, it was revealed that the fietsflat would be permanently dismantled due to a significant decrease in demand. The primary underground garage, known as the Stationspleinstallation, is only 50 percent occupied during peak times, while the second garage, IJboulevardstalling, remains at 35 percent capacity.
Alderwoman Van der Horst also noted the increasing nuisance around the fietsflat since its closure. She reported that the area had attracted more homeless individuals, resulting in littering and bicycles being left against construction fences. This growing concern, coupled with resistance from local residents, made reopening the structure impractical.
The demolition of the fietsflat will reportedly take at least six months, as the municipality seeks to preserve materials for reuse in a “circular” manner. The structure, though capable of lasting another 50 years, is being dismantled due to the new infrastructure and urban concerns.
The fietsflat, often photographed by tourists for its iconic design, is a symbol of the city’s cycling culture. Since its closure, various proposals have been put forward for how the newly available space could be repurposed. Local groups, including the Amsterdam Students' Union (ASVA) and PvdA Centrum, suggested reopening the space for long-term bike parking.
Other ideas, such as converting the area into terraces and restaurants or even granting the fietsflat monument status, have sparked debate. However, preservationists such as Walther Schoonenberg, secretary of the Vereniging Vrienden van de Amsterdamse Binnenstad, disagreed with the idea, arguing that the space should remain unoccupied to preserve the surrounding public waterscape.
Rogier Noyon, president of Voordestad Amsterdam, echoed this sentiment, supporting the city's plan to keep the station area as open and obstruction-free as possible.
