Paris to Amsterdam by Car
Driving distance from Paris to Amsterdam is about 500 kilometers, it takes about 5 to 6 hours. The most direct route is through Antwerp or Brussels, Belgium. Travel time also depends on the amount of traffic and road works. Avoid peak traffic hours on weekdays and weekend peak times: Friday afternoon or Sunday afternoon. When exiting Paris this is a major problem and could add up to one hour of waiting time. Parking in both Paris and Amsterdam is expensive.
Road from Paris to Amsterdam
It pays to understand the different rules of driving in France, Belgium and the Netherlands with AA before you drive because even though there are no customs borders, every country has its own driving rules and road signs. In France, for example, you need to have an unsed breathanalyzer with you in the car at all times. Road tolls cost about 15 euros depending on the route that you take. Check route maps for Paris to Amsterdam on Google or Via Michelin; this way you can plan petrol stops and breaks before you leave.
www.theaa.com, www.viamichelin.com
Car rental in Paris
Most car rental agencies have pick up and drop off points near airports or train stations. If you're in the city and choose a train station, remember that it's quite difficult to drive within Paris, there are many traffic jams during peak hours and the roads can be difficult to navigate. Parking is difficult to find, that's why most cars on the road are quite small. You can check our premium rental offers on our Amsterdam car rental page.
Carpooling in Europe
One of the newest trends in Europe is to carpool from one city to another. With the internet you can find someone who is travelling to the same city on the same day as you who will share their car. From Paris to Amsterdam you can expect to pay about 35 to 50 euros. That's the cost per person. Check with the driver to see if you have to split road tolls separately.
www.carpooling.fr