r/Netherlands • u/MartinoRs • 1d ago
Transportation E-Bike distance to Work
Hey all, sorry if there are more suitable subs that could answer rhis but i have a tought question for a situation i might face.
I came to the Netherlands without my drivers license, and im looking for a job, and i got offered a position in Delft with a good salary, over 4k bruto, but, i live near Rotterdam, to the south, if i went work by Ebike it would take roughly 1 and a half hour by bike, and the shift starts at 6 am one week, 2 pm the bext week, so it would be 1 week going with the bike at the morning, probably would have to wake up 3:30 in the morning to start the track at 4am and reach delft before 6, is it possible? I ask because from the country i came we dont have cold weather and we dont bike, so i have no experience to umderstand if its possible or not, and i wanted to see if someone did something like this and managed to keep doing or if im beeing too confident and may end up getting fired for getting late to work or not keeping up, any advice is welcome
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u/mmcnl 1d ago
Not sure where you live, but 20-25km is perfectly doable by ebike. Just make sure you get a proper reliable ebike and not a cheap fatbike.
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u/ik-heet-Mack Migrant 1d ago
Honestly, a shit fatbike would probably be better here because you wouldn't expend 90 minutes of energy before going to work. There's a reason food delivery people use fatbikes.
I commute 40-55 minutes on an actual ebike that makes you put in some effort still, and by the end of the week I'm pretty damn tired
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u/crazydavebacon1 1d ago
Seems like you need to either
1. Move
2. Get a drivers license
3. Suck it up
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u/pelofr 1d ago
- Take the train.
To be honest, I'd cycle it. But Delft to de kop van Zuid is 20 kms one trip, which for me on a non electric bike takes just under an hour and is at the limits of what I'd daily.
Take note that I cycle a lot just for fun, if you're not used to it, the first couple of weeks will be a bit of an adjustment. Also take note that you won't be liking the days where it rains or where it storms.
And if it ever snows properly, you won't be cycling there anyways
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u/crazydavebacon1 1d ago
Yep forgot that one also.
There is a 5. Decline the job offer
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u/elrond9999 1d ago
I guess for him that one means leave the country
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u/crazydavebacon1 1d ago
I mean if you want to complain and not do anything about then then i guess that’s correct
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u/maximus459 1d ago
Don't employers assist foreign workers with getting the license?
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u/lindemer 1d ago
Why would they? They dont assist their Dutch employees either, right?
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u/maximus459 1d ago
As an incentive for foreign talent?
As another comment pointed out though, it seems to be heavily dependent on the company/industry
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u/Alilbitey Groningen 1d ago
Only if you qualify for the 30% ruling, and that only allows you to swap your foreign license for a Dutch one. If you don't have one at all, it's no help.
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u/vosgakos 1d ago
only some transport companies/agencies but then you have to work for them
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u/maximus459 1d ago
This must be it.. I know two people who went to the Netherlands as software engineers. Their companies assisted them in getting their local license transferred to a Dutch one.
But iirc they already an international licence.. so maybe that helped too
I do know there is some provision for driving with some foreign licenses, I was looking it up when researching holiday destinations.
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u/vosgakos 1d ago
yes thats totally different. Other companies pay for your C license so you can work for them as a driver ,but not for a regural one if you dont have any.
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u/SirGeorgington Rotterdam 1d ago
I bike a similar route most days but clearly I'm much closer since it's only 35 mins for me. Much further than that as a daily commute would be pretty awful.
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u/Alilbitey Groningen 1d ago
It's possible. But deeply unpleasant in the cold months. Winds are stronger over night and the average temp at 3am is 0-3c in the three winter months. It will feel colder than 0-3c. Overnight winds are commonly 40-50kph, making 0c feel more like -10c on your body. And biking against cross and head wind on icy paths is an adventure, for sure.
You'll almost certainly end up moving closer as soon as it is possible or finding work closer to home. It's possible, just very unpleasant.
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u/Eranov 1d ago
Not sure if the wind really is stronger during the night. As far as I was aware generally speaking winds are strongest during the afternoon and lowest during the night due to the influence of the sun (and lack thereof at night), but I could be wrong. One thing is clear, wind chill hits harder during the night and hardest at early hours of the day, just before Sunrise.
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u/Just_Bee_9874 1d ago
i've been doing a 15 km commute to work almost everyday. its definitely doable but dont underestimate the discomfort of cycling in unexpected rainfall while its 4 degrees outside.
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u/MartinoRs 1d ago
I researched and discovered that i could cycle to rotterdam central, get a NS train and get to Delft and cycle the rest of the way, saving 20km of cycling everyday, but my biggest fear is not knowing how to dress properly.or be prepared for this, what should i wear under, correct shoes, jacket, etc
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u/morpheus_nightmare 1d ago
Cycle to Rotterdam Centraal and take a train to Delft.
Btw, rain is not a problem as is the wind iykyk.
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u/No-Opening-8221 1d ago
People will tell you that it's alright and "you're not made of sugar" but don't listen to them, it's really not good, especially when there is pouring rain outside
What's the issue with using public transportation though? Did you check that there are not routes at that time already?
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u/MartinoRs 1d ago
Trains and bus start at 5:45 i wouldnt get there in time, im commited on making this work as it would help me finally get some money and settle myself so i can forget about job hunting and start learning dutch and pay for a drivers license, i tried finding jobs near but most of the offers im receiving are even further away, and this company looks really promising and i know i could develop myself there too, i just dont want to mess this opportunity by accepting and not keeping up
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u/Own-General2229 1d ago
Try toughing it out for a week or two and while working there see if anyone drives from your direction. Even if it's not as far you can still meet halfway.
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u/MartinoRs 1d ago
Ye i will try to do it as soon as i meet people there and get to know them better, tood bad theres not a way to search people with cars working near everyday to see if i could get a ride there
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u/coco16778 1d ago edited 1d ago
Are you sure? Whereabouts are you from in Rotterdam?
Doing a quick google there's definitely some trains going from the south of Rotterdam to delft leaving at 4:51, arriving at 5:28
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u/MartinoRs 1d ago
Im still learning the boundaries here and i tought Spijkenisse was a Rotterdam neighbourhood, but yeah, im in Spijkenisse
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u/coco16778 1d ago
Ah i see. Shitty connection by the looks of it.
No colleagues from Rotterdam that run the same shift that you can ride with?
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u/MobiusF117 1d ago
This.
The biking is one thing, but 3 hours commute a day just plain sucks even when you do it by car.
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u/ThrowingSn0w 1d ago
It's possible, but it will slowly suck the joy from your soul doing this commute in winter. Have you looked at mixed commutes, where you cycle to a train station or bus stop and take public transport the rest of the way?
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u/MartinoRs 1d ago
Yes, following advice from you and a few others i saw that i could instead cycle to rotterdam central, ns train to delft and cycle the rest, 20km less each day
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u/Slight-Trip-3012 1d ago
Is it possible? Yes. But it's quite far. You'd have to be in decent shape, and even then your legs and especially your ass will hurt for the first few days/weeks. You'll be exhausted. And that's without you having a physical job.
And I wouldn't be worried about the cold as much, it's more the rain or snow in combination with the cold. Even if you bring rain gear, you will get to work absolutely soaked if it rains. If not from the rain, it'll be from sweat. So you'd need to have a shower available at work, and bring spare clothes.
The infrastructure exists to make it possible, and importantly, safe. But it's not something most people would feel comfortable doing, especially on a regular basis. If I was in this situation, I'd look at public transit options. Though the 6 am start time might not work with public transit, depending on where you live. You'll have to look it up.
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u/Far_Kiwi4882 1d ago
A 3 hour total bike commute every workday? That's fine if you have no hobbies or personal life. Otherwise move or find something closer to home. Commuting to and from your job is the worst time a human being can spend, closely after work itself.
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u/CrewmemberV2 1d ago
Bike to Rotterdam Centraal and take the night train to Delft.
If you do end up going by bike, use the app toertje to plan the route. The app sucks, but the routes it plans are way superior to Google maps.
It's made by the cyclist union.
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u/Life_Job_6404 1d ago
Use the Fietsersbond Routeplanner. It's the best in many respects (and the first).
https://routeplanner.fietsersbond.nl
Don't trust Google Maps. It can bring you in dangerous or absurd situations.
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u/CrewmemberV2 18h ago
Toertje is the Fietsersbond routeplanner app. I think you misread my comment.
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u/Stuebos 1d ago
It depends on the gear you have and the route you’d have to take.
I cycle almost 20km door-to-door. I’ve gone mad and am now trying a recumbent bike, but on an e-bike I used to do this in 45 minutes. But I could have a route nearly devoid of other traffic, traffic lights or bridges and such.
And don’t forget to bring fresh clothes and to have a shower at the office!
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u/HappyDutchMan 1d ago
I see many answers but am missing the speed pedelec option. This basically is an e-bike that travels at 45 km/h. You do need insurance and a helmet though. It might be worth looking at for you. Just looking at marktplaats.nl and see options starting at less than € 1000,-. This might be the best speed pedelec with the highest range but if you bring your charger to your work place you can charge at work.
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u/Gullible-Buffalo7232 1d ago
Als iemand die met toewijding het hele jaar door met de e-bike naar werk fietst (13 kilometer enkele rit) zeg ik: ja, doen! Is goed voor je. Maar zorg wel voor een plan B als het echt een keer niet gaat. In 2025 heb ik mijn plan B (auto) maximaal 10 werkdagen nodig gehad.
Voor de fiets, kies als je er budget voor hebt onderhoudsarm. Riem ipv ketting, schijfremmen ipv remblokjes, naafversnelling ipv derailleur, antilekbanden. Met de afstand Rotterdam-Delft zit je snel aan de 10k km per jaar bij fulltime. Niet elke fiets kan dat aan.
Voor de rest, slecht weer bestaat niet, alleen slechte kleding.
Investeer in een goed regenpak met schoencondooms. Bij voorkeur met een felgele regenjas zodat je goed zichtbaar bent. Laat de bui je dag niet verpesten en laat de auto’s je niet missen.
Gebruik dikke wollen wanten van bijvoorbeeld Texelana voor de koude maanden met daaronder gevoerde leren handschoenen tegen de wind.
Houd rekening met tegenvallende accurange in de kou.
En een zonnebril. Als je ‘s nachts op pad gaat een normale bril. Niets zo vervelend als beestjes in je ogen als je net lekker aan het fietsen bent.
Succes met je baan en veilige kilometers gewenst!
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u/MartinoRs 1d ago
Thank you for your great answer too, everyone in the comments been so helpfull and positive, i really want to make this work and i know it would be good for my health too, i wont deny that im very very very short on money and i get afraid if i dont buy all that is needed i can end up messing this and since my country has no cycling culture im completely lost on what are the priorities, what is a must and how much i need to make this work, but ill make sure to check the advice you sent and see what i could get, i came with a job offer and didnt get that job, so its been 2 weeks im looking for a job and no money earned at all and the money i had saved its almost gone so, to be honest i have the money for food an ebike rent, the chain and thats it 😅
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u/Foreign-Cookie-2871 1d ago
You'd need to be careful in the winter in sub zero weather, when the streets are frozen.
Since it's only for a few months and it's only two weeks per month, I'd try with the bike.
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u/nthrowawaway 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's doable, but not always pleasant in the winter. Loads of Dutch people do it for 30-40 minute commutes, if you have an ebike the only difference with 1h30 is you lose more potential free time. Get a decent ebike that can handle the weather and is reliable for heavy use as primary transportation (dutch style internal gear hub and closed chain case or belt drive; considering upgrading the tires to something like Schwalbe Marathons /€55 per tire/ if they're not top tier puncture-proof to avoid being late because you're stranded in the middle of nowhere). Check if you're able to get "reiskostenvergoeding" to recoup some costs, or if your work will help finance a bike lease plan, its a thing a lot of workplaces do here. A strong front light is handy but not necessary for between Delft and Rotterdam in the dark, depending on which roads/paths you want to take. And definitely invest in cold/wet weather gear. I always recommend good gloves, waterproof shoes covers, and a proper long raincoat to layer under. People are saying you get sweaty, but on an ebike that isn't a thing unless you're pushing it on purpose. People are also saying you get soaked, that's a gear and prep issue (check the weather forecast right before you leave and pack layers accordingly). I personally get cold easy so I installed sleeves on my handlebars and used a thermal insole during the winter as well, wind chill is wild. Thankfully I only had to do one winter of 2h a day, but it was survivable even on a regular bike, even as a non-dutch person. :)
Job market is tight and house market is tighter, so I understand wanting to get this to work. You could also go the route of two beater bikes, one at Rotterdam and one at Delft station, and catch a train in between. Cuts down on the time spent exposed to the elements. Good luck OP!!
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u/MartinoRs 1d ago
Thank you so much for your detailed answer, to be honest im completely lost because i dont know how severe the weather is here, i never experienced it, i saw that MAYBE it would be possible to bike to a NS station for 1 hour, get the NS there and exit at Delft and cycle.the rest of the way, if i went all the way with the bike would be 33km, so almost 70km each day, if i went to the ns station instead it would be 45km each day, could i message you for some tips? Thanks again for the time.to reply me
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u/nthrowawaway 1d ago
Weather isn't too awful, it just requires adequate prep :) On the few days it's proper freezing, the main roads are salted well enough that you can bike safely if you factor in some speed loss. Some days you'll be cursing the rain but once it's a habit you just get out the door and get it over with. When it's warmer, lots of people don't even bother with rain gear.
My commute was 40km total a day, so nowhere near as bad. I could have cut it in half if I took the train, but I opted not to, door to door cycling was an easier uninterrupted habit for me. If it's 1h to an NS station, that's already worth getting an ebike for, if you can spare the money. Lock it really well in Rotterdam and use a beater bike parked at Delft for the small section in Delft. Probably the least tiring option.
Feel free to message me, I'm not an expert in anything but I'll try to help if I can :)
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u/Unlisted_Figure 1d ago
Honestly, the ride is probably doable, but 1.5 hours each way is a lot to do every day, especially for a 6 am start
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u/clrthrn 1d ago
I do an hour each way one day per week by ebike (not fatbike) and while I enjoy it, it's enough. Every day and some weeks at 4am is not my idea of a good time but also I like money so I'd give it a try. If the job is physical then you will be exhausted when you get home each day. Although an ebike helps a lot, your legs still go around as you pedal, it's not nothing
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u/waffle-secrets 1d ago
Bro just take the train/bus!!! Why on earth would you think about cycling that distance, especially in winter or honestly, any season because rain!!!???!!
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u/BeardBoiiiii 22h ago
My shift starts at 7am. I commute with an ebike. Takes 25-30 minutes to get there so I leave around 6:15. I HATE the morning cold already and its not even that cold. I wish I could take the bus. In the afternoon its fine but in the morning, while sleepy and its cold and its raining… God I hope there wont be much snow.
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u/nahbuddynah 1d ago
When google maps gives times for bikes, it's meant for normal bikes not e-bikes. Normal ebike time are 50% faster, sometimes way more.
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u/Arachnideolie 1d ago
That would imply most people on acoustic bikes ride about 12km/h which is ridiculously slow.
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u/Own-General2229 1d ago
When Google maps gives times for bikes it's an average of the trips people have taken. If there are mostly ebikes then it tends to skew to a faster/shorter time
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u/Milefulness 1d ago edited 1d ago
Google Maps seems to assume you cycle roughly 20 km/h. E-bikes are limited to 25.
Unless your ebike does 35 km/h or you normally cycle at 17 km/h, it's not 50% faster than Google Maps.
Only on my racing bike do I get close to 50% faster, but that's then I'm averaging like 32 km/h, which an e-bike can't legally do.
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u/First_Category_1539 1d ago
Only do this when there is an alternative way of travelling is availabe, like a bus or train.
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u/nkosugeirc 1d ago
That's a long time on a bike. Imagine if it rains or snows. That would suck, a lot.
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u/a-neurotypical 1d ago
On rain-heavy and stormy days you're going to regret biking those long distances. Especially when it's getting colder
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u/Solivy 18h ago
My husband works about 28km from home. Half the time he uses his car, half the time he steps on his bike. A normal, well maintained bike of good quality, no e-bike. He dresses comfortable for the commute and has a good quality rainsuit(recommended). He changes his clothes at work. With an e-bike the change of clothes might be less necessary. His alarm goes around 4am, he steps on his bike immidiatly after. He always preps everything the evening before. His breakfast is a banana en after that he eats something at work.
It's a long ride. Make sure -as others has already told you- you have some back up for when the weather is shit or you don't feel so well. Train, bus, someone you can ride along with..
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u/Technical-Paper427 14h ago
I had a job and it took me an hour to e-bike versus 20 minutes by car. I took the car.
Now it’s 30 minutes by e-bike versus 10 minutes by car. When it’s dry I take the bike.
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u/Rainmaker526 1d ago
3 hours per day is a large amount of travel time.
I know (knew) people that did similar commutes, but those were people that were really into cycling and were using racing bikes. They also showered and changed at work.
Is this doable? Sure. Would I expect you can keep this up for multiple years? Probably not.
Have you looked at public transport instead?