Car Hire Eindhoven Airport

Eindhoven Airport is less than 10km from the city centre, with the A2 motorway connecting directly to Eindhoven and providing access to its ring road.

If you are driving into the heart of Eindhoven, be aware that some parts of the centre have one-way streets, while others are pedestrianised. There are multi-storey car parks, as well as on-street parking spaces, where you can buy a ticket to leave your hire car for a few hours and explore on foot.

The Netherlands is a relatively small country, so hiring a car at Eindhoven Airport puts many of its destinations within easy reach. The capital Amsterdam, famous for its canals, is around an hour and a half’s drive north of Eindhoven via the A2. The port city of Rotterdam, meanwhile, is just over an hour away to the north-west.

The coastal resort of Zandvoort, near Haarlem, is around two hours from Eindhoven along the A2, while The Hague is around the same distance if you take the A2 and A12. In the other direction along the A2, south of Eindhoven, lies the famous university city of Maastricht.

The rules for driving in the Netherlands are similar to other continental European countries. Motorists use the right-hand side of the road, overtake on the left, and maximum speed limits are typically 130km/h on major motorways (though some stretches have lower limits) and 50km/h in towns and cities. Always ensure you check signs for the route that you are on, as these can vary.

Roads are generally safe and well-maintained, with clear signs, and there are no motorway tolls. The only toll roads in the Netherlands are theKiltunnel across theDordtse Kil river and theWesterschelde tunnel in Zeeland.

Eindhoven is a thriving modern city with plenty of attractions, many of them linked to its history as an industrial and creative hub.

Once you’ve collected your hire car at Eindhoven Airport, you can explore some of the best attractions in the Netherlands, starting with the city itself.

Works of art, technology and history

Many of Eindhoven’s creative highlights are found in the Strijp-S district to the north of the city, once home to factories and warehouses owned by Philips electronics company. Today, many of these buildings have been transformed into trendy bars, restaurants and galleries.

Art lovers should visit the Van Abbemuseum on the banks of the River Dommel. The gallery, extended with a distinctive modernist structure in 2003, holds an impressive collection of more than 2,000 pieces by artists including Kandinsky and Picasso.

Eindhoven’s history is very much entwined with that of Philips, the multinational firm that was founded in the city, and the Philips Museum gives a fascinating glimpse into the story of this world-famous brand.

It’s housed within the Emmasingel, the original factory bought by Gerard Philips to produce his first lightbulbs in 1891, and includes interactive displays and a collection of technological artefacts.

Architectural highlights and sporting superstars

Eindhoven is home to many beautiful historic buildings, including St Catherine’s Church, a 19^th century Neo-Gothic structure designed by Pierre Cuypers, the same architect who created the Rijksmuseum and Central Station in Amsterdam.

The church was badly damaged during the Second World War, but following an intensive period of restoration it was declared a national monument in the early 1970s.

Its large stained-glass window and twin bell towers, which stand at 73 metres high, are an impressive enough sight during the daytime. But if you visit at night, you’ll see the church illuminated in a spectacular light display.

The Netherlands is a country that is as passionate about football as it is about design, of course, and Eindhoven is home to one of the teams that make up its legendary ‘Big Three’.

The Philips Stadium is home to the mighty PSV, and offers behind-the-scenes tours for sports enthusiasts.

Here you can see the dressing rooms and players’ tunnel first hand, and pay a visit to the PSV Museum, where you can learn more about the history of one of Europe’s most successful football clubs.

Further afield

When you hire a car at Eindhoven Airport, you’ll be able to head out on the road to explore other parts of the Netherlands.

As well as excursions to Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Zandvoort, it’s well-worth taking the short drive along the A58 to the city of Breda, home to a medieval castle and Grote Kerk (or ‘Great Church’), where you can climb the tower to enjoy incredible views over the landscape.

If you’re visiting during the summer you can hire your own boat or take a guided tour from the harbour, and the city also offers excellent shopping facilities all year round.

Explore all this and more during your visit, discovering the delights of Eindhoven and beyond at your leisure.