Brussels Zaventem Airport (BRU) to Purmerend

The drive from Brussels Airport to Purmerend

The route covers 218 km (136 miles) and typically takes 2 h 31 m by road. You travel north from Zaventem across the Belgian border and on through the Netherlands to North Holland. This is a less frequently booked route, but it is available on request like any other. Traffic around large cities such as Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam can slow the journey at rush hour, so allow some extra time if you have a fixed appointment or a connection at the other end.

Choosing the right vehicle

Couples, solo travellers and small families usually fit into a private taxi, available for 1-3 or 1-4 passengers. The 4-passenger option gives a little more room for luggage. For larger parties, a private minibus with 8 seats works well for groups travelling with plenty of bags. Bigger groups can choose minibuses with 16, 24, 32, 40 or 48 seats, which suits wedding parties, sports teams, school trips and company outings. On a drive of about two and a half hours, having enough space for everyone and their luggage makes a real difference.

Purmerend as a destination

Purmerend is a town in North Holland, just north of Amsterdam. It is mainly a residential and commuter town, with a pedestrian shopping centre and a canal running through it. The surrounding countryside includes the Beemster polder, a historic reclaimed landscape on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Visitors come for the local area, for business, or as a quieter base within reach of the capital.

Where to stay near Purmerend

I cannot name long-established hotels in Purmerend itself with confidence, so here are well-known ones in the nearby towns of Volendam and Edam, both a short drive away:

• Hotel Spaander in Volendam, a long-standing hotel on the harbour front.
• Fortuna Hotel in Edam, set in the historic centre of the cheese town.

Tell the driver the exact address when you book, so the transfer ends at your door.

Meeting point

Your driver waits at Java Coffee House with a personalised name sign. The location is easy to find after you have collected your luggage. Head there once you have your bags and look for your name.