Key facts
- Swapfiets runs in Eindhoven, with city bikes and e-bikes on a monthly subscription that includes repairs.
- Two guarded bike parkings in the city centre are free: 18 Septemberplein (about 1,400 places) and Heuvel (900 places).
- At most staffed NS station bike parkings the first 24 hours are free; you can park for up to 28 days in a row.
- You can check whether a second-hand bike is reported stolen in the RDW Fietsdiefstalregister using the brand and frame number.
- Since 1 July 2019 you may not hold a phone while cycling. Lights must be white or yellow at the front and red at the back, and must not flash.
What to do
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For a short stay or if you hate repairs, a subscription is simple. For a longer stay, a second-hand bike is usually cheapest. An e-bike makes sense for longer commutes, but is a bigger theft target.
Test the brakes, wheels, steering and tyres, and take a short ride. Write down the frame number and check it in the RDW Fietsdiefstalregister. Ask for a receipt or proof of purchase.
Use the frame lock that most Dutch bikes have, plus a chain or U-lock. Lock the frame to a fixed rack whenever you can.
Take a photo of the frame number and your receipt. You need the number to report theft and to get your bike back if it is found.
Park in the free guarded parkings at 18 Septemberplein or Heuvel when you go into town, especially in the evening.
Second-hand, new or subscription
Second-hand bikes are sold on Marktplaats, by private sellers and by bike shops. A shop costs more but usually checks the bike, helps with the right frame size and sometimes takes your old bike in part-exchange. On Marktplaats you judge the condition yourself.
A new bike from a shop comes with a warranty and proof of purchase, which also helps if you want theft insurance.
Swapfiets offers a subscription in Eindhoven: two city bikes and two e-bikes. If the bike breaks, they repair it or swap it. You cancel in the app with one month's notice; the Flexible plan has a one-time joining fee, the Regular plan can be cancelled free after 6 months. Prices are on the Swapfiets Eindhoven page. If a Swapfiets is stolen while double locked, you pay a surcharge and get a replacement.
Theft and what to do
Before you report a theft, check whether the municipality removed your bike. Municipalities clear bikes that are parked in the wrong place or left for a long time. In Eindhoven, getting a removed bike back costs €20, according to Omroep Brabant (2025).
If it was stolen, report it to the police online at politie.nl or by phone on 0900-8844. Include the frame number; without it the police cannot match a recovered bike to you. Your report is added to the national bike theft register automatically.
Parking in the centre and at the station
The guarded parking at 18 Septemberplein is open Monday to Saturday 07:00 to 01:00 and Sunday 11:00 to 01:00. The Heuvel parking is open until 22:30 most days and until 04:30 on Friday and Saturday nights. Both are free. Opening times can change on event days, so check eindhoven.nl.
Eindhoven Centraal has paid NS bike parkings on the south side (Stationsplein, about 5,000 places) and the north side (Neckerspoel). At most staffed NS parkings the first 24 hours are free and you check in with your OV-chipkaart. After 28 days your bike is removed.
Rules on the road
Use your lights at dusk, in the dark and in poor visibility: white or yellow at the front, red at the back, never flashing. Loose lights are fine on your handlebars, bag, chest or back, not on your head or arms. You also need a red rear reflector, reflectors on the pedals and reflectors on the wheels or tyres.
Holding a phone or other device while cycling has been banned since 1 July 2019. A phone in a handlebar mount for navigation is allowed if you set the route while standing still. Police fine cyclists for both missing lights and phone use.
Repairs
Most neighbourhoods in Eindhoven have a bike shop (fietsenmaker) that does repairs, often while you wait for small jobs like a flat tyre. Larger repairs can take a day or two. Ask for the price before they start. With a Swapfiets subscription, repairs are included.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying a very cheap bike from a stranger without checking the frame number.
- Using only the built-in frame lock and not locking the bike to anything.
- Leaving a bike for weeks at the station or in the centre; it can be removed.
- Cycling at night without lights or with flashing lights.
- Not writing down the frame number until after the bike is gone.
Useful links
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We checked this guide against its sources on 10 October 2026. Rules change: the official source always wins. Spotted something out of date? DM @gone.with.us or email contact@gonewithus.nl.