Celebrating Vastelaovend in Mestreech?
From February 19 to 21 2023, Maastricht will once again be red, yellow and green. We inform you how you can travel smart and economically to the city center during Carnival 2023.
Opening hours stores
- Sunday, February 19 2022: downtown stores closed.
Travel cheap and safe during Carnival
By bike
If you live within cycling distance, come by bike and get off in the downtown area. Please note that you must park your bike in the street parking lots. Read the rules for parking your bike.
Sunday through Tuesday, the indoor bike racks at the Markt and Kesselskade are closed due to expected crowds on and around the terraces, making the bike racks not (well) accessible.
The temporary bicycle parking at Vrijthof will be removed during Carnival.
Where can you park your bicycle indoors? You can always go to the covered parking lot at the station with your bicycle and also the scooter parking will remain open during the carnival days.
Let yourself be driven on public transport
Don't get behind the wheel yourself and opt for a driver. Maastricht is easily accessible by train and bus.
During carnival week, Arriva runs the vacation timetable with some changes specifically on carnival days. On Carnival Monday the buses run a Sunday service, and on Carnival Tuesday the buses run according to the Saturday service. So the rest of the week, Arriva runs vacation service.
Due to local carnival parades, Arriva buses are temporarily out of service. Before departure, consult Arriva's trip planner to check whether your bus will run the normal route or whether an alternative route and/or boarding point applies.
By car
Are you coming by car? The parking garages in the center often fill up quickly, especially on weekends and on days with more visitors such as Carnival. The tips below will help you save travel time looking for a parking space and therefore have more time in the city.
Bob, also with carnival
Carnival is a popular festival celebrated by many Limburgers. However, the use of alcohol can endanger road safety. Keep in mind that the police carry out extra alcohol checks in the period before and during Carnival. Make Bob-agreements together and stick to them, so that traffic safety is not endangered.
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- From the A2 or A79: park for free at P+R Maastricht Noord. You can get to the city centre on bus number 10 for €2.40 (day return), or take bus number 30 to the main railway station/Wyck. Bus line 3 runs via Nazareth, Groene Loper, city centre to Wolder. A group ticket for groups of three to five people costs €5.95. Up to two children between the ages of four and eleven can travel for free with a paying adult.
- It’s cheaper to pay for parking on a P+W site on the outskirts of Maastricht – Vrijthof square or Markt square are just fifteen minutes’ walk away. If you’re coming from the north, park at P Bonnefanten. At the weekend, you can also park at the Gouvernement car park for €12 (all-day parking) if P Bonnefanten is full.
- Choose a parking location on your route: De Griend, P+R Station, De Colonel, Plein 1992. To access these parking locations, follow the parking routes ‘Wyck-Station’ and ‘Céramique-Wyck’.
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- Park for free at P+R Maastricht Noord. You can get to the city centre on bus number 10 for €2.40 (day return), or take bus number 30 to the main railway station/Wyck. Bus line 3 runs via Nazareth, Groene Loper, city centre to Wolder. A group ticket for groups of three to five people costs €5.95. Up to two children between the ages of four and eleven can travel for free with a paying adult.
Take the N2 tunnel northbound from Akersteenweg/John F. Kennedybrug and then take exit 1 Bunde onto Nieuwe Limmelderweg. - It’s cheaper to pay for parking on a P+W site on the outskirts of Maastricht – Vrijthof square or Markt square are just fifteen minutes’ walk away. If you’re coming from the north, park at P Bonnefanten. At the weekend, you can also park at the Gouvernement car park for €12 (all-day parking) if P Bonnefanten is full.
- Choose a parking location on your route: Plein 1992 or De Colonel. To access these parking locations, follow the parking routes ‘Wyck-Station’ and ‘Céramique-Wyck’.
- Park for free at P+R Maastricht Noord. You can get to the city centre on bus number 10 for €2.40 (day return), or take bus number 30 to the main railway station/Wyck. Bus line 3 runs via Nazareth, Groene Loper, city centre to Wolder. A group ticket for groups of three to five people costs €5.95. Up to two children between the ages of four and eleven can travel for free with a paying adult.
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- Follow the A2 tunnel to the north and park for free at P+R Maastricht Noord. You can get to the city centre on bus number 10 for €2.40 (day return), or take bus number 30 to the main railway station/Wyck. Bus line 3 runs via Nazareth, Groene Loper, city centre to Wolder. A group ticket for groups of three to five people costs €5.95. Up to two children between the ages of four and eleven can travel for free with a paying adult.
Take exit 1 Bunde northbound and turn left onto Nieuwe Limmelderweg. - It’s cheaper to pay for parking on a P+W site on the outskirts of Maastricht – Vrijthof square or Markt square are just fifteen minutes’ walk away. If you’re coming from the north, park at P Bonnefanten. At the weekend, you can also park at the Gouvernement car park for €12 (all-day parking) if P Bonnefanten is full.
- Choose a parking location on your route: Plein 1992 or De Colonel. To access these parking locations, follow the parking routes ‘Wyck-Station’ and ‘Céramique-Wyck’.
- Follow the A2 tunnel to the north and park for free at P+R Maastricht Noord. You can get to the city centre on bus number 10 for €2.40 (day return), or take bus number 30 to the main railway station/Wyck. Bus line 3 runs via Nazareth, Groene Loper, city centre to Wolder. A group ticket for groups of three to five people costs €5.95. Up to two children between the ages of four and eleven can travel for free with a paying adult.
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- It’s cheaper to park at P+W Stadspark or Frontenpark (fixed, all-day parking rate: €12) Vrijthof square or Markt square are just fifteen minutes’ walk away.
- Choose a parking location on your route: Onze Lieve Vrouwe, Mosae Forum, or Sphinx.
- If these car parks are full, check out the car park at Bonnefanten – it costs €12 a day at the weekend and €27.50 a day on weekdays.
- If these car parks are full, check out the car park at Bonnefanten – it costs €12 a day at the weekend and €27.50 a day on weekdays.
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- If you’re coming from Belgium, follow Brusselseweg in Smeermaas and enter Maastricht via Belvédèrelaan. You’ll get to Maastricht faster, and you won’t have to wait at the ramp meter on Bosscherweg. Take the same road on your way back – it’s just as quick.
- P+W Frontenpark offers low-cost parking (fixed, all-day parking rate: €12). Vrijthof square or Markt square are just fifteen minutes’ walk away.
- Choose a parking location on your route: Sphinx, Mosae Forum, or Onze Lieve Vrouwe.
- You could also park on the outskirts at P+R Maastricht Noord, or park on the east side of Maastricht at P de Griend, P+R Station, Colonel, or Plein 1992.
More information
Ask your question via our contact page. For questions about parking your car or storing your bicycle, please contact the Municipality of Maastricht by calling 043 - 350 4040.
