Hannie Koning on the night buses that go to P+R Maastricht Noord after André Rieu's concerts
"Convenient, easy to find, no hassle, quick’"
During the numerous summer concerts of André Rieu and his Johann Strauss orchestra, the city is alive with activity. Maastricht Bereikbaar works to hit the right note by improving the quality of life in the city and reducing CO2 emissions. That is why Maastricht Bereikbaar and Arriva organized night bus trips in July 2019. This meant that concertgoers could park on the outskirts of the city and take the bus back to their cars after the event. This effort was a major success, as a record number of 13,068 people took the bus from P+R Maastricht Noord.
Well organized
Hannie Koning was one of the travellers who chose to park at P+R Maastricht Noord instead of in the city centre. ‘My three children and their partners got me a concert ticket for my birthday. Together, we travelled from the north to Maastricht by car. P+R Maastricht Noord was clearly indicated on signs starting at the motorway. That made it very easy for us, because we didn't need to navigate all the small streets in areas that we're unfamiliar with. The bus stops were clearly indicated for both the inbound and outbound journeys.’
Fantastic evening
Hannie's favourite thing about the evening was the amazing atmosphere. ‘The fantastic evening started when we were at the bus stop. We really enjoyed ourselves. André Rieu puts on a wonderful and lively show. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed for our return journey as well. We only waited for five minutes. People were not in a rush and weren't pushing in the line. The general atmosphere was a great fit for the evening. Next time I’d definitely choose P+R again. I’m so happy to have experienced this. It was fantastic!’
Thousands of travellers
It is safe to say that Hannie was not the only person to make use of P+R Maastricht Noord. The total number of travellers who took the bus from that location this year increased by 7,046, or 117%. On social media, people told each other about the P+R location. Thanks to their enthusiasm about the night buses, more people used them each weekend. Bus drivers also received overwhelmingly positive feedback. So we can safely say it was a success for everyone involved! Plans are already in place to schedule bus services after the concert next year.
Interested in using P+R Maastricht Noord?
The first weekend of November will be a long weekend for many people because of All Saint’s Day (All Hallows). Parking on the outskirts of the city is easy, cheap, and good for Maastricht. Bus numbers 10 and 30 depart four times per hour and will take you to the city centre in approximately twelve minutes. Parking is free. Bus tickets cost €2 per person for a day return, and the group rate for 3-5 persons is €5. You can purchase tickets with a debit card at a ticket machine at P+R Maastricht Noord, or by purchasing an e-ticket on Arriva's website (only available in Dutch). Keep your ticket and remember to check in and out on the bus!
