Rivierenland

Rivierenland is quite centrally located, which makes it a convenient location to access the rest of the Netherlands. It has the Waal river crossing right through the region, with the Amsterdam Rijnkanaal connecting to the Waal next to Tiel. The area is not densely populated at all, with the cities Geldermalsen, Culemborg, and Tiel functioning as the main population centers while small towns and farm fields fill up the rest of the region.

Aside from the blossom trees that show up during spring, the region is known for it's orchards that can be seen frequently.

A tradition that can be found in Tiel is the "kermiskoek", a piece of cake that can be gifted to spread love. It is a tradition that stems from the 19th century but the cake can still be bought today and can be used for the same purpose.

Just like in nearby regions like the Achterhoek, "carbidschieten" is popular during new year's evening or during special events like weddings. Milk churns are filled with carbid, which is then heated up to either fire off a ball or the lid. The goal is often to create the loudest explosion possible, which is also why it's often done in grass fields, rather than fireworks which are ignited close to homes.

Every year, the National Red Cross organises the "bloesemtocht", which is an event that has been organised since 1992. The event is organised to raise money for charity, but is commonly visited to take in the beauty of the blossom trees that show up all over Rivierenland. Tourists also frequently come to the area to cycle and see the trees.

Just like in the rest of the Netherlands, the climate has cool summers and mild winters. The rainfall is consistent throughout the year, with the least amount of rain falling in the spring months. Despite that, the weather can still be cold and subzero temperatures are not uncommon.

During the summer, heatwaves are rare and often just last a couple of days every summer, often ending with thunderstorms. The weather tends to exceed its peak in July, August and September, with temperatures of 25+ degrees happening frequently. In winter, temperature during the nights often hits below zero, with some anomalies where the temperature on a day could reach below -10°C.

Plenty of places in Rivierenland are easy to access by train, with the biggest train stations being Tiel Railway Station, Geldermalsen Station and Culemborg Station.

To get to Culemborg, Geldermalsen and Tiel from Amsterdam/Schiphol, take the Intercity for Arnhem/Nijmegen at --:22 or --:52, and change in Utrecht for the commuter train to Tiel, which leaves at --:28 and --:58. Travel time is 51 minutes to Culemborg, 58 minutes to Geldermalsen, and 73 minutes to Tiel.

Arnhem is located more towards the east of the Netherlands, but travelling from there is just as accessible as other options. A single train between Arnhem Centraal and Tiel Railway Station allows you to access places in Rivierenland like Kesteren, Opheusden, and Dodewaard. You can take the train at Arnhem Centraal at --:38, which allows you to get to Tiel in 35 minutes.

Two major routes run through the Betuwe. These are the A2 (E25) and A15 (E31) highways. The latter, together with the N322, run the entire length of the Betuwe.

When travelling from Amsterdam, take the A2 southward, heading for Utrecht. When travelling to Geldermalsen, take exit 15 on this highway. For Zaltbommel, keep on this highway and take exit 17. When travelling to any other location, use Knooppunt Deil located between exits 15 and 16 to turn onto the A15 heading for Tiel.

When travelling from Rotterdam, use the A15 to go east, heading for Dordrecht. The exits 30 through 37 all service the Betuwe. Again, Knooppunt Deil can be used to get to Geldermalsen and Zaltbommel.

To get onto the N322 from either of these places, head for Zaltbommel (exit 17 on the A2). Once off the highway, you will find yourself on the N322. Turning away from Zaltbommel leave the Betuwe in front of you, ready to be explored.

The Betuwe is also a popular cycling location and just like most places in the Netherlands, cycling infrastructure is some of the best in the world and is a viable mode of transport to make your way around. The area also has plenty of ferries which will get you across the Waal river, like the ones connecting Tiel and Wamel, or Varik and Heerewaarden.

Most places in Rivierenland are easy to access by car, as they are connected by the A15 highway, and several national roads. The A15 highway allows easy access to Gorinchem, Geldermalsen, Tiel, Ochten, Dodewaard and plenty of other places. The A320 national road connects places like Culemborg, Beusichem, Maurik and Kesteren. On the other side of the Waal river, the N322 will give you easy access to plenty of small villages found in Rivierenland, with Dreumel, Beneden-Leeuwen and Druten being the biggest one among them.

There is various car rental services available if you don't have a car available already. Getting your car delivered to a train station or any other location may be possible after calling the company of choice, though if you happen to arrive on, for example Schiphol Airport, then renting a car near said airport may be a better choice. A couple of available options are:

• Autohopper Autoverhuur Tiel, Stephensonstraat 21, Tiel, ☏ +31 344 630 500. (updated Dec 2016)
• De Waal Autoverhuur, Marconistraat 13A, Tiel, ☏ +31 344 638 059. (updated Dec 2016)
• RentX Autoverhuur, Kattedoorn 5, Tiel, ☏ +31 639 374 343. (updated Dec 2016)

Though the larger towns are easy to reach by train, the small towns rely on busses that go every 30 minutes or an hour, depending on the location. Bus services are usually provided by Arriva.

When cycling or walking, plenty of ferries will get you across the Waal and Maas rivers. Those connections are found in the following places:

• Tiel — Wamel Ferry, Veerweg 2, Tiel. 07:00 - 18:20. This ferry leaves from Tiel every -:00, -:20, and -:40, while leaving from Wamel on -:10, -:30, and -:50. On foot, crossing will cost €1.10, while cyclists pay €1.70.
• Varik — Heerewaarden Ferry, Waalbandijk 8, Varik. 10:00 - 17:45. This ferry does not have scheduled times. On foot, crossing will cost €1.50, while cyclist pay €2.00.
• Druten — Dodewaard Ferry, Oude Veerweg, Dodewaard. 10:00 - 17:45. This ferry does not have scheduled times. On foot, crossing will cost €1.25, while cyclist pay €1.75.