The Netherlands, explained in English · Saturday 14 November 2026Sat 14 Nov

Society

Sinterklaas fans told to avoid Maas banks at Nederasselt

The municipality of Heumen says the Maas floodplains at Nederasselt are unsafe for watching Saturday's national Sinterklaas arrival in Grave, and has closed nearby streets to vehicles.

Boat on the river Maas near Cuijk
iIllustrative photo: Emvanoo / Pixabay Content License

The municipality of Heumen strongly advises people not to watch the arrival of Sinterklaas from the banks of the Maas at Nederasselt, on the opposite side of the river from Grave. The national arrival is on Saturday.

The municipality says the floodplains (uiterwaarden) are not suitable for larger numbers of visitors and that safety cannot be guaranteed there. It says this may disappoint people who came to watch in previous years. The floodplains can be reached on foot, but the municipality calls that unsafe too. Anyone who ignores the advice does so at their own risk and is asked to be extra alert, it said.

Why it matters

  • On Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00, vehicles are banned in the Veerstraat, Oude Veerstraat, Uiterdijksestraat, Kleefse Veerstraat and Schansstraatje in Nederasselt.
  • Parking is banned in the area around the floodplains.

Getting to Grave

Extra buses (line 99) will run from Nijmegen station to Grave from 10:00 until the arrival starts. After the arrival they will run back to Nijmegen until about 16:00.

Free parking is being set up on the edge of Grave: about 2,250 cars on the field opposite the barracks on Generaal de Bonsweg, about 1,000 at tennis club THOS, about 450 around Merlet College and Laco, and about 400 on the field on Essinklaan.

The arrival will be broadcast live on NPO3 on Saturday from 12:00.

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