Arrival – Read before you Ride

Every year in June, a flock of burners arrive at the scouting estate in Zeewolde. Some bring their RVs, others travel by car, a few brave ones use public transport. As the flock is growing, getting everyone ready to party without too much hassle is becoming more of a challenge.

We are optimising arrival for everyone, but this can only work well if everyone cooperates with us and follows the instructions of volunteers as well as hired hands (security and parking staff). So please read this document to be well prepared for a smooth landing on the Dutch playa.

Approach

We are trying to avoid traffic jams on Nulderpad (the road leading to the Scouting terrain), so we are asking you to follow the routes shown below.

A. Roundabout on N301 – turn-off to Spiekweg

B. Junction Spiekweg / Nulderpad

C. Scouting estate

D. Exits on N301 – turn-offs to Erkemederweg

Passenger cars take the green route – approaching the terrain from the North. All other vehicles (RVs and supplies) take the orange route – approaching from the South. We cannot place signs on the main roads, so use either Spiekweg or Erkemederweg in your navigation. Both lead to Nulderpad.

Entering the terrain

  1. Entrance for cars (forest road)
  2. Entrance for RVs (main road)
  3. Junction to Drop & Ride (5) or car park (6)
  4. Main gate to the Scouting Estate (barrier)
  5. Ticket scanning station / Drop & Ride
  6. Car park
  7. Entry to the terrain (greeters, hugs, education, virgin bell)

Blue route: RVs

Green route: cars

Yellow route: cars to parking – after ticket scanning + drop luggage

Arrival for cars

The entrance for cars (1) is clearly signposted on the Nulderpad (the tarmac road leading past the Scouting Estate), both from the South and the North side. Enter here and follow the forest road. Drive slowly – leave your worries and hurries at home. 

At the end of the forest road (3) all cars turn right to reach the Drop & Ride (5). This is where your entry and parking tickets will be scanned and you will receive wristbands plus a parking paid sticker to put on your car windscreen.

Note that even if you only have a backpack or less to carry, you still need to go to the Drop & Ride, as you need to get your parking ticket scanned. The only location to do this is at the Drop & Ride, near the gate.

Once your tickets are scanned and you have received your wristbands plus the parking paid sign, you make a U turn and unload your luggage at the Drop & Ride. Then one of you drives the car to the car park (6). Please do follow instructions from the volunteers and paid parking staff to avoid parking chaos. We do need to park tightly enough to get all cars on this field.

Passengers can either wait by the luggage for the driver to arrive after parking, or enter the terrain with their luggage. Whatever makes you and your driver happy works for us.

When your car is parked, walk back to the Drop & Ride to collect your luggage, or continue through the pedestrian gate in case your passengers have already taken the luggage onto the terrain.

Arrival for RVs

The entrance for RVs (2) is clearly signposted on the Nulderpad (the paved road leading past the Scouting Estate), both from the South and the North side. Enter here and follow the main road. Drive slowly – leave your worries and hurries at home. Also it is critical to keep right at all times: cars looping back to the car park as well as emergency vehicles may be coming the other way. We know the main road is full of potholes but driving around them is not a good idea. Just drive very slowly and take your RV through them without breaking any chinaware in your mobile kitchen.

Drive up to the Drop & Ride area (5) at the junction with the road from the car park. This is where you get all your tickets scanned (entry ticket, RV ticket, power tag). Once all tickets are scanned and you have received your wristbands and all required tags or stickers, we will open the gate. You will be guided to your camp or the designated location on the RV field.

NOTE FOR VIRGIN BURNERS WITH RVs:

Your first arrival on the Dutch Playa should be a special moment and you will need some time to go through the procedure of being greeted and educated on the Burning Man principles – without getting stressed out as other RVs are waiting behind you. For this reason we have arranged a temporary parking for your RV outside the gate. This allows you to get the warm and stress-free welcome we extend to every first-time burner. Once you get to ring the virgin bell and announce your presence as a newborn burner, you can pick up your RV and enter the gate.

On the terrain, your RV never has priority over anyone on foot or bicycle. Drive very slowly, even if the road ahead of you is free: you may love dust but not everyone wants to have it in their eyes and noses.

Do follow instructions from the volunteers who lead you to the RV field. You may like another spot better but we do need to get everyone parked in their designated location so that all RVs will fit on the field and all RVs with power connections will be able to connect to the power grid. 

Once you are parked in your designated spot, you remain parked. We cannot allow RVs to exit and re-enter during