Geestbrug closed for 11 weeks until 27 November: the temporary footbridge shuts for half an hour at 10:00 and 16:00, drivers detour via the A4 and A12

Since 06:00 on Monday 14 September the Geestbrug, the lifting bridge linking Rijswijk, Voorburg and The Hague, has been closed for eleven weeks, until 16:00 on Friday 27 November, while the province of Zuid-Holland carries out its once-every-15-years major maintenance on the bridge controls, software, paint and road surface. Cars and other motor vehicles must detour via the A4 and A12; pedestrians can use a temporary lifting footbridge next to the bridge, and cyclists may cross it only on foot pushing their bike or follow a cycle detour. For newcomers and students in Rijswijk, Voorburg or the Binckhorst who cycle or take bus 23 every day, this is more than a detour notice: until 1 November the footbridge opens for boats twice a day for half an hour, right in the morning and afternoon travel windows, so check your crossing time before you leave.

• Why so long: the province says its lifting bridges need major maintenance every 15 years because the bridge controls, electrical installation and cables, paint and wearing course last about that long, and it is now the Geestbrug's turn; from 7 to 11 September cables were dug in on the Geestbrugkade and the footbridge pontoons were built. (source 1, source 2)
• Timeline: from 14 September to 27 November the bridge is closed except to bus 23 and emergency services; bus 23 still crosses until Sunday 18 October and then follows an adjusted route; on Monday 19 October the bridge is closed to all traffic, including bus 23, ambulances, fire and police. From 2 November the footbridge is fixed and boats can no longer get through. (source 2, source 1)
• Walking and cycling: the temporary footbridge is by café De Conckelaer on the Hoekweg, and cyclists must walk their bikes across; until 1 November it opens for boats from 10:00 to 10:30 and from 16:00 to 16:30 every day, when nobody can cross, so either wait or take the cycle detour. The municipality of Rijswijk suggests following "Onderhoud Geestbrug" in the BouwApp for updates. (source 2, source 3)
• Boats and other checks: until 1 November boats can go through only in those two windows with a maximum air draught of 2.6 metres; the maximum beam differs between the province's pages, 6 metres on the traffic notice and 5 metres on the project page, so ask the province's contact centre before sailing. Bus passengers should check the operator's website or 9292 for the route after 18 October. (source 1, source 2, source 4)

Do the sum yourself: your wait at the footbridge = 10:30 minus your arrival time if you arrive between 10:00 and 10:30, 16:30 minus your arrival time if you arrive between 16:00 and 16:30, and zero at any other time. Arriving with your bike at 10:12 means an 18-minute wait; arriving at 16:25 means 5 minutes. Someone who hits an opening window on all five weekdays loses at most 5 × 30 = 150 minutes a week, which is when the cycle detour or leaving half an hour earlier usually wins. Drivers can enter their own start and end points in a navigation app and compare the A4 and A12 detours.

Sources: the province of Zuid-Holland traffic notice and project page, the municipality of Rijswijk, The Hague's accessibility news and Omroep West's report of 13 September; checked by Hokimi on 15 September 2026. (source 5)

Hokimi field note: from 2 November the footbridge is fixed and no longer opens for boats, so walking your bike across no longer means avoiding the half hours at 10:00 and 16:00; until then, if you always cross around ten in the morning, time the cycle detour once and then decide whether to wait or ride round.