Drachten is the second largest town in the Dutch province of Friesland. Today, it is home to some 45.000 inhabitants. Since it was only a small village until well in the 1950s, when it passed the 10,000 people mark, its historic heritage is somewhat limited, but the city today serves as the regional centre for shopping and services.
Drachten is along the A7 motorway, providing connections from the southwest (Amsterdam 1h 30m; Heerenveen 20m) and the east (Westerkwartier region 15m; Groningen 30m; German border 1h). The N31 expressway provides a direct connection from the provincial capital Leeuwarden in the northwest (30m) and the N381 trunk road connects to Drenthe province.
Drachten is one of the few larger towns in the Netherlands without a connection to the railway network. Therefore, the only option to get to Drachten by public transport is by bus. The key bus stops in Drachten are the Van Knobelsdorffplein in the city centre, and the newly built Transferium Drachten-Oost park-and-ride facility at the eastern side of the city. The main bus routes are:
The main bar and restaurant area is considered to be around the so-called "Kaden", so the Noorderkade and Zuiderkade. There are, however, plenty of establishments in the other commercial streets.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division