Vaals

Understand

The borders of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet here in Vaals, on the Drielandenpunt. The official place of the Drielandenpunt is just a few steps aways from the highest point of the (European) Netherlands, the Vaalserberg. Vaals is a friendly town for tourists, with regular activities and a beautiful natural area surrounding it. The Dutch call it "a piece of abroad in the Netherlands". The municipality of Vaals comprises the town and a few other villages and hamlets. The main population centres are:

1 Vaals proper 2 Vijlen and its hamlets, the highest located village in the country and popular with hikers and bikers. 3 Lemiers, a small village with a nice, old church. 4 Holset, a tiny village with some good options to eat and a medieval church. A large number of the inhabitants, up to 26%, are Germans. Nowadays, the town's main activity is tourism. Many Dutch, German and Belgian tourists visit this friendly town each year, with the Drielandenpunt as its main attraction but mostly of course for the beautiful scenery and picturesque hamlets around town.

History The oldest archaeological traces of human settlements in Vaals were found in the nearby Vijlener forest, and date from the time of Linear Pottery culture, about (5500 - 4500 BCE). Vaals is first mentioned in documents in 1041. In that time, Emperor Henry III donated land to the St. Adalbert Abbey and to distinguish between the city of Aachen and this land, it is referred to in Latin as "in Vallis" (In the Valley), making Vaals one of the few places in the Netherlands to have a Latin-derived name. In those days, the centre of the municipality was Holset, also home to a high court of justice. Given the location of the municipality, along the main (and originally Roman) road between Aachen and Maastricht, Vaals observed many armies passing by. During the Dutch Revolt against Spanish overlordship in 1568, the armed forces of William of Orange passed through Vaals and looted St. Pauls Church. In 1661 V

Getting there

By car The main way in by car is over the N281, which is connected to the E14/A76. This road is essentially the ancient Roman route from Maastricht to Aachen. Still today, it goes straight through town on to Aachen, and the two towns have basically become one big urban area, with no space in between. Smaller, regional roads (which are advisable if you like to enjoy the scenery) lead to neighbouring Epen, and across the Belgium border to Gemmenich and Plobières.

By bus 1 Vaals Bus Station. (updated May 2026) is the hub for buses from surrounding towns, including German and Belgian routes that cross the border, and a stop on the express bus 350 Maastricht - Aachen. To the Drielandenpunt take the Panoramalijn 149, weekends and holidays, hourly, 11:00-17:00, Dutch fares.

To Vijlen Bus line 59 runs right through the village on its way from Vaals to Mamelis and back. If you're coming from Heerlen or Simpelveld bus line 43 can take you as far as the hamlet of Mamelis or Vaals. From Maastricht and Aachen, Vijlen is reable by bus 350 which stops in Vaals and Mamelis, where a transfer to line 59 is possible. From Mamelis a 15 minutes walk uphill is also an option with a separated walking path next to the road.

By plane The nearest airport is Maastricht-Aachen Airport (MST IATA) served by a handful of seasonal flights to beach destinations, and from nearby Aachen direct trains also run to Düsseldorf Airport (DUS IATA), which is just over an hour away and has many more international destinations.

By train There's no train station in Vaals. It's easy enough however to catch a German train in Aachen, or to arrive in Maastricht or Heerlen and take a bus from there. Taxis are available too but very expensive, as Heerlen and Maastricht are both at least a 20 minute drive. Count on at least €60 for a taxi ride from Heerlen. Uber is active in the region but expect to have to wait for your driver to reach the more remotely located Vijlen.

Getting around

Vaals town The old centre can be reasonably well be explored by foot, but a bike or car is a good option since many of the sights lie on the outskirts of town. Also, the surrounding natural area and villages make one of the towns greatest assets, but take quite a hike on foot. Unlike most other Dutch cities, the centre is not car-free and it therefore easy to get around when driving. Electric bikes are an increasingly popular way to get around, as they provide all the benefits of a normal bike but make it a lot easier to make your way to the hill tops. This "groenfietsen" (green biking) is an extensive initiative and comes with route proposals. If you book ahead, several restaurants, hotels and campings in Vaals can make these so-called "green-bikes" available for you. If you haven't reserved one, try nearby Herberg Oud Holset, Holset 54 Lemiers.

Lemiers As small as Lemiers is, you can easily get by on foot or bike. Parking is allowed along most of the roads. The newer part of the village is centred around the main road, while the oldest part is a short downhill walk towards the creek. From the centre of Lemiers to Holset it's another kilometre. It's a pleasant walk, but alternatively you can go by car or bike. There are parking spaces in the hamlet as well.

Vijlen The town is small, and you'll be fine on foot. Visiting one or two hamlets is still doable on foot. However, unless you like a firm walk, you'll need a car, bike or some other form of transport to get around to several of them. You can reserve an electric bike via Wandelcafé A gen Kirk and hotel/restaurant Vijlerhof. If you're staying in holiday park Reevallis, you can also rent a bike there. For cars, quads or vespas, head to Valkenburg or Maastricht. The region is a hillier than the rest of the Netherlands and biking on a normal bike can be a very physical activity. If untrained or uncertain of your biking-stamina, an electric bike would be advised.

See

1 Border tripoint (Drielandenpunt). At this point the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany come together with their respective borders. The exact point is marked by a small, unimpressive stone pilar but is still considered the main must-see in town. Nearby, on the same hill, is also the highest point in the European Netherlands (322.4 m). To entertain the 1 million visitors that find their way here each year, the largest labyrinth in the country was built here, as well as two towers allowing to enjoy to view from the top of the Vaalserberg. There are a few cafés and the forests around it allow for a hike through 3 countries at once. 2 Museum de Kopermolen, Von Clermontplein 11. This small museum is housed in a monumental building, build in 1736 as a Lutheran church. It has changing art expositions and regularly concerts and lectures are organized. €1.50. 3 Museum Vaals, Eschberg 5-7, ☏ +31 433 060 080. Tu-Su 10:30-17:30. The collection of this small museum comprises a somewhat odd combination of church statues and modern art. It's in a historic monastery chapel.