Bridge days in the Netherlands 2024
Which leave days in 2024 give you the most time off? Every opportunity, ranked by return.
Long weekends
2 leave days · 8 days off · click a row for details
Year overview
2024 on a single page: working days, public holidays, weekends and school holidays in colour.
Recognised public holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday | Bridge potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Mon | New Year's Day | Low | |
| Friday Fri | Good Friday | Low | |
| Sunday Sun | Easter Sunday | — | |
| Monday Mon | Easter Monday | Low | |
| Saturday Sat | King's Day | — | |
| Sunday Sun | Liberation Day | — | |
| Thursday Thu | Ascension Day | High | |
| Sunday Sun | Whit Sunday | — | |
| Monday Mon | Whit Monday | Low | |
| Wednesday Wed | Christmas Day | Medium | |
| Thursday Thu | Boxing Day | High |
What is a bridge day?
A bridge day is the working day that separates a public holiday from the weekend. Book that day off and your day off grows into a four-day long weekend, for the price of a single leave day.
Bridge days aren't the only smart use of leave. Christmas and New Year sit close together in the calendar. With three or four well-placed leave days, you can stretch that period into ten consecutive days off.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a bridge day and a regular leave day?
Legally there's no difference: a bridge day is a regular leave day from your annual allowance. The difference is in the timing. A regular leave day gives you one day off. A bridge day, taken between a public holiday and a weekend, gives you four consecutive days off for the same single leave day. Same budget, three extra days of rest.
Which public holidays produce a bridge day?
Bridge days appear around public holidays that fall on a Tuesday or Thursday. The day in between (Monday or Friday) connects the holiday to the weekend and yields a four-day long weekend. Holidays on Monday or Friday already give you an extended weekend without needing leave. A holiday on Wednesday doesn't give you a clean bridge day, because you'd need two leave days to link it to a weekend.
What are the bridge days for 2024?
2024 has 2 bridge days:
- Ascension Day on Thursday 9 May: book Friday 10 May for 4 days off.
- Boxing Day on Thursday 26 December: book Friday 27 December for 4 days off.
Does my employer have to grant a bridge day?
No, bridge days aren't legally required. Some companies set them collectively in the work regulations or via a collective agreement, others let each employee choose. When in doubt, check with your HR department.
What if a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday?
You don't lose that public holiday. The law provides a replacement day, set collectively by your sector or employer, or scheduled by mutual agreement. Even if the holiday falls on a weekend, you still get an extra day off on a working day.