Travel to Rotterdam
How to travel to Rotterdam?An increasing number of European cities provide direct flights to Rotterdam The Hague Airport. Operators Transavia, CityJet, British Airways, bmi regional, Turkish Airlines, TUIfly, Lufthansa, VLM, Vueling, Corendon, Onur Air fly to the second regional airport in the Netherlands.
From Rotterdam The Hague Airport, you can reach the very heart of Rotterdam very quickly, travelling by taxi or public transport.
Alternatively you can fly to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and take a 30 minute train ride to Rotterdam Central Station. Watch the video with instructions how to travel from Schiphol Airport to Rotterdam Central Station.
One of the fastest and easiest ways to get to Rotterdam is to travel by train. Intercity trains hailing from every corner of the Netherlands make a stop at Rotterdam Central Station, including the high-speed train. The fastest connection between Amsterdam, Schiphol, Rotterdam and Breda is the NS Intercity Direct. It runs twice per hour. When travelling between Schiphol and Rotterdam, you will have to pay an Intercity Direct surcharge.
When travelling from France and Belgium, you should take the Thalys (it runs ten times per day). When travelling from the United Kingdom, you can take the Eurostar (and transfer to the Thalys in Brussels).
Getting around Rotterdam
How to travel around Rotterdam?Walking and metro
Rotterdam is a compact city and walking is often the best way to get around the city, but if you travel further, Rotterdam offers an excellent public transport service. The metro in Rotterdam is the most efficient way to travel in Rotterdam because there's a metro station nearby in most of the cases.
Tram
Another popular way of public transport in Rotterdam is the tram. The tram is very useful for short distances and takes you to locations which are not covered by metro. You can take the tram to travel to the south of Rotterdam for example, because the metro does not reach everywhere. There are special high-speed trams available which will quickly take you there.
Bus
Buses in Rotterdam also take you to places where the metro doesn't run including surrounding cities. The metro, bus and tram stops are clearly indicated and on electronic signs you can see how long it takes before the next ride starts. The biggest transport hub in Rotterdam is Central Station, followed by Rotterdam Zuidplein and Rotterdam Blaak, where different ways of public transport are connected together.
Travel chipcard
You need a travel chipcard if you want to travel with public transport in Rotterdam. Travelling with a travel chipcard is very comfortable because you can change between the different ways of public transport without having to buy a ticket each time. (2 day cards included in your conference fee)
More information about public transport in Rotterdam
Rent a bike
If you're a bit sporty, a fun and convenient way to get around the city is to rent a bike in Rotterdam. There are special cycle trails througout Rotterdam so you can safely explore Rotterdam by bike. You can use the electric bikes from GoBike which you can find at different locations and bring it back to another location once you finish your ride.
This information comes from city guide Rotterdam.