How to get TO rOTTERDAM

The city can be reached easily from across the country and abroad. Whether you come by train, bus, car, plane, boat or possibly even by bike, Rotterdam offers excellent connections in and around the city.

Train

One of the fastest, easiest, and most sustainable way 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 (i.e., Amsterdam Airport) 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 will arrive direct by Eurostar.

Approximate travel times from various cities, domestic and abroad:

– Antwerp: 32 minutes with the Thalys

– Brussels: 1 h 10 minutes with the Thalys 

– Paris: 2 h 40 minutes with the Thalys

– Londen: 3 h 01 with the Eurostar

– Amsterdam: 40 minutes with the Intercity direct

– Schiphol: 25 minutes with the Intercity direct

– Breda: 25 minutes with the Intercity direct

You can find more information about routes, departure times and prices on www.ns.nl (domestic travel), www.NSinternational.com (from and to destinations abroad), www.thalys.com (Thalys) and Eurostar.

The Europe rail map below shows you all the cities that are within 8 hours from Rotterdam by train. For more information, please visit Chronotrains. 

Public transport payment

When travelling to Rotterdam, you need a public transport (OV) chip card or you can buy single tickets at the station or on the bus. Another option is the Tranzer app. With this app, you can buy tickets for all the train companies, the Connexxion buses and the RET. Your ticket will appear in your app after purchase and it allows you to travel immediately, using your phone. Checking in and out and a chip card is not required. Various taxi services, such as Uber, can also be ordered with Tranzer.

Car

Rotterdam can easily be reached by car, using the A4, A13, A15, A16 and A20 motorways. Exits to Rotterdam Centrum are clearly marked on signs. You can find up-to-date information about traffic, congestion and accidents from the ANWB national motor association (Dutch). Or check VanAnaarBeter (Dutch) for the latest news on roadworks in this region.

Car rental

You can also simply rent a car, making your stay in Rotterdam even more flexible. Sixt (+31 23 56 986 56) has five locations in Rotterdam. At Rotterdam The Hague Airport, next to Hilton Rotterdam and three other locations in the city, providing an extensive fleet of cars.

Boat

Obviously, any true port city can be reached by boat! You can travel to Rotterdam by ferry from the United Kingdom. P&O Ferries and Stena Line offer regular ferry services between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Stena sails from Harwich, England to Hook of Holland, and it takes 30 minutes to travel from there to Rotterdam. P&O sails from Hull to Rotterdam Europoort. De Jong tours operates a shuttle service between Rotterdam Europoort and the city.

More information:

P&O Ferries www.poferries.com or call +31 10 714 54 64

Stena Line www.stenaline.nl or 0900-8123 (€ 0,35 per call)

Getting to Rotterdam from Rotterdam The Hague Airport 

An increasing number of European cities provide direct flights to Rotterdam The Hague Airport. Operators Transavia, British Airways, TUIfly Belgium, TUIfly Nederland and Corendon fly to the second regional airport in the Netherlands. Check the websites of the operators for more detailed information..

From Rotterdam The Hague Airport, you can reach the very heart of Rotterdam very quickly, travelling by car (rental through Sixt), taxi or public transport:

Car/taxi: 10 to 15 minutes

RandstadRail: 15 minutes 

RET (bus 33): 20 to 25 minutes

More information: www.rotterdamthehagueairport.nl or +31 10 446 34 44

Getting to Rotterdam from Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam)  

Public transport in the Netherlands is fast, easy and affordable. The Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam is also an important hub for train traffic and is therefore easily accessible by rail from all over the Netherlands. The NS train station is located directly below the terminal building. Take the escalator or lift downstairs and board the train. The train gets you to Rotterdam Central Station in 25 minutes. 

Do you want to take a taxi to travel from Schiphol? Your taxi will always stop right outside the departure and arrival halls. You can choose a regular taxi, a luxury Schiphol Business Taxi or a Schiphol Travel Taxi minibus. 

Rent(ed) a car? All cars can be picked up at the Car Rental and Service Desk. It is located in Schiphol Plaza, the airport's main foyer. Just follow the "Car Rental" signs. 

More information: https://www.schiphol.nl/en/page/from-to-schiphol/