Travel

Rotterdam is a well-connected city easily reachable from the main hubs in Europe and beyond. Rotterdam has an excellent railway infrastructure. Intercity trains hailing from every corner of the Netherlands and neighbouring countries make a stop at Rotterdam Central Station, including high-speed trains such as Eurostar and Thalys. 

Conference venue: Rotterdam AHOY, Ahoyweg 10, 3084 BA Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 

Getting around in Rotterdam

Picking up your free transport card

The EAIE will provide all participants with a free public transport card when they collect their badges at the venue. This card will be valid from the first moment of usage for four consecutive days. The ticket is valid in all metros, public buses and trams in Rotterdam. This free travel card is kindly sponsored by EduCanada. 

Getting around in the city

Rotterdam has a wide range of public transportation available. You can travel around the city with your free travel card that the EAIE provides to all participants. The city has an excellent public transport system – you can travel by bus, tram and metro services provided by the RET.

The most enjoyable and sustainable way to get around in Rotterdam is by bike. Rotterdam is a very bike-friendly city with over 475km of cycle paths.

While Rotterdam has a large urban area, much of it can be explored on foot, especially via its beautiful city centre surrounded by water and green parks such as the largest park in the city, Kralingse Plas lake and its unique forest in the heart of Rotterdam.

In the city with the largest port in Europe, water transport is also an option, with water taxis available to take you down or across the river.

Please visit the Rotterdam Tourism website for more information on public transport options. For the bus/tram/metro schedule, please click here: RET (webpage in NL). On the available RET App it is possible to purchase a mobile ticket with a barcode. The website 9292 provides a trip planner for Dutch public transport.

Travelling to Rotterdam

Participants can use various modes of transport to reach Rotterdam. The city is well-connected to many European cities by rail. The main station is Rotterdam Central Station, and there are daily high-speed (Intercity Direct) connections with Amsterdam Schiphol, Brussels or intercity trains from Eindhoven Central Station.

For more tips on how to plan your journey take a look at the Dutch train service's website.

Travelling from airports to Rotterdam Central Station

The main international airport of the Netherlands is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, linked directly by train with Rotterdam Central Station. However, the closest airport to Rotterdam city centre and the main railway station is Rotterdam The Hague Airport linked with the city centre by metro and bus. Some budget airlines operate via Eindhoven Airport, connected by bus with Eindhoven Central Station.

From Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

By train

The easiest way to reach the city centre (Rotterdam Central Station) from the airport is by train. The fastest journey takes around 29 minutes (by Intercity Direct), and trains run every 10 to 17 minutes between 00:26 to 23:56. There are around 99 trains per day travelling from Amsterdam Schiphol to Rotterdam Central Station, so be sure that you double-check all available options on the official NS webpage.

The average price of a ticket from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Rotterdam Central Station will cost around €18 (including € 2.90 for Intercity Direct supplement).

From Rotterdam The Hague Airport

The distance from Rotterdam The Hague airport to the Rotterdam city centre is around 6km and is easily accessible by public transport.

By bus

RET bus 33 from Rotterdam The Hague Airport is connected directly to Rotterdam Central Station. The ride takes about 25 minutes and the waiting time is 15 minutes on weekdays and half an hour on weekends.

By bus + metro

It is possible to take a RET bus 33 to the metro station Meijersplein/Airport and then change to metro line E to Rotterdam Central Station.  

From Eindhoven Airport

The distance from Eindhoven Airport to Rotterdam Central Station is 107km.

By bus + train (to Rotterdam Central Station)

There are several public transport options connecting Eindhoven Airport and the centre of Eindhoven Central Station. Eindhoven Central Station can be reached from Eindhoven Airport by Airport Shuttle buses (Hermes): 400 and 401. Website 9292 provides a trip planner for Dutch transportation. The fastest ride takes about 25 minutes. The one-way single ticket price is €4.80. 

From Eindhoven Central Station you can continue your journey by bus or train to Rotterdam.

Rotterdam Central Station to Rotterdam Ahoy (conference centre)

By metro:

Rotterdam Ahoy is easily accessible by bus, metro and train. However, the easiest and fastest way to reach the conference centre is by metro line D and E. Both depart from Rotterdam Central Station, and the journey takes about 11 minutes and a five-minute walk to the main conference centre entrance. The closest metro station is Zuidplein.

By car:

Rotterdam Ahoy has 2000 private parking spaces. A parking spot next to Ahoy costs €19 and the general parking costs €16. You can purchase a parking ticket in advance to secure a spot during the event days. Charging stations for electric cars are not available at the Ahoy parking space, but the parking garage in front of Ahoy (Q-park Zuidplein) has 6 charging stations.

By bicycle:

Ahoy is easily reachable by bike, and there is convenient unguarded, free bicycle parking just outside Ahoy.