Travel
How can you reach 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.
Compact city centre
Rotterdam has a compact and easily accessible city centre. Downtown Rotterdam offers a wide variety of flexible conference centres, hotels, restaurants, museums and attractions that are all close by, mostly within walking distance.
Video with travel instructions
Check this video for travel instructions.
You can also find more information via this website.
Travelling from Rome
If you are attending a conference prior to IOVC in Rome, you can book flights from Rome (Fiumicino airport) to Rotterdam-The Hague Airport with Transavia Airlines. Of course you can also fligh to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam offering more airlines flying from Rome. It only takes you ± 25 minutes to get from Schiphol Airport to the Central Train Station of Rotterdam.
Airports
Rotterdam is easily accessible from international destinations. Connections from the major hub at Schiphol Airport (with well over 350 European and Intercontinental destinations) are excellent by road and rail. With the direct high speed train you can transfer in only 26 minutes from Schiphol Airport to the city centre of Rotterdam.
Rotterdam The Hague Airport, located just outside the city, serves over 40 destinations in Europe. 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 | 10-15 minutes
RandstadRail | 15 minutes
RET (bus 33) | 20-25 minutes
More information: www.rotterdamthehagueairport.nl or 010 446 34 44
Public transportation
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 from France and Belgium, you can take the Thalys (it runs 10 times per day). When travelling from the United Kingdom, you will arrive direct by
You can find more information about routes, departure times and prices on www.ns.nl (domestic travel), www.nsinternational.nl (from and to destinations abroad), www.thalys.mobi (Thalys) and Eurostar.
RET Metro map
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 (for planning your trip check the following website: https://9292.nl/en). Another option is the Tranzer app. With this app, you can buy tickets for all the train companie and the Connexxion buses. It is not applicable for the RET (metro, bus). 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 (0)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. Please note that parking on the street in Rotterdam is not free of charge. There are some parking garages with special prices. Please check www.parkereninrotterdam.nl
Visa application
For applying for a visa, please check online.
Visas are required for some nationalities to travel to the Netherlands. Please contact your travel agent and / or the Netherlands Consulate / Embassy in your country for exact details and visa application procedures as soon as possible. Visa processing times can vary.
Visa invitation letters can be issued by the Local Organizing Committee. Please contact the LOC via iovc2024@erasmusmc.nl.