Transportation in Rotterdam
Find your way around town
Bright, shiny and ultra-modern, Rotterdam is not your typical Dutch city. Yet while its
face is set firmly to the future, there are pockets of Old Dutch style to be found.
Many of Rotterdam's attractions are spread out along the Nieuwe Maas River,
which splits the city in two, and others are in clusters in the centre. The
city's efficient public transport network makes getting around easy, though
there are stretches of waterfront that are accessible only on foot.
In the Centrum district, around Central Station, are concert halls and theatres. Going
south towards the river leads to the high-culture museums around Museumpark
and the maritime museums of Leuvehaven and Oude Haven. In the middle of the Nieuwe Maas
is residential and commercial Noordereiland and entertainment hotspot Kop van Zuid. To
the west is old-world Delfshaven. Cross to the south of the river for
celebrated football district Feijenoord.
Read more about transport from and to the airport
Metro
Rotterdam's metro network is generally the quickest way to get around, at least to those locations which are on or near one of the two metro lines. The metro trains run underground through the city centre, making them less than ideal for sightseeing while travelling, and above ground outside the centre.
Tram
Slower than the metro but generally quicker than the bus, the tram is perhaps the ideal way of getting around Rotterdam. Trams travel above ground and so are good for sightseeing. Children love them.
Bus
Rotterdam's buses reach many places that are served by neither the metro nor trams e.g. the airport. Unless there is no alternative, they are not the best way to get around in the city centre. A few services operate through the night.
Taxi
Rotterdam's taxis are easily recognisable by their blue licence plates and rooftop signs. Catch them at railway stations and taxi ranks dotted around the city, and outside major hotels, or hail one from the street if the sign is lit to show that it's available for hire. Among the best taxi companies are Rotterdamse Taxi Centrale and Taxi Rotterdam.
Foot
Walking is a good way to explore key parts of the city, like Museumpark, Leuvehaven, Oude Haven and Delfshaven. But it is not a good way to get around in general, since points of interest are spread out over a large area. It's better to use public transport to get to a selected area of interest and then walk.
Boat
Rotterdam has plenty of water, and a great way to get around in the harbour is by fast water taxis, which can be hired from Watertaxi Rotterdam.
Transportation Tips
Use the plastic electronic OV-chipkaart, available in several variations, for discounted fares on public transport. Until the OV-chipkaart system is fully operational, the old paper strippenkaarten system is still in use. These work on a zone system, with one strip used for each zone travelled through. Driving in Rotterdam is not particularly difficult, but one-way systems can be confusing. Street parking is in short supply, parking charges are high, parking regulations are vigorously enforced and the fines for parking violations are high.
