Local Travel Information Public Transport in the Netherlands in General General Information The main means for public transport in the Netherlands are trains, busses, trams and metros. For long distances, trains are usually the best options. Busses, trams and metros are mostly used for transport in cities. Nearly all destinations are accessible by public transport. Taxis are expensive and almost never used. Tickets (OV-Chipkaart) If you travel by public transport you need a ticket, the OV-Chipkaart. This is a smart card that can be used as a ticket for all public transportation in the Netherlands. With this card, you can travel by train, tram, bus and the metro. Types of tickets There are two types of cards: Firstly, you can buy a reusable and rechargeable OV-Chipkaart, where you put a credit on the card. The money is then deducted from the card each time you travel by public transport. As a second option you can buy a card that includes a specific travel product, such as a single or return ticket to a specific destination. Buying the OV-chipkaart The OV-chipkaart can be bought either at the NS ticket machines (yellow machines with a blue sign and white NS logo on top) or at the Tickets & Service counters. The NS ticket machines have instructions in English.
Checking in and Checking out When travelling in the Netherlands, you have to check-in with your OV-Chipkaart before every journey and check-out again after the journey. This is also the case for single or return tickets! You can do this through holding the card in front of an OV-Chipkaart reader. The card readers are placed at the station entrance (train and metro) or on board on the vehicle (bus, tram). A successful check-in is signaled with a green light and a short beep, a successful check out shows with a green light and two beeps. Changing vehicles When changing between different vehicles (e.g. train to bus/ bus to bus etc.) you have to check out when leaving the first vehicle and check in again when using the second vehicle. When changing between vehicles of the same operator (esp. from NS train to NS train), it is not necessary to check out and check in between the change. Latest Travel Information All public transport If you would like to know more about the train, bus, tram or metro schedule, visit the website: http://9292.nl/en. This website offers you to plan your journey, access information about the public transport, the prices and you can also find useful travel information. We really recommend this website if you've never been to or traveled in the Netherlands independently. Taxis Taxis are not a common means of transport in the Netherlands. They are very expensive (average 50 euro from The Hague to Schiphol Airport) and they cannot be hailed on the street. If you do want to use a taxi we recommend you call them ahead of time. A recommended Hague taxi company can be reached at (+31)70-3906262.
From Airports to The Hague Central Station -->NOTE: There will be Women's Power to Stop War Welcoming Teams at Schiphol Airport, The Hague Central Station and The Hague Holland Spoor on April 21st and 22nd to welcome you and point you in the right direction. Schipol Airport, Amsterdam Amsterdam s airport Schiphol is the main international airport of the Netherlands. Visit the airport's website here. Almost all international flights go there The airport is located around 30 minutes from The Hague by train Flying to Schiphol Airport and then taking the train is the easiest and cheapest way to travel to The Hague! Location of the Train Station The Schiphol Train Station is located directly beneath the airport. You will find it if you follow the signs for Train after leaving the baggage hall. Tickets Tickets can be bought at the NS ticket machines (yellow machines with a blue sign and white NS logo on top) and at the Tickets & Service counter, which is located in the big train area after the baggage hall. See more about the tickets further up under Public Transport in the Netherlands in General. Trains to The Hague Trains from Schiphol to The Hague (Den Haag in Dutch) leave ca. every 15 minutes from platform 5 or 6 (platform is called spoor in Dutch). If you want to check what time the train leaves you can do this over the website: http://9292.nl/en, or http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/home. Both give information about the time, tracks and possible delays of the trains. At the station current information is also provided on large screens. Rotterdam The Hague Airport Rotterdam and The Hague have a small joint airport. However, not a lot of international flights go there. Visit the airport's website here.
From this airport, you get to The Hague by bus and metro. The travel time is around 40 minutes, with one change from the bus to the metro. Busses/Metro The Airport s bus station is located in front of the terminal building. You can take the Stadbus 33 (Busline 30) or the Airport Shuttle (Busline 50) to the Metro Station called "Meijersplein". There you have to change to the Metro line E. This line goes directly to The Hague Central Station (Den Haag Centraal). Tickets You need the OV-chipkaart ticket for public transport. See more about it further up under Public Transport in the Netherlands in General. Taxis There are taxis located in front of Arrivals. But don t forget, taxis in the Netherlands are quite expensive, with an average ride from the airport to The Hague costing 45 Euro.
Inside The Hague Getting around in The Hague Walking/Biking Getting around by foot and bike in The Hague is easy. You can walk from one side of the city to the other in under one hour and there are a lot of green spaces like forests and parks. There is also the possibility to rent bikes. Find out more about this option on here, although we only recommend this for experienced citybikers. Public transport The Hague has a well-developed public transport system, with over 30 bus and tramlines. There is also a night bus. Find the fastest way from one point to the other on www.9292.nl. Maps For a general overview over the city, download maps of The Hague here. -->NOTE: There will be Women's Power to Stop War Welcoming Teams at Schiphol Airport, The Hague Central Station and The Hague Holland Spoor on April 21st and 22nd to welcome you and point you in the right direction. Directions to the Peace Palace The Peace Palace is located around 10 minutes from the centre of The Hague and is accessible by bus or tram. If you want to learn more about the Peace Palace, please visit the website. From The Hague Central Station to the Peace Palace Take the bus line 17 (direction Kijkduin) from the bus platform above the station (direct service, all day long) Get off at stop Vredespaleis (Peace Palace) The journey takes around 10 minutes and a single ticket costs 1.32 Euros. From The Hague Holland Spoor to the Peace Palace Take the Tram line 1, direction Scheveningen Noorderstrand (direct service, all day long) Get off at stop Vredespaleis (Peace Palace) The journey takes around 12 minutes and a single ticket costs 1.33 Euros. The Tram and Busstops are right in front of the Peace Palace, so you can't miss it!