Getting around · Rotterdam · Netherlands
Getting around Rotterdam
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Rotterdam's centre is walkable and very bike-friendly, while the RET metro, trams and buses link districts across the river. Waterbuses and water taxis use the river itself. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- RTM, AMS, EIN
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Rotterdam Welcome Card
Ways to get around
Walking
The centre, the Markthal, the Cube Houses, the Museumpark and the Erasmus Bridge are within about 20–30 minutes on foot of each other.
Metro
RET's five metro lines (A–E) cross the city and run to Schiedam, The Hague (line E) and the beach at Hoek van Holland (line B).
Tap in and out with a contactless bank card or phone; check in and out each journey.
Tram
Trams serve the centre, Delfshaven, Kop van Zuid, Katendrecht and Blijdorp, and are useful for short hops.
Cycling
Cycle lanes are everywhere and the city is flat; bike-share and rental shops are common.
Lock your bike to a fixed rack and use two locks if leaving it for long.
Ferry
Waterbuses link the centre with Kinderdijk, Dordrecht and other towns, and water taxis cross the river quickly between piers.
Train
Rotterdam Centraal has fast trains to Delft, The Hague, Amsterdam, Schiphol and Antwerp, and international trains to Brussels and Paris.
Tickets and passes
Rotterdam Welcome Card
A card combining RET public-transport travel for one to three days with discounts at museums and attractions.
RET day ticket
Unlimited RET metro, tram and bus travel for a day.
From the airport
Rotterdam The Hague Airport is about 6 km north of the centre; bus 33 reaches Rotterdam Centraal in about 20 minutes. From Amsterdam Schiphol, direct trains take about 25–30 minutes on the Intercity Direct (with a supplement) or around 45 minutes on slower intercity routes.
Do you need a car?
No. Public transport, bikes and walking cover the city and nearly all day trips; parking is expensive and many central streets have limited access.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Kinderdijk | About 30–40 minutes by waterbus | Waterbus from Erasmus Bridge (Erasmusbrug) pier |
| Delft | About 12 minutes by train | Train from Rotterdam Centraal |
| The Hague | About 25 minutes by train | Train from Rotterdam Centraal, or metro line E |
| Gouda | About 20 minutes by train | Train from Rotterdam Centraal |
| Dordrecht | About 15 minutes by train | Train from Rotterdam Centraal, or waterbus |
| Schiedam | About 10 minutes by metro or train | Metro or train to Schiedam Centrum |
| Amsterdam | About 40 minutes by train | Intercity Direct from Rotterdam Centraal |
| Antwerp | About 1 hour by train | Direct train from Rotterdam Centraal |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Rotterdam?
No. Public transport, bikes and walking cover the city and nearly all day trips; parking is expensive and many central streets have limited access.
+How do you get from the airport to Rotterdam?
Rotterdam The Hague Airport is about 6 km north of the centre; bus 33 reaches Rotterdam Centraal in about 20 minutes. From Amsterdam Schiphol, direct trains take about 25–30 minutes on the Intercity Direct (with a supplement) or around 45 minutes on slower intercity routes.
+What is the best way to get around Rotterdam?
Walking: The centre, the Markthal, the Cube Houses, the Museumpark and the Erasmus Bridge are within about 20–30 minutes on foot of each other.