Rotterdam Centraal (Rotterdam)

At Rotterdam’s magnificent, relatively new Central train station, the platforms/sporen/tracks that trains depart from/arrive are at an upper level.
A passage way leads from the main concourse beneath the platforms/sporen - which can be accessed by lifts (elevators) and escalators.

The long platforms (sporen) at Rotterdam Centraal station are DIVIDED into different sections numbered 8a, 8b etc and trains usually depart from these specific sections of the platform/spoor.
Therefore check that you are waiting, on the right part of the platform/spoor for your train, using the nearest departure indicators on the platform as a guide
Each specific part of a platform/spoor, 8a, 8b etc will have its own indicator for the next train to depart from this part of a platform.

Rotterdam's central station does not have a main large electronic departure board.
Instead departures are listed solely on the smaller TV screens that will be located around the station.
However, most of the time only trains departing within the next 10-15 minutes will be shown.

These information screens (and those on the platforms), only show the terminating station and the principle stations that the train will be calling at (‘via Delft, Leiden’ etc)
To find info about subsequent departures use the paper departure sheets, though each train route from Rotterdam Centraal has a dedicated sheet.
So you may need to look through multiple departure sheets to find your destination.

The 1st class lounge is only available if you are travelling with a 1st class international ticket valid on the Eurostar or Thalys trains.

Many of the city’s most visited examples of modern architecture including the Markthal and Cube Houses are close by to Rotterdam Blaak station.

Frequent local trains link Rotterdam Centraal and Rotterdam Blaak, there is no need to take the Metro - and the trains are also a faster option than the tram service that links the two stations.
Also some InterCity trains to/from Rotterdam call at Rotterdam Blaak in addition to Rotterdam Centraal.

Opting to holiday in Rotterdam may raise an eyebrow or two, even ardent fans of 20th century architecture, of which many fine examples can be found in the city, will likely concede that it’s not the most beautiful of Dutch cities.

However, Rotterdam has two aces up its sleeve:

(1) staying in Rotterdam is generally (much) cheaper than in Amsterdam and

(2) Rotterdam is also an ideal base for exploring the best of The Netherlands (and beyond) by train.

You can be in central Amsterdam within an hour of departing from Rotterdam Centraal station, if you take one of the frequent ‘InterCity Direct' trains.

These InterCity Direct trains also provide a fast and frequent connection to Schiphol Airport, so getting to and from Rotterdam by plane/train is straightforward - AND at Schiphol, during the tulip season, you can connect for a bus link to the Keukenhof  gardens/tulip fields.

In addition to the trains to Amsterdam and Schiphol, there are a minimum of 2 x trains per hour between Rotterdam and a swathe of must-see Dutch towns and cities including Den Haag, Delft, Gouda, Haarlem and Leiden.

As all of these destinations can be reached in under 1hr 15mins from Rotterdam Centraal by train.
It’s also feasible to visit multiple towns on straight forward day trips - Combine Den Haag with Delft or Gouda, or see both Leiden and Harlem in a single day.

Two other big ticks in the Rotterdam compared to Amsterdam box are;

(1) you’ll have more time to explore Belgium – the journey time by train from Rotterdam to Antwerpen and Bruxelles is shorter than that from Amsterdam.

(2) The largest collection of Dutch windmills at Kinderdijk can be easily accessed from Rotterdam.
First take the D or E metro lines from central Rotteram to Zuidplein station and then connect there for buses on Lijn 90, taking the bus to the ‘Molenkaade' stop – the buses run mostly hourly and the journey time from Zuidplein station is around 50 minutes.

You won’t pay any extra for journeys by train within The Netherlands if you book tickets last minute at the station, so you can be spontaneous.

All journeys from Rotterdam can be looked up here.

1: Use the map above to see which hotel rooms and Vrbo rentals, with easy access to Rotterdam-Centraal station are available.

2: Or see what's available with Stay 22's accommodation partners; which include, Expedia, Hotels.com and Trivago over a wider area - by clicking here
Stay 22 will 'shuffle' the booking services so that you can be automatically directed to its partner that currently has the optimum availability at this location.

There is a station on line E of the Rotterdam Metro named Meijersplein / Airport, but it is a case of close, but not quite.
The metro station is located is located approximately 500 meters from Rotterdam / The Hague Airport
Though a 10-15 minute walk can be avoided by taking bus route / line 33 for a three stop hop between the station and the airport terminal building.

The trains on Metro Line E typically operate every 10 mins and they link Meijersplein / Airport station with:

• Rotterdam Centraal in a journey time of only 7 minutes.
• the trains to and from Rotterdam, also make stops in other city centre stations; Stadhuis and Beurs, connect for Metro lines A, B and C; and Leuvehaven and Wilhelminaplein and Rijnhaven.

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