Public Transportation
Tips on using public transportation in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is a small and densely populated country with an excellent public transport system. Wherever you want to go in the Netherlands, you can get there easily and in comfort by train, bus, tram, ferry, etc. Leiden is easy to reach by public transport. Trains from all directions (including directly from Amsterdam and The Hague) stop at Leiden Central Station, and the city centre is just a short walk from the station. The region boasts an excellent network of buses, and there is a frequent service from the station which will take you to every corner of the city and to neighbouring towns.
OV-chipcard
An OV-chipkaart is a transportation card that can be used on all different forms of public transportation.
- Anonymous OV-chipcards can be bought at Tourist Information booths, supermarkets, Bruna, train stations, and at the service desks of OV companies. Anonymous OV-chipcards need to be charged manually by machines that can be found at supermarkets and public transport stations.
- Personalised OV-chipcards need to be purchased online. These cards can be directly linked to your bank account. It is important to note that you can be fined for travelling with another person's personalized OV-chipcard.
Transfer between transportation
Sometimes, in order to get to a specific location, you will need to transfer from one form of transportation to another. A practical site where you can plan your travel by public transport is: 9292 (there is also an app). 9292 tells you what the fastest travel route is, what specific transportation you should use (train, bus, tram, etc.), the number and time of the transport, and whether a stop over is necessary. You can also check the price of your planned journey on 9292.
Go to 9292
