Practical information

The following days are national holidays in the Netherlands. On most of these days, employees who work in the private sector and at government agencies will have a day off. Public institutions often work Sunday shifts on these days. The hospitality sector does generally remain open on national holidays.

2025

• Christmas Day – 25 December 2025
• Boxing Day – 26 December 2025

2026

• New Year’s Day – Thursday 1 January 2026
• Good Friday – Friday 3 April 2026
• Easter Sunday – Sunday 5 April 2026
• Easter Monday – Monday 6 April 2026
• King’s Day – Monday 27 April 2026
• Liberation Day – Tuesday 5 May 2026
• Ascension Day – Thursday 14 May 2026
• Whit Sunday (Pentecost) – Sunday 24 May 2026
• Whit Monday – Monday 25 May 2026
• Christmas Day – Friday 25 December 2026
• Boxing Day – Saturday 26 December 2026

Want to explore the city without luggage? At Rotterdam Central Station you can store your luggage for up to 72 hours. In addition, Radical Storage offers a convenient solution with fixed daily rates, plus an optional warranty surcharge per bag. Book through the Radical Storage app or website for secure storage.

You certainly hope it will never be necessary, but something might happen during your visit which requires medical attention. Keep the following numbers close at hand:

• 112 – The national emergency phone number. You can use this to receive urgent care from doctors, police and fire departments. You can reach them on any phone.
• 0900 8844 – Police. This is the national phone number for non-urgent care and problems. For emergency care, dial 112.
• 010 446 89 00 – Rotterdam Fire Department (for non-emergency calls).

For urgent medical issues that cannot wait until the next working day, you can visit one the Rijnmond region's GP outpatient clinics. The posts are located at Franciscus Gasthuis, Maasstad Hospital, IJsselland Hospital and Spijkenisse Medical Center. Call first for an appointment and make sure you have personal information and insurance information handy.

Rotterdam has several hospitals where you can go for first aid:

• Erasmus Medisch Centrum
  ’s Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 CE Rotterdam
  Tel: 010 704 07 04
• Erasmus MC Sophia Children's Hospital
  Dr. Molewaterplein 60, 3015 GJ Rotterdam
  Tel: 010 704 07 04
• Ikazia Ziekenhuis
  Montessoriweg 1, 3083 AN Rotterdam
  Tel: 010 297 50 00
• Maasstad Ziekenhuis
  Maasstadweg 21, 3079 DZ Rotterdam
  Tel: 010 291 19 11
• Franciscus Gasthuis
  Kleiweg 500, 3045 PM Rotterdam
  Tel: 010 461 61 61
• Franciscus Vlietland
  Vlietlandplein 2, 3118 JH Schiedam
  Tel: 010 893 93 93
• IJsselland Ziekenhuis
  Prins Constantijnweg 2, 2906 ZC Capelle a/d IJssel
  Tel: 010 258 50 00
• Het Oogziekenhuis Rotterdam (Eye Hospital)
  Schiedamse Vest 180, 3011 BH Rotterdam
  Tel: 010 401 77 77

There are several police stations in Rotterdam. The main station in the city center is open 24/7:

• Police Headquarters Rotterdam Center
  Doelwater 5, 3011 AH Rotterdam

In the Netherlands, and therefore also in Rotterdam, the police and regulatory authorities (such as bus and train conductors) are allowed by law to ask for your proof of ID. Care providers are also allowed to check your identity. This is only allowed in certain situations:

• traffic surveillance
• maintaining public order / security
• investigating criminal offences

In those contexts, you need to be able to show an authentic, valid proof of identity (passport or ID card). If you are unable to do so, you are in violation of the law and run the risk of being taken to the police station or receiving a fine.

In Rotterdam, you can use public restrooms and urinals located throughout the city. Additionally, nearly 50 restaurants, cafés, and hotels offer free access to their toilets. These establishments are marked with a special sticker on the window or door.

The sticker also indicates whether the restroom is wheelchair accessible. Check the map below for an overview of all public toilets in Rotterdam. With the HogeNood app, you can easily find the nearest accessible toilet using your smartphone.

In Rotterdam, the euro (€) is the legal tender. Practically anywhere in the town, you can pay at every register with cash, PIN and chip-cards. Do you need cash money? ATMs and banks are always close by, particularly in the city center. If you need to exchange other currency into euros, you can use e.g. the services of GWK Travelex at Stationsplein (next to Central Station) and at Rotterdam The Hague Airport.

The Netherlands has a temperate, maritime climate, generally involving mild winters and cool summers. The climate is mainly due to the coastal proximity of the Netherlands to the North Sea. In general, the coastal provinces – including Rotterdam – usually have milder autumn and winter months than the inland, eastern provinces. Spring and summer in the west is usually slightly cooler than the east and south of the country. The weather is a favourite topic of conversation in the Netherlands. Not in the least because it can vary greatly, influenced by weather fronts and wind conditions. There is no universal advice or prediction we can give, so check the current weather info and forecast online before and during your trip, for instance with the Buienradar.