FAQ about the Rotterdam City Card

The Rotterdam City Card is Rotterdam's official digital visitor card. It gives you at least 25% discount at more than 50 museums, attractions, tours, restaurants and other experiences across the city.

Choose from a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5-day card with unlimited public transport, or a 1, 2 or 3-day card without unlimited public transport.

The Rotterdam City Card makes it easy to discover more of Rotterdam while saving money on attractions, experiences and public transport.

The Rotterdam City Card includes discounts at more than 50 museums, attractions, tours, restaurants and experiences across Rotterdam.

The version with unlimited public transport also includes unlimited travel on RET metro, tram and bus services, making it easy to get around Rotterdam and beyond, including Hoek van Holland and Schiedam.

Public transport is not valid on NS trains, water taxis, or the Waterbus. You can choose a card with or without public transport, depending on your preferences.

The Rotterdam City Card costs between €7.50 and €47.50, depending on whether you choose the version with or without unlimited public transport and the number of days you need the card.

Rotterdam City Card with unlimited public transport

• 1 day – €17.50
• 2 days – €25.00
• 3 days – €32.50
• 4 days – €40.00
• 5 days – €47.50

Rotterdam City Card without unlimited public transport

• 1 day – €7.50
• 2 days – €10.00
• 3 days – €12.50

The Rotterdam City Card includes discounts at participating museums, attractions, restaurants and activities across the city. The version with unlimited public transport also includes unlimited travel on RET metro, tram and bus services for the duration of your card.

The Rotterdam City Card is valid for consecutive calendar days, not for 24-hour periods.

Your card becomes valid when you activate it. A 1-day card is valid until the end of public transport service on the day of activation. A 2, 3, 4 or 5-day card is valid for the selected number of consecutive calendar days.

Yes. You can buy up to 10 Rotterdam City Cards in a single order through the webshop.

You can store all cards on one phone or transfer individual cards to another device using the Rotterdam City Card app.

There is currently no separate Rotterdam City Card for children. Children can use the standard card, but the discounts apply to adult admission tickets only. Many participating attractions also offer their own children's discounts.

The Rotterdam City Card is ideal if you plan to visit several museums, attractions or activities during your stay in Rotterdam. The version with unlimited public transport also includes unlimited travel on RET metro, tram and bus services, making it an easy way to explore the city.

For example: an unlimited 1-day RET travel ticket costs €12. If you're staying in Rotterdam for three days, you'll need three separate RET day tickets (€36). A 3-day Rotterdam City Card with unlimited public transport costs €32.50 and also includes discounts at more than 50 participating museums, attractions, restaurants and activities.

Whether it's worth it depends on your travel plans. If you plan to visit multiple attractions and use public transport during your stay, the card can offer excellent value.

The Rotterdam City Card gives you discounts at more than 50 participating museums, attractions, restaurants and activities across Rotterdam.

To explore everything that's included, view all participating locations and available discounts. You'll find the latest overview of participating museums, attractions, restaurants and activities, together with the discount available at each location.

You can buy the Rotterdam City Card online on the Rotterdam City Card homepage or at one of our Rotterdam Tourist Information locations. Our visitor centres are located in the main hall of Rotterdam Central Station and in Hoek van Holland, next to Hoek van Holland Haven metro station.

You can pay for your Rotterdam City Card online using PayPal, Bancontact, iDEAL, Apple Pay, Google Pay or a credit card (Visa or Mastercard). 

At our Rotterdam Tourist Info locations, you can also pay in cash.

If you purchased your card through our webshop and it has not been activated, you can contact us at [email protected]. You can cancel your purchase within 14 days.

Rotterdam City Cards purchased at a Rotterdam Tourist Info location cannot be refunded.

Download the Rotterdam City Card app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. You can also use the download link in your confirmation email after purchasing your card.

Open the Rotterdam City Card app and add your card using the link in your confirmation email or by entering your code manually.

Before using public transport or visiting your first attraction, activate your card in the app by selecting ‘Activate’ and entering your name and email address.

We recommend activating your card when you arrive in Rotterdam or just before your first journey or visit. You can do this just a few minutes before your first trip or visit.

Once activated, your City Card is ready to use immediately.

Important: once activated, your card is valid immediately. Activation cannot be paused, undone or changed.

You can buy your Rotterdam City Card in advance. To get the most out of your card, activate it only when you are in Rotterdam or on the day of your visit.

Once you activate your card, it becomes valid immediately. Activation cannot be undone.

You have six months from the date of purchase to activate your Rotterdam City Card. If you do not activate your card within six months, it will expire automatically.

Your card becomes valid as soon as you activate it in the Rotterdam City Card app. Once activated, you can use your card immediately for RET public transport (if included) and to redeem discounts at participating locations.

Please note that once your card has been activated, the validity period starts immediately and cannot be paused, undone or changed.

To travel on RET public transport, use the Travel QR code in the Rotterdam City Card app when you check in and out.

Metro

• Hold your phone with the Travel QR code against the scanner at the ticket gates.
• Use a gate with a barcode scanner. If there are no gates, scan your QR code at one of the check-in poles.

Tram and bus

• Hold your phone against the QR code symbol on the validator, with your screen facing up and the Travel QR code visible.

Always remember to check in and check out when travelling.

Please note: The Rotterdam City Card cannot currently be used for free parking at P+R locations.

You can redeem discounts with your Rotterdam City Card either online or at participating locations.

Online

Open the webshop in the Rotterdam City Card app and book your ticket at the discounted price. Your ticket will be sent by the attraction or venue and can be used immediately or at a later date.

Depending on the location, the discount is either applied automatically at checkout or by entering the discount code shown in the app.

At a participating location

Show the QR code in the app at the ticket desk. Your discount will be applied when the QR code is scanned.

Yes. Once you've downloaded the Rotterdam City Card app, you can use it without an internet connection.

You'll only need internet access if you want to book tickets through the websites of participating attractions.

The Rotterdam City Card includes unlimited travel on all RET metro, tram and bus services.

You can use:

• Metro – for fast travel across Rotterdam and to nearby areas including Hoek van Holland.
• Tram – for travelling through the city centre and past major attractions.
• Bus – for connections to districts not reached by metro or tram.

The Rotterdam City Card is valid on all metro, tram and bus services operated by RET.

For most attractions, booking in advance isn't necessary. However, some museums, attractions or activities recommend or require advance booking, especially during busy periods.

You can book discounted tickets after you've activated your card. We recommend activating your card when you arrive in Rotterdam or just before your first visit. Once activated, you can book your tickets through the Rotterdam City Card app before heading to the attraction.

Always check the attraction's page in the app for the latest booking information and availability.

Most attractions participating in the Rotterdam City Card do not sell out, so you can usually visit without any problems.

Some attractions or activities may have limited capacity, especially during busy periods or for special events. If your preferred attraction is fully booked, there are plenty of other participating attractions and activities to choose from.

For the latest availability, we recommend checking the attraction's page in the Rotterdam City Card app or on the attraction's website before your visit.

No. Each discount or offer included with the Rotterdam City Card can only be used once per participating location during the validity of your card.

You can, however, use your card at as many different participating locations as you like while your card is valid.

No. The Rotterdam City Card is a digital card and can only be used with the Rotterdam City Card app on your smartphone.

You'll need your smartphone to activate your card, travel on RET public transport and redeem discounts at participating museums, attractions, restaurants and activities.

If you haven't received your confirmation email, first check your spam or junk folder. If you still can't find it, please contact us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help.

Once your card has been activated, its validity starts immediately. Unfortunately, the activation cannot be undone, paused or changed to a later date.

To help you get the most out of your card, we recommend activating it only when you arrive in Rotterdam or just before your first journey or visit.

If you're unable to check in or out with your Rotterdam City Card, first make sure you're using the correct QR code:

• Green travel card – for checking in and out on RET metro, tram and bus services.
• Yellow discount card – for redeeming discounts at participating attractions.

Before scanning, make sure you:

• Open the green travel card.
• Enlarge the QR code by tapping it.
• Hold the QR code in front of the scanner.
• Do not hold your phone against the OVpay card reader.

When travelling by metro, use a gate with the glass QR code scanner, not the OVpay card reader.

If you're travelling by tram or bus and can't check in or out, simply show your activated Rotterdam City Card with unlimited public transport to the driver or conductor. You can continue your journey as normal.

To prevent your card from being blocked, avoid checking in and out repeatedly at the same gate within a short period.

If you can't find the answer you're looking for, we're happy to help.

You can contact us by email at [email protected] or call us on +31 (0)10 790 0177.

If your phone battery runs out, you won't be able to use your card until your phone is charged again. This means you won't be able to travel on RET public transport or redeem discounts at participating locations.

To make the most of your day, we recommend starting with a fully charged phone. If you're planning to explore Rotterdam all day, bringing a power bank is always a good idea.