Overview
Rotterdam's metro is run by RET and was the first metro system to open in the Netherlands, starting service in 1968 with the Noord – Zuidlijn (North – South line) between Centraal Station and Zuidplein, crossing the Nieuwe Maas in a tunnel. At the time it was one of the shortest metro lines in the world at just 5.9 km (3.7 mi). A second line, the Oost – Westlijn (East – West line), followed in 1982 between Capelsebrug and Coolhaven.
For a visitor, the system is straightforward to use end to end. Five lettered lines (A–E) cover the city and the surrounding region, and all of them converge at Beurs station in the centre, which makes it the main hub for changing between routes. You tap in when you board and tap out when you leave, whether you use a contactless bank card or mobile device (OVpay), an OV-chipkaart, or a ticket bought from a machine or the RET app. Fares are based on distance and duration, so forgetting to check out can cost you more than the journey itself.
Lines D and E are the ones that link suburban areas to the city, and Line E (branded RandstadRail) is the direct metro connection to The Hague. The metro is complemented by RET trams and buses, plus ferries and water taxis on the water, so most visitor destinations are reachable without a car.
The network
The network is a mix of metro, light rail, tram, bus and boat services, most of them coordinated by RET.
- Metro lines A–E (RET): Five lettered lines serve Rotterdam and the surrounding municipalities. Lines A and B branch northeast to Binnenhof (Line A) and Nesselande (Line B); north of Capelsebrug and west of Schiedam Centrum these run partly on level crossings with overhead wires, and locals call these sections sneltram (light rail), though most people simply say metro. Line B was connected to the Schiedam–Hoek van Holland railway line on 30 September 2019, extending the metro to Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland), with Line A running on that line as far as Vlaardingen West from 1 November 2019. Line C branches off at Capelsebrug to De Terp in Capelle aan den IJssel and, like Line D, terminates at De Akkers in Spijkenisse. Line D runs from Rotterdam Centraal via Beurs, Slinge, Rhoon, Tussenwater and Spijkenisse Centrum to De Akkers. Line E is a conversion of the former Hofpleinlijn railway, opened as metro in 2006, and runs under the RandstadRail brand to Den Haag Centraal, sharing part of its route with The Hague tram network light rail vehicles.
- RandstadRail: The branding used for Line E and the related light rail services linking Rotterdam and The Hague.
- Trams (RET): Trams serve the city centre and popular destinations, with many lines converging at Rotterdam Centraal.
- Buses (RET): RET buses connect the centre with city districts, neighbourhoods and the wider metropolitan area.
- Waterbus: The largest fast ferry service in the Rotterdam–Dordrecht region, running to a regular timetable with summer and winter schedules. Line 20 runs from the Erasmus Bridge stop (north side) to Dordrecht (Merwekade), calling at Krimpen aan den IJssel, Ridderkerk, Alblasserdam, Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht and Papendrecht; from Dordrecht there are connections to Zwijndrecht and Biesbosch National Park. A WaterShuttle runs directly from Willemskade in Rotterdam to Kinderdijk in about 30 minutes.
- Watertaxi: Around 50 stops in Rotterdam and Schiedam, divided into three fare zones (East, West, Center) with fixed per-person fares within and between zones. Boats carry 8 or 12 passengers on demand, and you reserve via app, website or phone. A weekend Circle Line route follows Rotterdam's waterways.
- Other ferries: The VMR ferry links Maassluis and Rozenburg (Ferry Blankenburg for cars, trucks, buses, motorbikes, heavy traffic, bicycles and pedestrians; Ferry Jorina for cyclists and pedestrians only). The Hoeksveer runs between Hoek van Holland and Maasvlakte 2 from May to October for cyclists and pedestrians only.
Tickets & fares
You have several ways to pay, and the cheapest option depends on how much you plan to travel. All fares below are approximate, are given in euros, and change over time — always check current prices before you travel.
- OVpay (contactless): Accepted almost everywhere in the Netherlands. Tap a contactless debit or credit card (Maestro, V PAY, Mastercard, Visa), a linked mobile device, Apple Pay or Google Wallet, or a Dutch bank card on the reader when checking in and again when checking out. Fares are debited the following day as a single amount, with a payment reference starting with NLOV followed by 14 digits or letters. Note that OVpay can work out more expensive than an unlimited pass if you ride a lot.
- OV-chipkaart: A rechargeable card usable across the Netherlands on buses, trains, trams and metro. A card without credit costs about €7.50 and is valid for 4–5 years. Buy one at kiosks at Rotterdam Centraal, Rotterdam Blaak, Rotterdam Beurs, Rotterdam Airport newsagents, most Primera shops, and service desks of larger supermarkets.
- RET 2-hour ticket: About €5.50, allowing return trips within the two-hour window. Sold at metro station sales points, from bus drivers (pin only), on trams (pin and cash), and at Tourist Information.
- RET 1-day ticket: About €12.00 full fare and €6.00 for children, sold at Rotterdam Tourist Information (Central Station and Hoek van Holland) and RET service stores and points.
- Day ticket (RET): About €9.50, or €5 for children aged 4–11. It is valid from your first scan until 4 am the next day (not a full 24 hours) for unlimited RET bus, tram and metro travel within Rotterdam, but only as far as Meijersplein on metro Line E, and it is not valid on BOB buses (special late and weekend services). Buy it from metro station ticket machines or RET service desks (a €0.50 surcharge applies at desks), and remember to scan in and out.
- RET Tourist Day Ticket: About €17.50 for one day of unlimited travel throughout South Holland by bus, tram, metro and waterbus. Sold at Tourist Information, RET service stores and points, and metro station vending machines.
- Tourist card (Rotterdam/The Hague region): About €15.50 for one day of unlimited public transport in the Rotterdam and The Hague region.
- Rotterdam City Card: Unlimited RET travel for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days, plus 25% or more discount at attractions, museums, tours and restaurants.
- Rotterdam Welcome Card: Includes a 3-day pass with unlimited RET bus, metro and tram access, excluding special late buses and trains.
- Children: Under 4s travel free.
Fares are distance- and duration-based, so you must scan on boarding and again on alighting. Zones apply to the Watertaxi (East, West and Center), while the RET day and tourist tickets are defined by the area they cover rather than by zones.
From the airport
Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM) is the country's third-largest airport and lies about 6 km north of the city centre, with direct flights from cities in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Airlines serving it include Transavia, Lufthansa, British Airways and Turkish Airlines. There is a VVV information point in the arrivals hall at Rotterdam Airportplein 60, open 07:30–23:45, with a gift shop open 09:30–18:00.
- Bus 33 + metro Line E: Bus 33 connects the airport with Meijersplein/Airport metro station, where you can take metro Line E towards Slinge for Rotterdam Centraal and the city centre. Bus 33 also connects to Rotterdam Centraal station via the Overschie district.
- Bus 300: A direct service to Rotterdam Centraal with no intermediate stops, running Fridays to Mondays only between 15 July and 20 September.
- Taxi: Taxis are available; see the taxi providers listed in local information.
If you are arriving at a different airport, Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is 58 km north of Rotterdam and has far more flights. NS runs the Intercity Direct high-speed service every 30 minutes to Rotterdam in 27 minutes, but you must pay a supplement for the Schiphol–Rotterdam leg; regular Intercities towards Rotterdam Centraal and Rotterdam Blaak are cheaper but slower and also call at Schiphol. Eindhoven Airport (EIN) is 106 km southeast, served by Ryanair and Wizzair, with a bus to Eindhoven Centraal (about 20 minutes) and an intercity to Rotterdam Centraal taking about 63 minutes. Brussels Airport (BRU) is 140 km south; the train from Brussels takes about 120 minutes and costs around €35, and buses are also available though less frequent.
Etiquette & customs
- Scan in and out: The single most important habit. Tap your card or device on the reader when you board and again when you leave, on every mode, or you may be charged a higher fare.
- Queuing: Dutch passengers queue in an orderly way at stops and platform doors, and let people off before boarding.
- Escalators: Stand on the right and walk on the left, as is standard in the Netherlands.
- Quiet and priority seating: Keep noise down in carriages, and give up priority seats to older passengers, pregnant travellers and people with reduced mobility.
- Eating and drinking: Keep food and drink consumption modest and tidy; there is no formal ban on the metro, but locals generally avoid full meals on board.
- Rush hour: Peak-hour services are busy, especially around Beurs and Rotterdam Centraal. Move down the carriage, keep bags out of the aisle, and let busy trains go if you can wait for the next one.
- On the water: Watertaxi boats are small (8 or 12 seats) and run on demand, so book ahead via app, website or phone and arrive promptly for your slot.
Official links
Survival terms
- metro — metro (subway/rapid transit)
- sneltram — light rail (the local term for the metro sections with overhead wires and level crossings)
- kaartje — ticket
- lijn — line
- ingang — entrance
- uitgang — exit
- overstappen — transfer
- enkele reis — single fare
- dagkaart — day pass
- OV-chipkaart — the reusable Dutch public transport smartcard
Before you travel, check the current RET and Rotterdam.info pages for live fares and route changes, since prices and timetables are updated regularly.