Welcome service and travel plans

When should you plan to arrive in the Netherlands? Before making your travel plans, find out about the welcome service offered on certain dates by Leiden University. There are also a number of other practical matters to take into consideration.

Warm welcome service

Due to the coronavirus situation, Leiden University is offering an alternative Telephone Warm Welcome Service for newly-arriving international students.

Date of Telephone Warm Welcome Service

• Friday 22 January 2021, from 07:00 till 22:00

What to do

• Upon arrival in the Netherlands on 22 January, you are invited to contact the Warm Welcome team by phone, video call or by sending a message via: tel +31 685317744.
• The Warm Welcome team will then provide you with assistance by phone. For example, they can explain how to find the way at Schiphol airport, how to take the train to Leiden/The Hague and how to get to your accommodation.  

Further information

If you have any questions about the Warm Welcome Service, please send a mail to: arrival@leidenuniv.nl

Other travel plan considerations

Before planning your journey, you should also take the following into consider:

• The dates of your introduction week
• Your housing contract dates and key collection arrangements
• Any orientation activities organised by your study programme
• The dates of any necessary appointments, for example:
  • Town hall registration appointment
  • Dutch bank account appointment
  • Biometric data appointment (students who requested a residence permit only)
• Always await the approval of your student visa (if applicable) before booking a non-changeable/non-refundable ticket!

Travel information

If you are unable to arrive during the warm welcome service, you can use the following websites and services to help you find your way from the airport and around Leiden and The Hague:

• Dutch railways (NS) journey planner
• Public transport journey planner
• Leiden Tourist Information Centre
• The Hague Info Store

Travel pass

To use public transport in the Netherlands you will need a travel pass, known as an OV-chipkaart. For information on the types of card available and how to purchase them, visit the OV-chipkaart site. Note that you can buy a single-use OV-chipkaart from ticket machines at Dutch train stations.