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

On certain dates before each semester, Leiden University offers a warm welcome service for newly-arriving international students. Students arriving during the warm welcome service can:

Sign up for a warm welcome at the airport or train station
Visit an information lounge for help with post-arrival practicalities

Dates of the next Warm Welcome Service:

Airport/train station welcome service: Friday 24 January 2020
Information lounge: Monday 27 January 2020

Enthusiastic Leiden University staff and students will welcome you upon arrival and assist you in finding your way to your accommodation.

Dates	Friday 24 January 2020
Times	07:00 – 22:00 (airport welcome) 09:00 - 17:00 (train station welcome)
Locations	Amsterdam Schiphol airport Leiden Central train station
How to register	Advance registration required - at least one week before your arrival. Link to follow here before next semester

At the information lounge you can find a wealth of information about post-arrival practicalities.

Dates	Monday 27 January 2020
Times	09:00 - 17:00
Locations	Leiden: KOG building - restaurant (1st floor)
Registration?	No registration required. Just drop by!
Services available:	Admission Office desk: assistance with last-minute admission formalities Exchange desk: assistance for exchange and study abroad students Student Affairs desk: general student information Housing Office desk: take care of last-minute university housing formalities Insurance desk: check you have sufficient insurance or purchase a student insurance policy Student Counsellors desk: assistance registering with a local GP (doctor), general tips on settling in

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:

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.