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. This consists of:
- A warm welcome at Amsterdam Schiphol airport: advance registration required
- Warm welcome helpdesks where you can take care of last-minute formalities
Dates of the next Warm Welcome Service:
- Airport welcome service: 12 and 19 August 2020
- Warm welcome helpdesks: during introduction weeks and at start of semester - see details below.
Register for the airport welcome service and enthusiastic Leiden University representatives will meet you at Amsterdam Schiphol airport and assist you with your onwards journey to Leiden or The Hague.
Will you be staying in accommodation arranged via Leiden University Housing Office? If so, you can also request transport from Leiden or The Hague train station to your student room – subject to availability.
| Dates |
Airport welcome service:
Transport from train station to Leiden University housing*:
* subject to availability |
| Times |
Airport welcome service:
Transport from train station to Leiden University housing*:
* subject to availability |
| How to register |
Register at least one week before arrival via this online form. |
At the warm welcome helpdesks you can take care of the following last-minute formalities:
- LU card collection/activation
Request your LU card in advance, then collect and activate it at the LU card desk. Note that you only collect your LU card after receiving email confirmation that it is ready. It generally takes around 1o days from the date of request till your card is ready. - Housing contract formalities
If you were unable to complete Leiden University housing contract formalities online before arrival, you can do so at the Housing Office desk. - Final admission formalities
At the Admissions Office desk you can take care of any last-minute admission formalities, such as handing in admission documents.
The helpdesks will be open on specific dates during the introduction weeks and at the start of the semester. See details below. You will also find the helpdesk opening times in your OWL or HOP week app.
| LU card desk |
Leiden:
The Hague:
Bring with you:
|
| Housing Office desk |
Leiden:
The Hague:
|
| Admissions Office desk |
Leiden:
The Hague:
|
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.