Too scared to get on your bike, lest you fly away with the wind? Don’t worry. If you haven’t already figured how well connected the public transport system is, here’s our quick guide to getting around town.
HTM
There’s still some time to go before Tram #19 takes her maiden voyage on to TU campus. For now, the HTM is a great option for a scenic ride to Den Haag or a quick trip to Rijswijk. Tram #1 will take you directly from the Delft Station to Madurodam and the Scheveningen Beach. And, if you have an OV chipkaart, it will barely cost you anything. Create your profile on their website, key in your usual itinerary and get updates if there are any timing/route changes on your route. They are also on Twitter.
NS
The Nederlandse Spoorwegen is among the most tech-savvy transport systems around. Not only can you plan and book your travel online, the website also allows you to check the facilities available at each station, from whether they have a bathroom to the nearest Albert Heijn. The Journey Planner tells you your carbon foot print too. For example, one train ride to Schipol emits 75% less CO2 than a car ride over the same distance. Their twitter account, NS_online, has over 179,000 followers Aside from route info, they also reply to most comments, often with a polite thank you thrown in.
NS Zone Taxi
The NS Zone Taxi service is provided at certain stations across the country. You need to register (free) with NS in order to be able to use, once you do that, you can book a cab online. The cabs run around the first train of the day and the last one at night. The fare is calculated according to zones, ‘the starting rate is € 6 for the first zone up to 2 kilometers. Then you pay € 3 per 2 kilometers’ according to the website. You can pay by direct debit.
Regiotaxi Haaglanden
Another taxi service in The Hague region is Regiotaxi. Slightly cheaper than a private cab, Regiotaxis provide public transport with the comfort of door-door travel. Though available to everyone, these were originally designed for passengers with reduced mobility. These cabs can be hired on a shared basis, and therefore work out cheaper. One can book a cab online, on the phone, or simply at the taxi stand. There are three taxi stands in Delft, in De Hoven, at the hospital and at De Markt. Services from these points start around midday and are usually every hour.
Phone number: 088 9666 000
Connexxion City Transport
Connexxion city buses ply all across Delft, cutting through the city centre, right up to the Aula. If you’re too tired to walk back to the university after a jaunt through Amsterdam, board a bus from the station itself. If you have an OV-chipkaart, you’ll pay less than €1.50. Connexxion is also on Facebook and on Twitter and is constantly updated with schedule changes and special services on offer. Their Twitter account has over 13,000 followers and sometimes runs competitions with prizes such as a free OV chipkaart.
Link2D
In 2014 Netwerk Duurzame Mobiliteit launched Link2D, an initiative to make TU Delft campus and the technology park area more accessible. Link2D has tuk-tuks or e-shuttles that run from the Delft Zuid station and e-bikes for rent. Both can be booked online. The bikes are fitted with GPS-trackers and you can see which is parked nearest to you and rent it. The tuk-tuk charges €1.50 per ride (up to three kilometres) and €3 (up to six kilometres). Bas Hilckmann (associate partner NDM) explains more about the service in an interview to Delta.
Other important websites
9292.nl
This website is the ideal journey planner. It takes into account all modes of transport and gives you travel costs and time. You can also download the 9292 app for your tablet or smartphone and have your travel details on your fingertips.
This is an updated version of a previous Survival Guide article.
Also read: Surviving emergency situations
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