Getting to Leeuwarden

Traveling to Leeuwarden can be done in different ways: by car, taxi, train or bus. Below you find the easiest ways to get to Leeuwarden from Schiphol Airport and Bremen.

Schiphol Airport - Leeuwarden

When you arrive at Schiphol, it’s easy to go to Leeuwarden by train. At Schiphol you’ll find the underground train station, near Schiphol Plaza. NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) is the Dutch railway system and can be recognized by the yellow and blue colors.

You can get from Schiphol Airport to Leeuwarden by a direct train. This train departs every hour. There are additional connections, but those involve a change of trains. When entering the train, make sure you board one of the carriages marked with the destination Leeuwarden, since the other part of the train travels to Groningen. Getting from Schiphol Airport to Leeuwarden takes 2 hours. See also the national railway timetables to plan your journey.

Bremen – Leeuwarden

Do you travel via Bremen Airport? Then it’s possible to take the Flixbus to Groningen. From Groningen you can travel by train to Leeuwarden. Flixbus takes you from Bremen to Groningen in 2,5 hours. The buses run about 8 times a day, from 6.30h to 23.30h. The costs depend on the time you travel. You can book your Flixbus ticket online.

Once arrived in Groningen, you can take the direct train to Leeuwarden, which takes 34 minutes. You can buy your ticket at the station. Traveling from Bremen to Leeuwarden takes around 3,5-4 hours in total.

Traveling from and in Leeuwarden

OV-chip
To travel in the Netherlands, you will need an OV-chip. The card is used in all forms of public transport. With this card you have to check in before your trip and check out when you reach your destination. Also when you switch to another transportation company during your trip, you have to check out with the first company and check in with the new one.

Please find more information about the system and how to use the OV-chipkaart at the following web pages:

• OV-chipkaart
• How To Buy Dutch Train Tickets

Public transport
Public transport is well organized within the Netherlands. Leeuwarden Centraal (central train station) is within walking distance of the city centre and Campus Fryslân. On Leeuwarden Centraal you also find the bus station and a taxi stand, should you need to get to other districts of the city. Planning your trip is easy via 9292.

Train

From Leeuwarden you get easily to other cities in the Netherlands. The intercity trains depart and arrive multiple times per hour. There is also a direct train connection with Groningen. When you need to go by train, you can buy your ticket or check in with your OV-chip at the station.

Bus

In and around Leeuwarden you can travel by bus. Use the travelplanner to plan your trip. Bus tickets can be bought in the bus (€ 2,60) or you can check in with OV-card.

Rent a bicycle
Renting a bicycle in a Dutch city is always a good idea. In Leeuwarden you can rent a bicycle at Fietsstation058, located behind the station. The costs are €12,- a day. It’s also possible to rent an ‘OV-fiets’.

In case you plan to use your bicycle on a more regular base, you could rent a 'Swapfiets' for €14,50 (including student discount) a month. Or go electric and try the 'Go sharing' scooters!