The Netherlands

## Legally Coming to the Netherlands

### **EU Residents**

* EU residents need to register at the municipality they live in within 5 days from they arrival in the Netherlands.
	+ This can be done booking an appointment at the municipality office, by phone and/or online.
	+ The documents required are usually a valid ID (e.g. passport) and the rental contract. Not every house contracts are valid for this registration, so be sure that yours is, when choosing your housing.
* For further information, you can explore this link from the Dutch government.
* You also need to deregister your Danish residence and hand in your yellow card at the borgerservice before you leave.

### **Non-EU Residents**

#### Visa / Resident Permit

* All non-EU citizens will need to get a study residence permit for the Netherlands. The process will be initiated and handled by TU Delft around 2 months before the completion of the 1st semester.
	+ TU Delft will send in the application for you, but you must pay an additional fee of EUR192.
	+ This amount will be paid via a financial letter to TU Delft that will be a **total amount of EUR11750** inclusive of the visa fee and the DUWO housing fee should you choose to take their housing. This (frankly ridiculous) amount needs to be paid around the end of October and will only be returned in March so be prepared for that. The refunded amount will include a deduction of around EUR 1000 owing to processing fees, etc.
	+ You will need to have your biometrics taken at the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). You can find a location in the Hague and Rotterdam.
	+ TU Delft will help schedule the appointment for you. They will also take a picture of you for the card when you go to give your biometrics so make sure you look good ;) A couple of weeks after this, you will need to back to the IND to collect your card. If you have an old Dutch residence card, you will need to hand this in to get your new one.
	+ You will also need to fill in a form to tell the Danish government that you have an overlapping Dutch residence permit. You need to fill in form BF1 which can be done online very easily here: https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/Your-situation-is-changing/Work/Lapse-dispensation
	+ You also need to deregister your Danish residence at the borgerservice before you leave. This can be done via phone call.

## Public transport

### How to commute from Schiphol airport to Delft

Are you planning to fly to Schiphol airport in Amsterdam (or you just arrived) and you're wondering how to get to Delft? Well, this is a straightforward way to do it! 1) Buy an anonymous OV-chipcard at one of the NS counters in the airport (alternatively you can buy a one-way ticket but in general the OV-chipcard can be very handy for travelling around The Netherlands). 2) Take the train from Schiphol airport to Dordrecht; that goes directly to Delft Station. (as a plan-B : take the train to Den Haag Centraal -> get off in Leiden Centraal-> take the train to Vlissingen or Dordrecht -> get off in Delft). This can take around 40-60min. Note that you can buy a personalised OV-chipcard later on, but you need to have iDeal or PayPal (for Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg).

### General Info

If you like to use public transportation, you can find more information on timetables and costs on the website of the Dutch Railway company NS or 9292 for all public transport. When arriving on a train station, you can either buy a ‘one-way’ ticket or an anonymous OV-chip card. Personal OV chip cards can be ordered online. Both OV-chip cards are rechargeable and can be used in all public transportation. Costs per trip are cheaper with an OV-chip card then with ‘one-way’ tickets. Ensure that you check-in and check-out every time you enter or leave a bus/tram or train station.

Tips for cheaper public transport:

* NS has many types of subscriptions. If you want to go sight-seeing in the weekends, a recommendation is the Weekend Vrij (Weekend Free) subscription, where you can travel by train for free in the weekends and during the week with a 40% discount, for 30 euro's per month.
* If you want to go sight-seeing with a group of people a big recommendation is to get a group ticket. Using a group ticket you can travel anywhere for a minimum of 6.30 per person, which is really cheap for Dutch standards.

## Money

The currency in the Netherlands is Euros. It is common to leave a tip of about 10% at restaurants. However, if you are just getting a drink at a bar/terrace or getting a small lunch, a tip is not necessary.

### Banks

You can generally use any EU bank card easily in most places, but note that the supermarkets don't accept VISA cards (generally they don't accept VISA) and they like Maestrocard in the Netherlands. Mastercard can be used in 99% of the places. You can apply for a student bank account once you get your BSN number if you need it.

### Exploring the Netherlands

#### Day trips

* **Keukenhof**: A big garden near Amsterdam full of tulips. It is only opened during April and May, since this is when the tulips are blooming.
* **Efteling**: A big amusement park in the South of the Netherlands. Sometimes the supermarket Albert Heijn offers discount tickets.
* **Deltawerken**: As most people know, a large part of the Netherlands is below sea water level. In 1953 the dikes in the South of the Netherlands broke and a large part of the province of Zeeland flooded. After this disaster, they build the Deltawerken. These are large mechanical dikes that regulate the amount of water reaching the coast and are important to keep the feet of the Dutch people dry. A nice day trip is to visit the museum that explains the history of this flood and these special dikes. On the same day, you can visit the seal rescue resort Neeltje Jans which is nearby.
* **Wadlopen and visiting the islands**: The Netherlands has five small islands called Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. When the tide is low, the seawater in between these islands floods away and you can walk through 'het wad' (the mud) from the coast to the islands at some places. Many people consider this activity called 'wadlopen' (mud walking) a typical Dutch and a special experience. You do need a guide to do this and the trip is only possible for specific weather conditions. This is the link to the website.

#### Cities

* **The Hague:** The Hague is the political capital of the Netherlands, this is where the government is located. Not only does it host the Dutch cabinet, states general and supreme court (visit Binnenhof), it also houses the International Criminal Court. It's only a 10-minute train ride from Delft and great for seeing some old Dutch culture. You can see famous works by Dutch painters like Van Gogh and Vermeer in Mauritshuis. See all of the Netherlands in miniature versions by going to Madurodam. When you are done strolling around the Hague, you can go for a beach walk by going to the nearby beach Scheveningen.
* **Utrecht:** Utrecht is one of the biggest student cities in the Netherlands, it is comparable to Amsterdam with its canals and old Dutch architecture. Sadly Delft and Utrecht are not connected directly by train, you either first have to go to the Hague or Rotterdam (a total trip Delft-Utrecht will take around an hour). Make sure to visit the Dom Tower, and stroll around Neude and Jans Kerkhof if you are looking for a bar.
* **Rotterdam:** Rotterdam is the second biggest city in The Netherlands only a 10-minute train ride away from Delft. Even though it is a big city, it has the worst football club, namely Feyenoord, who usually loses to Ajax with big numbers. It was bombed during the Second World War and therefore looks very different from other Dutch cities. It has many skyscrapers and other modern architectural highlights like the Erasmus bridge, The Markthal and the Kubuswoningen. Rotterdam also holds the biggest seaport of Europe and is the location of many leading companies in the offshore sector as Heerema, Damen and Boskalis.
* **Amsterdam:** Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. It is one of the most famous tourist locations in the world. It actually sits in the top 30 most visited cities in the entire world, beating the likes of Las Vegas, Barcelona, Berlin, and Venice. Amsterdam is known for its many canals. Sightseeing spots you need to visit: Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank House, Vondelpark, and the Red Light District. Amsterdam also hosts Record Champions, Record Cup Winners, and 4x European Champions: AFC Ajax Amsterdam. They are regularly regarded as one of the greats in European football, having one of the best youth academies in the world.
* **Leiden:** Leiden is a beautiful city close to Delft (20 min train ride). It can be seen as little Amsterdam, having the 2nd most canals in a city (after Amsterdam of course), even though it only has 120.000 residents. So it's like visiting Amsterdam, without the tourists :). Leiden has one of the biggest student populations in the Netherlands, hosting mostly law, healthcare and history students. Sightseeing in Leiden includes De Burcht, Hortus Botanicus and Naturalis. Visit the city on the 3rd of October if you're looking for a nice party since that's when the city celebrates being free from the Spanish invaders. (If you have any questions about Leiden, try to reach ASE Aeolus' GOM, he is weirdly in love with the place).
* **Friesland**: Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands which is known for its beautiful farm lands. There are lots of places to rent a sailing boat or a motor boat. There are a lot of old sailing and fishermen towns around. It is the perfect area to go for a get away weekend with friends or with family.

### Exploring Delft

#### Parks

* **Delftse Hout***:* The Delftse Hout is a big park/green area located just besides the city center of Delft. You can go swimming here in the small lake or go for a walk or a run. In summer lots of students go here to barbeque and have beers, great place to spend your summer evenings or to do your workouts.
* **Schie**: The Schie is the kanal that flows through Delft. In summer the banks are covered with people that are tanning, playing games, drinking and swimming. Lovely place to go on a sunny day.

#### Restaurants

* **Ladera**: Dutch cuisine, very affordable
* **Il Tartufo**: Small italian restaurant where you can get fantastic Paninis and plenty of other great italian food
* **Café de Oude Jan**
* **t' Postkantoor:** very nice and fancy place, a bit more expensive so could be a good place if you parents visit
* **HANNO**: very cozy and colorful cafe/restaurant with a very international mix of food
* **Nikku Ramen**: Japanese ramen place. The two branches in Delft each has different menus.
* **Restaurant Lychee**: Chinese approved best Chinese food in town.
* **Redjeki**: Nice Indonesian restaurant.
* **Mekhong Thai-Lao**: Nice Thai restaurant.
* **Kek**: Nice brunch and coffee place. Always have lines on weekends

#### Take-away

* (Pizza) **Milan Ciao Ciao**: Cheap pizza place, especially if you do self-pickup take-away with student discount
* (Sandwich) **Leo van Vliet**: BEST TAKEAWAY SANDWICH IN TOWN (mostly meat, it is also a butchery).
* (Burger) **Day Dream Deli Delft**: Very meaty halal burger place.

#### Bars

Delft has a very vibrant bar culture with plenty of bars in the city center

* **Beestenmarkt**: The Beestenmarkt is a square where a lot of bars and terasses are located. On a sunny day the whole square is filled with people that are drinking beers and cocktails. Every friday night and saturday evening the bars and terasses here are filled with students that are having beers before going to a party. This is also the perfect place to go on a date.
* **Jazzcafe Bebop**: Very cozy bar on Kromstraat with good beers and live music on Tuesdays
* **Doerak Biercafe:** Cool bar where you can sit next to the canal if the weather is good
* **Doelenplein**
* **Delfts Brouwhuis:** Nice bar where you can sit outsite at good weather but also nice inside with an old open cellar area
* **Luna's**: Luna's is a cocktail bar where you can get the best cocktails in town. If you want to get totally watsed, go here and order a beverly hills iced tea.
* **Kromstraat**: The Kromstraat is a street in the city centre of Delft where most discos and small nightclubs are located. This is where most people go for partying.
* **Lorre**: The Lorre is the student disco of Delft. Every once in a while they organize a international student night, those nights are very fun to join.
* **De Koperen Kat**: Small brewery a bit off the center but close to the Delfts Bleau boulder center, with very yummy but affordable beers

#### Museums/Sites

* Escher in Het Paleis (Den Haag)
* Gemeentemuseum (Den Haag)
* Boijmans Beuningen (Rotterdam)
* De Kunsthal (Rotterdam)
* Museum Voorlinden (Wassenaar)
* Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam)
* Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)

#### Events

* An open market for produces is hosted in Delft every Thursday and Saturday at the city market.

## National holidays

### Carnival

In February each year carnaval is celebrated in the South of the Netherlands in the provinces Noord-Brabant and Limburg. A big recommendation is to visit the city Maastricht, in the far South of the Netherlands, especially on sunday when the big parade goes through town. Many people have worked all year on preparing their parade cars/acts and on their costumes. People dress up in and get drunk (but during the day it's also a lot of fun if you don't want to get drunk). Maastricht is a beautiful and cozy city by itself, so it's nice visiting anyway.

### Kings Day

Kings day is a national holiday which is held on the 27th of April of every year. On this day we celebrate the birthday of King Willem-Alexander van Oranje. The whole county, and I mean literally the whole county, get drunk on this day and wears orange. Make sure to put this day in your agenda because it is legendary. There are boats in all the canals, there are festivals everywhere, and the streets are filled with drunken happy people. The best place to be is Amsterdam. And the most imporatant thing is to wear an Orange outfit!

### Liberation Day

After commemorating the victims of the Second World War on Rememberance Day on the 4th of May, the end of the war is celebrated on Liberation Day on the 5th of May. On this day big parties are organized, for example in Amsterdam.