By Train:

Rotterdam is well-connected by train. You can take a high-speed train to Rotterdam Centraal from major European cities such as Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, and London. The station is centrally located, making it easy to reach your accommodation or the festival venue.

By Plane:

Rotterdam The Hague Airport is the nearest airport. From the airport, you can take a taxi or public transport to the city centre. The most popular option is to fly into Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, which is just a 25-minute train ride to Rotterdam. Alternatively, you can fly into Eindhoven Airport, take a bus to Eindhoven Centraal (running every 10 minutes), and then a train to Rotterdam Centraal.

By Bus:

Rotterdam is accessible by long-distance buses like FlixBus, which connects the city to many European destinations. The buses typically arrive at Rotterdam Centraal or other central locations, making it convenient to get to your accommodation or the festival venue.

By Car:

If you prefer driving, Rotterdam is accessible via major highways. The city has numerous parking options, including park-and-ride facilities on the outskirts. This allows you to park your car and use public transport to reach the festival venue.

By Bike:

Rotterdam is a bike-friendly city with an extensive network of cycling paths. If you’re already in the Netherlands or nearby, consider cycling to the festival. There are plenty of bike parking spaces, and it’s a great way to explore the city sustainably. You can also rent bikes from Rotterdam Central Station with an OV-chip Kaart (4 euros per day). This is only possible with a personal OV card.

We don’t have any specific hotel recommendations. Some of our sessions will be held outside of Keilepand, giving you a chance to experience the city. We encourage you to explore Rotterdam during the festival, so feel free to choose any hotel that suits your needs!

🔗 Link: Here are some suggestions 

The primary language spoken in Rotterdam is Dutch. However, English is widely spoken and understood, especially in tourist areas and at the festival venues.

Main venue:
Keilepand – Keilestraat 9f, 3029 BP Rotterdam – This is our home base for the days of the event. Keilestraat 9f, 3029 BP Rotterdam, Netherlands

Other venues:
These venues are dispersed throughout the city and will host the majority of our workshops, panels and short sessions.

• Oase – Schiehaven 15-A, 3024 EC Rotterdam
• Katoenhuis – Keilestraat 9c, 3029 BP Rotterdam, Netherlands
• New Lab @ HBS ‘s – Gravendijkwal 58-b, 3014 EE Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Gemaal op Zuid – Pretorialaan 141, 3072 EL Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Hillevliet 90 – Hillevliet 90, 3074 KD Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Independent School for the City –  Delftsestraat 33, 3013 AE Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Roodkapje – Delftseplein 39, 3013 AA Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Biergarten – Schiestraat 18 , 3013 AH Rotterdam

Definitely! Our conference attracts speakers from all over the world. Many sessions cover universal topics and include insights from international speakers, making the content relevant no matter where you’re from. We’re still finalising this year’s sessions, but we’ve received many submissions from North America and beyond, ensuring a rich and engaging experience for everyone.

Yes, WiFi is available at all festival venues so you can stay connected throughout the event.

🔗 Link: Here’s a breakdown of our festival schedule

The full programme schedule will be made public on 1 September via Sched. All ticket holders will be able to use Sched to see the details of all of every session that is part of the festival and to begin planning their schedules for the week.

The public programme will include the following information about each individual session:

• Title
• Description
• Names of all contributors
• Day, time, and location of the session

Coffee, tea, and water will be available for you at all venues on all of the festival days.

Meals will be available for purchase throughout the days at our main venue, Keilepand. You can order ahead of time to avoid any lines and wait time by clicking HERE. We highly recommend booking your meals ahead of the festival to avoid long wait times.

During your lunch break and in the evenings for dinner, you are also welcome to venture into the city and go to local eateries. 

Good to know: your goodie bag comes with a reusable coffee cup. You can use this cup throughout the week, simply exchange it for a clean one at the bar at Keilepand or rinse it at the rinsing station. At the end of the festival, you can take the cup home as a unique souvenir. This initiative helps us reduce disposable waste and promotes sustainability.

Our festival is casual—come as you are and wear whatever makes you feel great! We do recommend bringing comfortable walking shoes, as the main venues are spread out and include outdoor sessions and visits to local sites. Rotterdam’s weather in late September is usually mild, but it’s always good to pack layers for varying temperatures throughout the day. If you are planning on biking or walking, please bring raincoats/ponchos and umbrellas as the Dutch rain can be very unpredictable. Lastly, don’t forget to bring anything you might need for note-taking during workshops and keynote sessions, such as a pen, notebook, or laptop.

In late September, Rotterdam typically enjoys mild autumn weather with average temperatures ranging from 13°C to 19°C (55°F to 66°F). However, Rotterdam is known for its changeable weather, with potential rain showers and windy conditions. It’s advisable to pack an umbrella or a raincoat, as well as layers to stay comfortable throughout the day, especially if attending outdoor sessions or exploring the city.

By bike:
Rotterdam is a very bike friendly city and cycling makes it easy to move around between the venues. That’s why we have teamed up with Donkey Republic. You can pick up one of the 100 Donkey Republic bikes at Keilepand on Wednesday or Thursday and get a voucher to use the bike for 24 hours – free of charge! Remember: first come, first serve and please return your bike to Keilepand, so somebody else (or you) can use it the next day. To use Donkey Republic bikes you need to download the app.

If you have a personal OV card, you can rent an OV bike directly at Central Station. We kindly ask you to do so and leave the Donkey Republic bikes for others.

Of course you can also use any of the other ride-share services, such as Lime (ebikes) and Felyx (mopeds – drivers licence mandatory).

Public Transport

Rotterdam’s public transportation system is efficient and easy to navigate. All public transport options accept contactless debit, credit card or phone payments. Just tap your card or phone on the reader when you board and when you exit. You can use Google Maps to plan your trips.

You can take the tram (8) or metro (A, B and C – stop: Marconiplein) to reach our main venue, Keilepand. It is a 15 minute walk from the tram or metro stop.

Taxi

Taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber are considered safe and comfortable, but more pricey.

Watertaxi

Would you like to experience Rotterdam from the water? You can also book the water taxi. Information about this is available on the website.

Your goodie bag includes a map featuring Rotterdam’s most iconic landmarks and placemaking hotspots curated by locals, as well as information about placemaking events happening outside of Placemaking Week Europe’s programming.

If you’re keen to explore the city further, we highly recommend the free Rotterdam Routes app. This app offers over 20 unique routes led by locals, covering everything from street art tours to historical walks. It provides an authentic glimpse into Rotterdam through the eyes of its residents.

• Panel Discussion: 75 minutes (including audience Q&A or participation)
• Presentation of a Placemaking Project: 30 minutes (casual yet exciting presentations)
• Workshop: 75 minutes (interactive exercises involving participants)
• Outdoor Activity: 75 minutes (e.g., walkshop, hands-on placemaking initiative, placemaking-centric game, held at an outdoor meeting point)
• Art/Interactive Performance/Other: Various durations (including music, dance, fine arts, and other performances)

You can reach out to us (pwe@placemaking-europe.eu) for a basic media kit tailored to help you effectively promote your session across social media platforms.

Unfortunately all our sessions are in-person only. We believe there’s great value in face-to-face connections and exchanges, so we don’t offer hybrid formats. We look forward to seeing everyone in Rotterdam!