Transportation:

Utrecht is such a small city and thus getting around locally is simple on foot or by bike. Buses are convenient when you need to travel further distances in the city, but it’s typically quicker to travel by bike. The NS rail system is fast, clean and reliable when you want to travel to surrounding suburbs or to visit another city.

Bike

Biking in Utrecht (and the Netherlands in general) is the preferred mode of transportation for most native Dutch people as the special bicycle lanes and traffic lights make it very safe and convenient to ride a bike. You can find relatively cheap used bicycle at a thrift shop (‘tweedehandswinkel’) or via Facebook groups— Utrecht Free Ads is a great place to start. Also, do check out www.fietspunt.net where you can purchase repaired repossessed bicycles at discounted prices.

Flying Chalks' tip: Do not buy a brand new bicycle unless you invest in a super-strength lock—bicycle theft happens often and it’s best to invest in something around 60-80 Euros.

Flying Chalks' recommendation: Check out this student initiative during your stay there and learn to be a bike doctor!

Train

You will need to obtain an OV-chipcard to check-in and out during your travel. When you check-in, you pay a starting rate of 0.89 Euros, then pay 0.132 Euros for each kilometer you travel. Visit the U-OV website for more information.

The NS rail system offers free travel to students during certain hours, and a discount during peak hours. Visit the English Studentenreisproduct page for more information.

Click here for a railway map for the Netherlands.

For personal travel advice or questions about tickets and fares, you can also visit U-OV Service Stores located in the main hall at Utrecht Central Station.  
The opening hours of U-OV Service Stores are:
Mon - Fri: 06.30 – 19.00 hrs
Saturday: 09.00 – 17.30 hrs
Sunday: 10.00 – 17.00 hrs.

Bus

Traveling by bus is possible but often unnecessary if you are spending time in central Utrecht. For example, if you wanted to visit the Neude, a popular square for students, it would take you 5 minutes by bus and only 8 minutes to walk. If you want to travel outside the city center, to Amsterdamsestraatweg for discount groceries for instance, you could take bus route 3.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation: Install 9292! It is a great app that can help you plan your travels as it gives real time information for all public transport in the Netherlands.

Taxi

There is a taxi platform on at Utrecht Central Station, just follow the signs. Within the city there are several taxi platforms, for instance at Vredenburg and Janskerkhof.

Banking Services:

To open a bank account, you will need to bring along your:

• Passport
• Proof of your address
• Proof of attendance at Utrecht University

Your bank may ask you for a BSN - ID number assigned by the government - which you will apply for upon arrival in Utrecht. You may also need to make a minimum deposit, depending on the type of account you’d like to open.

Major banks in Netherlands:

Major banks include ING and ABN-AMRO.

ABN-AMRO

ABN-AMRO is on-site during Orientation Day to provide information to new students on how to open a Dutch bank account. They have a stand where they provide information about their products, where you can also pre-apply for an ABN AMRO bank account. If you order an account on that day, you can visit the bank’s office that week (by appointment) to make the necessary arrangements. There is an ABN-AMRO office on the Neude 4, a short walk from UU.

ING

Banking with ING is simple, affordable, and offers great mobile tools for online banking. ING Branches in or near Utrecht city center are at Sint Jacobsstraat 8 and Nachtegaalstraat 22-24. The leaflet below gives all the necessary information related to opening an ING bank account for international students.

There are many ATMs and bank offices in the city—any of the major chains listed above are easily accessible from UU.

Post office services:

You can send mail through PostNL. There are many offices and post boxes in Utrecht. There is an office on the Voorstraat, a short walk from Utrecht University.

Medical services:

Utrecht University has its own clinic at Campus Uithof Huisartsenpraktijk.

• Medical Center De Uithof
  Address: Leuvenplein 10-11 3584 LA Utrecht
  Telephone: 030-2040550
  e-mail: info@huisartsdeuithof.nl
  Website: www.huisartsdeuithof.nl
  Opening hours: Monday to Friday - 8AM to 5PM, Closed on Saturday and Sunday​

• Medical Center Janskerkhof
  Address: Nobelstraat 2a 3512EN Utrecht
  Telephone: 030-7601301
  e-mail:  info@huisartsjanskerkhof.nl
  Website: www.huisartsjanskerkhof.nl
  Opening hours: Monday to Friday - 8AM to 5PM, Closed on Saturday and Sunday

If you are given a prescription (‘recept’), you will have to pick it up at a local pharmacy (‘apotheek’).

Emergency contact numbers

Emergency on campus: 030-2040550
Emergency in the weekend between 1700 hours to 0800 hours: 09004501450
Life threat: 112

Students can register for medical services at www.huisartsdeuithof (or call 0900-4501450) outside of normal operating hours. Non-emergency doctor visits take place at a ‘Huisartsenpost’—an after-hours clinic.

Flying Chalks' tip: Here are some Dutch terms that will help you find what you need:

• Doctor/General Practitioner = Dokter/Huisarts
• Dentist = Tandarts
• Pharmacy = Apotheek
• Hospital = Ziekenhuis
• Emergency Room = Eerste Hulp

It is essential for you to have Dutch health insurance or proof of health insurance reciprocity with the Netherlands and carry it along with you at all times. If you have Dutch health insurance, it will be accepted at any doctor’s office—however your out-of-pocket costs/co-pay will depend on your “own risk” deductible.

If you are a student with a part-time job or a student over 30 who plans to stay in the country for more than one year, you must get a Dutch health insurance plan. AON is the health insurance plan recommended by UU, and costs 39 Euros per month. This insurance package covers medical expenses, extraordinary costs, legal aid, accidents, liability and baggage cover and household goods.

AON will be available at Orientation Day to help students register for health insurance.  AON’s ICS Start package is appropriate for students who can use their home health insurance while studying in the Netherlands, while the ICS Complete package is appropriate for students who need basic health and dental insurance.  

Telecommunications:

To buy a SIM card, look for shops that have Lycamobile or Lebara services. Most supermarkets, convenience stores and mobile phone shops offer SIM cards. The nearest Lycamobile provider is at DeBaron, at 3 Donderegaard (on the Oudegracht).

Wi-Fi is available in most public spaces—restaurants, cafes, museums, and in the train. For this reason, purchasing an additional data plan is not necessary, but may be handy if you are planning on using your cell phone for navigation during your stay. 

Weather:

The weather in the Netherlands is moderate, with cool summers, mild winters and typically high in humidity. The most important thing to know about Dutch weather is that it is unpredictable —you could be wearing a tank-top and shorts in the morning, a rain jacket in the afternoon and a parka in the evening.

Average temperatures in Winter are around 3.1 °C (37 °F) - 6.2 °C (43 °F);  temperatures in Spring ranges between 9.2 °C(48.6 °F) - 13.2 °C (55.6 °F);  temperatures in the Summer are around 15.6 °C (60.1 °F) – 17.5 °C (63.5 °F); and the temperature in Fall ranges between 6.7 °C (44.1 °F) - 14.5 °C (58.1 °F). 

The best website/in-person place to visit for tourist information is the VVV. There is VVV office in most larger cities. The VVV office of Utrecht is located near the Dom Tower at Domplein 9.