Some things you need to know in Rotterdam

Business hours

Shops are usually open Mon-Sun 10:00-18:00.

Disabled travelers

Most public buildings are wheelchair-friendly. Amsterdam also has special wheelchair www.rolstoeltaxirotterdam.nl taxis with which you can travel in and around the city.

Airports, train stations, museums and tourist attractions offer wheelchair users special assistance; you can call in advance to request assistance. If you end up at a place that seems to be inaccessible, you can ask any passerby for help; the Dutch are very helpful and will make sure you arrive at your destination safely.

Dutch electrical sockets and adapters

Power outlets in the Netherlands are 220-240 volts AC (50 cycles) that require the same two round-pin plugs as those used in the rest of Europe. If you are visiting from the US or Canada, don’t forget to bring an upward converter with you, as it is tough to find ones that will convert 220 or 240 volts to 110 or 120 volts. Type C electrical plugs are used in the Netherlands.

Laundromat

*Clean Center: Ferdinand Bolstraat 7-9 (Google Maps), www.cleancenteramsterdam.nl (De Pijp (South)/centre Amsterdam)
*Clean Center: Strawinskylaan 67 – WTC Amsterdam (Google Maps), www.cleancenteramsterdam.nl (WTC Amsterdam)
*The Clean Brothers Wasserrette: Westerstraat 26 (Google Maps), www.thecleanbrothers.weebly.com (Jordaan/ centre Amsterdam)
*City Wash Amsterdam: Ceintuurbaan 137 (Google Maps), www.citywashamsterdam.com (De Pijp (South)/ near city centre)

Luggage Storage Rotterdam

www.luggagehero.com

Public restrooms

Department stores, bars, restaurants and museums have public toilets, and many of the city’s hotels have toilets in the lobby.

Toilets are not free of charge. In general, there is a cleaner on duty that will charge you 50 cents to €1 to use the facilities.

Find the nearest public toilets on this map.

Restaurants

Standard hours: Lunch 11:30-14:30, Dinner 18:00-22:00.

Supermarkets

Supermarkets are open every day, mostly until 22:00.

Summer and winter time

The Netherlands is one hour ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). On the last Sunday of March, at 02:59, the time changes to Central European Summer Time (the beginning of what Americans call “Daylight Savings Time”). Don’t forget to set your watch forward one hour!

On the last Sunday morning in October, the time changes back (European Winter Time), and you then set your watch back one hour.