Liability and insurance
The organizers of the “11th World Congress of the Bioethics Rotterdam 2012″ cannot accept any liability for personal injury, loss or damage of property belonging, or additional expenses incurred to congress participants either during the congress or as a result of delays, strikes or any other causes.
Participants are requested to make their own arrangements in respect of health and travel insurance.
Banking
Most banks are open from Monday to Friday 09:00 till 17.00 hrs, and are closed on public holidays. Banks are closed on Monday mornings from 09.00 till 13.00 hrs.
Currency
The unit of currency is the Euro (€). Most banks have ATM machines. All major credit cards (such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express) are accepted in most of the restaurants, shops etc.
Climate
The Netherlands is located in a temperate weather region with moderate temperatures. In April and May the average daily temperature is between 11° C (52° F) – 16° C (61° F) and some rain can be expected.
For more information about the weather expectations in Rotterdam: Weather forecast Rotterdam.
Dining Out
Rotterdam is a wonderful place for food due to culinary developments in the city. No matter what the budget is, from simple workers’ eateries and sidewalk cafes to posh culinary palaces with waiters.
Electricity
The voltage in the Netherlands is 220 volts. The selected hotels have a 220-volt outlet for shavers, but travellers are advised to bring a power converter and an adapter for two-prong, round plugs with side grounding contacts.
Emergency phone numbers
For emergencies dial 112.
Taxis
Taxis in Rotterdam are easy to find and can be recognised by the blue license plate. They may be hailed on the street or found at taxi stands. There are taxi stands in the following locations in Rotterdam: Central Station, Hilton hotel, Eendrachtsplein, De Doelen, Bijenkorf department store, Zuidplein mall, NH Hotel and hotel New York.
All official taxis have meters, there are no additional fees for luggage, rain or nights, but taxi drivers are usually given a 10% gratuity. A few examples of taxi fares can be found below:
From To Rate
Rotterdam Central Station Rotterdam Airport € 19
Rotterdam Central Station Hotel New York € 11
Rotterdam Central Station Delfshaven € 11
Rotterdam Central Station Euromast € 9
Rotterdam Central Station Blaak station € 8
Rotterdam Central Station Zuidplein € 15
Rotterdam Central Station Rotterdam Alexandrium € 21
Rotterdam Central Station Hoek van Holland ferry € 75
Rotterdam Central Station The Hague Central Station € 57
Rotterdam Central Station Kinderdijk Windmills € 60
Rotterdam Central Station Maeslantkering € 77
Rotterdam Central Station Schiphol Airport € 130
Most taxi companies offer special rates to and from Schiphol airport, which are much lower than the metered rate.
Rotterdam Water Taxi
The Rotterdam water taxi is a nice means of transportation to travel to some of the downtown locations North and South of the Maas River.
The classic small taxi boats are sailing at regular times between 9AM and Midnight to/from Hotel New York and the Leuvehaven (€ 3.60) & Veerhaven (€ 2.90).
You can be picked up at other spots along the river, if wanted.
Trips to Kinderdijk, Spijkenisse and Krimpen a/d Lek and Rotterdam harbour sightseeing trips are also possible.
Watertaxi Rotterdam
Phone: +31-10-4030303
Shopping in Rotterdam
The shops are open from 9:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Saturday. On Friday evening shops are open up till 21:00 pm. Shops do not close for lunch.
Telephone System
To call a number in The Netherlands from abroad, dial your international dialling code, followed by 31 [country code for The Netherlands], then the area code [without the first zero] and the local number.
Some important area codes:
Rotterdam [0]10
The Hague and Scheveningen [0]70
Amsterdam [0]20
Utrecht [0]30
Time
The Netherlands is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in the winter. This is the same time as in Western Europe and parts of Central Continental Europe.
Tipping
Value-added tax and service charges are included in hotel, restaurant, shopping bills and taxi fares. Tips for extra service are always appreciated but not necessary. It is customary to give taxi drivers and waiters a tip of about 10 per cent.
Travel and visa
All participants must have a valid passport in order to enter The Netherlands. Citizens of some countries may need to obtain a visa before arrival. For further information please contact the nearest Dutch Embassy or Consulate to check visa regulations. Delegates must, of course, meet the normal requirements, i.e. they must possess valid travel documents and sufficient means of support. Delegates requiring a visa for entry to The Netherlands are strongly advised to make their application in their home countries at least three months before the intended date of travel. Visa application procedures are easier when the acknowledgement of registration is included.
For further information about the Netherlands please visit www.holland.com
For more information about Rotterdam please visit www.rotterdam.info