Rotterdam Warnings and Dangers

We booked this hostel on line - I did try by phone initially but the guy said they only take internet bookings. So we paid our deposit and turned up after a long walk across the city in the rain only to find when we got there a virtually derelict boat totally unlike the pictures! - ok I know everywhere looks better in the sunshine and we were there on the worst day of the year weatherwise - but it really was awful - we knocked on the door several times but no answer - just a dog barking on the other side. I could see through the windows unemptied ashtrays and unmade bunks and I really found it difficult to believe that this boat could actually be described as *accommodation* even if it was cheap. We decided there and then that we would find an alternative - even if it did mean another 2.5 hours wandering around in the rain! I am still awaiting a reply to my email regarding a refund of my deposit!

Believe me - this hostel looks NOTHING like this photo - which is how it appears on the many Rotterdam hostel pages.

Scheepmakershaven, Across Number 26, Rotterdam. This is the address - but even if you find it, and have made a booking and paid a deposit - theres no guarantee you will get a bed!

The little cafe we stopped to have coffee in had a unisex loo - just put your 50c in the slot and in you go - if you are lucky - otherwise go to the girl behind the counter and tell her the door doesn't open and she will hopefully give you another coin. I saw this happen to most of the customers using the loo here!

Especially when you are a woman, try to avoid Claes de Vrieselaan even at day time (of course, if you are not living there as my poor friend did!)...and DO NOT go there during the night! Another not so safe is Middelland str.

New bike in a shop you can get for 200 euros and it would be probably stolen in two days. That's why many students and also many people buy bikes from junkies (you can get it around 10 - 12 euros). These bikes were stolen already, everyone knows but noone cares, because that's life, your bike would be stolen one day also .
But be careful and don't buy a bike in the centre of the town, because some policemen go there, trying to look like junkies and trying to sell you a bike. If you do that, you will get a nice trip to the jail.

Rotterdam is divided by river into two parts, the south one is said to be dangerous, some shooting, strange people and all that stuff. I was warned not to go there even before I left my country and after my arrival here also many native Dutch people confirmed that information. Nothing to say from my practical experience - I haven't tried to find out if it's true or not :-)

Rotterdam as any major City has a large drug problem, be careful when walking around the outskirts of the city especially in Zuid plein and surrounding areas-there can be muggers around.

Also it is easy to get lost in Holland as the land is so flat it is sometimes difficult to get your bearings and easy to find yourself wandering aimlessly.. Use metro stations as bearings as you can always get back to a friendlier place if you need to.

Be very carefull when u buy drugs, just buy them in stores not from people on the street.
This week i stayed in Rotterdam overnight because of the Dali exhibition and around 23.00 pm there was a lot of noise coming from the floor below.First a lot of shouting then an awefull sound of someone smashing stuff and breaking glass...
Seems the guy had sniffed coke which had synthetic ingredients in it.
He went totally crazy and smashed the whole hotelroom and he destroyed a beautifull glass cabinet on the first floor as well.
Meanwhile the woman who was with him was running to the recption naked, terrified of him she had left the room without anything..
Glass everywhere on the floor and stairs ...after that he when to the entrance totally naked and went on the street.
The police came and took the man with them and other policemen searched the room and made notes offcourse.
The guy who had nightshift was shaking and so was i, could'nt sleep untill 3 in the morning

so please be very carefull, u might hurt urself and other people!

That's a nice way to call them....Rotterdam events sometimes have isolated fights between the visitors and the peoples... I don't know if it's the alcohol or just fighting by a little group for "entertainment". This year during the FFWD danceparade there was an incident like this.

We noticed bottles flying around and a lot of ME (Mobiele Eenheid = Mobile Unit) of the police. After a while the ME decided to charge the attackers, they where throwing stones among other things.

They chased them right into the party crowd causing a short panic of people trying not to be hit by the ME.

If you ever see a situation like this just go to a place where your not in the way of the Hooligans and the Police certainly if you are with children. I don't believe there where serious injuries but that's more luck then wishdom. I saw people with there kids on their neck right in the fire line just to give them a good look.... I just call that stupid, don't want to think of the results when a bottle or a stone hits the kid..

€ 27
Yes this is the amount you pay if you don’t have a valid ticket, whilst using public transport in Rotterdam. There are good links of public transport in Rotterdam and most of the tram and buses are very frequent. Ticket could be bought at the public transport for some extra charge.

Like any other big or expending town or city, Rotterdam have also parking problems. It is highly recommended not to drive into city centre otherwise you could waste plenty of time, looking for parking space. One thing I like that you can pay almost everywhere using your credit card.