How to get to and from the NN North Sea Jazz Festival

During the festival access roads and parking spaces get very crowded. We therefore advise you to use the public transport, with which Rotterdam Ahoy is easily accessible. Before you leave, please check the site for updated information about your mode of transport. The doors of Ahoy open at 2.30 pm.

Festival location

Train

Travel to Rotterdam Centraal and easily transfer there to the metro to Ahoy, stop Zuidplein.

Plan your journey in advance

Especially on weekends, ProRail carries out a lot of work on the tracks. As a result, your journey may take longer. Therefore, plan your trip via the NS journey planner and check the most up-to-date travel advice for exact departure and arrival times shortly before departure. On the go, check your journey via the the NS app.

Metro and bus

Rotterdam Ahoy is easily accessible by metro and various bus lines operated by RET, Connexxion, and Arriva.

Metro lines D, towards De Akkers, and E, towards Slinge, both stop at Zuidplein metro station. From there, it is about a 5-minute walk to the entrance of Ahoy.

RET is operating larger metros and a longer schedule due to the closing time of the NN North Sea Jazz Festival. As a result, you can still travel to Rotterdam Centraal until late in the evening. During the festival, the metros continue running until later. A number of metros also continue on to The Hague Central.

Plan your journey by public transport via the RET journey planner, the RET app, the 9292 journey planner or the 9292 app.

Rotterdam City Card

Are you visiting North Sea Jazz for multiple days? Then the Rotterdam City Card might come in handy. With it, you can travel unlimitedly by metro, tram, and bus, including to and from Rotterdam Ahoy. Plus, you get a discount of at least 25% on many attractions, museums, and tours.

OVpay is the new way of checking in and out of public transport in the Netherlands. At RET, you can also easily check in and out using your You don't need to activate anything. You can start traveling this way right away.

OVpay is available everywhere in the Netherlands. Also on all buses, trams, and metros operated by RET in the Rotterdam region.

How does it work?
1.  Hold your contactless debit card against the card reader, wait for the beep, and you're checked in. Make sure to take the card you want to use out of your wallet, so you're sure you're checking in with the right card!

 2.  Upon reaching your destination, you check out with the same card, just like with your OV-chipkaart. Again, hold your contactless debit card against the card reader, wait for the two beeps, and you're checked out. 
  • If your transportation ticket is checked, simply hold your debit card against the inspector's device. By the way, the inspector can only see your most recent check-ins.  
  • Pre-registering is not necessary, and your payment is automatic. The next day, the amount will appear in your payment overview with the description NLOV.
  • The price of your journey is the same as traveling with an OV-chipkaart without any discounts or subscriptions. This is how we make traveling smarter and easier.

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    For more information, visit ret.nl/ovpay.

    Rotterdam Ahoy is conveniently located in relation to all arterial roads.

    You can reach Rotterdam Ahoy via the Ring Rotterdam North (A20), East (A16), South (A15), and West (A4), among others. Please note: there is a lot of roadwork in the vicinity of Rotterdam Ahoy. For up-to-date information, please check Van A naar Beter and/or Zuid-Holland Bereikbaar before you travel.

    Follow the travel advice regarding parking for North Sea Jazz provided on the various information boards on the Rotterdam ring road, the signage around Ahoy, and by traffic controllers.

    Parking

    Regarding parking, we expect heavy traffic and full parking lots in the area. Due to high demand for parking, there are various parking locations, both in the immediate vicinity and at a distance. The various options are listed below.

    Parking at a distance

    This year, there is once again a parking location at Waalhaven South Side Parking Garage. From here, you can travel to Ahoy for free by shuttle bus upon presentation of your paid parking ticket (available online or on-site). Multiple shuttle buses depart per hour, and the ride takes only 10 minutes. Afterwards, you travel back on the same shuttle buses, which run until one hour after the end of the festival.

    On Friday, between 13:30 and 17:00, you can only park with an early parking ticket. After 5:00 PM, you can park with a standard parking ticket or purchase a single ticket at the entrance to the parking garage. On Saturdays and Sundays, access is possible directly from 1:30 PM for both parking tickets and single purchases. We do advise you to purchase a parking ticket so that you are assured of a parking spot, because full = full.

    Park and shuttle tickets are available via Ticketmaster.

    Parking tickets Friday 10 July 13:30
    Parking tickets Friday 10 July 17:00
    Parking tickets Saturday July 11
    Parking tickets Sunday July 12

    Parking P1/P2 Ahoy

    Parking at the large parking lot P1/P2 at Ahoy is only possible with a valid parking ticket with parking guarantee. Since November 21, 2025, a limited number of parking tickets with guaranteed parking are on sale via Ticketmaster.

    Show your parking ticket digitally or in print to the Ahoy parking staff. Even if the signs indicate that the grounds are FULL, you have access at all times.

    Parking tickets Friday 10 July
    Parking tickets Saturday 11 July
    Parking tickets Sunday 12 July

    Parking at Q-Park

    There are several Q-Park parking garages in the immediate vicinity of Ahoy, including Q-Park Zuidplein and Q-Park Hart van Zuid. Please note that these garages can fill up quickly. Therefore, check the signs carefully for current availability. If a garage is marked as full, it really is full. This also applies to Q-Park Slinge.

    Please note: Q-Park Ikazia is not available for visitors to North Sea Jazz and is intended exclusively for visitors to the hospital.

    Parking at P+R in Rotterdam

    Free parking a short distance from Ahoy? That is also possible. For this, you can use one of the many P+R locations in Rotterdam. We particularly recommend using P+R Slinge (from the East, South, or West) and P+R Meijersplein (from the North). For P+R Slinge, you can also purchase a combi-ticket in advance via the website of the Municipality of Rotterdam. From the P+R locations, you can continue your journey by metro using your OV-chipkaart. If you scan your OV-chipkaart at the payment terminal of the P+R location after your journey, your ticket will be converted into a free exit ticket. For an overview of availability

    Are you from (the area around) Rotterdam? Rotterdam Ahoy is easily accessible by bicycle. A free, guarded bicycle parking facility is being installed on the forecourt of Rotterdam Ahoy. View the location of the bicycle parking via Google Maps.

    Park your bicycle or scooter only in the designated parking area. Motorcycles cannot be parked in the bicycle parking area.

    PLEASE NOTE: It is not permitted to park bicycles or scooters on the forecourt outside the bicycle parking area. You run the risk of them being removed. Motorcycles are also not allowed to be parked on the forecourt.

    Rotterdam Ahoy is also easily accessible by shared scooter or shared bike. You can easily continue your journey from various train and metro stations using shared transport. For this, you can check the websites and apps of providers such as Check, Felyx, and Lime. Shared bikes and scooters are often available for you at major arrival locations. You can park the shared scooters and bikes at the SAA building opposite Ahoy. Parking in front of the building in our bicycle parking facility on the Voorplein is not possible.

    Unfortunately, there are no options for charging electric vehicles at Ahoy.
    There is a large taxi stand on the Voorplein near the main entrance of Ahoy, supervised by taxi coordinators. Dozens of taxis are ready here to transport you to your final address. An attempt is made to maintain a constant flow of taxis for all guests, so it is not necessary to call your own taxi.

    Uber connects you with a reliable ride in minutes. One tap and a car comes directly to you. Your driver knows exactly where to go. And payment is completely cashless.

    As we've partnered with Uber, you're guaranteed your pick up and drop off will be comfortable, fast and safe via the special Uber Pickup and drop off point across the street.

     

    First time Uber-user? Download the Uber app, enter the code 'NORTHSEAJAZZ' and you will automatically get €10 discount on your first Uber ride in The Netherlands.

    More info about Uber 

    Unfortunately, it is not possible to park a coach in front of Ahoy in the large parking lot. It is possible to drop people off at Ahoy. However, collection is not possible. To pick up passengers we will send you to the buffer location at Sallandweg.

    Are you being dropped off or picked up? Then navigate to the front of Ahoy. Here, traffic controllers will direct you to a temporary parking spot where the driver can drop you off or pick you up, with a maximum stop of 15 minutes at the Kiss & Ride. View the location of the Kiss & Ride via Google Maps.

    Navigation address:
    Jacob Kleiboerweg 80
    3084 BA Rotterdam