Are you interested in the official Rotterdam Card?
On this website we present the Rotterdam Card in detail. We explain what the product offers, how it works and where you can buy the Welcome Card. For every product sold, we receive a commission.
Rotterdam Card: Quick overview
The official Rotterdam Welcome Card offers:
- Discounts for museums, attractions, boat trips
- Mostly 25% discount and up to 50% discount
- incl. several boat trips & a city tour
- Public transport for 1, 2 or 3 days
- Collection required in Rotterdam
Some top attractions: Euromast, Miniature World, Cube Houses, Kunsthal Rotterdam, Rotterdam Zoo, etc.
Price: from €15.50 to €25.50 - depending on period of validity
How does the Rotterdam Card work?
The Rotterdam Welcome Card is the official tourist card of the Rotterdam Tourist Information.
It consists of two cards:
- A discount card for discounts to numerous museums, attractions and tours.
- A travel card for public transport operated by RET.
For 1, 2 or 3 consecutive calendar days, you can use public transport with the Travel Card.
The discount card is valid for museums & attractions (min. 25 % discount), some boat trips (min. 25 % discount), some guided tours (min. 25 % discount) and some restaurants and cafés (min. 10 % discount). The more attractions you visit, the more the Rotterdam Card pays off.
The discount card is valid for 7 days from the first use.
After purchase, you will receive all the information you need to pick up your card in Rotterdam. Pick-up takes place at one of two tourist information offices in the city centre.
What attractions are included?
The Rotterdam City Card includes around 40 attractions for which you get reduced admission. These include some of the most popular sights, many museums, several boat trips and some guided tours.
Museums with the Rotterdam Card
With the Rotterdam Welcome Card you can visit many popular museums:
- Kunsthal Rotterdam
- Maritime Museum
- Dutch Photo Museum
- Natural History Museum
- Museum Rotterdam 40-45 NU
- …. (Show all museums)
You can visit most museums at any time during the validity period of the discount card. For some museums, a prior reservation is required.
Attractions with the Rotterdam Card
You can visit the following attractions with the City Card:
- Euromast
- Miniature World
- Cube houses
- Laurenskerk
- Rotterdam Zoo
- … (Show all attractions)
You can visit all sights at any time during the validity period of the discount ticket. Go to the box office to get your discounted ticket.
Boat trips & tours
But that's not all. The Rotterdam City Card contains some interesting tourist offers that allow you to explore Rotterdam in a comfortable way:
- Royal Spido Boat Tour
- River Cruise Rotterdam
- Pannenkoekenboot
- Splashtours Rotterdam
- Seabreeze Deluxe Tour with het SS Rotterdam
- Bike & Bites Food Tour
- Guided tours with De Rotterdam Tours
Attention: Many of these tours require a reservation on the provider's website. Here you will find the web links for the reservations: Rotterdam.info
What the Rotterdam Card does not include
The Rotterdam Welcome Card covers numerous museums, attractions and other tourist offers. However, there are a few services that are not covered by the City Card:
If you are interested in these offers, you must buy a separate ticket.
Public transport with the Rotterdam Card
With the Rotterdam Welcome Card you can use the city's public transport system. Rotterdam has metros, trams and city buses, all operated by the transport company RET. RET offers a comprehensive transport network in Rotterdam. However, this card does not cover water buses, trains and other means of transport operated by other companies.
The Travel Card is valid for 1, 2 or 3 consecutive calendar days. It should be noted that these days are not measured in 24-hour format, but are valid until 04:00 on the following day. It is therefore advisable to start your journey in the morning.
A useful hint: Both when boarding and alighting, you must scan your ticket to ensure that it is always valid.
Is the Rotterdam Card worth it?
If you travel by public transport and also visit some sights or museums, there are good reasons to buy the Rotterdam Welcome Card. But is it also worth it financially?
This question is answered in this section.
How much does the Rotterdam Card cost?
The price of the Rotterdam Card depends on the period of validity. The longer the City Card is valid, the more expensive it becomes. However, the value for money improves the longer it is valid.
- 1 day: 15,50 €
- 2 days: 21,00 €
- 3 days: 25,50 €
The period of validity refers to public transport only. They are calendar days and not 24-hour units. The discount card is valid for 7 days.
The prices are for adults. Children do not get a discount. For them, the Rotterdam Card is not worthwhile.
Example: Rotterdam Card for 2 days
In general, the longer the Rotterdam Card is valid, the cheaper it is per day. Many travellers stay about two days in Rotterdam. An extra day only increases the price slightly, but we show you how much you can save using the 2-day card as an example.
| Attraction | Price with Rotterdam Card | Price without Rotterdam Card |
| Rotterdam Card: 2 days | 21,00 € | – |
| Euromast | 9,40 € | 12,50 € |
| Kunsthal Rotterdam | 12,25 € | 16,50 € |
| Pannenkoekenboot | 16,15 € | 21,50 € |
| Cube houses | 2,25 € | 3,00 € |
| Miniature World Rotterdam | 9,70 € | 12,95 € |
| RET ticket 2 days (public transport) | 0,- € | 19,00 € |
| Total | 70,75 € | 85,45 € |
With the Rotterdam Card you can save money by visiting two sights or museums a day, taking a boat trip or joining a guided city tour.
However, the decisive factor is the use of public transport. Only if you regularly travel by metro, tram and bus can you save money with the Welcome Card.
Tip: In the above calculation, we have used the price of RET day tickets as a guide. These are suitable for tourists, but are particularly expensive. It is much cheaper to use the OVpay system. This involves holding your credit or debit card up to the reader on public transport. If you use OVpay, the Rotterdam Card is not worth it.
Purchase, Download & Activation
The Rotterdam Card is an official product of the Rotterdam Tourist Information. You can get the card at local tourist information offices or on independent ticket platforms like Tiqets.com and GetYourGuide.
After purchase, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to collect your Rotterdam Card. The card can be collected at the following locations:
- Tourist information at the main station
- Tourist information in Coolsingel
You will receive a discount card valid for 7 days from first use and a RET Travel Card valid for 1, 2 or 3 days from first use on public transport.
A purchase via GetYourGuide can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before departure.
Arguments against the Rotterdam Card
The Rotterdam Welcome Card is a very good product. But there are also arguments against it:
No fast track: With the Rotterdam Card you don't have fast-track admission. You have to queue at the ticket office to get your discounted ticket. However, there are no long waits at most attractions.
No free entry: The Rotterdam Welcome Card does not give you free entry to participating attractions. You will only receive a discount. A high saving is only possible if you visit attractions with a high discount.
Not suitable for children: The Rotterdam Card is unfortunately not a family card, as there is no discounted card for children. However, young visitors have free or reduced admission to many museums and attractions anyway.
Collection required: Unfortunately, the Rotterdam Card is not a digital product. You have to pick up the card when you arrive in Rotterdam or buy it directly on the spot. It is not possible to use it by mobile phone.
Conclusion: Who is the Rotterdam Card suitable for?
Under the following circumstances, the Welcome Card may be suitable for your trip to Rotterdam:
- You would like to visit some of Rotterdam's most popular attractions (e.g. Euromast, Miniature World, Rotterdam Zoo, Rotterdam Art Hall, Cubus Houses, Laurenskerk).
- You want to use public transport in Rotterdam for two or three days.
- You would like to take a boat trip. There is a discount with several providers.
- You want to save some money on sightseeing. The Rotterdam Card is financially worthwhile.
Questions & Answers
Does the Rotterdam Card grant fast entry?
No, the Rotterdam Card does not generally grant preferential admission. At participating attractions and museums, you must go to the box office to get your discounted ticket. For some attractions, a reservation is required.
Can the purchase be cancelled free of charge?
The cancellation conditions depend on the website where you bought the Rotterdam Card. Tiqets.com does not allow free cancellation. However, you can buy a refundable ticket for a small extra charge.
A GetYourGuide purchase, on the other hand, can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before departure.
Is the Rotterdam Card suitable for families?
In our view, the Rotterdam Welcome Card is not suitable for families, as children receive discounts at many attractions and on public transport anyway. They therefore do not need their own Rotterdam Card, but they do need their own public transport ticket.
Are there also good City Cards for other cities?
Yes, for Amsterdam and Copenhagen, for example:
EN 
DE 
FR 
NL 
IT 
ES 
PT 
SV 
DA 
NB 
FI 
PL 
CS