Travel and accommodation
Venues
Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Darwinweg 2
2333 CR Leiden
naturalis.nl/en
The following events will take place at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center:
- Nodes Training (17-18 October 2019)
- Global Nodes meeting (19 October 2019)
- Icebreaker (20 October 2019)
- Official Governing Board meeting (21-23 October 2019)
Fletcher Wellness Hotel Leiden (until 1 May 2019 known as City Resort Hotel Leiden)
Bargelaan 180
2333 CW Leiden
cityresorthotelleiden.nl
The following events will take place at the Fletcher Wellness Hotel Leiden on 20 October 2019:
- Budget Committee meeting
- Executive Committee meeting
- Nodes Steering Group meeting
- Science Committee meeting
Hooglandse Kerk
Nieuwstraat 20
2312 KC Leiden
hooglandsekerk.com/
The hosted dinner will take place at Hooglandse Kerk on 21 October 2019, starting at 18:30.
Hotels
The Governing Board meeting attendees are asked to organize their own accommodation.
There are a number of hotels located in close vicinity of the GB26 event locations. The below hotels are also within walking distance from the train staion Leiden Centraal.
Early booking is advised. A high demand for hotel rooms is expected in Leiden as the Biodiversity_Next conference and another big conference will take place in the same period.
Tulip Inn and Golden Tulip Hotel
Schipholweg 3
2316 XB Leiden
The Netherlands
tulip-inn-leiden-centre.goldentulip.com
Fletcher Welness Hotel Leiden (until 1 May 2019 known as City Resort Hotel Leiden)
Bargelaan 180
2333 CW Leiden
The Netherlands
www.wellnesshotelleiden.nl
banquetsales@wellnesshotelleiden.nl
A special price of €131.50 per person per night, including breakfast is offered.
You may book via: www.wellnesshotelleiden.nl/en/arrangementen/gbif
IBIS Hotel
Stationsplein 240-242
2312 AR
Leiden
accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-8087-ibis-leiden-centre/index.shtml#origin=ibis
Other hotels
Further hotel options are available at hotels.com, booking.com or similar services. If you are looking for at hostel, please check hostelscentral.com/en/hostels/netherlands/leiden. Please also see the Biodiversity_Next page.
Please note that hotels next to train stations in nearby towns are a good alternative. You can reach Leiden with a 10 minute train ride from:
- Van der Valk Hotel Sassenheim, hotelsassenheim.nl/
- Babylon Hotel Den Haag, babylonhoteldenhaag.com/en/
Both train stations Sassenheim and Den Haag Centraal have a direct train connection to Schiphol Airport.
Map
The location of the meeting venues and some of the nearest hotels can be found in this google map.
Arriving in the Netherlands
The Governing Board meeting attendees are asked to organize their own travel.
The international airport Schiphol is a hub for many airlines. The Schiphol Amsterdam Airport app is available from app stores. The Schiphol airport is located approx. 30 km from the city centre of Leiden.
There is a frequent train connection from the airport to Leiden (20 minutes). You can plan your journey and buy your ticket online from ns.nl.
Official taxi stands are located in front of Schiphol Plaza. A taxi ride Schiphol-Leiden amounts to € 50 - € 60. Drivers accept credit cards, cannot refuse carriage and will issue a printed receipt. Please avoid all unsolicited rides from taxi touts.
Travel requirements for entering the Netherlands
GB26 participants are responsible for preparing their own travel documentation requirements for entering Ireland.
Visa
Whether or not you need a visa depends on your nationality and length of stay. For a list of countries and for information on how to apply see: netherlandsandyou.nl/travel-and-residence/visas-for-the-netherlands
Make sure to apply for a visa well in advance of the meeting.
Insurance
Participants are advised to ensure appropriate travel insurance for travel to the Netherlands.
Local transportation in Leiden
If you wish to use public transportation in Leiden, please note that Dutch public transport requires a so-called OV-chipkaart, a smart card that can be used for bus, tram, train and metro services. Since there is no specific OV-chipkaart for visitor, we recommend using either a single-use chipcard or an ‘anonymous OV-chipkaart’. The single-use chipcard has limited validity and can be used to travel on bus/tram/metro lines in a single city. If you want to travel by train, you can buy a different single-use chipcard that is valid on the train for your specified itinerary only. If you are staying in Holland for more than a few days and plan to travel by public transport more frequently, we recommend the anonymous OV-chipkaart as the best and most economic ticket for your trips since it can be used for all public means of transport in Holland. More information about getting an ov chip kaart.
General travel information
Currency
The Netherlands is part of the European Monetary Union. The currency is Euro (€).
If you want to change your local currency into euros you can do so at Schiphol Airport or at the train station.
ATMs, aka cash machines, are widely available and can be found outside most banks and at airports and most train stations.
MasterCard and Visa cards are recognized, and most hotels and large stores accept them. But many shops, restaurants and other businesses (including Dutch Railways and supermarket chains) do not accept credit cards, including European cards with security chips.
Electricity
In the Netherlands the standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. You can use your electric appliances in the Netherlands, if the standard voltage in your country is in between 220 - 240 V (as is in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa).
The power plugs and sockets are of type C and F.
Weather
The Netherlands climate is temperate maritime. The average temperature in Leiden in October is 11º C, average rain is 93 mm.
Tourist information - Leiden, City of Discoveries
Leiden has been one of Europe's most prominent scientific centres for more than four centuries. Leiden University is the oldest university of the Netherlands, home to thirteen Nobel Prize winners. Many important scientific discoveries have been made here, giving rise to Leiden's motto: ‘City of Discoveries’.
Leiden is also one of the oldest cities in The Netherlands with 800 years of visible history. It is famous for its old city centre with its canals, city gates, bridges, windmills, a castle, an observatory, the botanical gardens, weavers’ homes, almshouses, two large late gothic churches and several historical edifices.
Stroll along the canals and on the narrow streets of the old city centre. Tread in the footsteps of Rembrandt or discover the pillars of medical history of the Netherlands in the Hortus botanicus, the Academy building, the workplaces of Professor Boerhaave and an anatomic theatre from the 16th century.
Leiden has a high number of museums. You can find as many as 13 museums within walking distance.
Leiden is twin city with: Juigalpa, Nicaragua; Krefeld, Germany; Oxford, United Kingdom; Toruń, Poland; Buffalo City, South Africa; and Nagasaki, Japan.
More information: visitleiden.nl and visitleiden.nl/en/discover-leiden
Special offers for GB26 attendees
Leiden marketing has special offers for conference delegates, the Leiden Delegate Deals, which includes discounts on canal cruises or free additional food or drinks when visiting certain restaurants. You will need to mention the Leiden Delegate Deals while making your reservation and present your conference badge on arrival to get the offer.
Please visit www.leidenconventionbureau.nl/en/leidendelegatedeals for more information.