Oranje Transport’s Guide for Students Moving in Rotterdam

Did you get accepted into the Erasmus University, or some other school in Rotterdam, and are now looking for an apartment in the city? We at Oranje Transport want to help you to make your moving experience as pleasant as possible. That’s why we put together some info that you might find useful, starting here with how to choose the most suitable living area for you around the Rotterdam city centre.

The campus of the Erasmus University resides few kilometres to the east from the city centre, in an area called the Kralingen, which is extremely popular living area amongst students. Therefore, the rent prices in Kralingen are also generally very high, although you might be able to find an exception if you begin the search early enough. In Kralingen there is also the Kralingse Bos, a spectacular 200 hectares forest park with a large lake, the Kralingse Plas, in the middle. The park includes many attractions: a beach, a petting zoo, a golf course, a climbing park, jogging and biking paths, restaurants and much more. If you’re a fan of the outdoors, Kralingen is definitely an area to consider.

If you want to find an affordable apartment in the city centre you probably want to focus your search on the west side, where there are more residential neighbourhoods, and more affordable prices. Further to the west, Middeland and Nieuwe Westen are also great choices, especially if you happen to study in the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences or Erasmus MC, which are located nearby. If you have more money in your disposal, you might want to consider the area around the Binnenrotte Market. This area has many advantages: there is the large central library, the stunning Markthal, many supermarkets including Marqt that specializes on local and organic products, and of course the huge outdoor market where vendors gather twice a week to sell everything from groceries to clothing and electronics.

The north side of Rotterdam, called simply as Noord, is a great choice for a student in Rotterdam. It is the largest area around the city centre, which means that any offer you find for an apartment near the centre is most likely located in the Noord. The rent prices are also generally lower than in Kralingen and city centre. Especially nice area is the Oude Noorden, the Old North, where you can find an abundance of different shops, restaurants and bars.

Rotterdam’s south side on the other side of the Nieuwe Maas river is often considered as an area that you should avoid, and the more you head down south the more you should hold on to your belongings and watch over your shoulders. It is true that Rotterdam has a high crime rate in Dutch standards, and probably the south side is slightly dodgier than the north side of the river. Still, the Netherlands overall is a very safe country to live in and Rotterdam’s south side is no exception. The bad name that the south side has received is also keeping the rent prices low, and this is the area where you are most likely to find a very cheap apartment. However, some areas in the south, such as Katendrecht, are becoming increasingly popular amongst the young urbanites and the rent prices are rising accordingly.

Whichever area you do choose, Oranje Transport offers you affordable moving jobs, including international removals, transporting new furniture from the store to your apartment, and transporting goods to or from a storage facility. The ordering is effortless and can be done by phone (+31614746788) or through our website. And, when you decide to move out or need our help for other moving jobs, you get a 15% discount as a previous customer! Good luck with your apartment hunt and remember to check back on our Facebook page regularly for more moving tips for students.