Attending Halal Expo Netherlands?

Rotterdam is compact, flat and very walkable in the centre, and the public transport (run by RET) is excellent: a metro network (lines A-E), trams, buses and a water taxi across the river Maas. Metro lines D and E run to Zuidplein, a five-minute walk from the Rotterdam Ahoy halls, so getting from the centre or Rotterdam Centraal to the expo is a single easy ride. The intercity rail network also makes day trips to Amsterdam, The Hague and Delft quick.

The simplest option for visitors is OVpay — just tap in and out on the metro, tram and bus with your own contactless bank card, phone or watch; there is no card to buy or top up, and foreign Mastercard/Visa contactless works. The older OV-chipkaart (a top-up smartcard) still exists if you prefer. Always tap your card on its own, not a full wallet, to avoid a double charge.

Licensed taxis wait at ranks at Rotterdam Centraal and the airports, or use Uber/Bolt for an upfront price. For short hops in the flat centre, the city is built for bikes — but be careful as a pedestrian: the red-asphalt lanes are for cyclists only, traffic moves fast, and stepping into one can earn a fine.

• Turkish & Moroccan restaurants and butchers — Feijenoord, Delfshaven and Rotterdam-Zuid · widely halal — look for the halal sign
• West-Kruiskade international strip — city centre (near Centraal) · commonly halal — confirm at the counter
• Surinamese & global halal — citywide, concentrated in the centre and Zuid · often halal — ask
• Markthal & central markets — city centre (Blaak) · halal butcher present — restaurants vary

Approximate (Muslim World League method) — confirm locally on the day.

city centre

Rotterdam's signature modern architecture is clustered here: the horseshoe-shaped Markthal food hall, the tilted yellow Cube Houses and the Blaak skyline — all free to wander and a short metro ride from Ahoy.

Maas riverfront

The white 'Swan' bridge and the Kop van Zuid skyline give the classic Rotterdam view; walk the quays, or cross the river by the cheap RET water taxi.

west of the centre

One of the few old corners to survive the war — canals, a windmill and the Pilgrim Fathers' church — a quieter, picturesque contrast to the modern centre, and close to the halal-rich western districts.

wider Randstad

Fast intercity trains put Delft (15 min), The Hague (25 min) and Amsterdam (about an hour) within easy reach for a free afternoon between expo days.

Check the programme on the official event page and map out the zones you want to walk.

This event is aimed at: Halal certification bodies, Food & beverage manufacturers, Foodservice & HORECA buyers, Logistics & cold-chain providers, Importers, distributors & wholesalers, Retail & procurement buyers.