Travel Tips

dates

Gaenovium 2014 is a one-day conference. It takes place on Tuesday 2014 October 7. We recommend attendees from abroad to arrive at least the day before, to enjoy a good night's sleep before the conference.

venue

The venue for Gaenovium 2014 is the Pavilion of Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde. If you arrive in Leiden by train, you may not need to find a bus, taxi or bicycle. The Pavilion, Leiden Central Station and several hotels are all within walking distance of each other.

Schiphol airport

Leiden is not far from Schiphol Airport, the main Dutch airport. This is modern airport with the all the facilities you might expect. Schiphol does not only offer free Wi-Fi, but a Schiphol app with up-to-date flight information as well. There is a tourist office in the arrivals hall, and there are hotels on the airport grounds. There's a plethora of transportation options from Schiphol into the country, including trains, buses, taxis, and car rental services.

car rental

You can find many car rental services in Schiphol Plaza. However, many Dutch cities, including Amsterdam and Leiden are a challenge to navigate by car, because of many narrow streets, one-way streets, road maintenance, and the difficulty of finding a parking spot. Most parking is paid and you're almost sure to be ticketed within hours of a parking ticket expiring.
We suggest taking an Intercity train from Schiphol to Leiden, and choosing a hotel near Leiden Central Station.

Schiphol - Leiden

Schiphol airport has its own train station, situated directly below the airport, with a ticket office in Schiphol Plaza, near the escalators leading to the platforms. There are frequent trains between Schiphol Airport and Leiden Central Station. During the day, there are four trains every hour, two Sprinters that stop at stations in between, and two Intercities that take you straight to Leiden. The Leiden - Schiphol connection is part of the Night Net, which means there even is one train every hour during the night.
The trip between Schiphol and Leiden Central Station takes about twenty minutes.
Up-to-date travel information and ticket prices are provided by the Dutch Railways Journey Planner site.

Leiden parking

Most parking in Leiden is paid parking. Many parking spots within the city require that you pay in advance for time you expect to park. We recommend using a parking facility that will bill you for the time you stayed.
The museum recommends using either the Morspoort garage, which is within walking distance, or the Haagweg parking area, which offers a free shuttle service into the centre. There is a shuttle every few minutes and it stops in front of the museum gate. The Morspoort garage is the more convenient choice, but the Haagweg is the cheaper option. One day of parking at the Haagweg will set you back about € 12, while parking at the Morspoort garage will set you back about € 25.

3 October Festival

Gaenovium 2014 takes place on Tuesday 2014 October 7, shortly after the annual 3 October Festival. This world-famous festival includes one of the largest fun fairs in Netherlands, and attracts hundreds of thousands of people. Travellers wishing to take part in the 3 October Festival should book their accommodation early, and may have to look for accommodation outside of Leiden.