Rotterdam Launches Zomernachtbus for safe and affordable transport during weekend nights

Rotterdam is getting a temporary night bus network this summer: The Summer Night Bus. From 27 June to 31 August, night owls, partygoers and night workers will be able to use four special bus lines running on weekend nights. An initiative of the municipality of Rotterdam and Hossen Tours to meet the need for safe and affordable transport after midnight. A ride costs €8 and must be purchased in advance online via dezomernachtbus.nl. OV-chip cards are not valid.

The Summer Night Bus is a pilot where four night bus routes (ZN1 to ZN4) will be operated on the nights of Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday. The buses have departure times between 03:05 and 06:15. The buses run from Rotterdam Central Station to various city districts and surrounding municipalities, such as Schiedam, Vlaardingen, Capelle aan den IJssel and Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel. The network mainly targets nightlife and night workers, such as catering workers and healthcare staff. All buses return to Rotterdam Centraal, allowing passengers to board along the way. Each bus has a security guard on board, and there is cooperation with police and enforcement.

Why this initiative?

Since the Bobbus was discontinued during the corona pandemic, nocturnal public transport was missing in Rotterdam. As a result, people often had to choose between expensive taxis, unsafe situations or no transport at all. The Summer Night Bus should fill this gap. The idea comes from entrepreneur Robin van der Parre (Hossen Tours), who submitted the proposal to the municipality. It is in line with the Rotterdam Night Plan, which lists safe and accessible night transport as a priority. Stichting N8W8 and Koninklijke Horeca Nederland are also lending their cooperation.

Future

The pilot will run until the end of August 2025. After that, the results will be evaluated, including passenger numbers and experiences. This data can be used for future decisions on night transport in Rotterdam. Should the Summer Night Bus prove a success, it could lead to a structural solution.

Cover photo: Pacal Striebel