Our teenager wants to study in the Netherlands. How do we visit several universities in one trip?
Group the campuses by distance and time the trip to open days. Leiden, The Hague and Rotterdam form one cluster on the west side; Amsterdam's two universities, the UvA and VU, are a day in themselves; Utrecht sits in the middle; Groningen in the north and Maastricht in the south are two hours or more each way. When a parent planned this on a 2024 forum thread, locals stressed open days, when students show visitors around, and warned that student housing is the real challenge. Non-EU students also pay the higher institutional fee, which differs by program. With a car, three days cover the core: about €585 for a nine-hour day in Business Class.
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With a chauffeur by the hour: prices per vehicle
| Option | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Class, with a chauffeur by the hour | €65 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · E-Class, EQE, EQE SUV, BMW i5, BMW 5 Series · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
| Van Class, with a chauffeur by the hour | €80 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · V-Class, EQV · up to 7 passengers, 7 bags |
| First Class, with a chauffeur by the hour | €100 / hour | per hour · minimum 2 hours · 40 km included per hour · S-Class, EQS, EQS SUV, BMW i7 · up to 3 passengers, 3 bags |
By the hour: minimum 2 hours, 40 km included per hour, starting and ending in the same city. The chauffeur waits between stops. Prices are per car, not per person, with 9% Dutch VAT included, and the same day and night. During ADE week (pickups October 20 to 26, 2026) fixed ADE-week prices apply, shown before you book; promo codes cannot be used that week. Booked less than 12 hours before pickup: +10%. At an airport or an intercity station the first 60 minutes of waiting are free, elsewhere 15 minutes; after that waiting is charged per minute at the class's hourly rate (Business €65 an hour). Free cancellation up to 1 hour before pickup.
What is included in the price
- A fixed price confirmed at booking, with VAT included: no meter and no surge
- The chauffeur’s name, car and phone number before pickup, plus e-mail reminders 24 hours and 2 hours ahead
- Water and phone chargers (iOS and Android) in the car
- Status updates to the person who booked, if that is not the passenger: confirmed, chauffeur en route, guest in the car, arrived
Three days, three clusters
| Day | Campuses | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Amsterdam, VU Amsterdam | In the city, by the hour |
| 2 | Leiden (and its campus in The Hague), Erasmus in Rotterdam | About 48 minutes, then 38 minutes between |
| 3 | Utrecht, with University College Utrecht | About 47 minutes |
| Optional | Groningen or Maastricht | About 2 h 25 or 2 h 50; worth a night |
Before you book anything
- Check each program's language, deadline and selection; some close in January.
- Book the open day or a campus tour, then fit the car around it.
- Ask whether first-year housing is offered; policies vary a lot.
Related questions
Should we base ourselves in Utrecht?
Forum residents suggest it as a central base for day trips.
Technical universities?
Delft, Eindhoven and Twente; Delft fits the west-side day.
Can the student travel alone with the chauffeur?
Parents can book and follow the ride; a woman chauffeur can be requested. See parents booking a female driver.
Sources
- Utrecht University: tuition fees (checked October 31, 2026)
- TripAdvisor: 1 week Netherlands university exploration (checked October 31, 2026)
Book it, or ask dispatch first
Book online in a few minutes (no account, no app), or send your flight number and address on WhatsApp and dispatch replies in English, 24 hours a day.