Arrival and departure
We recommend you arrive in The Hague on Thursday, October 24th, and depart The Hague on Monday, October 27th. This way you will be able to take part in the social activities occurring before and after the Ubuntu Summit.
Visas and immigration
Netherlands is a member of the Schengen Area. Please consult this interactive dashboard to help determine if you will need to obtain a visa to enter Netherlands. If the dashboard shows that your country is required to obtain a visa before entering The Hague, please see this website for more information on how to apply for visa and additional requirements.
Your passport or identity card will be checked upon arrival in an European Union port or airport to ensure that you are permitted to enter the country. Please ensure that your passport is still valid and will not expire within 6 months. If your passport has expired, or is going to expire within 6 months, we recommend you renew your passport immediately, as it may take a several weeks to process.
When you are asked by customs officers for the purpose of your travel, state that you are travelling for touristic or business purposes to attend a tech conference and that your final destination is the World Forum in The Hague, Netherlands. Do not say that you are travelling “for work” as additional visas and permits may be required and you could be denied entry. If you receive a stamp in your passport book after entering Netherlands, ensure that your date of entry is clearly legible, and ensure that you receive an exit stamp after leaving Netherlands and/or the Schengen Area.
Asking for an Ubuntu Summit Invitation Letter
Should you require an invitation letter to support your visa application to enter Netherlands, please mark that you need a visa to attend on your Indico registration form - we will contact you directly to arrange this.
Getting from the airport to the World Forum
Arriving by air
The Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is located in Amsterdam, approximately 30 mins by train from The Hague. Detailed information on travel from the Amsterdam International Airport is available on the AMS transport website.
You can also fly to Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM) which is located in Rotterdam, but getting to The Hague takes approximately 1 hour by train and the flight options might be more limited. Detailed information on travel from the Rotterdam The Hague International Airport is available on the RTM transport website.
When in you're in The Hague you can take Tram line 1 towards Scheveningen Noord which stops at the World Forum.
Arriving by train
You can travel to Den Haag Centraal, the main train station in The Hague. Then you can go to the venue either:
- By bus/tram: Take bus number 28 towards DH Zuiderstrand and exit at World Forum. You can also take the Tram line 1 towards Scheveningen Noord and exit at World Forum as well.
- By taxi or Uber: A taxi/Uber ride to the venue takes about 10 minutes.
COVID-19 Information
COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted in Netherlands. As of May 2023, the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 is no longer an international health emergency. There is no need to present a certification of vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or negative test results.
Face masks and respirators should be worn in health care and social care facilities. It is still advisable to practice good hand and cough hygiene and to not travel if you are having any symptoms. Please respect each others' choices on wearing a mask.
For the latest/most up-to-date information, please consult Netherlands' COVID-19 dashboard.