Location of the conference
The conference will take place at Utrecht University. The seven faculties of the university are divided across two campuses, of which only the Faculty of Humanities and the Law Faculty are located in the old city centre, where the university was traditionally based. In the 1970s, a new campus was built on the outskirts of Utrecht University (the Science Park), which is one of the most interesting campuses in the Netherlands in terms of (post)modern architecture, thus worthwhile to visit. The exact location of the conference is still to be decided; keep checking this website for updates.
How to get there
The cheapest way to get to Utrecht from any airport in the Netherlands is to take the train and bus.
Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam) has a train station inside the airport terminal, a two-minute walk from the arrivals hall. If you arrive at Eindhoven or Rotterdam Airport, you must first take a bus to the city’s central stations.
To find out which bus to take, you can use the online travel planner, 9292. In order to travel by public transport, you might be able to use of your bank card or mobile phone to ‘check-in’ at train and metro stations and in buses. If you own one of the bank cards mentioned on this website, you will most likely be able to use it to enter the gates at the train stations by holding it in front of the yellow check-in poles without having to buy a ticket.
If you are traveling from Schiphol by train, follow the steps below:
1. Follow the signs that say ‘Naar de treinen’ (To the trains)
2. Check in with your bank card or phone at the yellow check-in poles, or buy a train ticket from the yellow ticket machines with the blue overhead sign reading ‘traintickets’ or at one of the Ticket & Service desks (Nederlandse Spoorwegen or Tickets & Service). Ask the clerk which track (spoor) your train will depart from or check the information signs. If you have any trouble or doubts, you can always get help at the Information Desk (Informatie). Do not forget to check in and out with your ticket at one of the check-in/check-out points located close to the platforms! You can also plan your trip on the website of NS, the national rail company.
3. From Schiphol, it will take half an hour to reach Utrecht Central Station (Utrecht Centraal); a ticket costs €10.90. From Eindhoven Central station, it will take about 50 minutes to reach Utrecht; a ticket costs €17.90. From Rotterdam Central train station, it will take about 40 minutes; a ticket costs €12.90. Please note that these prices are for the second class coupés and without discount. For more information on the trains and tickets go to the NS website.
4. When you arrive in Utrecht, you will most likely first want to go to your ho(s)tel or other accommodation address. The buses in Utrecht run frequently and they can get you to within a 5- minute-walk from where you are staying. To find out which bus to take, you can use the online travel planner, 9292. Google Maps is fairly reliable in Utrecht as well.
Making the journey from Schiphol to Utrecht by taxi will take approximately 40 minutes and will cost at least €65.00. Taxis can be found outside the main hall. To reserve a taxi in advance, which is most likely cheaper, go to the website of Utrecht Taxi Centrale (UTC). From Eindhoven to Utrecht, a taxi ride will take approximately an hour and ten minutes, and will cost at least €135.00. UTC also has a fixed rate for this route. The taxis from Rotterdam Airport leave right in front of the building. A taxi to Utrecht Central station will likely cost upwards of €150.00 – if you reserve in advance, you can travel the route for €105.00.
Food and drinks
Dinner
>>> Ana’s Mezes & Mangal (Turkish/vegan-friendly), Voorstraat 62. Turkish takeaway with lots of authentic small dishes. Open: Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00.
>>> Kimmade (Vietnamese; vegetarian-friendly), Mariastraat 2. Vietnamese streetfood. Very limited seating options, so easier to take away. Open from Mon-Sat till 20:45.
>>> ACU (vegan), Voorstraat 71. Inexpensive vegan food. Only on Sat from 19:00 and Sun from 18:00.
>>> Kyushu (sushi), Voorstraat 66, Good sushi, few veggie options. Open daily till 22:00.
>>> La Cubanita (tapas/vegan-friendly), Oudkerkhof 44. Unlimited tapas for €22.50 p.p. from Sun-Thurs. Opens daily at 17:00.
>>> Dimitri Petit (Greek; vegetarian-friendly), Servetstraat 4 (take-out only). Greek take-away. They serve amazing vegetarian pita.
>>> Eazie (Asian/vegan-friendly), Voorstraat 8. Affordable wok-meals. Mon-Sun till 21:30.
>>> Gys Utrecht (organic/vegan-friendly), Voorstraat 77 & Amsterdamsestraatweg 113. Serves local food with plenty of vegan options, both for dinner and lunch. Open Mon-Wed from 12:00-21:30; Thu-Sun from 10:00-21:30.
>>> Louis Hartlooper Complex (European/vegan-
friendly), Tolsteegbrug 1. Old police station turned into an art house cinema that serves lunch and dinner with seasonal and organic products.
>>> Meneer Smakers (burger bar/vegan-friendly),Oudegracht 112; Nobelstraat 143 & Twijnstraat 52. Open till 21:00 or 22:00, depending on location.
>>> Mick O’Connells Irish Pub (pub/vegan-friendly), Jansdam 3. Great Irish pub with meals starting from €12,50. From 17:00 on weekdays.
>>> Jasmijn & Ik (Asian cuisine; vegan-friendly), Kanaalstraat 9. Trendy Asian restaurant. Reservations are recommended. Open Tue-Sat from 17:30.
>>> Moksi & Tandoori (Surinamese), Oudegracht 235 (take-out only). Nice Surinamese food, try the roti or the roti-roll (vegetarian option possible). Open till 20:45.
>>> O’Panuozzo (Italian), Voorstraat 34. Good and inexpensive pizzas. Open Tue-Sat from 16:00
>>> Popocatepetl (Mexican/vegan-friendly), Nobelstraat 163. Affordable Mexican food. Open Tue-Sun from 17:00-22:00.
>>> Pannenkoekenbakkerij De Muntkelder (Dutch pancakes/vegan-friendly), Oudegracht aan de Werf 112. Open Tue-Sun from 12:00-21:00.
>>> De Pizzabakkers (pizza), Voorstraat 58. Good pizzas, also for take-away. No cash, only pin. Open Mon-Sun from 17:00-22:00.
>>> ‘t Oude Pothuys (European/vegan-friendly), Oudegracht 279. Notorious for its cheese fondue, and live music. Open Mon-Tue from 15:00; Wed-Sun from 12:30.
>>> Santa Lucia (Italian; vegetarian-friendly), Nobelstraat 14. Cozy Pizzeria. Open daily from 15:00-23:00.
>>> Poké Perfect (poke bowls/vegan-friendly), Korte Jansstraat 17-19. Affordable and good poké bowls. Also for take-away. Open daily from 11:30-21:00.
>>> Springhaver (European/vegan-friendly), Springweg 50. Art Nouveau/Tuschinski inspired cinema and café, serving organic meals in a great atmosphere. Kitchen opens daily at 11:30.
>>> Pomo (Surinamese), Wittevrouwenstraat 22. Affordable Surinamese food (also take-away). Open Wed-Sun from 17:00-22:00.
>>> Sunshine (Ethiopian/vegan-friendly)[accessible], Pauwstraat 11. Eat with your entire group from a single plate. Opens daily at 16:00-21:00, closed on Mondays.
Lunch & Coffee
>>> De Bakkerswinkel, Wittevrouwenstraat 2. Close to the library, this place is perfect for grabbing a muffin or sit in one of the cosy spaces in Utrecht’s famous werfkelders. Open Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00.
>>> KLUTS (vegan), Achter de Dom 6. Cute little bakery, serving coffee and vegan sweets. Open daily from 10:00-17:00.
>>> Broodje Carlo, Janskerkhof 25. Very affordable fresh-made Italian-style sandwiches and pizza. Only for take-away.
>>> Broodnodig (vegetarian-friendly). Mariaplaats 49
>>> De Ontdekking (vegan-friendly), Voorstraat 110. Right across the corner of the University library.. Open daily 9:00-17:00.
>>> Life’s a Peach (vegan), Hardebollenstraat 9. All vegan Italian focacceria serving bread, cakes, and pastry. Open Tue-Sun. Check website for opening hours.
>>> Rabarber (vegan-friendly), Zadelstraat 20. A nice place to sit down for a moment, for a coffee with cake or lunch. Open Tue-Sun from 9:00-17:30.
>>> The Village Coffee, Voorstraat 44-46. Hip place, with good music and great coffee and pastries. Open on weekdays from 7:30-18:00.
>>> Café de Zaak, Korte Minrebroederstraat 9. Brown café, only serves drinks but you can bring your own food. Open on weekdays from 8:00.
Supermarkets
Apart from the regular supermarkets (Albert Heijn, Plus, Aldi, Lidl, etc.), the neighbourhood Lombok is great for food shopping, especially the Kanaalstraat, where you can find a variety of products from around the world in small Turkish, Moroccan, Chinese, and Surinamese shops.
Market
On Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00-17:00, there is the local market on Vredenburg, in front of the central station. Maybe try some kibbeling (fried fish), or check out some other small food trucks.
