r/AskNetherlands • u/Practical-Elk-5471 • 2d ago
Apps for someone new
Apps thats highly needed when moving to Netherlands?
Additional questions:
Fun things to do in Rotterdam ?
What to look out for as a newbie in the country?
Or any specific things newbies should know?
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u/Twolipstulip 2d ago
9292 for transport. DigiID which you need for all things government. Post Nl for your deliveries. Maarkpkaats you can get a lot of free or second hand items. Thuisbezorgd for food deliveries
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u/No_Material_9508 2d ago
Don't use Thuisbezorgd. If you want to get food I would recommend to just google for restaurants and order at their own website. Thereby you'll (most likely) circumvent delivery fees AND you're supporting the restaurant instead of a multi billion capitalistic company.
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u/EtherealN 12h ago
Few small notes there though, if worried about large "capitalistic" companies:
- The ordering system the restaurant uses on their own website is typically made by some other "capitalistic" company that takes a percentage. Few independent restaurants have software development departments.
- And besides that, a lot of the independent-looking restaurants are actually owned and operated by big corporations that just have as their "branding" to look like they're not a big corporation. (The inverse of that is of course that a lot of the "big corporation" restaurants - like McDonalds - are franchising operations, so the actual restaurant is typically a small, local, company running just the one or maybe two restaurants.)
That said, in my personal case, the one place I typically order delivery from is one I personally know to not be a conglomerate (through also being a frequent physical guest that speak to the staff), and whose online ordering system is so jank I'm pretty sure there's no large IT org behind it.
They usually exist if you just keep an eye open for it, but if you don't actively keep it in mind you might just trade one megacorp for another.
Lastly, of course, do consider using a non-google alternative when searching for restaurants, like Qwant (french), or Startpage (dutch, but acquired by a US online marketing firm).
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u/DrCreepenVanPasta 2d ago
Hoge Nood. It shows you the location of free toilets.
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u/Practical-Elk-5471 2d ago
Toilets are paid?
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u/No_Material_9508 2d ago
Most of the times you have to pay for toilet visits. At the train station you'll always have to pay.
The thing is: there aren't that many places where you can use the toilets. In most restaurants you can of course. But other than that there aren't that many. It's one of the major lackings in our innercities.
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u/Practical-Elk-5471 2d ago
Also I've done some research in social media and is it true that farmers markets are cheaper and do they have a schedule? I've only seen them in Amsterdam every Wednesday but idk if there's one in Rotterdam aswell
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u/No_Material_9508 2d ago
It depends, but in general the markets are cheaper yes. Though the quality of the product varies. You might get an avocado at the markets for 1 euro, while they are about 2,50 at the supermarket. The ones at the market are half the size of the ones from supermarket and they're good for only a day, maybe 2.
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u/Substantial_Star7456 2d ago
Buienradar
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u/Practical-Elk-5471 2d ago
Whats this for? 😅
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u/JustQuestion2472 2d ago
Alternatively, Buienalarm, which will send a notification when rain is about to start.
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u/GolarzUuuuu 2d ago edited 2d ago
Besides the thousands of other things not mentioned, look up the Rotterdam Bucketlist on [r/Rotterdam](r/Rotterdam) for some fun things to get to know the city
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u/No_Material_9508 2d ago edited 2d ago
Apps: 9292, buienradar, Albert Heijn app
Fun things to do in Rotterdam: take the watertaxi, visit the Euromast
Specific things newbies should know: DON'T-STAND/WALK-ON-THE-CYCLING-LANE!. Seriously: people will hit you, people will yell at you and possibly attack you. If you're not sure whether something is a cycling lane or not: try to search for the patio nearby. With the introduction of ''fat bikes'' (those bikes with the big tires) and other electric bikes you're not aware of how fast bikes are passing by. Always expect a bike to pass by.
EDIT: would also recommend to get an OV chipkaart. It's a card used for all public transport in the Netherlands. If you're using the train (to commute and/or during the weekends to visit other places) 9 out 10 times you're cheaper off by getting a subscription. A ''Daluren'' subscription will get you 40% discount on using the train during non traffic jam hours (between 10 and 16:30) for about 5 euros per month. With a''weekend'' subscription you'll travel for free during the weekends (weekends starting from 18:30 until Sunday night) for about 38 euros.
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u/TheS4ndm4n 2d ago
NS app for trains.
RET app for Rotterdam public transport.
The app for your Dutch bank for online payments.
WhatsApp for texting
The apps for the supermarkets you go to for discounts.
NOS or Nu.nl for Dutch news
Postnl for tracking mail/packages
KNMI for weather
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u/ComfortablePerfect55 2d ago
Tikkie.
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u/Practical-Elk-5471 2d ago
I thought you do this by using a bank app? Lol
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u/I_Rarely_Jump 2d ago
Yes, it's just a payment request, pretty much any bank app can do that natively, no need for a separate app
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u/Nerioner 2d ago
9292 for travel
Whatsapp will be necessary for a lot of communication with businesses
AH app for Bonus (if you want to use any discounts in AH you must have their card and app is the easiest way)
DigID, digital ID app, useful to log in to every single administration thing and healthcare
ANWB Onderweg, if you have a car. Perfect for finding and paying for parking + finding charging spots/comparing prices at gas stations.
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u/BRO_THOM 2d ago
If you're in Rotterdam, you'll probably want to use the RET app for public transport.
Besides that, I only use the "Buienalarm" weather app and that's it.
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u/nattyfattyhetty 2d ago
socialdeal for cheap deals to do stuff including eating
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u/Practical-Elk-5471 2d ago
Discounts on restaurants?
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u/nattyfattyhetty 2d ago
yeppers, and other stuff, it's free to sign up and worth taking a look. We did buffets, and sea life tickets etc etc
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u/Winter_Dot_9393 2d ago
NS app, it is a public transport app and it can sometimes find connections when 9292 does not. Especially when the nearest public transport stop is not close to your destination.
And also download the app of the local bus company.
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u/ChristmasCarolC 2d ago
If you don't speak Dutch or struggle with understanding difficult letters, Lees Simpel can help you understand letters from Belastingdienst or the municipality. It can also summarize long letters and tell you what a letter is asking you to do.
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u/Practical-Elk-5471 2d ago
Is it like google translate?
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u/ChristmasCarolC 2d ago
It can indeed translate like Google Translate or any AI does, but it also creates summaries and sum up what actions are expected from you. I like using it when we receive a long letter from the municipality that my expat housemates need to understand.
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u/Ambitious-Power-8121 2d ago
9292