NS launches glamping at Utrecht Centraal for new students without housing
Lars Fortuin / Shutterstock.com
By Simone Jacobs
Dutch rail company NS has come up with a new idea to help new students struggling to find housing. Tents will be set up at Utrecht Central Station so that up to 20 students have somewhere to stay during introduction week in September.
Students to camp at Utrecht Centraal during introduction week
From August 11 to 14, up to 20 students who live far away from Utrecht and will be studying in the city from September will be able to camp inside the Dutch train station at night. “Because even NS thinks taking the train from Groningen to Utrecht every day during introduction week is a bit much,” wrote NS in a news release.
10 tents will be set up on the upper floor of Utrecht Central Station, each one with a made-up bed. Even better, the rail company is providing almost everything students could need, such as food, drinks, earplugs, music and even a bike to get to campus every day. “So, students hardly need to bring anything themselves, except a charger and toothbrush.”
NS opens registrations for glamping at Dutch train station
The campsite is meant specifically for first-year students who do not have accommodation in Utrecht and will be studying in the city in September. Since NS is only allowing a maximum of 20 students to “glamp” at the station, anyone wanting to participate will have to register by sending a video to the NS Instagram account.
Registrations opened on July 28. Students have until Friday, August 1, to submit their videos telling the rail company their story and why they should get the chance to camp at Utrecht Centraal. With the cost of student housing going up as the shortage continues, it’s likely many will jump at the chance for free accommodation.
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more