Accessibility of public transport in The Hague
Blog
In 2020 the 5th edition of the Invictus Game will take place in The Hague, The Netherlands from the 9th until the 16th of May. This is 75 years after the liberation of The Hague.
The event will be attended by veterans from 19 different countries, standing shoulder to shoulder and showing the world what teamwork, friendship and loyalty really means. The Invictus Games is an initiative by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, from the United Kingdom, and was initialized after he visited the US Warrior Games in 2013.
The Invictus Games is a yearly international adaptive sportive event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, both serving and veteran. The games inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and respect of those who serve their country in the form of sport. The word ‘Invictus’ means ‘unconquered’, which stands for the fighting spirit of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and gives an example of what people can achieve after an injury.
The first Invictus Games was held in London in September 2014. Since then, the Invictus Games have been held in Orlando, USA in 2016 and Toronto, Canada in 2017. The fourth iteration of the Invictus Games is taking place in Sydney, Australia in October 2019 from the 20th-27th.
Adaptive sports and locations
The Invictus Games includes 10 adaptive sports: athletics, weightlifting, archery, indoor rowing, JLR Driving Challenge, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, cycling, sitting volleyball and swimming.
During the week events will be held across the city. The activities are organised at four different locations. The Zuiderpark in The Hague is the main location of the event, the Sports Campus and the athletics club Sparta are used as venues. For swimming the venue ‘het nieuwe Hofbad’ in Ypenburg will be used.
From 9 – 16 May 2020, the Zuiderpark is renamed Invictus Games park, it is free to come and visit the park. The park will not be closed off and can be reached by bike and walking paths.
Tickets for Invictus Games
To attend one of the matches in the Invictus Games Park a ticket is required. These are for sale via the ticket shop and at the Invictus Games Park during the week. Tickets can be ordered starting from €10. The tickets are not on sale yet, so keep an eye on the website to buy your tickets as soon as they are for sale: https://invictusgamesfoundation.org/games/the-hague-2020/.
Public transport accessibility in The Hague
The Hague is equipped with an outstanding public transport system. Over 30 bus and tramlines will take you efficiently and safely to your destination in and around the Hague.
HTM is the public transport company that’s in charge of operating trams, the light rail connection to Zoetermeer (RandstadRail) and buses in the Hague and near regions. The light rail connection is operated in cooperation with RET, the public transport company that’s based in Rotterdam.
Like other major metropolitan areas in the Netherlands, The Hague offers a number of park-and-ride facilities at the edge of the city. This makes it easy to park your car and then take public transport to the city center or Scheveningen for example.
Using a wheelchair or mobility scooter in the tram or metro
Passengers using a wheelchair are allowed on all forms of public transportation in The Hague. For increased accessibility, there are ramps present at the stops of the trams. You can check the accessibility of stops at haltescan.nl.
The red and beige tram is an older line of trams in The Hague and runs on the route of tram 1, 6, 12, and 16. Because of its entry with three steps, the red and beige tram is not accessible for wheelchair users or people with severe limited mobility.
Both the RandstadRail trams and the R-net trams have a leveled entrance from the platform, so you can easily get in and out with a wheelchair, mobility scooter or with a walker. Passengers can travel in a wheelchair, electric wheelchair and mobility scooter, provided it fits within the dimensions of 120 cm long, 70 cm wide and 109 cm high.
The buses in The Hague, operated by HTMbuzz, are wheelchair-accessible and specially equipped for people with a visual impairment. The buses are also equipped with a boarding and alighting plate. Passengers can travel in a wheelchair, provided it fits within the dimensions of 120 cm long, 70 cm wide and 109 cm high. Mobility scooters and other electrically driven wheelchairs may not be taken on the bus.
Bus 28 is a new bus, which runs on electricity. This bus is wheelchair-accessible and passengers with a wheelchair, electric wheelchair, visual impairment or limited mobility can make use of this bus.
Paying for public transportation in The Hague
The most common form of payment for public transportation in the Netherlands is the OV-chipcard and The Hague is no exception. If you do not own an OV-chipcard, you can pay for your fare in cash. If your stay in The Hague is of short duration, the best option would be to buy the three-day travel ticket, offered by HTM. This card can be bought at the HTM Service Points at the Den Haag Centraal, Den Haag HS and Zoetermeer Centrum-West stations, as well as VVV Den Haag (tourist agency shop in the Stadhuis in the center of The Hague) and at some hotels.
RegioTaxi Haaglanden
Another form of public transportation in The Hague and near regions is the RegioTaxi Haaglanden. Priced between regular public transportation and taxi fares, RegioTaxi Haaglanden is specially equipped for travelers with limited mobility.
Videos about public transportation in The Hague
Voorall, an organization which represents the interests of residents of The Hague with a disability, has made couple of videos which showcase how to use public transportation with a disability in The Hague, in cooperation with HTM. Their website provides these videos and more information about public transportation in The Hague. Unfortunately, both the website and the videos are currently only available in Dutch. The link of the page: https://voorall.nl/index.php/nieuwsbriefartikelen/810-met-een-beperking-met-de-tram-mee-kijk-nu-hoe-het-werkt-film
Accessible hotels in The Hague
The Hague offers many options with regards to your stay. We have listed hotels in The Hague with accessible hotel rooms and adapted bathrooms.
By visiting the hotel links below, you can find more details of the hotel, check availability and pricing.
- Court Garden Hotel (3 stars)
- The Student Hotel The Hague (3 stars)
- Van der Valk hotel Den Haag Wassenaar (4 stars)
- Best Western Plus Grand Winston (4 stars)
- Babylon Hotel Den Haag (4 stars)
- NH Atlantic Hotel Den Haag Kijkduin (4 stars)
- Crowne Plaza Den Haag Promenade (5 stars)
Hotel reservations
Accessible Travel Netherlands is an inbound tour operator for accessible travel services in Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg and Germany. If you wish to book through a local agent, we can do this for you. We can select the most approriate hotel room for you and also deliver mobility equipment when needed. We can include airport transfers and activities. You can make your reservations with us by emailing
Accessible sightseeing tours in Holland
When in the Netherlands, you might want to do some sight seeing as well. Accessible Travel Netherlands offers several full-day and half-day tours in case you would like to combine your visit to the Invictus Games with cultural activities. You could embark on a cruise visiting the biggest harbour in Europe in Rotterdam. You could explore the famous capital city Amsterdam with a local tour guide or you can discover the royal and political history of The Hague.
Hiring mobility equipment
We offer mobility equipment hire to make your stay easy and comfortable! For mobility equipment hire, have a look at our mobility equipment page.
Accessible taxi transfers
The transfers can be booked for every ride you wish, for example from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to your hotel or from the hotel to the Invictus Games. If you would like to know the prices for the transfers or make a reservation please contact us.