Must-Have Apps When Moving to the Netherlands

As an international student who is going to study at WUR, you want to be settled in the Netherlands as smoothly as possible. One of the first and easiest steps to do that is by simply downloading apps. They will help you to deal with daily tasks, bureaucratic things and social life.  I am here to share with you the apps on my phone which I find important to have if you live in the Netherlands.

Transport and Travel

If you need to get around the Netherlands, there are mainly two apps. NS is the app for the trains in the Netherlands, operated by the company. However, the app gives you ways to reach a destination using different types of public transport, which is not just trains. With the NS app, you can also purchase train tickets and have a personal account. 9292 is another app that has the same function, though it is not operated by the train company. Both are usually accurate and up to date, although I would recommend having both. In some situations, when there’s repair work or a strike, one offers more updated information than the other.

Bureaucracy

Two apps that are very important to have on your phone. In the Netherlands, the DigiD app is like your digital ID card. It lets you log in safely to all kinds of government services, like paying taxes or booking appointments at the town hall. MijnOverheid app goes hand in hand with it, giving you updates and important info from the government. Together, they make dealing with paperwork way easier, so you don’t have to spend hours visiting offices in person. In most cases, you need to use DigiD a lot, so it is definitely a must-have app.

Weather

Dutch weather is notoriously known to be moody and fast-changing. Typical apps on your phone are not as accurate as other apps. Weather apps such as Buienradar, Buienalarm, and Weeronline are all pretty reliable. I personally like Buinealarm as I can see the visual representation of the rain and can plan my day around it. You might think that it is not necessary to have a weather app, but trust me, when you move here, it becomes a necessity.

Finance

A few apps become handy when you move in here. First, depending on whether you need a Dutch bank account, it is very convenient to download their app. The Netherlands is very online-payment friendly, so having a digital bank card is super convenient. International bank apps such as Revolut are also nice, as it’s more commonly known and used, especially for payment and transfers. In the Netherlands, it is very common to download Tikkie. It’s an app that lets you request money from friends. It’s perfect for splitting bills and settling on payments.

Food and Delivery

Big supermarkets in the Netherlands, such as Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Lidl, all have their apps where you can have a personal account. On these accounts, you can get products with discounts and collect points. If you want to order some food, then apps like Thuisbezorgd and Uber Eats are quite common here. And if you want to order groceries, then Flink and Picnic would be your choice. It’s very convenient to have the apps rather than clicking on a website. One app that I particularly like is the Too Good To Go – it’s an app where you can get cheap products from cafes, restaurants and supermarkets. It’s not only cheap but also good for recycling food waste!

WUR

Lastly, if you’re a student at WUR, I would first download the myWUR app. In this app, you can set up a profile, see your schedule for everything, get important updates and much more. If you are into sports, then WUR’s apps, such as SCB APP and SCB GYM, would be useful to you if you want to see sports schedules and book an activity.

Miscellaneous

The Marktplaats app is the go-to place in the Netherlands for buying and selling second-hand stuff, from bikes and furniture to electronics and clothes. It’s perfect when you’ve just moved and need affordable essentials, and also great if you want to sell things you don’t use anymore and make a bit of extra money.

These are not all!

Of course, there are many more apps that other students might find useful to live in the Netherlands, but these are mine. More apps are available for navigation, translation, cycling routes, etc. Once you have them, it will be very easy to get adapted into Dutch lifestyle. If you have more apps to share, let us know.

Cheers,

Samir