Amsterdam RAI, the Dutch national railway company (NS) and the Amsterdam public transport company (GVB) have joined forces to offer visitors free public transport to the international trade exhibition Aquatech Amsterdam. This is a trial project whereby Amsterdam RAI can offer all visitors during the exhibition days rail transport to and from every station in the Netherlands. Visitors can also make unlimited use of public transport in the city of Amsterdam on all GVB (night) buses, the Metro and trams. Aquatech Amsterdam, the world’s leading exhibition in the fields of process, drinking and wastewater, will take place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 in Amsterdam RAI.
“This free public transport project is of major importance for Amsterdam RAI as accessibility will be a crucial aspect of our ongoing success as an exhibition and conference centre,” said Amsterdam RAI Exhibitions General Director Ids Boersma. “The issue of corporate social responsibility has also been given a high profile at Amsterdam RAI. If Amsterdam is not careful, the city will be gridlocked at sometime in the future and we must take our share of the responsibility for ensuring this does not happen.”
The trial is also vital for Aquatech Amsterdam as the exhibition will be held simultaneously with the leading interior design trade fair Woonbeurs. This means that the traffic will be even busier in and around the RAI. “In addition, offering free transport creates extra added value for our most important customer group, namely our visitors,” Boersma says. “Travelling with public transport saves them both time and money.” The parties involved will meet soon to decide on a possible second trial project.
“It is good that we are carrying out this test together as we can serve visitors to the RAI and our customers via the use of combi-tickets,” says GVB General Director Gertjan Kroon. “This initiative is the ideal combination of convenience and environmental awareness.”
Source: Aquatech Amsterdam
