The final game finishes around 4:30 on Sunday. This is followed by the prize giving followed by a few hours of very sociable winding down. If you are booking a flight, try to get one as late as possible on Sunday or, even better, wait until Monday. Leaving early and missing the final is bad. Missing the plane is also not good. Late planes avoid having to make the choice. Warning: booking a taxi to the airport is no guarantee it will arrive or that someone else will not steal it.
When are the games?
On Saturday and Sunday the games begin at 10 o'clock. Games finish around 5 o'clock on Saturday and on Sunday. There is usually a couple of hours of warming down in the beer tents afterwards which eases pressure on the public transport infrastructure.
How much do tickets cost?
The price of a passe-partout for both days is €15.00.
The price of a ticket for Sunday only is €10.00. Note, if you lose your Passe Partout, you will have to buy a day ticket on Sunday so keep it in a safe place.
The pre-sale price of a passe-partout ordered via this website is €10.00. Send an e-mail with details to info@amsterdamsevens.com. The tickets must be paid for in advance and can be picked up at the gate.
Children under 12 years guided by an adult have free admission.
Tickets can be bought at the gate. Each team entering gets 15 entry tickets in return for their entry fee for players and club officials.
It is not allowed to bring food and beverages into the premises
Where is the tournament held and how do I get there?
The Heineken Amsterdam Sevens is held at
National Rugby Centre Amsterdam Sportpark de Eendracht Bok de Korverweg 1067 HR Amsterdam
Getting there
By Public Transport
Bus 21 from Amsterdam Central Station takes you directly to the NRCA. The buses leave approximately every half hour. It takes more than half an hour to get to NRCA.
Bus 192 goes from Sloterdijk Station to Schiphol P40 and gets you to the ground (Freule Wttewaalpad) in approximately 10 minutes, twice an hour.
By Taxi or Minibus
There are Taxi ranks on the Leidseplein and at the Central Station. You can also book a taxi or minibus to pick you up. The number of the biggest taxi company is +31 20 7777777.
A number of teams have asked about booking a taxi/minibus to travel to and from the tournament. I think this is an excellent idea removing the rush to get to the bus and also avoids the need to travel with the poor people. I have found the following site (unfortunately only in Dutch) who have 12 minibuses with space for up to 8 people each. If you have more than 8 they send 2 buses. The cost is (according to their site) €25 per single trip from Amsterdam Centre to Amsterdam West. It certainly should not be more than €30. Booking the return in advance costs €50.
Go to www.taxideboer.nl
National Rugby Centre Amsterdam Sportpark de Eendracht Bok de Korverweg 1067 HR Amsterdam No Dutch Telephone therefore cannot ring 0900 6464287 to confirm. Please ring above mobile number to confirm.
They ask you to ring the 0900 number 30 minutes before your pick up to confirm the time but I do not think you can ring an 0900 number from a foreign mobile.
By Road
Don't get lost. The route description below is now the way you get to the National Rugby Centre Amsterdam if you come via Haarlemmerweg (N200), the easiest way for most people coming by road. Follow the signposts to Geuzenveld. Turn left if you are coming from Amsterdam and then turn right at the T Junction about 200 meters further. Immediately after the enforced left turn, turn right onto Cornelis Outshoornstraat which becomes JM den Uylstraat. A little more than a kilometer further there is a bend to the left into the car park. Allow at least half an hour from Central Amsterdam.
Where should I stay?
The Heineken Amsterdam Sevens takes place on the outskirts of Amsterdam at the National Rugby Stadium in Geuzenveld. The only people who stay near the pitch are the occasional happy campers who pitch tents near the pitch. All sensible people stay in the centre of Amsterdam.
The best places to stay are:
Among the many web sites are :
Do I have to wear fancy dress?
This is not compulsory. Some teams bring supporters in theme clothing. Bahrain Vagabonds always come with the gentlemen attired as arabs with tea towels on their heads and Rolexs on their wrists. Possibly not a good idea on the flight this year. Plume of Feathers dress as mythical characters from welsh history such as the red dragon and a working miner. Marauders always dress up but we have never quite worked out a theme other than silliness.
Can I camp at the tournament site?
No. The local council gets very upset about this and there are also security staff who patrol overnight who will ask you to move on if you try to camp there. There are many camping sites around Amsterdam. Possibly the closest to central Amsterdam and the Central Station is Camping Vliegenbos. This is in Amsterdam North, just over the water from the back of Amsterdam Central Station. They claim it is 15 minutes walk from Central Station but I do not intend to test this claim. Address Details are
Camping Vliegenbos, Meeuwenlaan 138, Amsterdam-Noord. Tel. 020 - 6368855, fax 020 - 6322723. www.vliegenbos.com
For more information or applications: E-mail: info@amsterdamsevens.com