The emergency number in the Netherlands is: 112.

Huisarts – general practitioner

You should subscribe yourself at a GP and you will get an intake.

Huisartsenpost – emergency GP outside working hours

Call: 046 400 9925

Police non-emergency

When you need to call the police and it is not an emergcy, call 0900 8844.

Tandarts – dentist

You should subscribe yourself at a dentist practice before you can be treated. In case of an emergency, you call your own dentist first. If not on duty you will get a tape with the number you should call.

Apotheek – pharmacy

You should subscribe yourself at a pharmacy to get medicines subscribed by your general practitioner.

Before you open a bank account, you need to choose which bank suits your needs. Take into account that most banks charge a yearly fee for having an account with them.

Biggest banks in the Netherlands

• ABN AMRO (in English)
• Rabobank
• ING
• SNS Bank
• ASN Bank
• Triodos

Digital / Mobile banks

• bunq (in English)
• Revolut (in English)
• Knab

iDEAL is a Dutch online payment platform mostly used for e-commerce.

You can reach the municipality of Sittard-Geleen via their (English) website.

Public transportation (train, bus, tram): 9292.nl
App: 9292 reisplanner OV + e-ticket  or NS (only train)
OV-chipkaart.nl

Second hand bikes via bikeshops or Marktplaats (App, also for everything else secondhand). Bikeshops also have a small collection of secondhand bikes. Make sure you have a bike lock and lights.

Waste has to be separated: 

1. GFT in the green trash can (vegetables and fruit, garden waste) 
2. Rest waste in the grey/black trash can 
3. PMD (Plastic, metal, cans, drink cartons) in PMD bags (available at the local supermarket, ask for it at the counter)
4. Paper to put in cardboard boxes
5. Chemical waste

If you live in the city centers you might need to use trash bags in stead of trash cans.

There is an app for all the waste: RWM  In there you can enter your postcode and see what rules apply to your address.

There is no international school in Sittard-Geleen. There is one in Maastricht (https://www.uwcmaastricht.nl/).

Local schools are all in Dutch. There are 3 secondary schools:

• Trevianum https://Trevianum.nl
• Graaf Huyn https://graafhuyn.nl
• Da Capo College https://dacapokijktnaarmij.nl/

In the bigger cities/villages (Sittard, Geleen, Born) there are schools in almost every neighbourhood. In the smaller villages (Limbricht, Munstergeleen, Einighausen) there is usually only one school but are always reachable by bike.

All schools are obliged to take any child that is signed up for the school. There are special language classes for the children who don’t speak Dutch yet.

Tourist office www.visitzuidlimburg.nl Office: Rosmolenstraat 2 Sittard

On this website you find events that are organized in Sittard-Geleen: https://www.insittardgeleen.nl/en/recreation/

All sports are organized in associations. Here’s an overview off all the sport associations (in Dutch): https://www.sportstichting.org/49,per-sport.htm

Dutch language course: www.tarton.nl – www.ste.nl – https://dutchcoursesinmaastricht.nl/

In the library of Sittard every Thursday 10-12h there is a Taalcafé where you can practice the Dutch you have already started learning. It is not a language course

Questions about formalities in the Netherlands can be asked at Expat Centre Maastricht Region. This is for the whole region Zuid-Limburg where Sittard-Geleen is part of. www.expatcentremaastrichtregion.nl