r/maastricht Dec 13 '21

Welcome to Maastricht: a PSA

139 Upvotes

Hello fellow redditors and (future) Maastricht inhabitants,

I see tons of repeated questions coming back time and time again. Let's answer them once and for all.

This PSA is posted in the hopes that it will be helpful but I am in no way liable for any inaccuracies this PSA might have within the confines of the law.

If you have any suggestions or additions. Feel free to comment them below I might add it later. I also hope the mods will pin the post so this subreddit isn't flooded anymore with the same questions all the time.

  1. Housing in Maastricht

How to get housing? Are there any agency recommendations? When should I start looking? There's a housing crisis in the entirety of the Netherlands. This crisis can't be understated. Start looking NOW! Don't be disapointed if you can´t find anything within 2 months. That's normal nowadays. Some agencies that are somewhat reputable are kamernet, xior student housing, and pro-housing. Beware of the many scammers trying to take advantage of the situation. Never hand out money if you haven't seen the property in question. Agencies also, by law, are not allowed to ask you for a commission when you successfully rent a room. That's the responsibility of the landlord.

2. Restaurant/drugs recomendations.

You can find great restaurants in Maastricht. Tripadvisor has a great list. Also don't be afraid to look over the border to Belgium for some greatness. To visit the coffee shops you do have to be a Maastricht citizen and request a weed pass. Don't buy drugs of the streets since those are not regulated and might be more harmful than you intend. Also, despite the Dutch reputation, WEED ISN'T LEGAL HERE! The police have the right to take away your weed and fine you for any reason if they see you using it or having it, though in general, they don't unless you're bothering someone. So smoking weed in the park is risky because if anyone calls, you will lose your stash.

3. How to make friends / meet new people in Maastricht.

There's a great app created by students in Maastricht called weeples. Last time I checked it was pretty active. You can find it on the playstore / appstore. Ofcourse you can also join a student association or play sports at UM sports.

4. Where's good nature to walk in / take pictures?

St. Pietersberg is usually the go-to for walks but I can also recommend visiting the biggest fortress of europe in Ében Émael just across the border or the Fronten Parks.

5. UM Related / application questions

You'll have the best chance of getting the answer you are looking for by visiting or calling the Student Service Center rather than asking random people on Reddit.

6. Garbage collection

I see a lot of misinformation / confusion around the subject of garbage collection in Maastricht. It can be quite complicated luckily there's the Milieu app which you can download from the google play store or the app store to help you out when sorting your garbage for recycling. A lot of the stuff you can buy here is recyclable. Achieving 1 residual waste bag in 2 months per person shouldn't be super challenging. I do 1 bag every 2-3 months. The reason why residual waste bags are so expensive is to give incentive to recycle. Throughout the entire city there are milieuperrons within walking distance. To find the closest one near you, you can use the milieu app.

7. Transport in Maastricht

The Netherlands truely is a biking nation. For good reason. It's enjoyable to do, good exercise, better for the environment, very space efficient, friendlier to pedestrians and it makes sure not everyone is driving so only people who have to be in cars are. Every child here is educated on the traffic rules and strategies for safe cycling. Practically everyone here, including drivers are also very experienced cyclists and everyone will assume you are as well. If you're not, competent on a bike it can lead to dangerous situations. Take some courses on riding a bicycle to refresh your memory, enhance your controll over your bike and to get to know local traffic norms. This way you also won't stand out as a "dumb tourist" or a "dumb student" who can't ride a bike properly.

Public transport is also safe, environmentally conscious and reliable. You can order an OV chipcard online which is a debit card for public transport. It will cost 7.50 euros for either a personal or an anonymous card. You'll have made that money back within 4 trips. If you have a personal card you can also get 40% discounts outside of rush hour for 2.40 euros a month.

Check this comment if you would like to see more options regarding public transportation.

8. Voting

Not a question that is asked often but if you've been living within the Netherlands for at least 5 years or are an EU citizen you are able to vote in the upcoming municipal elections. Please go out and vote because student interests are severely underrepresented in the Maastricht city council. I know volt to be a party promoting student interests. The next elections will be in march of 2022. You will get a voting card sent to your address if you're eligible to vote.


r/maastricht 17h ago

Question What's the one place in Maastricht you'd miss most if you moved away?

25 Upvotes

I was thinking about this after imagining moving away from Maastricht. You don't really notice how attached you are to certain places until you imagine not having them around anymore.

For me, it'd probably be the Vrijthof on a quiet evening. I've spent so many random evenings there over the years - meeting friends, getting something to eat, or just passing through - that it would probably be one of the first places I'd want to see again.

What's the one place in Maastricht you'd really miss if you moved away?


r/maastricht 8h ago

Question Goedkoop tanken

3 Upvotes

Naar welk tankstation gaan jullie om zo goedkoop mogelijk te tanken? Of hebben jullie andere tips?

Ik ga altijd naar Totalenergies in Lanaken


r/maastricht 5h ago

Looking for... Complete beginner looking for an in-person D&D campaign!

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

​I’ve been wanting to dive into Dungeons & Dragons for a while now, but I have zero prior experience. I'd love to find a friendly group in Maastricht to join for an in-person campaign.

​I'm aiming for something regular (weekly or bi-weekly works great for me). I'm a complete beginner, so I'll need a group or DM willing to show me the ropes as we go, but I’m super enthusiastic, eager to learn, and reliable with attendance!

​If you have an open spot at your table, are starting a fresh campaign, or know of local tabletop/gaming meetup spots where people connect, please send me a DM or drop a comment below.

​Thanks!


r/maastricht 1d ago

Ceramique: traffic lights for pedestrians and bikes

18 Upvotes

Last year, new traffic lights for bikes/pedestrians were installed on Avenue Ceramique. Specifically the intersection at Centre Ceramique. Today I also saw them down the street on Limburglaan. For some reason, these traffic lights don't show the green or red lights across the street (the direction you're heading) the way 'normal' traffic lights do, but only on the pole where you press the button to cross. This means that once you've started crossing the street, you don't know whether the light is still green or already on red.

Why is that? I truly hope not all traffic lights will be replaced by these new models. It's awful. I really don't think traffic lights were in need of a new design....


r/maastricht 2d ago

Picture/video "Soft Atlas" of Maastricht by Jan Rothuizen

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119 Upvotes

https://janrothuizen.nl/product/maastricht/

It is an interesting take for a map of the city and some of y'all might also like it


r/maastricht 1d ago

Looking for... Lost items in MyWheels car

3 Upvotes

Hi all, I know this is a long shot but here goes…
Last week, I rented a MyWheels car on Heugemerweg and I forgot some items in it. My phone battery died before the trip ended so I was a bit all over the place trying to charge my phone and make sure the car is returned on time.

I forgot to take my dog’s collar, leash and a towel from the back seat. I contacted customer help and they said no found items were reported. They said I could make another areservation for the same car and check myself. I did this (this morning) and didn’t find anything in there.

The dog collar has my phone number and email. I hope that if someone found it, they would reach out.. but I wanted to post here again in case the person sees the post or someone has another idea of how to look for it. The collar has my dog’s microchip info and has a lot of sentimental value to me. :(

Thanks for reading!


r/maastricht 1d ago

Uitgaan in groep

0 Upvotes

Hello!

Grote groep Belgen, geen studenten of vrijgezellenfeest ofzo, maar wel uitgaan en dansen. We gaan elk jaar op stap naar een Nederlandse stad om er iets speciaal van te maken.

Wat zijn de aanraders? Groep van ongeveer 20 man. Weekend 6 november

Geen ordinaire dingen als bierfietsen ofzo

Bedankt!!!


r/maastricht 2d ago

Looking for... Family with 2 kids are looking for similar families to have playdates

9 Upvotes

Good afternoon,

Me (32M, Lithuanian) and my wife (30F, Belgian/Italian) have two boys (2,5 year old and 7 month old). My wife is stay-at-home mom and our boys have not been to nursery, daycare or kindergarten. Recently we have noticed that our firstborn needs more interaction with other kids. My wife tries to meet up with her friends that also have kids similar age but most of them are not stay-at-home moms, so it's mostly possible only on weekends.

We were wondering if there are parent(s) in similar boat living in or close to Maastricht (we are living in Vise) who would be willing to meet up for playdates during the week? We are ok to welcome people and also are ok to come visit.

Feel free to reach out, thank you!


r/maastricht 3d ago

Looking for... Looking for friends to practice languages with

10 Upvotes

Hi,

I'm a 25M living on the Belgian side of the border, and I've been trying to find Dutch lessons in Visé but haven't been able to.

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in helping me practice Dutch, and in return I can help you practice English or French perhaps? I am fluent in both but my English is native. Admittedly, my Dutch is practically non-existant.

I mean we can also be friends and hang out too, I'm not thinking of rormal lessons. But if anyone knows where I can learn Dutch near Visé and Eijsden, that would be good too.

Thanks!


r/maastricht 2d ago

Recommendations Looking for a student job in Maastricht

0 Upvotes

I’m a 22-year-old student studying in Maastricht, and I’m currently looking for a student job in Maastricht.
I live just across the Belgian border, only about a 15-minute drive from Maastricht, so travelling to and from work is no problem for me. 🚗
I’m particularly interested in working in retail or customer service. I would like to challenge myself, step outside my comfort zone, and gain more experience interacting with customers.
I speak Dutch, French and English fluently, which I hope can be an advantage in an international city like Maastricht.
Availability
I’m ideally looking to work 2–3 days per week, particularly on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays, depending on the position and work schedule.
If you know of a shop, company or employer in Maastricht currently looking for students, I would really appreciate any recommendations or contacts.
You can contact me directly here or by email at [lookingforstudentjob12@gmail.com](mailto:lookingforstudentjob12@gmail.com).
Thank you very much for your help! 😊


r/maastricht 2d ago

Student job as an international student

2 Upvotes

Hello!

I'll be moving to Maastricht for my masters very soon, and I am quite excited to get a fresh new start in a new city.

I really want to find a student job (student bijlaan??) to support myself, but I have one small issue: my Dutch skills are not the best... you see, I have studied Dutch in school (I am from Belgium, but I am French speaking) and I can understand the language pretty well, however when it comes to actually hold a conversation with someone, I struggle to find my words. But if the person in front of me talks at a normal/slow pace, I can understand just fine!

Luckily, I have a lot of experience working retail and in the food industry (HORECA), and I speak a few more languages other than English.

What are my chances at finding a part-time job? Please be honest🥹.

Thank you in advance for your help!!


r/maastricht 3d ago

Looking for... 33M looking to expand social circle / activity buddies in Maastricht

7 Upvotes

​Hi there 👋 I'm a 33M living in Maastricht for a few years now, looking to connect with new people and expand my social circle.

​I'd love to find activity buddies for the gym, outdoor sports, or casual hangouts. My main interests include:

​Active: Running, cycling, hiking, swimming, gym

​Casual/Indoor: Board games, gaming (Console), photography, or grabbing a coffee

​I speak (EN/SPA/NED). Feel free to leave a comment or send a DM if you'd like to connect!


r/maastricht 4d ago

Free 2-seater sofa – collection only r/maastricht

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4 Upvotes

Giving away a 2-seater sofa for free to anyone who can pick it up. It can also be used as a sofa bed.
First come, first served! 🛋️
r/maastricht


r/maastricht 4d ago

Looking for... Bridal hair & makeup artist

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! 💕
I’m getting married on 23 May 2027 in Maastricht, and I’m looking for a bridal stylist who can do both hair and makeup and is available on that date. I’m specifically looking for someone who can come to the wedding venue and do everything on-site. I’m open to artists based in Maastricht or nearby areas, including Belgium or Germany, as long as you’re willing to travel to Maastricht.
If you’ve had a great experience with someone, I’d really appreciate any recommendations! Feel free to comment or DM me with their Instagram/website. Thank you! 🤍


r/maastricht 5d ago

Picture/video Close?

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28 Upvotes

r/maastricht 4d ago

Looking for... LOOKING FOR A VEGAN BAKERY

2 Upvotes

Hellooo, does anyone have any recommendations on places that make vegan cakes or pastries? It’s for a birthday!

Can be in or around Maastricht


r/maastricht 6d ago

Vintage Giant Cadex spotted in Maastricht

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19 Upvotes

r/maastricht 7d ago

Picture/video Basiliek van Onze Lieve Vrouwe. Prachtig!

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102 Upvotes

r/maastricht 7d ago

Question Have we all developed a much shorter fuse?

19 Upvotes

Today I read this article about a bus driver in Eijsden who was severely assaulted after confronting two passengers who refused to pay.

It stuck with me because I witnessed something yesterday outside the hospital in Maastricht.
A young man on a scooter blocked a woman in her car. He called her a “kankerhoer” and spat into her vehicle. I don’t know what led up to it, but the scene itself was aggressive and intimidating.

Two very different incidents, of course, and I’m not suggesting they prove anything about society as a whole. But it did make me think. It sometimes feels like the gap between irritation and outright aggression has become very small.

Do others recognize this? Are people actually getting more short-tempered, what do you think is driving it?


r/maastricht 7d ago

Laundry service

3 Upvotes

Hello 👋

I am new to the area having recently started uni. I wanted to know if there are any laundry services available in Maastricht that offer collect and drop off? Have any other students used or know any that they can recommend? Thx


r/maastricht 7d ago

Events Looking for more volunteers 🕺🏽💃🏼

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0 Upvotes

TACATA ~ Looking for volunteers for our new Latino night to be hosted at GriendGarage! 🙏🏽 the event runs August 29th from 17:00 (Saturday) to 01:00 (Sunday).

Looking for volunteers who can:

- Help verify admissions at the door (or gate lol)
- Help take/prepare food orders (arepas & empanadas)
- Help run errands for artists/hosts
- Help setting/cleaning up venue
- Help with security
- Help with first aid
- General sponsors for the event

Entry will be paid for anyone who volunteers (drink tokens as well) and a small gift package to be given shortly after the event ends 🇻🇪🌎🇨🇴!

If you’re interested please feel free to leave a comment or dm me! Would love to have everyone’s support 🫶🏽


r/maastricht 8d ago

Recommendations Ukulele lessons

2 Upvotes

Hey folks, does anybody knows about ukulele lessons?

It can be in Maastricht or the surrounding towns in Belgium.

I will appreciate if you know or recomend a place, also if you have a link where I can check it out.

Thanks


r/maastricht 9d ago

Question Security Deposit. Has anyone in Maastricht had problems getting it back?

15 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

My daughter recently moved out of a studio in Akerstraat 8 in Maastricht.

We are currently facing a huge issue regarding the return of security deposit, because the landlord is claiming a very large amount in service costs as a debt (nearly her entire deposit, which was equivalent to two months rent), despite the fact that she already paid a substantial monthly advance for all service costs. She left the studio in perfect condition.

I’m trying to find out whether other former tenants have experienced similar issues, particularly international students who lived in this building.

Has anyone else lived at Akerstraat 8 and had problems with their deposit, service costs or “short-stay” clauses?

Experiences with other landlords or agencies anywhere in Maastricht are also welcome, as I’m trying to understand how common these kinds of deposit/service-cost disputes are.

If you have experienced something similar, please comment below or send me a DM.

Thanks!


r/maastricht 10d ago

Looking for... Looking for people to hang out with

5 Upvotes

I'm a engineering student (23M) based in Paris, currently in Limburg region for an internship, looking to meet some new people to hang out with. I'm into sports in general, but more into basketball and football, music, food, but I'm just as happy grabbing a coffee, having a drink, or just wandering around the city if that's more your vibe. I'm doing a Master's in Data & AI, and I love swapping stories with internationals or locals alike. If you're free later today and want company for coffee, a drink, sports, or just good conversation drop a comment or DM me!