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A piece of magic hidden on the edge of the city.

The Kralingse Bos in Rotterdam will be the setting for a special evening walk this autumn for the fourth time in a row. Whispering trees, fascinating light projections and enchanting sounds create a magical spectacle. The forest will come alive all over again!

Let yourself be carried along an entirely new walking route of over 2 kilometres, full of innovative techniques and mysterious surprises, as you walk through the dark. Marvel at the illuminated nature and discover the Kralingse Bos as you have never seen it before!

From 12 October to 29 October 2023, De Grote Schijn will be open in the evening until 11pm. The times when forest lights up varies as it gets darker earlier each day.

To avoid queues at the entrance and make the experience as pleasant as possible, we work with time slots of 15 minutes. After choosing your day, you can choose a time slot during which you can enter. It is not possible to change the time slot after booking.

Prefer to be more flexible? With a flex ticket you are not tied to a time slot and you can choose when you walk into the forest on your chosen day through a separate entrance.

There is plenty of time to walk the easily accessible route of about 2 kilometres at your own pace. All lights will go out at 11pm.

De Grote Schijn in Rotterdam takes place on the east-south side of the Kralingse Bos in Rotterdam. The entrance is near the intersection of Prinses Beatrixlaan and Stinsenlaantje.  A detailed plan of the area will be available on the website from October. 

On average, the 2-kilometre route can be completed in about 60 minutes, but you can take longer or shorter.

By foot

You can enter the forest from Kralingseweg. The entrance is near the intersection of Prinses Beatrixlaan and Stinsenlaantje.

Bicycle

There is a free unguarded bicycle parking area near the entrance. Please only park your bicycle in the designated bicycle parking facilities.

Public transport

De Grote Schijn is easily accessible by public transport. It is about a 15 minute walk to the entrance from bus/metro stop Kralingse Zoom, bus/tram stop Essenlaan or tram/metro stop Voorschoterlaan.. The route to the entrance of De Grote Schijn and back to Kralingse Zoom is signposted.

Shared e-moped

There is a unguarded parking area for shared e-mopeds at the intersection of Kralingseweg and Pr. Beatrixlaan, near the entrance. Please only park your e-moped in the designated area so it won’t get in the way of other visitors and emergency services.

Car

There is parking available at Park & Ride Kralingse Zoom Rotterdam, an about 15 minute walk from the entrance. You can also use other Park & Ride options around Rotterdam and travel by public transport to bus/metro stop Kralingse Zoom.  The route to the entrance of De Grote Schijn and back to Kralingse Zoom is signposted. There is no parking directly around De Grote Schijn and we would like to ask you not to park in the neighbourhoods around the Kralingse Bos either. Please note that the Pr. Beatrixlaan will be partially closed.

De Grote Schijn is magical for all ages! Children up to 3 years old can enter for free.

There are no lockers, cloakrooms or storage available to store your belongings.

You are not allowed to bring large bags or backpacks during the walk. Exceptions are handbags with a size of up to A4 and a thickness of approximately 10 centimetres, these are allowed in the forest.

The route takes you over mostly paved paths and boarding. This makes De Grote Schijn in Rotterdam easily accessible even if you have difficulty walking or use a wheelchair. If you are in a wheelchair, you can use the same entrance as the regular entrance. The entrance is located near the intersection of Stinsenlaantje and Dressuurlaantje.

There is a car park near the entrance for people with limited mobility. Navigate to Prinses Beatrixlaan 7. Please note that you must have a EU disability card to park here.

More information can be found under the ‘accessibility’ section.

The route is on mostly paved paths and boarding. Therefore De Grote Schijn in Rotterdam is also accessible with a pram. If you come with a pram, you can use the same entrance as the regular entrance. The entrance is located near the crossing of Stinsenlaantje and Dressuurlaantje.

First aid is available during opening hours. There are also service staff along the route who you can talk to and ask for help.

De Grote Schijn is a small-scale production where the park remains freely accessible during the day.

Fences will be installed at a number of points along the route and will be closed daily just before the start of the event. These fences will be reopened around 6am every morning so you can use the park as you are used to!  

Taking photos with your mobile phone or a (SLR) camera is allowed without flash! However, we do ask you to leave your tripod and other large equipment at home. Furthermore, it is only allowed to use image and/or sound recordings for private purposes. Press requests can be done by e-mail at info@degroteschijn.nl.

Should there be an autumn shower, De Grote Schijn will go on as usual. Rain makes De Grote Schijn shine even brighter with an extra element to the experience. Bring a warm (rain) coat, poncho and/or boots. A small foldable umbrella is also allowed.

Dogs are unfortunately not allowed on the walking route of De Grote Schijn in Rotterdam. An exception to this rule concerns service dogs.

We provide smoke screens, sometimes as thick as fog. But we need to keep the route smoke-free for an experience enjoyable for everyone. Enjoy nature with all its power and wonderful smells and give other visitors the chance to do so as well. De Grote Schijn is completely smoke-free and thus smoking is not allowed on the route and event grounds.

Talk about the magic and wonder afterwards at the catering square near the exit. Here you can buy various sweet snacks such as churros, biscuits from Koekela and marshmallows to roast by the fire. A real autumn walk should of course be finished with a mug of hot chocolate, but if you fancy something else, soft drinks, water, tea and coffee are also available.

Would you like to eat before or after the experience? This is possible at one of the restaurants in the area.

It is only possible to pay contactless, therefore it is not possible to pay with cash.

Want to grab a bite in the Kralingse Bos before De Grote Schijn? This is possible at one of the restaurants in the area:

• De Schone Lei
• Restaurant De Tuin
• Restaurant Golfclub Kralingen
• Pannenkoekenhuis De Nachtegaal
• Brasserie Woodz
• Pannenkoekenhuis De Big
• Beach House Kralingen
• Snackkiosk De Eekhoorn

Or make an active day with the kids:

• Fun Forest Rotterdam

It is not possible to change the day or time slot after purchasing your tickets.

However, you can offer your tickets for sale via the Ticketmaster resale platform and buy new tickets for the desired time slot. More information about the Ticketmaster resale platform can be found here.

The only official ticketing partner of De Grote Schijn is Ticketmaster. Click on ‘book your tickets’ at the bottom of this page and you will be redirected to the Ticketmaster website automatically.

First choose the day you want to visit De Grote Schijn in Rotterdam. Then select the desired time slot under ‘choose my seats’. You can enter during this 15-minute time slot. Please double check which date and time slot is on your ticket. It is not possible to visit De Grote Schijn at another location or time than the date and time slot stated on your ticket. It is not possible to change the time slot after booking.

Having trouble with or questions about your tickets? Please contact Ticketmaster.

Each ticket gives access to 1 magical walk in the forest during your chosen time slot.

When buying tickets, you can select your preferred time slot under ‘choose my seats’ after selecting your preferred day. It is not possible to change the time slot after booking.

Prefer to be flexible when it comes to the time slots? This is possible with a flex ticket. With a flex ticket you are not tied to a time slot and you can choose when you walk into the forest on your chosen day through a separate entrance.

You can order a maximum of eight tickets per person. Do you want to come with a larger group? Then please email info@degroteschijn.nl.

No, it is only possible to buy tickets online in advance.

No, it is not possible to visit De Grote Schijn at a time other than the date and time slot on your ticket. Please double check which date and time slot are on your ticket.

It is not possible to change the time slot after booking.

Children up to 3 years old have free access to De Grote Schijn. They do not need a ticket and can simply enter with their parents/guardians.

Would you rather not be stuck to a time slot? Then opt for a flexticket. With a flexticket you are not tied to a time slot and you can choose when you walk into the forest on your chosen day through a separate entrance.

Especially for families with young children, there are extra early time slots during twilight. Keep in mind that dusk may affect some show elements that are best admired in the darkness.

By logging into your account on the Ticketmaster website, you can retrieve your purchased tickets again. Have you forgotten the password for your Ticketmaster account? Request a new password via the login page on the Ticketmaster website.

Log in to your Ticketmaster account, here you will find all tickets purchased with your account. If you can’t find your tickets there, please contact Ticketmaster.

Mobile only tickets are tickets that are directly linked to the Ticketmaster account with which they were purchased. Mobile tickets can only be scanned on your phone. You can access your account via the Ticketmaster app, or via your mobile phone’s browser. There you will find tickets under ‘My Tickets’ in ‘My Account’. The tickets cannot be downloaded as PDFs.

A screenshot of the QR code won’t work either. Only tickets with the special animation will be scanned. More information can be found on Ticketmaster’s website here.

By working with mobile only tickets, we can scan the tickets faster, resulting in much shorter waiting times at the entrance. Besides, we really like trees, without trees there is no forest. Because you no longer need to print your ticket, we use considerably less paper!

Lastly, we want the tickets to be bought by people who go to De Grote Schijn themselves and not by those who resell them for profit. In this way, we want to avoid unwanted brokering as much as possible and give more people the opportunity to buy tickets at the original price. Mobile tickets cannot be resold on external marketplaces, other ticket sites and platforms.

You certainly can! The person who bought the tickets can forward them to others. You can read exactly how that works here.

You certainly can! You can forward the tickets to someone else after buying them. You can read exactly how that works here.

Tickets can be resold via your Ticketmaster account via the Ticketmaster resale platform. This way, the buyer is assured of valid tickets. Click here for more information. It is not possible to sell mobile tickets on external marketplaces, other ticket sites and platforms.

The only official ticketing partner of De Grote Schijn is Ticketmaster. De Grote Schijn works with mobile only tickets which are linked directly to the account you used to buy tickets. This way you are assured of a real and valid ticket.

Because mobile only tickets are used, reselling tickets is only possible through Ticketmaster’s resale platform.

For more information, please visit weetwaarjekoopt.nl.

Do you have other questions about buying tickets for De Grote Schijn? The Ticketmaster website contains extensive information on mobile tickets and other matters.

Before or after the walk, you can visit the catering square for drinks, meals, savoury snacks and sweet treats. Delicious vegan options are available as well. Indulge your inner self with (vegetarian) split pea soup, loaded fries with (vegetarian) stew, a meatball sandwich or churros, among other things. Roasting marshmallows by the fire or reminiscing with a cup of hot chocolate is the perfect end to a magical autumn walk! The catering square can be found next to the entrance and is freely accessible without a ticket.

It is only possible to pay contactless, therefore it is not possible to pay with cash.

You are not allowed to bring your own food and/or drinks to De Grote Schijn.

Our various caterers offer food for the most common allergies. Please tell them about your allergies before ordering.

The route is on mostly paved paths and boarding. This makes De Grote Schijn easily accessible with, for example, a wheelchair or walker. There is a car park near the entrance for people with limited mobility. Navigate to Prinses Beatrixlaan 7. Please note that you must have a EU disability card to park here.

The route you take is on mostly paved paths and duckboards. Therefore De Grote Schijn in Rotterdam is easily accessible by wheelchair. If you use a wheelchair, you can use the same entrance as the regular entrance. The entrance is located near the crossing of Stinsenlaantje and Dressuurlaantje.

There is a parking near the entrance for people with limited mobility. Navigate to Prinses Beatrixlaan 7. Please note that you must have a EU disability card to park here.

There is no separate entrance. The regular entrance to the forest is wide enough for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Since we work with time slots, we can minimise long queues.

There is a car park near the entrance for people with limited mobility. Navigate to Prinses Beatrixlaan 7. Please note that you must have a EU disability card to park here.

De Grote Schijn is a quiet walking route of about 2 kilometers long that you can walk at your own pace. It is your own responsibility and choice to visit De Grote Schijn. Consult with your GP or midwife if necessary. There are no extra facilities that you can make use of.

There are no special facilities available for people with an auditive and/or visual impairment.

Servicedogs are allowed on the route.

De Grote Schijn contains light flashes and may not be suitable for visitors with epilepsy.

We want to avoid disturbing everything that grows and flourishes. The route goes almost entirely along existing paths and everything is planned in close consultation with the area manager and ecologists who closely monitor the flora and fauna in the area. The timeslots help to manage the capacity of visitors on the route at the same time.

At request of De Grote Schijn, the ecological effects of the event will be assessed by an external organisation. We are therefore very pleased that their findings show that our team is taking all possible measures to minimise the impact and that the animals in the forest show little to no signs of being affected by the activities around De Grote Schijn.

We would like to ask visitors to do their bit by not leaving the paths during the walk and depositing rubbish in the bins that can be found before, along and after the route. We can only enjoy the magic in a clean park!  

> Find out more about our sustainability policy

We can only enjoy the magic in a clean forest. Keep that in mind and deposit waste in bins or take it home with you.

You can find the house rules here.

We provide smoke screens, sometimes as dense as fog. Furthermore, we like to keep the route smoke-free to keep the experience enjoyable for everyone. Enjoy nature with all its power and wonderful smells and give other visitors the chance to do so as well. De Grote Schijn is completely smoke-free and thus smoking is not allowed on the route and event grounds.

Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited for visitors under 18 years of age. Drugs are not allowed at De Grote Schijn, this applies to all visitors.

Bring a warm coat and comfortable (walking) shoes. Feel free to bring a pram or buggy for the little ones.

Please note that scooters, skateboards, bicycles or other objects with wheels are not allowed on the route, except for medical devices. We request that you leave food, drinks and torches or other lights at home. Dogs or other pets are also not allowed on the route.

For safety reasons, bags may be searched at the entrance. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, please check De Grote Schijn’s house rules or contact us at info@degroteschijn.nl. In general: if you are in doubt about whether something is allowed, it is probably not allowed.

You can read the general terms and conditions here.

You can read the privacy statement here.

This year, De Grote Schijn will not take place in Arnhem. Subscribe to the newsletter at the bottom of this page so you will be the first to know about future editions in Arnhem or other cities!

You can fill out this form if you’d like to make a press request. Please note that submitting a press request does not automatically mean you will receive a press pass for De Grote Schijn.

We are sorry to hear that you have a complaint about De Grote Schijn. Please email us at info@degroteschijn.nl and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

You can find all the necessary info on our website. Send us an email at info@degroteschijn.nl or talk to us on social media if you have any further questions. We will get back to you as soon as possible.