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The Night of the Refugee is on the weekend of Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 June 2023.
The 10- and 20-kilometre evening routes begin on Saturday 17 June at 6 pm in five cities: Amersfoort, Tilburg, Nijmegen, Haarlem and Rotterdam. Each route starts and finishes at the same location: the walk ends where it begins.
Participants can finish before 11:30 pm.
The 40-kilometre night routes begin at 12 midnight in five cities. Participants will be walking from one city to another: Amersfoort to Utrecht, Tilburg to Eindhoven, Nijmegen to Arnhem, Haarlem to Amsterdam, Rotterdam to The Hague.
Participants can finish on Sunday between 6 am and 12 pm.
This year we’ve added a Sunday morning route. Participants can join the 40 kilometer route from a designated resting point. In the location overview below you can see where and at what time the participants are expected. The participants also receive a starting card and a safety vest at the rest point.
Because it concerns a pilot, only a limited number of people can register for this route and we have extra contact moments with this group of participants
Each participant is required to register separately through nachtvandevluchteling.nl. This includes participants walking as a team. That enables us to give each participant their own e-ticket: a requirement for a start card. And participants need a start card to take part. While there is no registration fee and no minimum sponsoramount, our aim is to raise as much as possible for emergency aid for refugees.
Registration for each route closes as soon as the maximum number of participants is reached. If the maximum isn’t reached, registration closes two weeks before the event. Registration at the start of the route is not permitted.
All locations can be found below:
Locations NvdV23
In May, all participants will receive an email with the latest practical information about their route. We also provide suggestions where you can best park if you come by bicycle or car and how you can best reach the start and finish location by public transport.
Because regional transport does not yet run on time everywhere on Sunday morning, we will use shuttle buses from the finish location to the train station on some routes.
Each participant receives a personal e-ticket when registering, even participants who are part of a team. These e-tickets will be sent digitally by email around Friday, 2 June. Participants show their e-ticket (on their phone or printed) at the registration desk at the start of the route to receive a start card. Participants can collect team-mates’ start cards if they show their e-ticket.
Registration of the 10 and 20-kilometre routes: Saturday 17 June from 4:30 pm. The official program starts at 5.40 pm.
Registration of the 40-kilometre routes: Saturday 17 June from 10:30 pm. The official program starts at 11:40 pm.
Registration of the Sunday morning trial routes: Sunday 18 June between 6 am and 7 am at waypoint 2 or 3 (participants can start walking directly).
Four resting stops (waypoints) are provided on each 40-kilometre route. Each 10- and 20-kilometre evening route has one resting stop. Tea, coffee and water are available, as well as first aid and toilets.
Tea, coffee and water
At the start and finish of each walk, and at the resting stops, participants are offered free tea and coffee and water upon showing their start card. Resting stops are equipped with a water tap for participants to fill their bottles or flasks.
Refreshments
At the start and finish, and some resting stops, snacks and soft drinks will be available for purchase. We advise participants to bring sufficient provisions for the walk.
The routes largely run on public foot and cycle paths. Participants are responsible for their own safety. There are traffic controllers at some points. There are many route arrows on the route (usually attached to lampposts and fences) and you will find chalk markings on the ground, so that it is clearly visible how participants should walk. Participants will also receive a written route which is handy to have at hand, together with Google Maps.
The event is not a race or a marathon. There is no prize for the first to cross the line. Indeed, running can create dangerous situations. Since participants will be walking in the evening and at night, to ensure that everyone is clearly visible, participants will receive a hi-vis vest and a bicycle lamp at the start of the route. These can be returned at the finish. Participants are also advised to bring a torch to enlighten themselves or the path as they walk.
Organisers will be visibly present and accessible. All volunteers and service providers will be wearing a yellow Night of the Refugee T-shirt and badge.
Participants are reminded that temperatures can drop considerably in the evening and at night. Our advice is to bring rainwear, warm clothes and some extra dry clothes, and good (well worn) walking shoes and socks.
What to bring checklist:
Throughout the event, the organisation helpdesk can be reached by phone: the number is on the start card. This may prove vital if participants find themselves stranded or unable to continue. Please ensure that you bring a fully charged phone with WhatsApp. If you need to contact the helpdesk you may have to share your current location via WhatsApp.
In case of an emergency, if participants need to be collected en route, a support vehicle is available. Call the helpdesk and assistance will be sent. Depending on where you are collected, you will be brought either to the nearest train station or to one of the resting stops. Since there is often limited or no public transport at night, it would be useful to have friends or family ready in case you need to be collected.
Friends and family are more than welcome at the Night of the Refugee. There’s always a party atmosphere at the finish – not just for participants, for supporters too. So bring your family and friends!