Rotterdam's driverless ParkShuttle celebrates its millionth passenger

A driverless shuttle, a million passenger journeys and a bouquet of flowers. Thursday 22 October was no ordinary day for one ParkShuttle passenger, as Rotterdam's little red-and-white autonomous transport system celebrated a major milestone on its route between Kralingse Zoom and Rivium.

ROTTERDAM, 23 October 2026 - Most commuters are probably happy enough when their ride turns up on time. One passenger on the ParkShuttle got a little something extra: flowers and a celebration to mark the millionth passenger journey aboard the current generation of self-driving vehicles.

Representatives from transport operator Transdev, technology company 2getthere, the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam The Hague (MRDH) and the municipality of Capelle aan den IJssel gathered to mark the occasion. The milestone belongs to the third generation of ParkShuttle vehicles, which entered service in December 2022.

Rotterdam's little driverless pioneer

The ParkShuttle has been quietly doing its thing since 1999, long before self-driving vehicles became a regular topic of conversation. What began as an experimental connection between Kralingse Zoom metro station and the Rivium business park in Capelle aan den IJssel has developed into an established part of the local public transport network.

The current fleet consists of six fully electric shuttles, each carrying up to 22 passengers. Together, they transport approximately 1,850 people on a typical operating day along a 1.8-kilometre route with six stops.

And yes, they really do drive themselves. The vehicles use sensors, magnets embedded in the road surface and onboard computers to follow their designated route. There is no driver sitting behind the wheel, although the system is monitored from a central control room.

For most regular passengers, the novelty has probably worn off by now. What once seemed like science fiction has become a perfectly ordinary way to get to work. As Niels Verlinden of 2getthere put it during the celebration, autonomous driving is no longer an experiment. It is simply public transport.

And while the latest fleet has just reached one million passenger journeys, the ParkShuttle's overall history is considerably longer. Capelle's municipal project information previously reported more than six million journeys since the original service began in 1999.

Parkshuttle verwelkomt miljoenste reiziger

Fancy taking a ride without a driver?

You don't need a special invitation to experience the ParkShuttle. It's part of the public transport network and operates between Kralingse Zoom metro station in Rotterdam and Rivium in Capelle aan den IJssel.

The shuttle runs from Monday to Friday between 06:00 and 21:00. During rush hour, vehicles arrive approximately every two and a half minutes. Outside peak hours, you can request a shuttle using the touchscreen terminal at the stop.

You can pay with your OV-chipkaart or contactless bank card. A standalone journey currently costs €2, although the fare may differ when transferring from another public transport service or using a subscription.

So if you've never been on a driverless vehicle, there's a rather convenient opportunity waiting at Kralingse Zoom. Just don't expect flowers. Those were reserved for a particularly lucky passenger.

For current travel information, visit Transdev's ParkShuttle information page.

More passengers on the horizon

The ParkShuttle's role is expected to become more important as Rivium develops from a predominantly business-oriented area into a mixed residential neighbourhood.

Capelle aan den IJssel plans to add approximately 5,000 homes and accompanying facilities to Rivium by 2035. That will bring more residents, more journeys and a greater need for connections to Rotterdam's public transport network.

For a service that started as an experiment more than a quarter of a century ago, the millionth passenger of its latest generation is a satisfying achievement. The little shuttle has come a long way, even if its actual route is only 1.8 kilometres.