Renting a home in the city centre of The Hague

The Hague Centre is not a tourist attraction with a canal belt. It is a working inner city where the Dutch House of Representatives convenes, ambassadors present their credentials to the King, and residents do their shopping in the oldest shopping arcade in the Netherlands. Those who rent an apartment in the centre of The Hague live in the political heart of the country, with the down-to-earth atmosphere of a city that has been accustomed to power for centuries without making a big fuss about it. With approximately 21,900 inhabitants (2025) and a rental percentage of 78%, the centre is built for renting.

Binnenhof, Plein, and Hofweg

The Binnenhof is the most famous building in The Hague. The Ridderzaal, the ministries, the Hofvijver. The complex will be renovated until 2026, but its political allure remains. The Plein next to it is the terrace of The Hague's power: here, politicians, civil servants, and lobbyists drink their coffee. The Hofweg connects the Binnenhof with the shopping area around the Grote Marktstraat.

Living directly around the Binnenhof is not possible. But in the surrounding streets, it is. The Kneuterdijk, the Lange Voorhout, and the Korte Voorhout are the most stately addresses in The Hague. The Lange Voorhout is a double avenue with lime trees, 17th and 18th-century facades, and embassies. Here, Escher in Het Paleis is located, in the former Lange Voorhout Palace. The apartments on the Voorhout are large, expensive, and rare on the rental market.

Noordeinde and the Passage

The Noordeinde is the shopping street that ends at the King's working palace. Antique shops, galleries, fashion boutiques. It is the chicer version of Amsterdam's Nine Streets, without the crowds. On Prinsjesdag, the Golden Coach rides through here. The rest of the year, it is a quiet shopping street with a royal touch.

The Passage, opened in 1885, is the oldest indoor shopping arcade in the Netherlands. Neo-renaissance style, glass roof, marble floors. It is a national monument that still functions as a shopping area. The residences above it are sought after: living on an upper floor in the Passage means living in a piece of The Hague's history.

Stationsbuurt and De Resident

The Stationsbuurt (Station District) around The Hague Centraal has changed considerably in recent years. Where ten years ago it was a messy transitional area, there are now modern residential complexes, offices, and amenities. De Resident, a large-scale urban development project from the 1990s, brought apartments, a cinema, and shops to the area directly by the station.

The canals in the Stationsbuurt, the Veenkade and the Dunne Bierkade, give this part of the centre a different face. Here, historical buildings stand next to almshouses and 1920s architecture. It is one of the few parts of the centre where you will find varied architecture in a small-scale street pattern.

Kortenbos and the Lutherse Burgwal

Kortenbos is a compact neighbourhood next to the Binnenhof. Monumental buildings stand alongside social housing. It is a quiet neighbourhood, sandwiched between the hustle and bustle of the shopping area and the tranquility of the Voorhout. The Lutherse Burgwal, named after the Lutheran Church from 1757, is one of the smallest neighbourhoods in the centre. One street, one church, a handful of homes.

These neighbourhoods are the hidden corners of the centre. No tourists, no terraces. Residents who rent here do so for the location: everything within walking distance, yet quiet.

Spui and the Rivierenbuurt

The Spui is the cultural heart of the centre. Theater aan het Spui, the Nieuwe Kerk, the National Theatre. The Spuikwartier will be further developed in the coming years with culture and housing. The Rivierenbuurt, on the southern edge of the centre, was built after 1850. Street names like Maasstraat, Rijnstraat, and IJsselstraat reveal its design. It is a residential neighbourhood with a clear structure: straight streets, uniform facades, a sense of community.

Canal houses, almshouses, and new builds

The housing supply in The Hague Centre is mixed. On the Voorhout and along the canals are 17th and 18th-century properties with high ceilings and original details. In the Stationsbuurt and near De Resident, you will find modern apartments with all contemporary conveniences. And scattered throughout the centre are The Hague's almshouses (hofjes): hidden courtyards with small homes around a communal garden.

Most rental properties are apartments. From studios for starters to spacious four-room apartments in monumental buildings. Furnished homes are plentiful due to the high demand from expats and international professionals temporarily working in The Hague.

Two stations and a tram tunnel

The Hague has two main stations. Den Haag Centraal is on the northern edge of the centre. Den Haag Hollands Spoor, the oldest and most beautiful station, is on the southern side. Between both stations, there is a tram tunnel running under the Grote Marktstraat. Intercity trains run to Amsterdam (50 minutes), Rotterdam (20 minutes), and Utrecht (40 minutes).

The tram network is extensive. Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, and 16 crisscross the centre. Tram 1 continues to Delft, other lines to Scheveningen and the suburbs. The centre itself is compact: most amenities are within a ten-minute walk. Parking is paid throughout the entire centre. Resident permits are available, but most city centre residents cycle or take the tram.

The Denneweg, between the Voorhout and the Plein, is a street apart. Specialty cheese shops, Italian delicacies, coffee shops, kitchenware stores. It is the culinary street of the centre. The Papestraat next to it does the same, on a smaller scale. Those who rent in the centre and love food live within walking distance of everything.