Hoofddorp.org

Chapter 07 · The essentials

Practical information about Hoofddorp.

A reference for anyone trying to understand Hoofddorp practically: municipality, healthcare, utilities, postcodes and the most common questions — framed as structure, not as a phonebook.

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The municipality of Haarlemmermeer

Hoofddorp is not a separate municipality; it is the largest town within Haarlemmermeer. The town hall stands in Hoofddorp, making the town the administrative heart of a region that stretches from Vijfhuizen in the north to Nieuw-Vennep in the south, with villages such as Badhoevedorp, Zwanenburg, Cruquius, Lijnden and Lisserbroek in between.

Most services are digital: nearly all applications, reports and permits go through the municipal website. For matters requiring physical attendance — such as a passport or driving licence — appointments take place in the town hall in Hoofddorp. The municipality is governed by a council and a college of mayor and aldermen, elected every four years.

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Healthcare

Hospital

Spaarne Gasthuis

General hospital with a site in Hoofddorp and one in Haarlem. Provides hospital-level care for the whole Haarlemmermeer, including an emergency department and a wide range of specialisms.

GPs

Family doctors

Every district has GP surgeries, often in group practices or health centres combining physiotherapy, pharmacy and child health under one roof. An out-of-hours GP service operates at the hospital.

Specialist

Academic hospitals

For complex care the Amsterdam UMC (AMC and VUmc) and Leiden's LUMC are within easy reach.

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Utilities, waste and water

Drinking water in Hoofddorp is supplied by PWN, North Holland's water company. Energy — gas, electricity and increasingly heat — is delivered by various market parties through the regional grid; the network operator is Liander. The municipality of Haarlemmermeer collects household waste itself, separated into residual waste, food and garden waste, paper, glass, textiles and packaging. Residents can use a recycling centre for bulky waste.

Surface water — canals, ditches and channels — falls under the Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland, the regional water authority, which also manages the polder dykes and water levels. In a drained polder this is not a detail but a daily, vital task: without pumping, Hoofddorp would be under water within weeks.

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Frequently asked questions

Which municipality does Hoofddorp belong to?

Hoofddorp belongs to the municipality of Haarlemmermeer in the province of North Holland. The town hall is in Hoofddorp; the municipality also covers Nieuw-Vennep, Badhoevedorp, Zwanenburg, Vijfhuizen and other smaller villages.

What are the postcodes of Hoofddorp?

Postcodes run from approximately 2130 to 2135, distributed across the districts. Centre and older districts sit around 2131–2132; the southern and western expansions around 2133–2135.

What is the dialling code of Hoofddorp?

Hoofddorp uses dialling code 023, the same as Haarlem and surroundings.

Is Hoofddorp a village or a town?

Historically called a village (dorp), Hoofddorp now has more than eighty thousand inhabitants and functions as a town: with a shopping centre, theatres, a hospital nearby, a railway station, an office district and a wide range of schools.

How far is Hoofddorp from Schiphol?

Schiphol is about six kilometres from the centre of Hoofddorp. By train the airport is just a few minutes away from Hoofddorp station; by car around ten minutes via the A4.

How do I register a move or address in Hoofddorp?

Registration with the BRP (population register), passport and ID applications, parking permits and change-of-address notifications go through the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. Most steps are online; for in-person matters the town hall in Hoofddorp is the central point.

— Read on

Next chapters

Chapter 05

Living

Atmosphere, housing stock and what makes the town appealing.

Chapter 06

Transport

Station, motorways and cycle network.

Chapter 02

Facts & figures

Location, geography and demographics.