Festival info

The festival runs from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 November 2025.

The main festival nights take place on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 November, with a continuous line-up of international authors, emerging literary voices, and alternative music acts.
Events will take place in various spaces within the Koninklijke Schouwburg and in a specially built Spiegeltent next to the theatre.

Special programmes and projects are also planned for 5, 6, and 9 November in the evenings. Details will be announced at a later date.

In addition to the main evening events, there are daytime programmes in the Spiegeltent and other locations:

6 November: You’ll Have to Scream LOUDER – a showcase of Dutch-language talent across disciplines
8 November: Crossing Border NXT – for readers aged 16 and up
8 November: Presentation of the European Literature Prize
8 & 9 November: Kids Programme at Theater Dakota and Theater Vaillant

There are also educational programmes for school pupils and university students.

A full schedule and timings will be announced soon.

Main festival nights on 7 and 8 November run from 18:00 to 23:30.
Day programme on 8 November:

Antjie Krog: 11:00 – 12:00

Chigozie Obioma: 13:00 – 14:00

David Szalay: 15:00 – 16:00

For evening events on 7 and 8 November: 30 minutes before start
For day events on 8 November: 15 minutes before start

Times for other events will be announced later.

Yes. The pop-up Other World Bookshop will be located in the Koninklijke Schouwburg.
Books by all featured authors will be available for purchase, and authors will sign books after their appearances, usually in the foyer.

The main language is English.
Dutch authors will speak in Dutch, and interpreters will be present for international authors who don’t speak English.

The Koninklijke Schouwburg in The Hague is the main venue for Crossing Border.
New this year is the addition of a Spiegeltent on Het Lange Voorhout, which will host both daytime and evening events.

BorderKitchen will feature daytime programming. Additional venues will be announced in the lead-up to the festival.

Koninklijke Schouwburg
Korte Voorhout 3, The Hague

Spiegeltent
Lange Voorhout 74 (in front of Escher in Het Paleis), The Hague

BorderKitchen
Kerkstraat 11, The Hague

Festival Nights – 7 & 8 November

Early Bird (until 1 July):

• Day Ticket: €28.50
• Passepartout (both nights): €51

Regular Price:

• Day Ticket: €36
• Passepartout: €61

Daytime Events – 8 November

• Antjie Krog: €13.50
• David Szalay: €11
• Chigozie Obioma: €11

Yes. The Koninklijke Schouwburg is fully accessible for people who require additional assistance.
This includes wheelchair access, accessible parking, and support with mobility inside the venue.

Charging stations and designated parking spots are available at Schouwburgstraat 8.
If you have questions or would like to make arrangements, contact: support@crossingborder.nl

The venue is a 10-minute walk from The Hague Central Station and easily reached by public transport. There’s plenty of bike parking next to the theatre.

Nearby parking options:

Interparking Museumkwartier

• Korte Voorhout 2P (1-minute walk)
• €2.50 per 30 minutes
• Accessible: lifts and disabled parking
• interparking.nl/museumkwartier

Q-Park Malieveld

• Koningskade 1 bis (5-minute walk)
• €2.00 per 35 minutes
• €12 for 6 hours (online booking after 18:00)
• More info: q-park.nl/malieveld

Electric vehicles and accessible parking
At Schouwburgstraat 8, directly next to the theatre, there are 2 EV charging points and 5 wide parking bays for disability cardholders.

Yes. Crossing Border hosts dedicated sessions for secondary schools, where students engage directly with Dutch and international authors.
Teachers and school coordinators can reach out to michel@crossingborder.nl.

There’s also Student Meets Author, a programme for university students in literature and related fields. Students join group discussions with international writers, as part of their academic curriculum.
More info: elinor@crossingborder.nl