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Kapteyn Astronomical Institute
University of Groningen

Travel information

Traveling to Groningen

Below we provide some information on the most common travel options to reach Groningen. If you have specific transportation questions, please contact the LOC at historynu@astro.rug.nl.

• By plane
  Most international destinations connect with the Netherlands through Schiphol airport. The city of Groningen is easily reachable from Schiphol airport by train (see below). The city of Amsterdam is also easily accessible from the airport by train.
  
  Note that a couple of European destinations also connect to the airport of Groningen/Eelde, which is located about 15km from the Groningen city center and well connected by bus (line 9) and taxi.

• By train
  There is a train connection between Schiphol airport and the Groningen central station ("Groningen Centraal" or "Groningen Hoofdstation") every half hour. The typical travel time is 2h 15min (barring occasional train delays). Trains to Groningen can either be direct or may require one train change in the city of Zwolle. Typically every other train is a direct one. The train terminal is within the Schiphol airport building. You can ask the information desk there for up-to-date information regarding train schedules and prices, and you can also buy your ticket in the station. You may also want to visit the Dutch railway website ns.nl. The Groningen central station is within walking distance from the city center.
  
  Traveling from major European cities to Groningen via train is possible, but the travel time may be long. Please visit NS international for information on international train routes.

  Important: If you plan to make extensive use of public transport in the Netherlands (e.g., train + bus), then it may be worth buying an OV-chip card at any train station. The card has an activation fee of 7.50 euros, but it offers you a discount on bus tickets and the convenience of not having to purchase paper tickets on busses and trains. You can charge the card by checking in and out with your card on special card-reading machines located on busses and in train stations.

• By car
  Many major car rental companies have branches in Groningen (e.g. Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, etc.). Please contact the companies directly for information and prices.

The city: sights, restaurants and activities

The center of Groningen is relatively small, and you can easily explore it by walking or by biking. The city is safe at any time of the day or night. There are many restaurants in the city center, covering almost all cuisine types and all budgets. Groningen is a lively student town, with a large choice of bars, pubs and clubs.

Upon registration you will provided with a city map and a list of Groningen sites worth visiting. You can also visit these websites for information on what to do in groningen: toerisme.groningen.nl (english).

Some activities activities that you may be interested in are:

• Boat tour of the canals
  If the weather is good, a boat tour of the Groningen canals is quite enjoyable and informative. You can find more information about boat tours here.

Practicalities regarding payments

The currency of the Netherlands is the euro. You can withdraw cash from Dutch ATMs with most ATM, debit, or credit cards (look for the "Maestro" logo on your card or ask your bank).
Important: Note that you cannot use your debit or credit card to make payments at shops/restaurants, unless they are equipped with a PIN chip.

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Last updated on 26 March 2018, by Kelley Hess.