Groningen is a cycling city in the north of the Netherlands. In the city centre, the bicycle is usually faster than the car, and the bus and the train cover the rest. There is no tram and no metro in Groningen. Knowing that avoids most surprises.
1. Getting around the city
The bicycle is the first means of transport in Groningen. The city is flat, distances in the centre are short, and there is a dense network of cycle paths. Since the traffic circulation plan of 1977, the city centre has been divided into four sections: a car cannot drive directly from one section to another, but must leave the centre and return by the ring road. Cyclists and pedestrians can pass through everywhere. Anyone arriving by car is therefore better off parking at the edge of the city and continuing on foot, by bicycle, or by bus.
City buses are run by Qbuzz. The bus station sits directly next to the main station, at the southern edge of the city centre. From there, city buses run through the Grote Markt to districts such as Paddepoel, Beijum, Lewenborg and Selwerd, to the UMCG hospital, and to the Zernike Campus in the north of the city. Line numbers and routes can change, so check the current line on the day itself via Qbuzz or 9292.
Walking is a full option in the city centre. The Grote Markt, the Vismarkt, the shopping streets and the station are all within walking distance of each other. As a pedestrian, take care: cyclists come from every direction and do not stop on their own.
For those who still need a car, there are P+R sites around the city, including at Hoogkerk, Haren and Reitdiep. From a P+R, the bus runs into the city centre. Park a bicycle only in a rack or a guarded facility. The municipality may remove a wrongly parked bicycle and take it to a depot.
2. Getting to and from Groningen
Groningen has three stations in the city: Groningen (the main station), Groningen Europapark and Groningen Noord. The main station is the hub for bus and train and lies a short walk from the city centre. Mind the station name: Europapark is by the stadium in the south-east of the city, Noord is in the north. They are not interchangeable.
NS intercity trains run south via Assen and Zwolle. From Zwolle there are connections to Utrecht, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Den Haag, among others. There is no direct high-speed line to Groningen; the train south is an ordinary intercity.
Regional trains are run by Arriva. From Groningen, regional trains run to Leeuwarden in the west, to Delfzijl in the north, to Veendam and Winschoten in the east, and to Roodeschool and Eemshaven. For Schiphol Airport, the train via Zwolle is the usual route; check the connection on the day itself.
Groningen Airport Eelde lies south of the city, in Eelde, outside the city itself. Qbuzz buses connect the airport with the main station and the Grote Markt. The airport is small and mainly serves holiday flights and a limited number of scheduled services; check before departure which connection runs on that day.
By road, Groningen is reached via the A28 from the south (Assen, Zwolle) and via the A7 from the west (Leeuwarden) and the east (towards Germany). A ring road runs around the city. Long-distance coaches stop at the main station and at P+R Haren, among other places.
3. Commuting in general terms
Most trips inside the city itself are made by bicycle or on foot. That holds for students and workers too: the university, the universities of applied sciences, the UMCG and the Zernike Campus are spread across the city, but all lie within cycling distance of the city centre and the main station.
The bus fills in for the bicycle in bad weather, for longer trips inside the city, and for anyone who has difficulty walking. The train is the backbone for anyone who works or studies outside the city: to Assen and Zwolle in the south, to Leeuwarden in the west, and to the smaller towns in the province. Buses and trains are busier at rush hour; anyone who can, travels outside the busiest hours.
Driving in the city centre is slow and impractical because of the circulation plan. Anyone who must go to the city centre daily is usually faster by bicycle or bus. For trips outside the city, the car is an ordinary option, with the ring road as the distribution point.
4. What a newcomer needs to know first
Check in and out on every bus and train trip. In the Netherlands this is done with an OV-chipkaart or a contactless bank card; check with Qbuzz, NS or Arriva what applies to your trip. A ticket that is valid only for the bus is not automatically valid for the train, and vice versa.
Use the 9292 app or website for every trip. It shows the current departure times, the right stop, and the connection. Do not rely on a line number from an old guide: lines and stops change.
Name the right station. Say "Groningen" for the main station, and add "Europapark" or "Noord" if you mean one of those stations. Taxis stand at the main station; take an official taxi, and agree the ride in advance if no meter is running.
Cycle along with the city, but do it safely: stay on the cycle paths, watch other cyclists at junctions, and put your bicycle in a rack. In the city centre, the bicycle often has priority in practice, but not always by the rules — so always look first.
This page is general information only. The site does not verify timetables, fares, operators, or availability. Always check times and fares with the operator itself.