Coaches to and from Groningen

Things to do in Groningen

About Groningen

The biggest city in the North of The Netherlands is a real student city, home to the University of Groningen (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) and to the Hanze University of Applied Sciences. The number of students in the city is just shy of 55,000, making up a third of the entire population. Once you get off the bus, you should definitely get a bike – why? Because Groningen has the clearest air of all the cities in The Netherlands and also has the most amount of bikes! It’s also easier to cruise around the tiny streets and teeny canals on wheels - You can feel like a real local. This student city is full of life, especially once the academic year starts off. The streets fill up with enthusiastic locals as well as internationals, who study during the day but hit the city at night. Our bus travelers definitely won’t be disappointed when looking for a good night out in this Dutch city, but the ones seeking some relaxation can also enjoy their visit, for instance by visiting Groningen’s most well-known park, the ’Noorderplantsoen’, or the even bigger ’Stadspark’.

Things to do in Groningen

Groningen is sometimes referred to as ’Martinistad’, referring to its famous ’Martinitoren’. It is the highest church tower in the city, which is always open to visitors – this is definitely the place to take a good panoramic picture! After you experience the wonderful view, head back to sea level, walk by the canals and take a look at the typical Dutch boat houses. If you like pancakes – and let’s face it, who doesn’t -, then you should pay a visit to the Pancake Ship ('t Pannekoekschip) that serves all different types of sweet and salty treats. You can also find a festival in Groningen at various times of the year. Just to mention the two biggest, the Eurosonic Noorderslag is a music festival and conference venue held every January, while the Noorderzon Performing Arts Festival is organized every August.

Groningen: Culture & History

The city of Groningen offers numerous cultural as well as culinary experiences for its visitors. Weekly flea markets, food-truck festivals, hype pop-up stores, small cafés, and fancy restaurants can all be found in this city. The ’Groninger Museum’ is interesting for multiple reasons: it exhibits contemporary and modern artefacts and installations in a building that is actually regarded as a piece of art itself. The museum consists of three sections. It was built at the end of the 19th century and experts said it couldn’t be built after seeing the initial design – but somehow it still worked out, it was only very ahead of its time! This Northern city offers a lot of finely tuned live music as well. Groningen’s club ’Vera’ is a major pop-culture hub, where many world famous bands have played, such as U2, Nirvana, or The White Stripes. Whether staying on the streets, in a museum or a club, the open Dutch culture and hospitality will warm your heart!

Nightlife in Groningen

Any worthwhile student city has a proper nightlife and so does Groningen! You can start your night at the ’Drie Gezusters’, one of the city’s most popular places. The spectacular interior design with high ceilings and vintage furniture gives you a classy atmosphere for dinner, while other parts of the building hold a typical Dutch character - perfect for having a beer. Afterwards, you should walk down Poelestraat, the real nightlife street of Groningen. Here you will find pubs, bars, casinos, restaurants, live jazz concerts or even pool tables. The club ’Warhol’ plays indie and pop records, while in ’Shooters’ many different shots await you. In case you happen to be a fan of cocktails, ’Mr. Mofongo’s’ is the perfect place – try out their home-brewed gin, it is exceptional! The Dutch are very famous for their great taste in electronic music, so keeping an eye on the line-up of ’Paradigm’ is also worth a shot.

Interesting facts about Groningen

The Dutch celebrate King’s Day on 27th April every year – which really is the royal Willem Alexander’s birthday. On this day the whole country wears orange, sings, drinks, and is just happy to be Dutch. Groningen goes bananas on this day of the year as well, so try to time your bus trip for the end of April! Also, did you know that the second biggest improv comedy group of The Netherlands is based in Groningen? ’Stranger things have happened’ tours the country every summer, but during the year you can also easily catch one of their shows either in the ’Silo’ or Monday evenings in the Irish pub ’O'Ceallaighs’.

Explore the surrounding areas of Groningen

Groningen is actually only 40 kms away from the sea. If you decide to take a daytrip to take a look at the cold waves of the North Sea, visit the seal sanctuary (’Zeehondencrèche Pieterburen’) or one of the many islands. Distance isn’t really an issue should you decide to go to the South of the country, so taking a bus to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, or The Hague will also only take you a couple of hours. These Dutch cities really have their own style, offering special sights for their visitors. Otherwise flixing over to Hamburg, Brussels or Cologne is also possible in less than a day!

Coaches from/to Groningen

Find the most affordable coaches to Groningen

With FlixBus, it’s easy to travel to Groningen, as 41 rides are available starting from only £3.99 depending on the departure city, date and time. Booking a coach ticket to Groningen is effortless: you can book on our website or through the FlixBus App. If you prefer paying cash or if you're a last-minute traveller, you can also get your ticket at our shops or aboard the FlixBus. Booking in advance with our app guarantees the lowest fares, and you get your ticket digitally in the app, so you don't have to print your ticket before hopping onboard, sitting back, relaxing and enjoying a comfortable ride to Groningen!

Why travel to Groningen with FlixBus

You can get to Groningen from 41 different cities, and when it’s time to move on, there are as many connection from Groningen to other destinations. No matter the journey, coach travel is always a better and more sustainable choice than other means of transportation (on a person/km basis, travelling by bus is more environmental-friendly than driving, flying and, in certain countries, even going by train). Plus, when you ride with FlixBus, you can offset your CO₂ emissions by clicking the CO₂ compensation box when you book your ticket, helping the planet and supporting us towards our sustainability goals! You can get your ticket at one of our service desks and pay cash or with a payment card. You can also book it on our website or our FlixBus app with a credit card, PayPal or Google Pay if you're a more digital person. Then you can look forward to enjoying our onboard services including free Wi-Fi, plenty of legroom, comfortable seats and power outlets.

Onboard services

Reserve a seat when you book your FlixBus ticket to Groningen online or in the app. Whether you want peace and quiet or to sit close to your friends, we've got seat reservation options that suit everyone. Choose a classic seat or a table seat if you need a little extra space to work or relax. You can also go for a panorama seat at the front of the bus for a great view or book a spare seat next to yours and enjoy that extra space. There's no need to worry about what to pack when you travel with FlixBus, as we offer hand luggage and check-in luggage to every traveller. After stowing your luggage, head to your seat and enjoy our onboard services, including free Wi-Fi on most buses. All our buses have toilets and power outlets.