Find bus tickets from and to 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’.

Places of Interest 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.

Culture and History of Groningen

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’.

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!

Buses to Groningen

Find the cheapest buses to Groningen

Looking for cheap tickets to Groningen? We’ve got you covered with buses to Groningen costing from as little as 5,00 € – and you can save even more when you book online in advance. FlixBus runs many connections in Netherlands and in many other countries so no matter where you’re traveling from, we've got a route suitable for you. Whether you’re in town for a day or a week, hop on board and enjoy traveling in style with our free Wi-Fi and comfortable seats. It’s easy to book your ticket, with purchasing options to suit everyone. Book online, in person at a sales point, or on our FlixBus App. You can also use the App to manage your booking up until you travel, and it’ll act as your ticket too – simply show it to your driver when you board the bus. For the cheapest tickets, book on the App in advance – the earlier you book, the cheaper your ticket will be!

Why travel to Groningen with FlixBus

FlixBus is the cheapest and most convenient way of getting to Groningen. There is 1 stop in Groningen and you can reach it from 28 departure cities. Just check on the FlixBus network whether your city is connected as well! Booking a bus ticket with FlixBus is very simple: you can choose among several different payment methods, such as credit card, Paypal, Google and Apple Pay. Pay in total security online or on the free FlixBus App in advance, or pay in cash if you’re a spur of the moment traveler. In addition, don't forget that traveling by bus is one of the most environmentally-friendly options available, and you can help the planet by offsetting your carbon emissions when you travel with FlixBus!

Onboard services

Traveling to Groningen is a very comfortable experience: once you’re on board your FlixBus, you can sit back, relax and enjoy our services onboard. Our buses are equipped with toilets and power outlets, and to make your experience even nicer they offer free Wi-Fi and an entertainment system, so you can catch up on emails or watch your favorite show as we take you to Groningen. Do you usually like to travel and watch the landscape out of the window? Said and done: when you book your ticket, you can reserve your preferred seat choosing your favorite seating option available, and if you want some more space or privacy, you can even reserve the seat next to you for some extra-comfort! When it comes to luggages, be sure you can bring whatever you want to Groningen as FlixBus offers you one checked bag and one carry-on bag onboard for free included in your ticket!