Local Tips
Groningen is the economic, social and cultural center of northern Netherlands. It is a vibrant city whose character, rhythm and life style are much defined by the two large universities - the University of Groningen and the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, which jointly host about 50 000 students or a quarter of the city's population. Groningen boasts with the youngest population in the country so get ready for a blast of youthful energy expressed in a myriad of social and cultural events, and a fantastic diversity of restaurants, bars, cafes and nightlife venues.Groningen has something for everybody and the province maintains an excellent comprehensive website (available in English), where you can find information about accommodation, dining, sightseeing, shopping, cultural and outdoor activities in Groningen and the surrounding areas.
This page provides a summary of essential tips that can help make your stay in Groningen easy, smooth and enjoyable.
Where to rent a bike
Netherlands in famous around the world as a country of tall people riding bicycles. At first glance, this is exactly what you will see. But there is so much more. And to explore it all, you need to get on a bike. Start pedalling to truly discover the beauty of the countryside, connect with the Dutch and get from point A to point B in the quickest possible way. Within the Netherlands, Groningen boasts with the highest density of bicyces and the highest number of bike rides per capita. Most of the journeys in the city are done on a bike. The city itself was planned and constructed to be as bicycle friendly as possible, which explains why it got labeled "the bicycle capital of the world". In a nutshell, if you are in Groningen you cannot leave before hopping on a bike. So here is how you can easily rent one. The best way to rent a bike is to visit the OV-bicycle rental shop located right next to the central railway station. The rates are very affordable starting at 7.5 euros per day. You will need to leave a cash deposit before renting a bike.
OV Bycicle Rental Shop
Stationweg 13
9726 AC Groningen
Tel: +31 50 31 24 174
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Shopping in Groningen
Keep in mind that just like in most places in Western Europe, stores in Groningen close daily at 6pm. The website of the Groningen Tourism Office lists all details about shopping hours in the city.
Useful telephone numbers
This is a list of some of the important telephone numbers that you may need while visit Groningen and the Netherlands
Emergency police, ambulence and fire: 112
Police number for non-emergency cases: 0900 8844
Lost property at Schiphol Airport: 0900 0141
General Questions Schiphol Airport: 0900 7244 7465
Lost and Found for the NS (Dutch Railway System): 0900 321 2100
Medical issues (UMCG Hospital, Groningen): +31 50 361 6161
Taxies in Groningen
There is a large range of taxi companies who operate in Groningen and the area. Here is the contact information for just a few of them
Taxi BoB: +31 50 579 2077
Taxi Direct Groningen: +31 50 577 7703
Taxi Xitax: +31 50 850 7283
Tourist Information Office
Tourist information offices in the Netherlands are marked with a VVV sign. The contact details for the VVV in Groningen are listed below
Tourist Information Office
Grote Markt 299712 HS Groningen
info@vvvgroningen.nl
Tel.: +31 (0) 50 313 9741
Fax: +31 (0) 50 311 38 55