Planning a trip to Groningen

Getting There -- There are trains every half-hour or so to Groningen from Amsterdam Centraal Station (transfer at Amersfoort); the ride takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Tickets are 29€ ($46) one-way and 41€ ($66) round-trip. From Leeuwarden, there are three direct trains an hour, a fast train (34 min.) and two slow trains (49 min); tickets are 8.70€ ($14) one-way and 16€ ($26) round-trip. The rail and bus stations adjoin each other about 1km (1/2 mile) south of the center of town. By car from Amsterdam, take A1/E231 southeast to the Muiderberg intersection, switch to A6 north to its intersection with A7/E22, and then take this expressway northeast to Groningen. An alternative route is A7/E22 north across the IJsselmeer dike, north and east on N31 and A31 to Leeuwarden, and then east on N355.

Visitor Information -- VVV Groningen, Grote Markt 25, 9712 HS Groningen (tel. 0900/202-3050; fax 050/311-3855; www.vvvgroningen.nl), is opposite the Martinitoren in the center of town. The office is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm, and Saturday from 10am to 5pm; July and August, hours are extended to Sunday from 11am to 3pm.