Transport

Train: Off-Peak Discount Pass

Travelling by train in the Netherlands is not cheap. However, there are ways to buy cheaper tickets. With the “Off-Peak Discount Pass” you receive 40% discount on all off-peak train journeys. This means that if you travel after 9 a.m. Monday to Friday or at weekends you receive 40% discount. For € 50,00 a year and the price of a passport photo, you get the Off-Peak Discount Pass. Additionally, as Off-Peak Discount Pass holder you can travel with up to three people, who can enjoy the same 40% discount on the full fare.

If you want to apply for this pass, you can go to an NS Ticket office and obtain an application pack. You can use the application form to apply for your Off-Peak Discount Pass. Please allow up to three weeks for processing. If you want to travel immediately, take the completed form and a recent passport photo to an NS ticket office. If you pay for your Off-Peak Discount Pass in cash you'll be provided with a temporary card. Your full pass will be sent to you later.

Buses

Within the city of Groningen several bus lines connect the outer districts with the city centre/railway station. A OV-chipkaart (public transport chipcard) has to be purchased for busrides. The OV-chipkaart is a smart card the size of a bank card, containing an invisible chip. You can load it with credit in euros and use it to travel almost anywhere within The Netherlands. You can use the chipcard in bus, tram and train. Visit the OV-chipcard website for more information.

Bicycles

The best way to travel in and around Groningen is the way the Dutch do: on bicycle. A vast network of bike lanes extends through the entire city and to many villages around. Some years ago, it was estimated that after Beijing, Groningen has the greatest density of bicycles per person in the world. Most people have at least one, and many people even have two (one for the city, one for sports). The downside is that many bicycles ‘acquire’ a new owner without the consent of the first owner. Always keep it locked, and store it if possible. If you want to buy a 2nd hand bicycle, the best and most reliable way of doing this is from the bicycle garage at the main railway station. Never buy one from someone you meet on the street: it will be a stolen one! If you are caught doing so, you will be heavily fined. There are a lot of bicycle shops in the city. You would rather buy a cheap or even second hand bike than a new one.

> the Journeyplanner for all Dutch public transport