And here is the "how to get there" post.
I'll try to be inclusive, but if you have any questions left: don't hesitate
to ask.


Groningen is in the north of the Netherlands, and can be reached by
train, bus and even airplane (and of course you can drive, walk, bike, sail or skate there
as well!).

TRAINS and BUSES
FROM THE AIRPORT
Amsterdam Airport
From Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, take a train to Groningen. Be sure to buy a ticket at the counter or from
the machines, because you cannot buy tickets on the train (instead, they'll fine you)!
There are direct train services to Groningen, or, alternatively, you can take a train to
Enschede and change at Amersfoort (other side of the platform, ask staff!).
The train may be split in Zwolle, so make sure you are in the right compartment (destination
should be marked on the outside, plus they call out the numbers in Zwolle).
For timetables, see here .
You might want to buy a "treintaxi" ticket, a ticket that includes a voucher for a taxi
in the place of arrival.

Groningen Airport
Ryanair will introduce daily flights from London Stansted to Groningen Airport from 1 May! This may still be
an option for those of you who haven't booked yet! Check out Ryanair's
website. From Groningen Airport, take the 52 or 53 Arriva bus to Groningen,
which will take you to the train and bus station.

FROM OTHER PLACES
For timetables, see here .

From Brussels or Antwerp, take a train to Rotterdam. In Rotterdam, change for
Amersfoort. In Amersfoort, change for Groningen. Make sure you're in the right compartment,
the train may be split in Zwolle.

From Germany (South/West). Take the ICE (Cologne, D'dorf, D'burg, Oberhausen) to Arnhem.
In Arnhem, change for Zwolle. In Zwolle, change for Groningen.

From Germany (North). From Leer, take a train to Groningen via Nieuweschans.


BY CAR
From the west (Amsterdam/Rotterdam):
From Amsterdam Airport, take the A4 to Amsterdam, and then the A10 to Diemen.
Ath the junction Diemen-Noord, turn onto the A1 to Amersfoort.
From Amersfoort, take the A28 to Zwolle (Groningen
may already be on the sign as well). The A28 will lead you to Groningen
(ca. 2 1/2 hours, depending on traffic flow).

From Rotterdam:
take the A20 to Gouda and then the A12 to Utrecht. At the Lunetten junction,
go north on the A27 for a short while and then take the A28 to Amersfoort.
Follow the A28 to Groningen.

From the south (Belgium):
From Brussels, it should take about 4 hours to get to Groningen. Assen is on the same
route.
Take the A12 or the A1 to Antwerp, then go north via the A1 to Breda (Nl).
At the Galder junction, change unto the A27 to Utrecht. In Utrecht, at the Rijnsweerd junction,
take the A28 to Amersfoort and Zwolle (Groningen may already be listed too). This will lead you
to Groningen.

For travellers to Assen:
Assen is between Zwolle and Groningen; take the Assen-Zuid junction on the A28.
After leaving the A28 (Assen-Zuid), go straight on until the T-junction (with traffic lights).
Turn right, and get in lane to turn left at the next junction (traffic lights again).
You are now in the Beilerstraat. Follow this street (careful, speed limit 30 km/h,
occasional radar checks) for a while until you arrive at a crossing (restaurant in front of
you). Turn right (oddly enough, this is still the Beilerstraat) and follow this street until
the next crossroads (it bends to the left), where you turn right unto the Zuidersingel.
Take the second street on your right (this should be the Oosterhoutstraat), and then the
first street right again (Wilhelminastraat). The second building on your left, middle
house (nr. 3) is where you want to be.


From the southeast (Germany):
Coming from the Ruhr-area, take the A3 from Oberhausen to Arnhem (Arnheim). In Holland, this
is the A12. On the A12, follow the directions for Apeldoorn/Zwolle. Take the A50 to Zwolle.
In Zwolle, turn onto the A28 in the direction Groningen/Hoogeveen.

From the northeast (Germany):
Coming from the A31 (Haren) or from the A28 (Bremen), pass Oldenburg and Leer. Turn onto the A7 (E22) at junction 14. This will bring
you straight to Groningen.
From Muenster, another option is to go via Enschede. The shortest route will take you over a number of B-roads,
and I can post a description if anyone needs it.


IN GRONINGEN

DELIPLEIN and YOUTH HOSTEL
To get from the station to the youth hostel or to my (my brother's) place by public transport,
take the number 1 bus to Korrewegwijk (northbound).
For the hostel, get off at Simplon Youth Hostel, Boterdiep (they have their own bus stop).
For Deliplein 116, get off one stop further, first stop on the Korreweg (right after some
fancy new shops at your right hand side). Cross the street (careful, this is -officially!-
Europe's busiest cycle route), and head into the Riouwstraat
(past a shop full of junk and old washing machines). Take the first street on your right
(Padangstraat), and continue until Sabangplein. In the middle of this small square, you'll
spot the entrance porch to Deliplein. In the porch, on your left, is Deliplein 116.
The name next to the right doorbell is Nijhuis (hey, that's my name).

CLEOPATRA (Saturday night session)
Walking: from the station, cross the museum bridge (the museum is the strange, colourful
building in the water). Take the third street on your right (very broad; Gedempte Zuiderdiep).
Walking on the lefthand side, the second street to your left should be the Pelsterstraat.
Turn into the Pelsterstraat and take the second street to the right: the Kleine Pelsterstraat.
Cleopatra's is on your left at number 5-5a.

DRIVING IN GRONINGEN
Only for the strong-hearted! The city centre is famous for its "circulatieplan", which means that
it's a maze of one-way streets, and going from one part of the city centre to the next can be a
frustrating experience: you can spot your goal, but you're not allowed to go there...
But here you go:

Cleopatra's:
Approaching Groningen, go straight on after the first traffic lights. Warning: radar!
At the second set of lights, go straight again. Buses are allowed to drive on, you have to follow
a semi-circle to the right. After completing the semi-circle, take the second street to the right.
This is the Gedempte Zuiderdiep, it used to be a canal. The middle (the canal) is reserved for buses, so
take the right-hand lane. Now, take the third street left (crossing the 'canal' at the cinema), into the
Haddingestraat. At the end of this street, there's a parking garage on your right. This would be a good
spot to park your car. Check the opening times so you can pick up your car on time (late night parking in
the streets is free, then. Leaving the garage on foot, take the exit the cars would use, turn right and take the
first street to your left. Cleopatra is on the left).
If you decide to drive to Cleopatra's front door (dropping off stuff), skip the garage and turn right
immediately, and right again. The first street on your left is the Kleine Pelsterstraat, where you want to be.

Deliplein:
Approaching Groningen, get in lane to turn right at the first traffic lights. You are now on the ring road,
drive carefully (70), there's radar everywhere. After about 5 minutes, turn right (AZG, Korrewegwijk should
be on the signs) and get in lane to turn left immediately. After turning left, follow this road (Europaweg)
past the Ikea (on your right) and over the channel. Right after the channel, go straight (pick the right-hand
lane of the two) in the direction Korrewegwijk. Follow this road (Petrus Campersingel) and go straight at the first
traffic lights (can be turned off). At the second set of traffic lights, go straight again, over
another channel, unto the the J.C. Kapteijnlaan. At the third set of traffic lights,
turn left unto the Korreweg. Take the second street on your right (Riouwstraat), it is marked forbidden for cars,
but only after a few metres. Then take the first street right again (Padangstraat). At the square (Sabangplein), turn left
in the second lane, and then right again through an archway. This is the Deliplein. Number 116 is in the archway
on your left. Paid parking!


Consult a map here .