About EuroSonic Noorderslag

With 2500 attendants, showcases from national and international talent and over 100 panels and meetings, EuroSonic Noorderslag serves as the prime discussion and network platform for the international and Dutch music industry, focused towards European music, touring, festivals, the (live) music industry and media developments.

Getting in

We ask participants to register for the EuroSonic Noorderslag conference in advance. For more information regarding the registration process, please check out our registration page. Once you have successfully regitered, you weill receive a confirmation e-mail, so no tickets will be mailed to you.
You can pick up your badge, wristband, guide and conference bag at EuroSonic Noorderslag registation desk at The Oosterpoort during the opening hours as listed below. Please keep in mind that the EuroSonic Noorderslag badge is purely for identification purpose; you will always need to be wearing your wristband to get into The Oosterpoort and all the festival locations. As every year we have a full=full policy. When a location has reached maximum capacity, visitors can only get in on a -one out - one in- base.

Conference Location

The Oosterpoort
Trompsingel 27
9724 DA Groningen
The Netherlands

Opening Hours

The registration desk is opened at the following hours:  
Wednesday 14 January 2009 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Thursday 15 January 2009 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday 16 January 2009 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday 17 January 2009 10 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.  

Festival Locations

The EuroSonic Festival takes place Thursday and Friday in over twenty venues throughout the inner city of Groningen. The Noorderslag Festival takes place on Satruday at The Oosterpoort. More details about the festival program can be found here.

Registration

A registration includes the Conference (thursday, friday and saturday), EuroSonic (thursday and friday) and Noorderslag (saturday).   To pick up your personal badge and wristband at the registration desk in the entrance hall of "De Oosterpoort", you'll have to show your identification document (passport, driving licence, etc.).

Getting to Groningen

By train/public transport
Groningen is about 200 km northeast of Amsterdam. Trains leave to and from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport every 30 minutes, taking around two and a half hours to get there. To plan your journey and buy train tickets in advance, please check the website of the Dutch Railways (NS) here.  

By airplane
If you want to take a plane to get to EuroSonic Noorderslag, it is best to book a flight to Schiphol (Amsterdam Airport) and take the train from there to Groningen (see above). Groningen also has a small airport, but the airport offers flights to Aberdeen only, with transfer options to and form Manchester and Norwich. More information on this airport can be found on www.gae.nl.  

Getting around

By foot
The Oosterpoort is located at walking distance form the Groningen Central Station. When exiting the station, go right (don�t cross the water!) and keep following that road. After about 700 meters you will see The Oosterpoort on your right.  

By car
Please note that the entire city centre of Groningen is off limits for cars. There are twelve parking garages located near the centre, the ones closest to The Oosterpoort are the one next  to The Oosterpoort or the one at the Rademarkt (across the street from the police station).   Parking garage Oosterpoort is located at Trompsingel 23 and is opened Mondays- Saturdays from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m. The parking garage at Rademarkt is located at number 27 (for all of you using navigation) and is opened Sundays - Wednesdays from 7 a.m. till 1.30 a.m and on Thursdays from 7 a.m. till midnight and on Fridays and Saturdays it's opened 24 hours.  

Shuttle Service
EuroSonic Noorderslag has invested substantially in the bus shuttle service. Direct shuttle busses will let you travel between your hotel and the conference in no time. With this improved service Eurosonic Noorderslag connects the hotels located outside the city centre to the conference and festival venues. Download the full time table of this shuttle service in PDF format here.

By Taxi
Groningen has various taxi companies, here's a small selection of them. Taxi Groningen - +31 (0)50-50 10 500 Taxi Noord - +31 (0)50-54 94 940 Taxi VTG +31 (0)50-30 15 222  

By bike
Don't feel like getting on a bus or paying a taxi? In Groningen it's also possible to rent a bike. It is also a very easy way of getting around town during the EuroSonic festival on Thursday and Friday.

Getting sleep

EuroSonic Noorderslag Hotel Service Desk Registered delegates can make use of the EuroSonic Noorderslag Hotel Service. If you would like to use this service, please an e-mail to the EuroSonicNoorderslag Hotel Desk and you will receive a hotel reservation send form. Due to the large amount of hotel requests each year, EuroSonic Noorderslag can not guarantee a hotel room (full = full).

Download here all the information you need if you've booked a 'Hotel Ship'.