Groningen Airport - Spotting Guide

Groningen Airport – Spotting Guide

June 15, 2019 - last modified on November 20, 2023

Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ/EHGG) is the 5th busiest airport of The Netherlands and located 10km south from the city of Groningen. Passenger services includes the following airlines: Corendon and TUI plus some additional charters. In 2018, the airport handled around 240,000 passengers. The airport has one active runway, 05-23, which is 2500m (8200ft) long. The airport was officially opened in 1931, and the first route was a route to Amsterdam.

In 1934, they established a flight school at the airport, and till today, there’s still a flight school located at the airport. For years, the runway was 1800m long, which was not enough for direct flights to several (European) destinations. After years of discussions, they finally started extending the runway in 2012. The first flight on the extended runway landed on april 24th, 2013. The airport also got two new taxiways and a new platform, with room for 5 narrow-bodies. The airport also gets quite some charter flights if AMS is full and they divert to Groningen. Once in while the Oil Spill Response 727 visits the airport for training flights. Beside that, KLM also visits GRQ for testflights, so if you’re lucky you might see a go-around of a 777, A330, or 737!

A timetable can be found on the official website.

Written by Mylos Bessellin, Menno Molenaar and Richard Zonneveld (local spotters). Last update June 2019

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
05/23	2.500m (8.202 ft) Asphalt
Terminals	One for all operations
Spotting Information
Ladder	Needed for several spots. See detailed description below.
Car/Public Transport	A car is highly recommended, makes it a lot easier to get to the spotting locations. Also recommended to use a navigation system.
Restrooms	Only in the airport terminal.
Drinks/Food	There’s a restaurant at the airport. No restaurants or shops near the spotting places.
Hotels	Not many hotels around the airport. Best option is to stay in the city.
Season	It can be really quiet in the winter months, and also the weather might be bad in the winter and fall. Best season is spring and summer.
Runway Usage
05/23	When the wind is calm, they often use 05 for arrivals and 23 for departures. When there are stronger winds, they use the runway with the most headwind.

	Spot #1 – Bunnerzandweg – 05 arrivals and departures
WHERE	The spot is located at a farm road called ‘Bunnerzandweg’, which is accessible from the main road called Norgerweg. It’s a 10 minute drive from the terminal and you can park your car roadside. Not really reachable by public transport.

WHAT	From here, you can see all runway 05 arrivals and departures. Also heavy departures from 23 are doable from this spot.

TIME	In summer from early morning till around 16:00, in winter from early morning till around 14:00.

MISC.	Ladder is needed here. No restrooms, drinks and food available, so bring what you need.

FOCAL LENGTH	A320 and 737: 80mm.

	Spot #2 – Luchtenburgerweg – 05 arrivals and departures, 23 departures.
WHERE	This spot is located at the dead end of a road called ‘Luchtenburgerweg 10’, which is also accessible from the main road (Norgerweg). You can park your car at the dead end of the road. Again, not reachable by public transport. There’s a fence, so a ladder is recommended, but it is also possible to shoot through the mesh.

WHAT	From this spot you will have a good view on all runway 05 arrivals and departures. Most planes departing from 23 will rotate in front of you.

TIME	In summer from early morning till around 16:00, in winter from early morning till around 14:00.

MISC.	A ladder might be useful, but if you don’t have one, you can photograph through the fence. Nothing nearby so bring what you need.

FOCAL LENGTH	Avro RJ85: 100mm, 737: 80mm.

	Spot #3 – Moespot – All action on runway 05 and 23
WHERE	This spotting location is near a field. You can park you car at the end of the road called ‘Moespot’, and walk into the field on your left side, towards the airport fence. Not reachable by public transport, and a ladder is needed.

WHAT	From this location you can see all the movements on both sides of the runway. Planes will roll-out after landing and accelerate for takeoff in front of you.

TIME	In summer from early morning till around 16:00, in winter from early morning till around 14:00. In summer, photos of touchdowns and rotations are likely distorted by heat-haze.

MISC.	A high ladder is needed here. Nothing nearby so bring what you need. You can park your car near the spot so whenever there’s heavy rain, or too much sunshine, you can get into your car.

FOCAL LENGTH	A320: 70mm, Cirrus SR22: 350mm.

	Spot #4 – Visserweg – Arrivals and departures runway 23
WHERE	This spot is a little bit difficult to reach. From spot #3, you should continue the road towards the East. The road is called ‘Vissersweg’. Just drive till you see a small road on your left side. You’re not allowed to enter that road with your car so just park it at the beginning of the road, and from there walk the line as showed in the map. First, walk on the sandy road. At the end of the road you can go either left, or right and enter a field. You should enter the field, and walk alongside the edge of the field. If you do so, you’ll find the spot on your right side. A little bit tricky to find, but once you’re there, you’ll have a great view!

WHAT	All arrivals and departures on runway 23.

TIME	In summer from early morning till 16:00, in winter from early morning till around 14:00.

MISC.	A ladder is recommended, but you could also take photos through the mesh. Absolutely nothing nearby and you’re not nearby your car, so bring everything you need with you.

FOCAL LENGTH	77W: 42mm, 737: 65mm.

	Spot #5 – Visserweg – Arrivals and departures from 23
WHERE	Another tricky spot to find, but once you have arrived at spot #4, you can just walk along the fence toward the beginning of the runway. After around 500m, you will find a small hill on your right hand. You’ll overview the fence while standing on the small hill, however the grass might get quite high during summer months, so a ladder might be useful.

WHAT	From here, you have a great view on planes lining-up for runway 23. You can also take photos of the arriving traffic on runway 23.

TIME	In summer from early morning till 16:00, in winter from early morning till around 14:00.

MISC.	This spot is located in the middle of nowhere. Absolutely nothing nearby, so bring what you need with you. It’s a long walk from the car to this spot, so keep in mind to drink enough, especially during hot summer days.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm

	Spot #6 – Visitor Hill – Arrivals and departures 05, departures 23
WHERE	This is the ‘official’ spotting location, located at the northern side of the runway, next to a sandy road. To get here, you should enter this sandy road either through the road ‘Lugtenburgerweg’ or through the road called ‘Eekhoornstraat’. When you’re coming through the Lugtenburgerweg, you can just drive all the way to the end of the street, where you can enter the sandy road. Just drive till you reach the spotting hill. When you’re coming through the Eekhoornstraat you can enter the sandy road when you enter ‘Eekhoornstraat’ in your navigation system. You won’t need a ladder here and you can park your car next to the hill. Not reachable by public transport.

WHAT	From this spotting hill, you will have a good view on all the arrivals and departures on runway 05, and departures from runway 23.

TIME	In the summer from 16:00 till sunset, in the winter from 14:00 till sunset.

MISC.	No restrooms or food and drinks available here so bring what you need.

FOCAL LENGTH	767-400: 60mm, A320: 85mm.

	Spot #7 – Lugtenbergweg – All movements on runway 05 and 23, and taxiway C
WHERE	This spot is at the end of the ‘Lugtenburgerweg’, and at the beginning of the sandy road to the official spotting hill. If you fill the adress ‘Lugtenburgerweg 21’ in your navigaton system you’ll find it easily. You can park your car on the side of the road. Not reachable with public transport.

WHAT	From here you will have a good view on all movements on both sides of the runway. If planes take taxiway C, you will have an extremely close-up view on the plane!

TIME	In the summer from 16:00 till sunset, in the winter from 14:00 till sunset.

MISC.	No restrooms or shops nearby, so bring what you need. Also, a ladder is recommended if you wanna shoot over the fence. There’s a possibility to shoot through the mesh aswell.

FOCAL LENGTH	10mm for taxi shots, 50-300mm for landings and take offs.

	Spot #8 – Veldkampweg – Arrivals and departures runway 23
WHERE	This spot is located at the end of the road called ‘Veldkampweg’. Just drive all the way to the end of the road, till you see the fence. You can park your car there. Not reachable with public transport.

WHAT	From this spot you can see the arrivals and departures from runway 23 and aircraft that passing by on the taxiway.

TIME	In the summer from 16:00 till sunset, in the winter from 14:00 till sunset.

MISC.	A ladder is recommended. Most planes will rotate behind some trees so you won’t able to capture that.

FOCAL LENGTH	A321: 130mm, Cessna 750 Citation: 275mm.

	Spot #9 – Bizjet apron
WHERE	Located nex to the terminal. You can enter the street to this spot through the road called ‘Burgemeester J.G. Legroweg’ or through the road ‘Machlaan’. It is also easy to walk to this spot from the terminal.

WHAT	At this spot you will have a nice view on parked bizjets.

TIME	Early morning only.

MISC.	Restrooms in the terminal. A ladder is useful here.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-100mm for parked bizjets.

	Spot #10 – Burgemeester J.G. Legroweg – stored aircraft former runway 01-19.
WHERE	This spot is located along the Burgemeester J.G. Legroweg, just north of the airport. Drive up the unpaved path just before Esweg and park your car near the gate. Not in front of it! It is also easy to walk to this spot from the terminal (about 10 minutes). Walk along the fence on the small grassy area. Do not walk into the farmers fields. After 200 meters you need to cross a deep ditch if you want to walk further (needed for the Fokker 100). Find the perfect spot alongside the fence.

WHAT	From this spot you will have a good view of the parked/stored aircraft on the former runway 01-19.

TIME	Light is best in the evening, from 18:00.

MISC.	A ladder might be unhandy, but could be useful. If you don’t have one, you can photograph through the fence. Nothing nearby so bring what you need.

FOCAL LENGTH	70 – 200 mm