Thanks to its central location at the heart of the Ruhr, Bochum is very easy to get to. For the visitor travelling by car it can be reached by one of four motorways and a vast network of roads. Bochum main railway station links the city with all major towns and urban centres in Germany and abroad. Several airports can be reached within half an hour, providing easy access by airplane to destinations around the globe. Public transport (locally abbreviated to ÖPNV) is a convenient and flexible way to travel the area.

Car
If you are planning to travel independently, you will probably opt to travel by car. Bochum is served by an excellent network of motorways from all directions. From the North, the A1/A43 (Hamburg – Cologne) and from the north-west the A3 (Amsterdam – Cologne) bring you to Bochum. Visitors coming from an easterly direction will take the A40 into the city, while those from the south-east, from the direction of Frankfurt, will use the A45. From a southerly direction take the A1 (Cologne – Hamburg), from the south-west the A46 and the A52 from the direction of Düsseldorf.
The A40 (Holland – Dortmund) is the motorway that approaches Bochum from the west.
Motorways A40 and A43 are directly linked to the city centre via access roads (B51 and B226 respectively). Apart from the many motorways, a huge web of roads link Bochum with other towns and cities in the Ruhr.

For a hassle-free visit to Bochum's city centre head for one of nine multi-storey car parks with a total of more than 5,000 spaces.

Rail
Travel by rail and your holiday begins the moment you step aboard. Relax as you speed through the countryside and arrive in Bochum free of nerve-wracking traffic hold-ups. Bochum is located on the busy Bergisch-Märkisch line and can be reached from almost all of Germany's towns and cities by direct InterCity trains. The links to international destinations are equally good. The city is also served by the railway stations Bochum West and Wattenscheid where you can board both regional and long-distance trains.

Outside Bochum main railway station you will find the airport express, car rentals, taxis and, of course, bus and tram services. The tourist information office is within an easy two-minute walk.

Airplane
Air travel is a good option particularly for a weekend break or short business trip. The airports within easy reach of Bochum – Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Cologne/Bonn und Münster/Osnabrück– are not only served several times a day by all major German cities, they also have excellent connections with international destinations.

ÖPNV
Public transport (ÖPNV) gives you perfect mobility throughout the Ruhr area. A dense network of buses and trains at frequent intervals gets you around in great comfort.