Location and Travel
Getting to and around in Bochum
The Area
The summer school is located in Bochum, Germany, right at the heart of the Ruhr valley, Germany's biggest urban area that is home to more than 5 million people. Coming from coal, the Ruhr valley is in the middle of a transformation from a mostly industrial past into a center for technology and research. This transformation is primarily driven by its three major (and many smaller) universities as well as various research institutions. Among them, Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) and the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP) have established Bochum as one of the major hubs for cybersecurity research and industry in Europe.
Although the region is still infamous for its industrial past, a vivid cultural scene has established itself in Bochum and the surrounding cities. Still, the past is not forgotten and remains ubiquitous, for example, in the form of the "German Mining Museum" in Bochum and the UNESCO World Heritage site "Zeche Zollverein" in Essen. Nonetheless, cultural hot spots such as theaters, music halls, restaurants, bars, and clubs are also thriving. Bochum itself is infamous for its national league soccer team, Germany's best Currywurst, and the Fiege pilsner.
The Venue
The summer school itself takes place at the RUB main campus, which is easily accessible from the city center. Despite its disputable architecture, RUB offers stunning views over the valley and provides a great starting point for walks through the nearby botanical garden or the surrounding forests. The university campus is walkable, albeit a bit confusing at times. Due to its unique architecture and ongoing construction works, we do not recommend trying to get around on campus by car or bike.
Getting to Bochum
Plane: If you are flying in, we strongly recommend Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is the largest airport in the area. It is well-connected to Bochum through regional trains such as the RE1, RE6, and RE11 lines that will get you to Bochum main station in around 40 minutes. Make sure to buy appropriate tickets before you board the train, for example, using the ticket machines at the airport station or through the DB Navigator app.
Train: Bochum is well-connected to the German high-speed rail network operated by the fast ICE and the slower IC trains. Refer to the official railroad website to check for connections.
Accomodation
All external participants will be housed in the B&B HOTEL Bochum-City. The hotel is slightly outside the city center, an 8-minute walk to the U35 subway station "Rathaus" or a 14-minute walk to the main station.
Getting to University & MPI-SP
The summer school takes place on the campus of Ruhr University Bochum at the Convention Center ("Veranstaltungszentrum" or "VZ").
Public Transport: From the station “Bochum Rathaus”, the U35 subway (direction: "Hustadt") operates frequently and gets you to the university campus via the "Ruhr Universität" station in around 10 minutes.