VRS 2026 Travel Guide

Hackathon 10–11 October 2026 • Conference 12–13 October 2026

Welcome to Bochum. The hackathon and conference take place at two different venues. Use the address for your event when planning your journey. Travel information checked on 25 September 2026; all times are local to Germany.

Rail works during the events

VRR and Deutsche Bahn list construction around Duisburg and Düsseldorf from 9–30 October 2026, overlapping both events. Connections from Düsseldorf Airport may involve diversions, changes or replacement buses. Check the exact date in DB Navigator before booking and again before departure; do not rely on usual journey times.

VRS Hackathon on 10 and 11 October

Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Wattenscheid (TGW)
Lyrenstraße 13, 44866 Bochum, Germany

Opens Google Maps in a new tab. Choose your starting point and travel date. Check live service changes in the official journey planners below.

From Bochum Hbf: follow signs to the underground tram platforms. Take tram 302 towards Gelsenkirchen Buer Rathaus and leave at Bochum Lohrheidestraße. Cross at the designated crossing and continue to the TGW site. Allow a few minutes to find the event entrance.

Suggested planning allowance: leave 45–60 minutes between arrival at Bochum Hbf and your required arrival at TGW. This is a buffer for finding the platform, waiting and walking, not the scheduled tram journey time.

Alternative via Gelsenkirchen Hbf: if your train itinerary takes you there, take tram 302 towards Bochum, normally signed Langendreer, and leave at Lohrheidestraße. Check that your service continues to this stop.

Return to Bochum Hbf: board tram 302 towards Bochum, normally signed Langendreer. For travel after 22:00, check live service information: BOGESTRA has announced overnight works along the Wattenscheid section through 13 November. This notice does not itself announce a complete tram closure.

By car or taxi: use the TGW address above. Vehicle access and parking are via Josef-Haumann-Straße or Emil-Weitz-Straße; follow signs for Gewerbepark Holland / TGW. Parking availability and event-specific access should be checked before travel.

VR Summit on 12 and 13 October

Rotunde Bochum
Am Kulturgleis 3–5, 44787 Bochum, Germany

Opens Google Maps in a new tab. The walking button starts at Bochum Hbf; the directions button lets you choose another starting point.

From Bochum Hbf: walk to Rotunde. The venue lists approximately 10 minutes on foot; allow 15–20 minutes with luggage or at a relaxed pace. Use the walking directions button above for navigation. For a taxi, give the full Rotunde address. For the return journey, walk back to Bochum Hbf.

Arriving by air

Düsseldorf Airport (DUS)

Check your onward route before choosing an airport station. “Düsseldorf Flughafen” is the regional and long-distance rail station, reached from the terminal by SkyTrain. “Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal” is a different station beneath the terminal, served by S11 towards Düsseldorf Hbf.

Enter your actual airport station and travel date in DB Navigator, with Bochum Hbf as the destination for the conference. For the hackathon, use the VRR planner to continue to Bochum Lohrheidestraße. Follow the itinerary shown for that date, including any replacement buses; a direct airport-to-Bochum train should not be assumed during the works.

Dortmund Airport (DTM)

Take the AirportExpress to Dortmund Hbf, then a train shown in the live planner to Bochum Hbf. Continue on foot to Rotunde or by tram 302 to the hackathon. The airport quotes about 25 minutes for the AirportExpress in normal traffic and warns that roadworks may cause delays.

Plan a dependable arrival

For regional or airport travel through the affected rail corridor, add at least 60 minutes beyond the journey planner’s current estimate. This is a suggested contingency margin, not a guarantee; choose a larger margin for a fixed speaking slot or flight.
Use the arrival time in the confirmed programme. Check Saturday 10 October and Sunday 11 October separately, because weekend timetables differ. Recheck your full route 24–48 hours beforehand and on the day, including the return trip.
Buy the ticket valid for your whole route before boarding and check whether it needs validation. If you already hold a Deutschlandticket, it covers local and regional services, including tram 302, but generally not ICE, IC or EC trains. Check airport-bus exceptions above.
For step-free travel, check station lifts and the accessibility of any replacement buses. Contact the organisers in advance about the entrance and access arrangements at your specific venue.