Bochum

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Bochum is a city of the state North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.

[edit] Understand

Bochum is part of the Ruhr Area (Ruhrgebiet), the center of heavy industry in Germany. It's history is linked closely to the one of the region. In 1850 Bochum was a small town of about 4.500 Inhabitants, it's population increased till 1900 to 100 000 inhabitants and till 1935 to 300 000 inhabitants. During World War II it's citycenter was nearly completely destroyed which provided the opportunity to rebuild the city after the war in a metropolitan way with wide streets and modern buildings. With the end of the coal boom in the 60s a structural transformation began. Bochum got the first University of the Ruhr Area which was opened in 1965. Today it is one of the largest Universities of the country with about 35000 students and excellent reputation. Also in the 60 the Opel car production plant became productive which offered jobs for those miners who had lost their job in mining. Mining and steel production came to an end in the 80s.

Today Bochum is a modern city with a job focus in service sector.

Bochum is situated at the borderline between the flat Münsterland in the north and the highlands of Bergisches Land in the south. Therefore the northern part of Bochum is quite flat, the highest hill is the Tippelsberg. According to a legend a long time ago the gigant Tipulus settled down there and when he removed the soil from his boots the Tippelsberg formed. A visit of Tippelsberg is highly recommended, the view from top onto the middle part of the Ruhr Area is excellent. Information boards advise of the landmarks arround. The southern limits of Bochum touch the Ruhr valley with lake Kemnade.

In the 19th century industrialization began in the valley of Ruhr and moved in the following years northwards. Left was an environment in nearly good order. The valley of Ruhr is a recreation area for the population. The Ruhr is water reservoir for the region, therefore the rules for keeping the water clean are quite restrict. Swimming is forbidden in lake Kemnade, swimming in river Ruhr is permitted but not recommended because of strong flow. Pleasure boats are allowed everywhere.

Like most cities in the Ruhr Area the southern quarters are of high standard and are quite expansive while factories will be found mainly in the northern quarters.

View onto the city from top of Tippelsberg
View onto the city from top of Tippelsberg

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

[edit] By train

[edit] By car

[edit] By bus

[edit] By boat

[edit] Get around

Public Transport is arranged by "Bochum-Gelsenkirchener Straßenbahn AG", for short BOGESTRA. It is member of the transport assosiation Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr VRR, which cares for consistence fares and adequate connections between its members and S-Bahn and regional trains. So with the same ticket you may use bus, underground, tram, S-Bahn and regional Express not only within Bochum but within the Ruhr Area, depending on the price category (A, B, C or D) you have selected. For details refer VRR.

Tickets can be optained at the sales offices of VRR (located most times at main station), ticket machines at stations, at subway- and tram-stops and from bus drivers. Do not forget to stamp you ticket before you enter a vehicle. The orange stamp-boxes are located at the entrance of the platforms.

[edit] Stadtbahn

  • Line U35 leads from Bochum-Querenburg via Ruhr University, Bochum Main Station, Bochum-Riemke, Herne Station to Herne Strünkede.

The former trams run within Bochum city also underground. Intersection for all lines is Bochum Main Station.

  • Linie 302 leads from Bochum Main Station via Cityhall-South and Wattenscheid to Gelsenkirchen Main Station.
  • Linie 306 leads from Bochum Main Station to Wanne-Eickel Station (=Herne Main Station).
  • Linie 308 leads from Bo-Gerthe via Bochum Main Station to Hattingen center.
  • Linie 310 leads from Witten via Bochum Main Station and Cityhall-South to Wattenscheidt-Höntrop.
  • Linie 318 leads from Bo-Gerthe via Bochum Main Station to Bo-Dahlhausen.

[edit] VRR Night-Express

Under the synonym "Night-Express" go additional busses, trams and trains at weekend and on holidays one per hour to the suburbs.

Going by Taxi is quite expansive. Calculate a price of about 1.6 Euros per kilometer plus a onetime charge from the approach.

[edit][add listing] See

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Learn

[edit] Work

[edit][add listing] Buy

  • The main shopping-streets in Bochum downtown are Kortumstrasse and Huestrasse.
  • Shopping center Ruhr Park at the eastern city limits.

[edit] Souveniers

Beside the standard articles like beer-glasses and t-shirts available at the Ticket-Shop at Huestrasse is a pitlamp a good tip

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

[edit] Mid-range

[edit] Splurge

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

[edit] Mid-range

[edit] Splurge

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay safe

The cities within the Ruhr area are amoung the safest in Germany. Since the Ruhr is until now not a tourist region, it is not in the focus of pickpockets. But it is a good idea to take the usual precautions. Don't leave you camera unattended, don't flash around a fat wallet. Since many citizens have a migration background, the acceptance of strangers is high and the possibility of encountering racism or other prejudices is low.

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out

... to other cities of the Ruhr area

to Düsseldorf web, Köln web

  • Carnival

Münster web

  • old town

Münsterland web

  • Bicycle Tours
  • Wild Horses im Merfelder Bruch
  • Moated Castles

Sauerland web

Bergisches Land web

or to the Niederlande.

[edit] Weblinks

[edit] Downloads

  • Brochure Discovery Pass Industrial Heritage Trail (Route der Industriekultur) in German and English

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