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City guide

Bochum, Germany

Bochum is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 372,348, it is the sixth-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous German federal state, and the 16th-largest city in Germany.

Type CityPopulation 372,348

Why go

  • City in Germany.
  • Served by Düren-Hürtgenwald Airfield.

History

Bochum is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 372,348, it is the sixth-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous German federal state, and the 16th-largest city in Germany. On the Ruhr Heights hill chain, between the rivers Ruhr to the south and Emscher to the north, it is the second largest city of Westphalia after Dortmund, and the fourth largest city of the Ruhr after Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg. It lies at the centre of the Ruhr, Germany's largest urban area, in the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Region, the second biggest metropolitan region by GDP in the European Union, and belongs to the region of Arnsberg. There are nine institutions of higher education in the city, most notably the Ruhr University Bochum, one of the ten largest universities in Germany, and the Bochum University of Applied Sciences.

Restaurants & places to go

German, Restaurant · Opening hours: Fr-We 12:00-15:00, 18:00+; Th off · 132 Napoleonsberg, Aachen, 52076 · hotel-zur-abtei.de
Indoor
Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Tu off; We-Sa 17:00-22:00; Su, PH 12:00-21:30 · 23 Quirinusstraße, Roetgen, 52159 · zur-maus.de
Indoor
Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 16:00-22:00+; Sa-Su 12:00-22:00+; We off Features: outdoor seating · 2 Am Bahnhof, Aachen, 52076 · bahnhofsvision.de
Indoor
Chinese, Asian, Restaurant · Chinesische und asiatische Küche. Opening hours: Su-Fr 11:30-20:00 · 1 Blaustraße, Stolberg (Rhld.), 52222 · de.restaurantguru.com
Indoor
Coffee Shop, Sandwich, French, Hamb, Burger, Cafe · Fingerfood & Catering | Auch Mietköchin https://www.nicoles-dinner.de/mietkoch.html | Vegane Speisen im… · nicoles-dinner.de
Indoor
Freegan, Restaurant · anticapitalist foodtruck Opening hours: Mo-Su 16:00-18:30 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway, vegan options, step-free access · 20… · acab.bike
Indoor
Ice Cream, Cafe · nach dem Dürener Weihnachtsmarkt über den Winter geschlossen Opening hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 11:00-21:00 · 33 Kölnstraße, 52349 · dolomiti-dueren.de
Indoor
Restaurant · Pizzaria & Ristorante Opening hours: Mo, We-Su 17:00-22:00 · 5 Zülpicher Straße · a-casa-nideggen.de
Indoor

292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Aachen-Merzbrück Airport (AAH) 14 km to the centre
Aachen, NW, DE — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Stolberg-Diepenlinchen Airfield 4.9 km to the centre
Stolberg, NW, DE
Outdoor
Düren-Hürtgenwald Airfield 8.1 km to the centre
Hürtgenwald, NW, DE
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Eschauel
Ferry terminal · 13 km from the centre · Rursee-Schifffahrt KG
Outdoor
Woffelsbach
Ferry terminal · 14 km from the centre · Rursee-Schifffahrt KG
Outdoor
Kermeterufer
Ferry terminal · 14 km from the centre · Rursee-Schifffahrt KG
Outdoor
Schwammenauel
Ferry terminal · 14 km from the centre · Rursee-Schifffahrt KG
Outdoor
Rurberg
Ferry terminal · 16 km from the centre · Rursee-Schifffahrt KG
Outdoor
Rurberg (Obersee)
Ferry terminal · 16 km from the centre · Rursee-Schifffahrt KG
Outdoor
Rursee-Schifffahrt
Ferry route · Rursee-Schifffahrt KG
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Düren-Hürtgenwald Airfield; 5 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Eschauel, 13 km); routes include Rursee-Schifffahrt.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Bochum, Germany. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Bus · Nordrhein-Westfalen · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)
Bus · Bayern · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)

Trains & rail

Rail operator
National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach