Visa Information
Citizens of the Schengen area can enter Germany visa-free by exhibiting a valid identification document. In addition, citizens of 62 countries can travel to Germany for tourism/businnes purposes visa-free for periods shorter than 90 days. Please check at the following link if you need a visa to enter Germany. For information on visa regulations visit the Federal Foreign Office website or contact the German embassy in your country. To ensure the visa application is processed before the start of the conference, may sure to apply for it in advance.
If you need any official letters, confirmations, etc. in order to apply for your visa, please do not hesitate to contact the organizers no later than July 11th.
How to arrive by Plane
Mainz is served by the Frankfurt Main Airport (Flughafen Frankfurt Main), the main german international airport for passenger numbers. It offers regular connections to almost all international cities (visit the Frankfurt airport webpage). The Mainz city center is about half an hour by train from Frankfurt airport, and different connections are availble via regional train. At the airport please follow the signs "Regionalbahnhof" (regional train station), located in Terminal 1 after the baggage clearance. Either take the line S8 (direction Wiesbaden Hbf), a RE (Regional Express), or a RB (Regional Railway) to Mainz Hbf. Ticket price is about 7 EUR and the travel duration is about 30 minutes. Please check the Deutsche Bahn website for updated timetables. Remember that you will need to obtain a ticket before boarding the train, which can be bought at vending machines at the railway station (one way ticket "Einzelfahrkarte nach 6500").
A second smaller airport is located about 85 km from Mainz in the Hunsrück region, the Frankfurt Hahn Airport which offers a few low cost international connections. Please keep in mind that not always the arrival/departure time is the most convenient (check here the Hahn airport webpage). A bus line connects the airport to the city of Mainz. The bus leaves from Terminal 3 every three hours for Mainz main station. Travel duration is about 1.5 hour. Information about timetable and prices is available here. Alternately you can rent a car or take a taxi directly at the Hahn Airport (see information about arriving by car).
How to arrive by Train
The city of Mainz has a main station (Hauptbahnhof) and a number of other rail stations. Please check the Deutsche Bahn website for train timetables. The easiest way to get to the Univeristy Campus is to alight at the main station and to then take a bus or tram.
How to arrive by Car
Mainz is located in the south-west part of Germany. If you plan to arrive by car here few indications about the highway (Autobahn) to follow. A map with directions can also be found here.
From the west (i.e. from direction Bonn/Cologne): follow Autobhan A60 via "Autobahn-Dreieck Mainz" direction Darmstadt, leave Autobahn A60 at exit "Mainz-Finthen", follow the indication "Saarstraße/Innenstadt" straight ahead through the roundabout "Europaplatz", and take the exit "Universität".
From the east (i.e. from direction Frankfurt/Würzburg): follow Autobahn A60 via "Autobahn-Dreieck Rüsselsheim" (or if on Autobahn A63 leave this at "Autobahnkreuz Mainz" to get to Autobahn A60 direction Bingen), leave Autobahn A60 at exit "Mainz-Finthen", follow the indication "Saarstraße/Innenstadt" straight ahead through the roundabout "Europaplatz", and take the exit "Universität".
From the north (i.e. from direction Kassel); follow Autobahn A66, at "Schiersteiner Kreuz" change to Autobahn A643 direction Mainz, follow Autobahn A643 to "Autobahn-Dreieck Mainz" and change here to Autobahn A60 direction Darmstadt, leave Autobahn A60 at exit "Mainz-Finthen", follow the indication "Saarstraße/Innenstadt" straight ahead through the roundabout "Europaplatz", and take the exit "Universität".
From the south (i.e. from direction Karlsruhe/Basel): follow Autobhan A5 direction Frankfurt, at "Darmstatter Kreuz" change to Autobahn A67 direction Frankfurt, at "Autobahn-Dreieck Rüsselsheim" change to Autobahn A60 direction Bingen, leave Autobahn A60 at exit "Mainz-Finthen", follow the indication "Saarstraße/Innenstadt" straight ahead through the roundabout "Europaplatz", and take the exit "Universität".
The main campus entrance (Hauptforte) is located at Ackermannweg 11, 55128 Mainz. GPS coordinates N 49.591902 / E 8.135495 (decimal degrees).
Please, be aware entry the campus by car is possible only with special permission.
From the City Center to the Conference Venue
The conference venue can be reached from the central train station by pubblic transportation. You can take one of the following lines: 6, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 64, 65, 68, 78, 79, 90, 91 or 93.
Get off at the bus stop "Universität" and take a short (no more than 5 minutes) walk across the campus to reach the conference venue.
Tickets for the public transportation are available at MVG ticket machines or MVG ticket shops (e.g. at the main station). A short-ride (Kurzstrecke) ticket (up to three stops) can also be purchased directly on the bus/tram from the driver. For longer stay a seven-day ticket (Wochenkarten) is also available.
For details and updated timetible, please visit the MVG website. Information on public transport within and around Mainz is also provided by Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund.
If you are planing to stay in Mainz (or more generally in Germany) for a longer period one possibility is also to buy the "Deutschland Ticket" (for 58 EUR) which will allow you to take all local public transportation (e.g. regional trains from Frankfurt airport to Mainz city are also included). More information can be found at the DB webpage.
Parking at the Campus
Parking on campus is available only with special permission. The most convenient, huge (and free) parking lot is at Dalheimer Weg 1, 55128 Mainz, about 1 km walk from the conference venue. Additional paid parking lots are located in the vicinity of the campus, please see the campus map for parking in the nearest vicinity.
