Arrival: Welcome to Heidelberg!
Transportation to Heidelberg
Your first refuge in Heidelberg: The Triplex-Mensa
Housing Arrangements
Transportation to Heidelberg
Heidelberg is located in the Rhein-Neckar region, about 100 km south of Frankfurt/Main. The nearest international airports are Frankfurt and Stuttgart and from each there are frequent trains to Heidelberg. The train ride from Frankfurt airport to Heidelberg takes about one hour and may involve changing trains either at the main station in Frankfurt or in Mannheim. A one-way ticket costs approximately € 25.
For timetables and train fares see: http://www.bahn.de/
It is also possible to take the Lufthansa Airport Shuttle from Frankfurt airport to Heidelberg.
The bus route terminates at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Kurfürstenanlage. A single ticket costs €22 and is payable to the driver in cash.
Buses run every hour between 8:00 am and 10:30 pm and can be found right across from the Frankfurt Airport Meeting Point in Terminal 1, Hall B, Exit B 4. Seats can only be guaranteed if you reserve three days prior to your arrival. The exact bus schedule and information on reservation procedures are available at: www.frankfurt-airport-shuttles.de.
Perhaps the most convenient way to get to Heidelberg is to order a shuttle mini bus run by the company TLS. A staff member of TLS picks you up at the airport and takes you to Heidelberg. The taxi has to be booked at least two days beforehand, a one-way ticket costs about € 33. Further information is available on the Internet: www.tls-heidelberg.de.
Your first refuge in Heidelberg: The Triplex-Mensa
If you have a room reservation for one of the student residences, your first stop in Heidelberg should be the Triplex-Mensa. Depending on when you arrive, you will either receive your lease in the "Welcome Area" at the back of the Triplex-Mensa or in the Info-Center at the front of the Triplex-Mensa. There, you can receive your room assignment and sign your lease from the Studentenwerk.
Directions to the Triplex-Mensa: From Heidelberg train station you can proceed to the Triplex-Mensa either by taxi or by bus. The taxi stand is in front of the main exit (Hauptausgang). Ask to go to Universitätsplatz – it will cost about € 10.
It is also fairly convenient to get to the Triplex-Mensa by bus. The bus stop is in front of the North exit (Nordausgang). The ticket costs € 1.10 and can be bought from the driver. The driver will give change but not from much more than a € 5 note. Take bus # 32 and get off at Universitätsplatz.
When you take the Lufthansa Airport Shuttle from Frankfurt airport to Heidelberg you will arrive at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Kurfürstenanlage. From the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Kurfürstenanlage take a taxi to Universitätsplatz or walk to the nearby Bismarckplatz (for directions see map) and take one of the number 31 or 32 buses from the Bismarckplatz bus stop to Universitätsplatz.
If you take a shuttle mini bus run by the company TLS, a staff member of TLS will pick you up at Frankfurt airport and take you directly to the Triplex-Mensa.
We strongly advise you to time your arrival to coincide with the business hours of the Info-Center in order to ensure that you can move into your room immediately.
Opening hours of the Info-Center:
Mo – Thu: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Fri: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Before the start of the preparatory language course as well as before the start of the lecture period, the Info-Center may extend its opening hours. Information will be provided with your admission package.
Housing Arrangements
Upon your arrival at the Triplex-Mensa, you will receive the room assignment, sign your lease (Mietvertrag) and pay a deposit (€ 350), a fee (€ 30) and the first month’s rent (between € 180-300) at the Info-Center. Please note: The Studentenwerk does not accept credit cards, checks or foreign currency travellers checks. Thus this payment - which can come to € 665 - must either be made in cash or in Euro travellers checks.
We would advise you to bring Euro travelers checks in order to avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Foreign currency travellers checks can either be cashed at the train station’s Reisebank (the only bank in Heidelberg open on Saturdays and Sundays) or at another bank.
A Studentenwerk staff member will give you the keys to your room and provide you with directions. It remains for you to go to your residence and arrange to meet your house-keeper (Hausmeister/in). Most immediately you will need to purchase pillow, duvet and bed sheets. It may be too late for you to arrange to meet the house-keeper on your day of arrival; it is therefore advisable for you to bring a sleeping bag for your first night just in case.
If you wish to look for private accommodation you can receive information about private rooms and apartments in the area through the accommodation service of the Akademische Auslandsamt (Seminarstrasse 2, room #32). The Studentenwerk's accommodation service can be found at the Info-Center.