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Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Bochum
Give Bochum one full day for the Mining Museum and a Ruhr stadium or Starlight Express night; base in Essen or Dortmund and day-trip in.
Bochum is a former coal and steel town of about 360,000 people in the middle of the Ruhr, 15–20 minutes by train from Essen and Dortmund. Its one heavyweight sight is the German Mining Museum, the largest of its kind. Everything else — the railway museum in Dahlhausen, the Jahrhunderthalle, the stadium — is spread out and works best as a half-day each. Most travellers see Bochum on a day trip from a Ruhr base rather than sleeping here.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Sep; Dec for Christmas markets
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (grey, wet, little open)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2.50–4 |
| Currywurst and a roll | €4–6 |
| Beer, 0.3 l in a bar / 0.5 l bottle from a shop | €3–5 / €1.50–2.50 |
| Museum entry | €5–12 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | €16–18 |
| VRR single ride, category A | €3–4 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DUS · Düsseldorf
- About 50 km; S1 S-Bahn or regional trains to Bochum Hbf, roughly 50–70 minAbout 31 mi; S1 S-Bahn or regional trains to Bochum Hbf, roughly 50–70 min
- DTM · Dortmund
- Regional airport; train to Bochum Hbf via Dortmund, about 40–50 min
- FMO · Münster/Osnabrück
- Smaller regional option; rail connections via Münster
Typical fares
- DUS Airport → Bochum Hbf, S1
- about €15–20, 50–70 min (check)
- Taxi Bochum Hbf → city centre
- €8–12
- Bochum Hbf → Essen Hbf, regional train
- about €5–7, 15 min (check)
Get around
BOGESTRA runs the trams and the U35 Stadtbahn under the VRR fare system: category A covers Bochum alone, B the neighbouring cities, C the whole VRR area. One ticket works on tram, bus, S-Bahn and regional trains. Stamp paper tickets in the orange or red box before boarding. Taxis are pricey: about €4.50 base plus €2.40/km daytime (check).
See and do
Known for
- German Mining Museum (Deutsches Bergbau-Museum)
- VfL Bochum and the Vonovia Ruhrstadion
- Starlight Express at the Jahrhunderthalle
- Ruhr University and the railway museum in Dahlhausen
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Essen | RE or S-Bahn from Bochum Hbf, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Dortmund | RE, IC or S-Bahn from Bochum Hbf, about 15–20 min | About 30–40 min |
| Hattingen | Tram 308 from Bochum Hbf, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Gelsenkirchen | Tram 302 to Veltins-Arena, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Duisburg | RE or IC from Bochum Hbf, about 30 min | About 45 min |
| Witten | Tram 309/310 or train, about 25–35 min | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Bochum Hbf / city centre
- Best for one night with bags: trams, S-Bahn and shops on the doorstep.
- Querenburg (Ruhr University)
- Quiet, green, U35 direct to the station; useful if you are visiting the university.
- Wattenscheid
- Cheaper rooms west of the centre; tram 302 to Bochum Hbf in about 15 min.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Entschuldigungent-SHOOL-dee-goong |
| Thank you | DankeDAN-ka |
| This one, please | Das hier, bittedas heer, BIT-ta |
| How much is it? | Wie viel kostet das?vee feel KOS-tet das |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit KAR-ta TSA-len |
| Where is the toilet? | Wo ist die Toilette?vo ist dee toy-LET-ta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
- Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
- Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
- Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
- Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
- Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
- Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off
Scams and watch-outs
- Stamp your paper ticket before you board or you are riding without a valid one.
- The A40 through the Ruhr jams hard at rush hour; the train is usually faster.
- Bochum's centre is a low-emission zone: many cars, including foreign ones, need a sticker.
- Swimming in Lake Kemnade is forbidden; the Ruhr has strong currents.
- Some museums open only a few days a week or close in winter: check before you go.
Bochum is a normal, safe Ruhr city by day; the station area and the Wattenscheid end of the tram lines are the places to keep your wits about you after dark. The real risks are pickpockets on packed trams and the A40 at rush hour.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bochum yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- German Mining Museum (Deutsches Bergbau-Museum)
- VfL Bochum and the Vonovia Ruhrstadion
- Starlight Express at the Jahrhunderthalle
- Ruhr University and the railway museum in Dahlhausen
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bochum Tourism: www.bochum-tourismus.de/index.html
- City of Bochum: www.bochum.de/
- German Mining Museum: www.bergbaumuseum.de/en/
- Bochum Railway Museum: www.eisenbahnmuseum-bochum.de/
- VRR — Rhine-Ruhr transport association: www.vrr.de
- Wikivoyage: Bochum, revision 5323785 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5323785
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/bochum). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.