Getting there
By Train
From Directions Frankfurt, Basel: Karlsruhe is on the ICE line Basel-Frankfurt. Travel time from Frankfurt is just over an hour.
From Direction Munich: There are good connections with ICE and TGV. Travel time is about three hours.
From Direction Paris: There's a couple of direct TGV trains from Paris to Karlsruhe every day. Travel time is three hours.
Eurostar Connection: Eurostar connections are most convenient if you go via Paris and catch one of the direct TGVs to Karlsruhe, but going via Brussels is also an option and only marginally longer.
The German Rail travel planner is quite good on international trains, and available in many languages. Saver fares to many European countries ("Europa Spezial") are bookable from three months before the date of travel.
Within Karlsruhe, the tram is a convenient mode of transport. Between the central railway station and Europaplatz you can use the tram line E2. Most tram lines go every ten minutes during the day, and every 20 minutes in the evenings.
Hochschule Karlsruhe (Location), where SotM-EU takes place, is a 10 minute walk away from Europaplatz.
By Air via Frankfurt (FRA)
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is the largest German airport, and served by all major airlines. It only takes one hour by train to get from there to Karlsruhe, so in airport commute terms it is practically a local airport.
There's a direct ICE connection between Fernbahnhof Frankfurt-Flughafen and Karlsruhe, going every hour and taking one hour (some connections require a change of trains in Mannheim but that doesn't make the slower). Once at Karlsruhe central station, take the tram as described above.
By Air via Karlsruhe-Baden (FKB)
The nearest airport is Karlsruhe-Baden (FKB) which is served by Ryanair, Air Berlin, and a couple other small carriers. Direct flights are available to/from Berlin, Girona, Hamburg, London (Stansted), Moscow, Rome, and others; Air Berlin also offers further destinations via their hub at Berlin. A detailed timetable is available. There's an infrequent bus service from Karlsruhe-Baden to Karlsruhe city but we could likely arrange a pick-up if several people arrive around the same time.
By Car
From Direction Frankfurt:
- Follow the A5 motorway until Karlsruhe-Durlach.
- Exit the motorway and follow B10 in the direction Karlsruhe or Landau - do not go in the Durlach direction.
- After 4.8km, turn right onto Reinhold-Frank-Straße.
- Follow the road for 1.5 and you're at Willi-Andreas-Allee.
From Direction Munich:
- Take the A8 motorway to Karlsruhe.
- At the Karlsruhe interchange, follow the signs towards Frankfurt.
- Stay on the right lane when joining the A5, and immediately take the next exit which is Karlsruhe-Mitte.
- Exit the motorway, and follow the signs to Karlsruhe and Landau (Pfalz).
- Take the Europahalle/Stadion exit.
- Follow the road for 3km and you're at Willi-Andreas-Allee.
From Directon Basel:
- Take the A5 motorway to Karlsruhe.
- Take the exit Karlsruhe Süd, and turn left at the traffic lights.
- Follow the road for about 7km until you're in the city centre.
- Make a right turn at Willy-Andreas-Allee.
One in Willy-Andreas-Allee, there's a large parking area on the southern side of the road. Parking is free and you're right next to building B where most of the conference is happening.