Travel information

Air

Cologne/Bonn Airport is a hub for numerous low-cost carriers. Cologne is also within less than an hour's reach to Frankfurt/Main and Düsseldorf airports. There are good connections (every 10 to 20 minutes) between Cologne airport and Cologne central station, and the travel time is only 15 minutes. Continue to the venue by local transport.

Rail

High-speed trains offer smooth connections between many German and European cities and Cologne. The high-speed Thalys train connects the city with Brussels (1 h 47) and Paris (3 h 14); the ICE directly connects Amsterdam and Utrecht with Cologne in 2 h 38 and 2 h 13 respectively. Cologne central station is located in the city centre and has good and quick connections with tram to the venue. Continue to the venue by local transport. If you  arrive by local train, the nearest local train station is Bahnhof Süd/Dasselstraße at just 900 metres from the venue. Check times and connections here.

Intercity Bus

The bus station is located in the centre of Cologne next to the central train station. Travelling by bus is often cheaper than travelling by train. Connections are especially good between Eastern European cities and Cologne. Continue to the venue by local transport.

Car

GESIS Summer School can be reached via Autobahn A1, A3, A4, A57, A59 and A555. Finding a parking place free of charge and close to the venue may be rather difficult. However, there are numerous public car parks (chargeable) within walking distance of the university.

Accommodation

Cologne hosts numerous international trade fairs. Hotels in Cologne thus tend to be fully booked long in advance. If you need accommodation, we strongly recommend  that you make your reservation directly after your application to our training course was accepted. We will send you a list of hotels close to the venue and useful addresses. 

About Cologne

Cologne is centrally located in the west of the Federal Republic of Germany and right in the heart of Europe. Entering Germany is facilitated by easy access regulations for most visitors.

Founded more than 2000 years ago, Cologne is one of Central Europe’s oldest cities. With more than one million inhabitants it is Germany's fourth largest city. People from 181 countries with more than 250 cultural backgrounds add to a liberal and multicultural atmosphere.

Cologne hosts thirteen public and private universities. Its 72,000 students make it the most populous and also popular university town in Germany. The University of Cologne, partner of GESIS, and the University of Applied Sciences are the two largest of these institutions.

36 museums, more than 120 art galleries, 200 music ensembles, 60 theatres and numerous international festivals make Cologne one of Europe's leading cities for art and culture. The Roman heritage, a captivating array of 12 Romanesque churches, the Cologne Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage) and many other historic sites hold something for every taste … and of course the "Kölsch" both idiom and local brew (we will offer a room in a typical Cologne brewery for your networking and leisure) complete what the city is most proud of: Cologne is a feeling!

More information is available from the Cologne tourist office.