Phone: +49 (721) 608 3934
Fax: +49 (721) 608 7343
Email: tichy@ira.uka.de
If you arrived at Terminal 2 (concourses D and E), take the sky tram
to Terminal 1. You'll have to take your luggage up some steps to the tram
and back down at the other end (luggage carts are available, and they are
built so you can take them on the escalators--stoppers at the bottom hold
them on the steps.) Unfortunately,
the luggage carts are not allowed on the tram, but there will be carts
at the other end. Get off at Terminal 1 and go down to the ground floor
(two levels). Walk towards the front of the building (glass front,
cars outside) and look
for large, blue signs saying "Long Distance Trains".
If you arrived at Terminal 1 (concourses A, B, C), you'll come out in a crowded hallway with rental car agencies. Look for large signs saying "Long Distance Trains".
Follow these signs. They will take you up one or two levels. Don't follow
the signs "Local Trains". They take you
to a different station. Eventually, you will arrive at an area with a large,
domed glass roof. At one end is a coffee shop, at the other end the ticket
office. In the center is a sign showing departure times of the trains.
Look for the next train direction Karlsruhe and Basel. Trains leave a few
minutes before the hour, every hour. If you're in a rush, board right away
and buy the ticket on the train; otherwise, buy the ticket at the station.
I usually ride second class; the increment for first class is not worth it.
The tracks are way down and there are lifts as well as escalators (the correct
tracks are shown on the sign with the departure times). In order to
find where the second and first class cars stop, consult the diagram posted
at one of the boards on the platform. There are also guards (wearing berets)
standing around who you can ask for help. If you need to phone me, ask them
for the nearest payphone. You'll need no more than five ten-cent pieces (Euro
cents, that is).
Usually, there are only two stops: first Mannheim, then Karlsruhe. Some trains require you to change in Mannheim. Usually, they put the connecting train on the same platform, so all you have to do is walk across. There is also a brochure on the seats in the train with details about connections. Listen to the announcement on the train (in English), or ask the conductor or the person selling you the ticket whether you need to change..
When you arrive in Karlsruhe, there are two exits from the platform. Follow the larger crowd, taking the exit towards the front of the train. The other exit leads you to the parking lot. You want to head for the main station building with shops, etc. Walk out the front door and take a cab to the University. Show the driver your map , or tell him "Am Fasanengarten 5." Don't just say "University", because then the cab will drop you off in the center of campus, about 1 km from my office. Five to ten percent tip is enough. If you're disoriented, try to spot a campus map, or ask a student for Informatik Gebäude.
If you'd like to figure out your connections beforehand, open
train schedules
and enter "Frankfurt airport" and "Karlrsruhe" in the navigation bar on
the left.. You can even get your
personal timetable
prepared for download.
You can rent cars at both terminals. In Terminal 1, you'll be in a hallway with all major car rental agencies after clearing customs. In Terminal 2, you may have to go up a level. Europcar is easiest to find and was the cheapest last time I looked (1997).
Since the rental agencies station their fleets directly in the parking garages at the airport, you can usually walk to your car. Be sure the agent tells you how. They speak English. Also ask for detailed instructions on how to get onto Autobahn A5, direction Basel (south).
Before starting, get 5 Euros or so in coins for the parking garage at the University.
After you've picked up your car, follow the blue signs that take you to the Autobahn. Normal highway signs are yellow; Autobahn signs are blue. In a mixed situation (such as leaving the airport), you'll see yellow signs with blue insets.
The normal identification system for roads is not by number, but by destination city. Roadsigns usually list several cities, the top one being the closest. At first, look for blue signs with the cities Darmstadt and Basel. Later on, Karlsruhe will also be listed. Just follow these signs.
A few miles after leaving the airport, get onto the ramp for A5. Simply watch for the signs that list Basel or Karlsruhe. (Basel is in Switzerland, about 2hrs beyond the Karlsruhe exit)
You'll enter an 8-lane highway, with cars going 120 miles/h in the left lane. Several times you will see signs to Darmstadt. Ignore those. After 30 km or so you will get to a fork in the road. Take the right branch, direction Karlsruhe/Basel and keep following the signs.
You will stay on A5 all the way to Karlsruhe. Driving will take about an hour from the fork (the total distance from the airport is about 140 km). The half-way point is the exit for Heidelberg. Just keep going until an exit sign for Karlsruhe appears. If you get to Basel, you've gone way to far.
Karlsruhe has three exits. Take the first one, marked Karlsruhe-Durlach. At the end of the ramp, turn right. Continue with Local Driving Directions .
At the fifth traffic light, make a right turn. This is a big intersection, called Durlacher Tor. There are right turn lanes. The signs direct you to the stadium (white sign with soccer ball), to Kinderklinik (children's hospital), and the university. Can't miss that turn.
After the right turn, there is immediately another traffic light.
Dont' turn--keep going straight.
Another 100 m and another traffic light: that's the main entrance to the
campus, on your left.
Again, don't turn--Continue on straight.
Turn right at the next street (no traffic light). The street is called
"Am Fasanengarten". There is a pedestrian bridge over the intersection.
After the turn, the large building at the corner to your left is where I work.
Now you need to find the parking garage. It is underground, so it is a
little hard to see. Go slow and look to your left. At the end of the building
is the ramp down into the garage. You can see the barriers. Alternatively,
do not turn onto "Am Fasanengarten", but keep going to the next intersection
and turn right. There's a parking lot
to the left of the building you're facing. However, it is usually full when
classes are in session.
The building where I work is the 4-story, L-shaped building at the corner of "Am Fasanengarten" and the street from which you turned off (Adenauer Ring). You can enter through one of the two red doorways in the breezeway at the center of the building. If you're in the garage, you can enter the building underground directly from the garage.
Inside the building, take the elevator or spiral steps to the top floor (#3 on the elevator button.) Find room #368; there is also a sign with my name hanging from the ceiling. You may have to go through two sets of double doors to get to my office.
Or ask someone for the university or Durlacher Tor. Durlacher Tor is the big intersection mentioned above. Most people understand English.
Or call me at 608-3934 (non-local: 0721 608-3934)
When you've exited the autobahn, heading towards Karlsruhe, proceed to the second traffic light and turn right. The turn is right after an overpass. After the turn, you're on a street called Ostring. It curves to the left. Just keep following the road, passing through 2 or 3 stop lights. When you come to a T (with traffic light), turn right. The street is called Haid-und-Neu-Strasse. There are tram tracks in the center. Within 50 m, there is a pedestrian crosswalk, with a traffic light that is on only when people press the button. Go straight through that. Within about 100m, there is another traffic light; turn left here (onto Hirtenweg; the name changes into Rintheimer Queerallee later). Follow this road for about 1 km, until you get to the next traffic light (also a T). Turn right (onto Theodor-Heuss Allee). Within about 200 m, take the first street on your right. This is Breslauer Str. Our house is bright yellow and about 100 m down on your right (number 14).
If you get lost, ask for Waldstadt, Theodor-Heuss Allee, or Breslauer Str., or call us (68 70 24).