ORAHS 2012 will take place at the University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands. Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport is approximately 150km/2 hours from Enschede and is served by a good variety of international carriers with destinations including Barcelona, Beijing, Dubai, Frankfurt, London, Los Angeles and New York. The University of Twente is located on a campus between the towns of Enschede and Hengelo.
Venue Address
University of Twente,
Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede,
The Netherlands
Tel : +31 53 489 2364
Web : www.utwente.nl/en
The University of Twente is a research university which focuses on the development of technology and its impact on people and society. This focus can be seen in the range of 22 Bachelor's degree programs and 31 Master's degree programs which the university offers in the field of technology and behavioral and social sciences. There are 5,500 Bachelor's degree students and 2,500 Master's degree students at the University of Twente.
Transportation
Travelling by Air
Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport is approximately two hours from The University of Twente. More information about the air carriers and up to date timetables are available on the airport website.
Travelling by Train
There are direct intercity trains from Schiphol that go straight to Enschede and Hengelo Central Stations (from where you can continue by bus or taxi). The journey takes approximately two hours and costs approximately €22 one-way. An alternative option is to switch trains in Hengelo and travel further with a regional train to station Enschede Drienerlo. This station is located at a 15-minute walk from the main entrance of the university. If you want to travel by train, you can buy a ticket:
- at the yellow self-service ticket machines. Payment can be done by debit card (Maestro) or coins. Unfortunately, not all ticket machines accept credit cards.
- at a service desk at a larger railway station. There is a €0.50 charge for using this service.
Payment is possible by cash or debit card (Maestro), at Schiphol and Amsterdam Central you can also pay by credit card. At Schiphol, Amsterdam Central, Hengelo and Enschede service desks are available. Information on (bus/train) schedules can be found on the NS website or at www.9292ov.nl/en.
Travelling by Bus
To reach the campus from Enschede, you can use bus Line 1 (to University of Twente, exit at stop UT/Hallenweg and in the weekend and evenings exit at stop UT/Calslaan) and bus Line 9 (to Hengelo station, exit at stop UT/Kennispark). To reach the campus from Hengelo, you can use bus Line 9 (to Enschede station, exit at stop UT/Kennispark). Information on (bus/train) schedules can be found at www.9292ov.nl/en. If you do not plan to travel a lot with buses while visiting Enschede (5 times or less), we recommend you to pay cash at the bus driver (€2.20/€3.30 per one-way ticket Enschede/Hengelo to the campus). If you plan to travel more often, another option (a so-called "OV-chipkaart") would be cheaper, but more troublesome to arrange. If you like to have information on this option, please refer to www.ov-chipkaart.nl. Note: if you plan to visit Amsterdam or Rotterdam before or after the conference, you will need an OV-chipkaart for the trams and the metro. In this case, please refer to the website above.
Travelling by Taxi
Taxis are available outside both Enschede and Hengelo railway stations. The university is a 10 minute drive and will cost approximately €17 one-way. You can also use a so-called "Train-taxi" from Enschede and Hengelo station, which is available starting at 7:00 till 10 minutes after the arrival of the last train. The "Train-taxi" is a shared taxi, which means you might need to wait a bit longer than for regular taxis. You can only use a "Train-taxi" ticket together with your train ticket. A one-way ticket costs €4.90 at the ticket machine and €5.50 at the driver.
Travelling by Car
The following car rental companies all operate out of Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport: Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, National and Sixt. From the A1 motorway, take the A35 motorway towards Enschede. Then take exit no.26 Enschede-West/Universiteit. Follow the signs Universiteit. There are a number of car parks on the university campus which are all free of charges.
Local Area
Enschede
Directly on the eastern border of the Netherlands, Enschede is a characteristic, modern and lively university town. Elegant historic buildings in the town and surrounding area are evocative of Enschede’s rich textile past. Some of the town’s most notable monuments are the beautiful town hall, several beautiful churches and a unique synagogue. At the same time, large-scale urban renewal has given Enschede a new skyline with eye-catching, contemporary architecture. More information is available here.
Hengelo
Hengelo is a multifaceted medium-sized town. Impressive because of its rich industrial history, its present activities and its plans for the future. Remarkable because of its central location and mixture of corporation housing, characteristic garden villages and spacious residential areas and surprising because of its many stores of national repute, cultural activities, various events and catering establishments. More information is available here.
Weather
The weather in the Netherlands can be very changeable from day to day, and the character of each season may vary from one year to another. The average maximum temperature in July is 22°C, so it is recommended that you bring a lightweight jumper and waterproof jacket.