University of Twente and the Dutch Twente region

PLATIAL’21 takes place online this year. We nevertheless strongly recommend visiting both the University of Twente and the Twente region! The University of Twente is still fairly young, which at its founding in 1961 was still called the Twente Technological University of Applied Sciences. Since then, the University of Twente has developed into one of the best technical universities in the Netherlands and is generally ranked in the top 500 to 200 best universities worldwide. This year’s host faculty, the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), was established in 1950 (even before the University of Twente itself) and joined the university in 2010. ITC is an internationally recognized research unit focussing on fundamental and applied research in the domains of the various geospatial sciences, including GIScience. A particular focus is thereby on the world’s complex challenges such as climate change and population growth.

Enschede, Twente, and Beyond

Enschede, the largest city of Twente, is located very close to the German border, in the east of the Netherlands. It is an important centre for music and art and is home to the Orchestra of the East, the Dutch Touring Opera, the Wilminktheater and the Enschede Music Centre. Together, these provide a distinctive cultural landscape. The Roombeek neighbourhood of the city became tragically famous following the fireworks disaster in 2000. Today, this neighbourhood is regarded as an example of outstanding architectural and urban development quality. Here you will find various galleries and museums such as the Rijksmuseum Twente, De Museumfabriek, and the ArtEZ Academy of Art. Enschede also has a lot to offer in terms of shopping. Every Saturday one of the largest farmers’ markets in the Netherlands takes place on Van Heek Square. On the Oude Markt, the Old Market Square, there are many cosy restaurants and cafés to visit.

The bicycle-friendly region around the city offers moorlands, fields and meadows, with small castles and chateaus embedded in them. The small surrounding towns and villages offer a unique Dutch flair. You can also visit nearby Amsterdam (approximately 2 hours by train), or even the city of Münster (approximately 1 hour by train) in Germany. Why not extending your trip and exploring Twente or the nearby Münsterland Region?

Directions

Enschede and the University of Twente are well-connected both nationally but also to international destinations. Below you find directions for various modes of travel.

Air travel: The University of Enschede is easy to reach from two major and a minor international airports. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the closest option. Take a Nederlandse Spoorwegen/Dutch Railways train to Enschede (direct trains run approximately every two hours during the day; a 2-hours journey) and then take a bus (see information below) to the University of Enschede. The bus stop is next to the station (1-minute walk). The other option for air travel is to go via Düsseldorf International Airport or Dortmund Airport. In Düsseldorf, take the Deutsche Bahn/German Railways train to Enschede; in Dortmund, take the Airport Shuttle Bus to Dortmund Central station and then the Deutsche Bahn/German Railways train to Enschede (both connections run approximately every hour during the day; a 3-hours journey).

Arriving by train: Enschede train station is well connected major European cities. You can use Nederlandse Spoorwegen/Dutch Railways trains when approaching Enschede from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, or the UK. If you plan to travel from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, or Denmark, you can use Deutsche Bahn/German Railways trains all the way to Enschede.

  • Amsterdam – Enschede: 2 hours
  • Brussels – Enschede: 5 hours
  • Paris – Enschede: 5.5 hours
  • London – Enschede: 5–6 hours
  • Copenhagen – Enschede: 9 hours
  • Frankfurt – Enschede: 5 hours
  • Berlin – Enschede: 4.5 hours
  • Hamburg – Enschede: 3.5 hours
  • Zurich – Enschede: 9 hours
  • Salzburg – Enschede: 9 hours
  • Poznan – Enschede: 8 hours
  • Warsaw – Enschede: 11 hours

From Enschede train station: Take Bus Line 9 towards Hengelo (the bus runs every 10 minutes during the day). You can board the bus at a stop next to the train station (1 minute walk) and you get off the bus at the Westerbegraafplaats/UT (6 minutes journey). The TechMed building, in which PLATIAL’20 takes place, is within 3 minutes walking distance from the bus stop.


View Larger Map