Journey to Karlsruhe for art karlsruhe

Welcome to Karlsruhe

Due to its central and convenient location in Europe, Messe Karlsruhe is easily accessible from many cities in Germany and abroad, whether by car, train, plane or public transport. On this page we also provide information on special aspects of road traffic in the vicinity of the exhibition center.

Visa service for participants of art KARLSRUHE

Who needs a visa for Germany?

Residents of EU countries do not require a visa to enter the Federal Republic of Germany.

Residents of all other nationalities are required to have a visa to enter Germany. The European Community has abolished visa requirements for visits of up to 90 days for some of these countries.

You can find an up-to-date list of all countries that require a visa and those that do not on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

Visa Application

To ensure that you receive your visa in due time before the trade fair/exhibition starts, we recommend you apply for your visa as early as possible. Applications can be made up to three months before you enter the country.

General information about visa regulations is available on the website of the Federal Foreign Office. The specific visa regulations for entry to Germany and details of the documents you need to provide when applying for a visa can be found on the websites of the German missions abroad.

Visa applications must generally be submitted in person to the German embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence, together with all necessary documents.

When applying for a visa, exhibitors are requested to submit an exhibitor admission document from the trade fair company; in this case, the visa can be issued free of charge.

As a rule, you will need the following documents for your visa application:

Confirmed travel booking (flight, bus, train and hotel bookings)
Proof of health insurance
For exhibitors: additionally exhibitor pass, stand invoice
For visitors: additionally entrance ticket

Official invitation letter from the exhibition organizer

In a directive transmitted per e-mail in July 2013, the Federal Foreign Office informed the visa offices of German embassies and consulates worldwide that, as a matter of principle, an official invitation letter from the trade fair organizer is no longer required when applying for visas for trade fair visits in Germany. Please refer to this information when applying for your visa.

In case the visa section responsible for issuing your visa should nonetheless request that an official invitation letter be presented, please send us your personal data in good time by e-mail using the .

You can request letters of invitation at the earliest three months before the event begins.

Please also note the following instructions when applying for a letter of invitation:

Your personal data is taken directly from the online form. No changes or corrections can be made by us.
If your invitation letter contains incorrect data, you will have to fill in the online form again.
The invitation letter will be sent to you by e-mail as a pdf document. Sending by fax is not possible.
The processing time is up to 10 days and cannot be accelerated.
Please check your spam folder before contacting us about undelivered invitations.

We ask for your understanding that we do not process individual requests for invitations.

How to get there

Arriving by car

From the A5/A8 motorway (Autobahn):

Coming along the A8 from Stuttgart, drive south onto the A5, following signs for Basel. Leave the A5 at junction 48 for Karlsruhe-Süd and follow signs to "Messe“. The road name for satellite navigation systems is Leichtsandstraße (on some systems Leichtsandstrasse) in the Karlsruhe district of Rheinstetten.

From the A65 motorway (Autobahn):

The A65 merges with the B10. Leave the B10 at junction 8 and follow signs to "Messe“. The road name for satellite navigation systems is Leichtsandstraße (on some systems Leichtsandstrasse) in the Karlsruhe district of Rheinstetten

Carparks

A total of 7000 parking spaces are available in 3 carparks on the trade-fair grounds along with a VIP/press carpark. Parking fee: € 7.00 per day (Online Ticketshop) / €8.00 per day (at the cash desk on site)

Arriving by local public transport

Tickets for the FareZone 100 apply for travel to the Messe/Leichtsandstraße tram and bus stop when a trade fair is on.

By tram

Messe/Leichtsandstraße or Messe Nord tram stops

From the city centre:

Underground Line S2 (destination Rheinstetten).

From Karlsruhe central station:

From the main train station, you can take various trains to the city center to change at the Europaplatz subway station:
- Line S1/S11 in the direction of Neureut or Hochstetten
- Line 2 direction Knielingen Nord
- Line 3 direction Daxlanden or Rappenwörth

At Europaplatz, change to Underground Line S2, direction Rheinstetten (stop Messe/Leichtsandstraße).

You can also take the Messe-Express service for certain events.

From Durlacher Tor:

Line S2 (destination Rheinstetten).

More information including fares and departure times can be found on the KVV website.

By bus

Messe Nord or Messe/Leichtsandstraße bus stop

From Ettlingen:

no change: Bus Line 106 (destination Neuburgweier Breslauer Str.)

From Rastatt:

Change at the Silberstreifen stop to bus route 106 in the direction of Neuburgweier Breslauer Str.

All of the timetables of the KVV bus network are available here.

Arriving by rail

Karlsruhe is a hub for ICE, InterCity, EuroCity and InterRegio trains, and is located directly on the Hamburg-Frankfurt-Basel intercity line. The east-west line Karlsruhe-Stuttgart-Munich begins here too. And the high-speed TGV train takes you from Paris to Karlsruhe in just three hours.

The best way to get there.

Pay as little as EUR 59,00 (one-way) with the Event Ticket.

Karlsruher Messe- und Kongress GmbH has partnered up with Deutsche Bahn to create an exclusive deal that allows you to travel conveniently to and from your Fairs and Congresses.

Take advantage and make the journey time yours. Use your outward and return journeys to work, read or relax. Whatever you decide to do, your travel with the Event Ticket will be powered by 100% renewable energy.

That special extra for you. Your Event Ticket at a single nationwide price, available at every DB station.

Event Ticket for a single journey, for use only on one specific connection (subject to availability):
- 2nd Class EUR 59.00
- 1st Class EUR 95.00
Event Ticket for single journey, for use on all connections (always available):
- 2nd Class EUR 82.00
- 1st Class EUR 119.00

This offer is valid until 2025-Jun-30.

Click here for further information.

When you click on the button, you will be redirected to a Deutsche Bahn website.

Please note that the ticket no longer contains any invoice-relevant data. If you require an invoice, please enter the desired invoice address in the booking process under personal data.

You can make the most of your travel time by using your journeys to and from your destination for work, relaxation or enjoying our on-board services. You can also rest assured that your long-distance travel is completely powered by electricity generated by renewable resources.

Karlsruher Messe- und Kongress GmbH and Deutsche Bahn wish you a pleasant journey!

The event ticket provided by Deutscher Bahn does not include the ticket for access to the trade fair or congress event of Karlsruher Messe- und Kongress GmbH.

Arriving by shuttle services

Free shuttle services

The Messe-Express

From Karlsruhe Central Station directly to the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre and back, in cooperation with the Verkehrsbetrieben Karlsruhe (VBK). .

The City-Shuttle

From Karlsruhe city centre (Karlstrasse / Ludwigsplatz) to the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre and back, organised and sponsored by Hirsch Reisen. No registration required.

Arriving by plane

Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre has excellent connections to at least 4 airports:

Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden (approx. 30 minutes by road) and other major international airports such as Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Strasbourg (50–60 minutes by road).

Barrier-free travel

Wheelchairs reservations

Free service for your visit to the fair: Please contact the colleagues from the DRK on site on the relevant day of the fair by calling 0721-3720 5230.

A wheelchair will then be brought to you for the duration of your visit to the fair. Please choose the main entrance of the fair.

Carparks

Carparks are available for you in the first row of the P1 carpark.

Trade-fair shuttle bus service

A complementary barrier-free shuttle bus service operates between the central railway station and the Trade fair for the duration of the event. More information about getting to the trade fair grounds by public transport can be found here.

Public transport

Information on the KVV’s reduced-mobility itinerary planning is available here, or please call 0721/6107-5886 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Deutsche Bahn

Please use the following service for more information about Deutsche Bahn’s rail links and train attendants:

Telephone number: 030 65212888
Fax number: 030 65212899
Email: msz@deutschebahn.com

Arrival by bicycle

You can also reach the exhibition grounds easily and in an environmentally friendly way with KVV.nextbike - the public bike and e-bike rental system of the Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund (KVV). The rental station near the exhibition grounds is located at the tram stop Messe/ Leichtsandstraße (line S2).

This is how easy it is to use the KVV.nextbike: Select the bike at www.kvv-nextbike.de or at a rental station, scan it and off you go. Please note that the number of KVV.nextbikes available is limited.

Cost of the KVV.nextbike rental bike at the basic rate:

1 € per 30 min (normal)
2 € per 30 min (e-bike)

The exhibition grounds are easily accessible via a well-developed and signposted network of cycle paths:

Karlsruhe main station: 5.5 km
Karlsruhe city centre: 6.3 km
Ettlingen centre: 7 km

Further information at www.kvv-nextbike.de.

Bicycle breakdown service

With our bicycle breakdown service, we offer you a basic set of tools and aids for quickly solving a breakdown. Be it a punctured tyre, a defective inner tube, a jammed brake or simply not enough air: call the service hotline 0721 3720-5222 for help and to borrow the equipment.

Book stay during art karlsruhe

Book your hotel during the fair here

Karlsruhe, the fan-shaped city, stretches between the Black Forest in the west, the Vosges Mountains in the south and the Palatinate Mountains in the north, harmoniously embedded in the picturesque Rhine plain. This geographical location gives Karlsruhe a unique diversity and attractiveness. With a population of over 310,000 people, Karlsruhe functions not only as a historic Baden residential city, but also as an important center for culture, technology and science in the region.

Karlsruhe's geographic location offers residents and visitors an exceptional quality of life. The proximity of the Black Forest allows for outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing, while the Vosges Mountains and the Palatinate Mountains are within easy reach and offer a wide range of recreational opportunities. The charming Rhine plain, in which the city extends, creates a pleasant climate and offers fertile soils for agriculture and viticulture.

Karlsruhe has established itself not only as a "think tank with a way of life", but also as a technology region and science center. The city is home to a variety of educational and research institutions, including the renowned Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). These institutions promote innovation and scientific progress in various industries, making Karlsruhe a magnet for professionals and researchers from all over the world.

Overall, Karlsruhe is a city with a diverse geographical environment that has a positive impact on the quality of life and economic development. With its cultural, technological and scientific assets, Karlsruhe offers an ideal balance between tradition and modernity, attracting people of different interests and backgrounds.