Maastricht can easily be reached by air, train, and car. Below is some specific information that will help you finalize your travel plans. Should you wish further advise or need more detailed information, do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail at: issfal2010@maastrichtuniversity.nl

How to get there:

• Travel by air

The international Maastricht-Aachen Airport is situated just north of the city (15 min by taxi to the conference venue). Amsterdam Schiphol is one of the main airports of Europe and is served by daily flights from numerous airports in all continents. Alternatively, delegates may fly into Brussels and take the train (1.5 h) to Maastricht, or fly into Paris and take the fast Thalys train (3 h) to Maastricht.

When arriving at Maastricht-Aachen Airport: take a taxi to downtown Maastricht or to the conference venue; the trip will take
about 15 min.

When arriving at Amsterdam Schiphol airport take the intercity train to Utrecht/ Eindhoven/ Maastricht Central station. Trains run approximately every 30 min and the journey takes 2 h 40 min. A one-way ticket costs € 27.10. You may need to change trains, for more information about the schedule, click here. The last train from Amsterdam Schiphol to Maastricht is at: 22.14 hours. At Maastricht Central station, take a taxi to your hotel or the conference venue; the trip will take about 10 min.

When arriving at Brussels International airport: first take the Airport Express train to Brussels North, change to the intercity to Liege and Maastricht. A one way ticket costs about € 20.00, for more information about the schedule, click here. The last train from Brussel Airport to Maastricht is at: 21.50 hours. At Maastricht Central station, take a taxi to your hotel or the conference venue; the trip will take about 10 min.

When arriving at Köln - Bonn Airport: first take the Airport Express train to Köln Central, change to the intercity to Aachen. Afterwards you have to change trains in Aachen and Heerlen. A one way ticket costs about € 25.00 For more information about the schedule, click here. The last train from Brussel Airport to Maastricht is at: 20.44 hours. At Maastricht Central station, take a taxi to your hotel or the conference venue; the trip will take about 10 min

For an Airport Shuttle service including prices please click here

• Travel by train

Maastricht is located on the intercity network and can easily be reached from Amsterdam/ Utrecht/ Eindhoven as well as from Liege and Brussels (Belgium). Liege is on the high-speed train route Paris – Brussels – Cologne (Thalys train). As a result, a trip from London to Maastricht by train (Eurostar to Brussels, then Thalys or intercity train to Liege/ Maastricht) takes about as long as a trip by air.

For more information about the Dutch train services please click here. The last train from Amsterdam Schiphol to Maastricht is at: 22.14 hours.

For more information about the Belgium train services please click here. The last train from Brussels International Airport to Maastricht is at: 21.50 hours.

For more information about the German train services please click here. The last train from Köln - Bonn Airport to Maastricht is at: 20.44 hours.

Information about using international Hi-speed trains, please visit the website: http://www.nshispeed.nl

At Maastricht Central station, take a taxi to your hotel or the conference venue; the trip will take about 10 min.

• Travel by car

How to get to the Conference Venue: 

MECC Maastricht
Forum 100
6229 GV  Maastricht
The Netherlands

From Maastricht Central Station by Train:
There is a train service from Maastricht Central Station to Maastricht-Randwyck Station which takes three minutes. At Maastricht Randwyck Station, take the stairs from the platform. Turn to the right the road slopes and about halfway down the road the MECC is on your right hand side. 

From Maastricht Central Station by Bus:
From Maastricht Central Station it takes about 10 minutes by bus to the MECC. One can take either line 1 (de Heeg), 3 (Heugem), 4 (Maastricht azM), 8 (Heer), 10 (Eijsden) and 57 (Gulpen). Buses leave from Maastricht central station to the MECC every ten minutes.

By Car:

A2 / E25 From the North
As soon as you have passed through Maastricht, leave the highway at exit no. 55 (Randwyck, MECC, AZM). Follow the signs to the MECC. Parking costs € 9.00 a day

A2 / E25 From the South
Before entering Maastricht on the A2 Highway, take exit no. 56 (Gronsveld, MECC, AZM). At the top of the exit, turn left (MECC, AZM). Drive over the flyovers across the highway and across the railway line, and then at the T-junction turn right (MECC, AZM). From the road you will see the river Maas and  the Pietersberg hill on the left. After the (Shell) petrol station, turn right following the AZM sign and then left following AZM, MECC and immediately right again following MECC, Universiteit Maastricht. At the end of the road, turn left at the MECC sign. Now follow the signs to the MECC. Parking costs € 9.00 a day

From Maastricht
When coming from the West, take the most southerly bridge across the river Maas in Maastricht: Kennedy Bridge. After crossing the river Maas take the second exit (MECC). Now follow the signs to the MECC. Parking costs € 9.00 a day

Street Address:

MECC Maastricht
Forum 100
6229 GV  Maastricht
The Netherlands

For a map overview click here
To get to the venue please click here
 

Recreation:

Touristic information Maastricht 

City of Maastricht

Maastricht is the Netherlands’ southernmost city, with a charming, international character. Positioned at the crossroads of European cultures, languages and trade routes, Maastricht has a long and exciting history. It is the oldest city in the Netherlands, founded in 50BC. Romanesque churches and stately patrician houses are made for aimless strolling or cycling: the Stokstraat and Jeker districts are the most picturesque. The conference location is only at walking distance from the historical city centre.
The city's least expected claim to fame is that it saw the real-life d'Artagnan swash his last buckle. In 1673, aged 62, the fourth musketeer was killed while leading an attack on the city walls. Those fascinated by fortifications can trace the history of the city's defences, from the 13th-century Helpoort to the underground shelters used in the Second World War, on a fortification walk, brochure available at the tourist office of Maastricht (www.vvv-maastricht.eu).
The Vrijthof is dominated by the terracotta-red tower of the Gothic St Janskerk, the main Protestant church in a predominantly Catholic city. Seventy metres high, it offers splendid views of the city, the surrounding countryside and - a novelty in The Netherlands - hills. Next door is the rival religion's most significant shrine, St Servaasbasiliek, an elegant blend of rugged Romanesque and graceful Gothic. Admission to the blissfully light, white interior costs 3,50 Euro, and is worth every penny: the treasury houses the earthly remains of St Servatius, first bishop of the Low Countries until his death in AD384, as well as a host of golden reliquaries and sacred objects.

The Bonnefanten Museum

A more modern addition to the city's skyline is the bulbous dome of the Bonnefanten Museum, at Avenue Céramique 250,(www.bonnefanten.nl). The museum is housed in a building designed by the Italian architect Aldo Rossi. Together with the Cupola on the River Maas, it is one of Maastricht's most prominent landmarks. Groups can tour the museum with a professional guide. The Bonnefanten Highlights Tour provides background facts on the building's architecture and interesting information about special artworks in the collection. Enthusiastic museum guides provide up-to-date information on exhibitions – an excellent way of making your visit to the Bonnefanten Museum complete.

Arts and Antiques

Maastricht certainly lives up to its reputation of being an “arty” city. Not only because it has several academies of art and music, it also offers a variety of museums, galleries and other places of interest:

·         Museum Spanish Gouvernment: the museum contains period rooms with mainly 17th and 18th century furnishings, including furniture, silver, porcelain and pottery, glassware and paintings; www.museumspaansgouvernement.nl  

·         Natural History Museum: among the museum's highlights are the remains of enormous Mosasauriers and Giant Turtles found in marlstone at the St Pietersberg caverns. Fossils of all shapes and sizes show how South Limburg has changed in the course of the last 300 million years

• Historical Printing Museum; The printing shop dates from about 1900 and is still in use, making this a living museum. Besides traditional skills, the artistic side is given ample attention. A number of display cases with various materials and equipment present an historical overview of the development of the art of printing. A number of old printing presses can be set into motion. www.drukmuseum.nl
• “Rondje Maastricht” is a walk through the old inner-city past an number of antique dealers and art galleries with an established reputation; www.antiquesmaastricht.nl
• The city also has a great number of galleries where contemporary artists exhibit their work. And on the streets... there you will find a ‘permanent exhibition’ of statues by well known Dutch sculptors.
   

Information on the exhibitions and opening hours of the Galleries you can find in the magazine “Uit in Maastricht”, available at the tourist office of Maastricht.

St. Pietersberg

The famous 'St. Pietersberg' caves are the result of centuries of excavation of marl, a building stone. What we now see is an enormous labyrinth of more than 20,000 passages. The stone-hewers have left their marks. On the walls are interesting inscriptions, some extremely old; artists too, have been at work here. During the many sieges Maastricht has suffered, and also during the last world war, local inhabitants used the passages as a shelter; some of the emergency provisions are still to be seen.

Euregion

Maastricht is situated at a historical (Roman) route just like Aachen, Liège, Hasselt and Heerlen. A brochure about these five ancient cities is available at the tourist office. Euregio Maas-Rhine.

More information

The tourist office is in the Dinghuis, Kleine Straat 1 (www.vvv-maastricht.eu)