Services for all
at UW/H
Services for all
at UW/H
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Mobility Portal
Ways to the UW/H: Offers, infrastructure and information
Whether it's regular travel to campus, business trips, or getting to events: The way we organize our mobility influences the climate as well as our quality of life. With its mobility infrastructure and offers, the UW/H would like to promote an uncomplicated use of more climate-friendly means of transport. We have summarized these offers, as well as other tips and tricks around sustainable mobility, on the following page.
... with the bicycle
The UW/H is easily accessible by bicycle from Witten's city center and train station in two to three kilometers via the newly renovated Pferdebachstraße
At the UW/H there is a covered "bicycle parking garage" with 200 parking spaces in the new building. Another 200 covered and double-storey bicycle parking spaces are located at the new campus square. There are also bicycle parking spaces with hangers at five former "parking pockets" on Alfred-Herrhausen Straße as well as further bicycle racks around the main building.
There are changing rooms, showers and lockers in the wooden building right next to the bicycle parking garage. This allows all cyclists to freshen up before a day at university or work if necessary.
The university cargo bike can be borrowed free of charge at pre-arranged times from the Hochschulwerk. Detailed information can be found on the website of the Hochschulwerk.
Moreover, a free cargo bike can be borrowed from the Pottkutsche initiative free of charge in the city center.
Employees can make use of bike leasing, which allows them to choose the (electric) bike of their choice. The company bikes are insured free of charge and can also be used privately.
In Witten, bicycles are available from the bicycle rental service metropolradruhr (operated by Donkey Republic), including the bicycle racks at Alfred-Herrhausen-Str. 48 and Stockumer Str. 12, as well as at Witten railway station.
The following terms and conditions apply to staff and students at Witten/Herdecke University:
- 60 free minutes per hire.
- Any further use will be charged according to Donkey Republic’s ‘Just-Ride’ tariff (€1 per 60 minutes).
- Discounted rates apply across the entire Donkey Republic network.
- Bicycles can be hired, ridden and returned across the entire metropolradruhr area.
The registration and booking takes place in the App by Donkey Republic.
- Install the app on a mobile device; location services must be enabled.
- Tap the ‘Let’s go’ button and create an account using your ‘@uni-wh.de’ email address.
- Activate the discounted rate: Account icon > ‘Become a member’ (select the student or staff rate depending on your status group).
- Set up a payment method (you will only be charged if a hire lasts longer than 60 minutes).
- Verify your email address.
- Hire a bike and set off.
... by bus and train
There is a direct connection to the S-Bahn at the Stockumer Straße location (station: Witten-Annen Nord). For the route between UW/H and the main train station, both a bicycle and the bus are suitable. Bus line 371 runs every 15 minutes to important junctions such as the campus, Witten main station and Witten city center.
After 20:00 (on Saturdays after 18:00), the line 371 unfortunately so far only runs hourly to the city center (always at XX:28). Alternatively, the bus line 375 always departs at XX:53 (Saturdays at XX:57) at the bus stop "Dirschauer Straße", which is about 10 minutes walk from the campus on Dortmunder Straße (from Dirschauer Straße under the tracks, see map section).
All employees have the opportunity to purchase a VRR job ticket or a Deutschlandticket. Further information on the job ticket can be found on the following page.
Students get the semester ticket as Deutschlandticket. Further information on the semester ticket can be found on the Hochschulwerk website.
If buses and trams are extremely late (more than 20 minutes), those affected can make use of the NRW mobility guarantee. This allows train and bus passengers to be reimbursed for the costs of the alternatively chosen means of transport (such as IC, ICE or taxi) under certain conditions. It is advisable to document the delay accordingly (e.g. via screenshot).
... with the car
The parking spaces along Alfred-Herrhausen-Str. are subject to a charge (3 € per hour), although there are free parking spaces for short-term parkers (max. 15 minutes parking time).
In the parking garage located on Alfred-Herrhausen-Str., the university has rented long-term parking spaces that are offered at reduced rates. The rented parking spaces at Gleiwitzer Straße 5 are also subject to parking garage fees.
Free parking is available along Pferdebachstraße all the way to the highway. Here it is still possible to park near the UW/H without paying a fee. The walk takes about 10 minutes.
There are currently two charging stations for electric cars on Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße. In the future, there will be more charging points in the parking house. An overview of the charging stations in Witten can be found on the website of Stadtwerke Witten.
The UW/H has permanent parking spaces in the parking house, which are offered at reduced rates. For reasons of solidarity, user fees are levied depending on the salary level and the number of positions held by employees. Information on the tariff model for employees can be found under this link.
Along Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße there are ten barrier-free parking spaces (parking spaces for the severely disabled). In addition, UW/H has two barrier-free parking spaces each at the new building and the modular building.
Why is there a central parking garage instead of free parking right on campus?
Even during the campus planning phase, the shared goal of Witten/Herdecke University, the City of Witten, and other stakeholders was to create a campus that was as car-free as possible and to reduce traffic caused by people searching for parking in the immediate vicinity of the university.
For this reason, a mobility concept was developed that includes a central parking facility next to Pferdebachstraße. The parking garage consolidates parked vehicles in one location while also keeping the area around the campus—especially along Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße—open and attractive for other uses.
With this parking garage, the university also meets the required parking space quota by having permanently leased the specified number of parking spaces from the parking garage operator.
Why does parking in the spaces along Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße cost 3 euros per hour?
The fee structure for parking along Pferdebachstraße was part of the agreements related to the construction of the parking garage. The operator viewed this condition as a prerequisite for investing in the construction and operation of the parking garage.
The rationale was that the parking garage is intended to serve as a central parking location and should not lose its appeal due to free parking options in the immediate vicinity. The fee structure is therefore intended to help manage the use of the various parking options and reduce traffic caused by people searching for parking around the campus.
The mobility concept was developed in coordination between the university, the City of Witten, and the parking garage operator. Free parking spaces remain available along Pferdebachstraße.
Why isn’t there free parking like at UDE or RUB?
The University of Witten/Herdecke pursues a different mobility concept than large public universities such as the University of Duisburg-Essen or Ruhr University Bochum. The goal was to make the campus as car-free as possible, reduce traffic caused by people searching for parking in the immediate vicinity, and instead offer a central parking facility.
Furthermore, the framework conditions differ: As a private university, Witten/Herdecke University has different funding structures and must allocate its resources strategically. Investments are therefore primarily directed toward education, research, good study conditions, and the necessary infrastructure.
Why isn’t parking subsidized for students?
It is not legally possible for the university to provide its own financial subsidy for parking fees. In this context, students are considered external third parties, so financial subsidies from the university’s public funds would not be permitted.
Furthermore, with their semester ticket through HSW, students have the option to use public transportation free of charge. Bus line 371 runs directly from Witten Central Station to the university.
Regardless of this, the university has expressed its desire to the parking garage operator to offer a special rate for students. However, the decision regarding the specific rate structure rests with the parking garage operator.
Can’t the university buy the parking garage?
The University of Witten/Herdecke invests its financial resources primarily in education, research, and the necessary infrastructure. The acquisition and operation of a parking garage is not and has never been possible and does not fall within the core mission of a university.
The available financial resources should be used, in particular, where they directly benefit students, teaching, and the university’s further development. An investment in the purchase and operation of a parking garage would tie up funds that would then be unavailable for other university tasks.
... from Witten into the world
Whether studying or interning abroad, UW/H is a member of an international network of partnerships on all five continents. In addition, the International Office offers financial support for "green travel".
Personal encounters at conferences, (international) conventions or network meetings are valuable - keeping the ecological impact of these business trips as low as possible is regulated by the travel expenses guideline.
The travel expenses guideline applies to business trips. The guideline creates a standardised regulation for all employees with regard to ecological, social and business aspects as well as the tax framework.
To reduce the environmental footprint of the Erasmus+ programme, “green” travel will be financially rewarded. If you opt for a low emission form of travel (e.g. bus or train) you can apply for a one-off top-up payment of 50€ and up to 4 additional travel days. Please click here for further information.
... commuter mobility at the UW/H
A survey is conducted every three years to quantify the emissions caused by traveling to and from UW/H and to evaluate the use of existing mobility options. The aim of the mobility survey is to find out how the existing services are used, whether employees and students are aware of the services and what measures can be taken to further promote sustainable travel to UW/H.