martinberger.swissDOAG Database & APEX Connect 2026 at Heidepark Soltau
Soltau. Lüneburg Heath. Amusement park. And right in the middle of it: two days of intensive Oracle conference. What sounds unusual at first glance actually works surprisingly well. Conference and amusement park under one roof, that creates a very special energy. A perfect location for the Oracle community.
But let’s start from the beginning.
Getting There via Detour, or: Hamburg is Always a Good Idea
When the confirmation arrived that I would be speaking at DOAG Database & APEX Connect about tips and tricks for Oracle AutoUpgrade, then it came the first question: how do you actually get to Soltau? There are many ways, via Hanover, via Bremen, or as I chose, via Hamburg. Public transport into the Lüneburg Heath? Let’s put it this way: not exactly the region’s strong suit. But more on that later.
Hamburg it was. We used to have an office there, and I love the city’s vibe. So the plan came together quickly: Sunday morning, 04:45 on the train in Olten, catch the first flight to Hamburg, and take some time to explore the city. Landing around 9, dropped my luggage in HafenCity, and headed straight to the Landungsbrücken. A fish sandwich to start the day, that’s just how it has to be.
Instead of the obligatory harbour cruise, I took Ferry 64 to Finkenwerder and back. Included in the public transport ticket, you basically get a harbour cruise “light” for free. Highly recommended. Then off into the city. On the shopping list: an FC Sankt Pauli jersey for the kid. The club had been relegated to the 2nd division the day before, but the shop was packed.
Later in the afternoon, a guided tour of the Hochbunker on Feldstrasse, where someone had simply built five floors of hotel, sports hall and more on top of the historic concrete block. Our tour guide Bernd had plenty of fascinating stories about the building. Around 400 steps to the top, and the view over Hamburg was simply breathtaking.
In the evening I managed to get a discounted ticket for Miniatur Wunderland, and moments later I was immersed in one of those model railways you think can’t possibly be real until you see it yourself. Barely any other visitors at that hour, almost like a private showing. Brilliant.
Back in the room: one last check of the live demos for DOAG and a final polish of the slides. Then off to sleep.
Two Days of Oracle, Community and Rollercoaster Backdrop
Monday morning, up early, U-Bahn to the main station, regional train into the Lüneburg Heath. About two hours later I arrived at the Adventure Hotel at Heidepark Soltau, the conference venue. The choice of location is genuinely inspired: characterful presentation rooms, a shared exhibition space for DOAG Database and APEX Connect, and the amusement park waiting right outside. Already at arrival the first familiar faces from the Oracle community, and just like that you were right in the middle of it.
The programme across the two days was impressively broad. AI, Exascale, Security, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, OCI through to APEX New Features, everything was on the agenda. Exactly the right mix for anyone deeply invested in the Oracle world.
Together with Andrej, Christian and Stefan, the four of us from Accenture were all presenting. A really great thing, when your own team is represented at an event like this and you can actively shape the conversation together.
The evening belonged to the community: dinner, conversations, networking. That is exactly what these events are made for. Day two followed at the same pace, and before you knew it, the conference was already over.
Return Journey - Just in Time
Since regular bus service to Soltau train station is, to put it diplomatically, limited, our colleague Christian drove us to the station. I was, as so often, travelling together with Stefan. With a tight schedule, a little buffer at the transfer and some solid planning, we made it to the boarding gate for the flight to Zurich just in time.
Conclusion
A big thank you to DOAG for great organisation and a really cool venue. Heidepark as a conference setting works, the atmosphere is unique, and the community makes all the difference. This was a lot of fun, and I am already looking forward to next year in Dusselorf. See also Stefan’s review on oradba.ch!