Hockenheim is in the Upper Rhine valley. It is on an old trade route that ran from Frankfurt to Basel. The river Kraichbach flows through the town, and divides Hockenheim in an eastern and a western area. Hockenheim covers 34.84 km². About 28.2 percent is used for settlement and transportation. About 47.5 percent is used for agriculture. About 2.3 percent of the area are waterways, and 21.1 percent are forests.