Getting Around Düsseldorf: A Visitor's Guide
Düsseldorf is a compact, well-connected city where public transport, walking, and cycling all work well for visitors. The city sits at the heart of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, and its transport network is integrated into the wider VRR association, which means a single ticket can cover buses, trams, underground trains, and even regional trains within its validity zone. This guide explains the main ways to move around and how to reach the city from its airport.
Public Transport: Trams, U-Bahn, and Buses
The backbone of local transport is operated by Rheinbahn under the VRR association. The network includes buses, express buses, trams (Straßenbahn), and light rail/subway lines (U-Bahn/Stadtbahn). You can use any local transport within your ticket's validity zone, including commuter (S-Bahn) and regional (RB, RE) trains. For all trips within Düsseldorf, including the airport, you need Price Category A.
Fares are straightforward: a single ticket in Category A costs €3.80, and a 24-hour pass costs €7.60. Children under 15 pay a flat rate of €2.10 per journey. Tickets can be purchased through the Rheinbahn, VRR, or DB apps; at customer service centers; from ticket machines at stops; and directly from bus drivers (contactless payment is preferred). For more flexibility, the "eezy.nrw" feature in the app calculates fares based on the linear distance between your start and end points.
One important note: most of the network is now barrier-free, but some older subway stations still require using stairs or have limited elevator access. If you have mobility concerns, it is worth checking your specific route in advance.
Buses and Long-Distance Coaches
Local buses are part of the same Rheinbahn/VRR network and use the same tickets as trams and U-Bahn. For long-distance travel, the main intercity bus station is located at Worringer Straße 140, right behind the main railway station. This is the hub for long-distance coaches including FlixBus, Eurolines, and various international carriers serving Eastern Europe. While functional, the station offers little shelter, so use the nearby Hauptbahnhof for cleaner restrooms and extensive luggage lockers.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available in the city, and ride-hailing services Uber, Bolt, and Free Now all cover Düsseldorf. As a rough guide to cost, a taxi from the airport to the city centre costs around €40 and takes about 20 minutes, while the fixed rate to the trade fair (Messe) is approximately €25.
Walking and Cycling
The city centre is not that large, and most attractions are within walkable distance of one another. Walking is often the simplest way to explore the core of Düsseldorf.
For cycling, there are several bike hire vendors offering daily or longer-term bookings, typically around €9 per day, or less for longer rentals. You can hire bikes from the Radstation at the Hauptbahnhof (Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz exit), operated by a municipal subsidiary (ZWD), with bikes bookable in advance online. They also offer secure, covered bike parking for approximately €0.90 per day. A commercial service is run by Nextbike, but it requires free registration to receive the combination lock codes to access the bikes, and a working mobile phone is required. You can pick up a SIM card fairly cheaply from a local mobile phone store.
If you are driving, note that the city centre is an "environment zone" similar to many other large German cities, and cars must have a sticker declaring the car's pollution category. Parking in the city centre can be found in one of the many, rather pricey, car parks and underground garages, and street parking is restricted.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) is within the city limits and is Germany's fourth-busiest airport, serving as the main international hub for the Ruhr. It receives flights from many destinations worldwide, including intercontinental routes such as Dubai and Tokyo, and is a hub for Eurowings, Lufthansa's no-frills subsidiary. The airport is about 15 km from the main railway station.
The airport has two train stations. The first, Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal, is underneath the terminal and is only served by the S11 commuter trains. The second, Düsseldorf Flughafen, is larger and a bit further away, served by commuter, local, and long-distance trains. To get to the larger station, take the SkyTrain monorail from the terminal and ride it to the end, past the stop for parking garages; the ride, with waiting time and stops, takes about 10–15 minutes. Fares are the same for both stations, and while more trains call at the larger one, it also takes more time to get there.
The fastest and easiest way into Düsseldorf tends to be the station underneath the terminal; look for signs with a white S on a green circle. Trains run every 20 minutes, take 12 minutes to reach the Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), and a single ticket (Price Category A) costs €3.50. The ticket is valid for an onward journey on public transport within Düsseldorf. A taxi to the city centre costs around €40 and takes about 20 minutes; the fixed rate to the trade fair (Messe) is approximately €25.
Other airports can also serve as entry points. Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN) is a 60-minute drive or train ride away from Düsseldorf city centre. The RE 6 (RRX) goes directly from Cologne airport to Düsseldorf. Alternatively, take the S19 commuter train towards Düren or the RB27 towards Mönchengladbach, change at Köln Messe/Deutz (not the Central Station/Hauptbahnhof), and take the RE 1 towards Hamm or the RE 5 towards Wesel. Both are RRX trains. Tickets cost around €15 and can be bought from the machines in the train station; make sure to select that you want to travel by local transport only, otherwise the machine will offer faster express train (IC/ICE) connections for a higher price.
Weeze Airport (NRN), used primarily by low-cost carriers like Ryanair, is about 80 km from Düsseldorf, a 60–75 minute drive by car, and is not directly connected to the railway network. By train from Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, take the regional RE 10 ("Niers-Express") to Weeze station, then a regional shuttle bus (Line SW1) to the terminal in about 10 minutes. The train runs every 30 or 60 minutes, and a single ticket from Düsseldorf costs around €18–€20 (Price Category D). Alternatively, the digital distance-based fare "eezy.nrw" via app is often convenient and cheaper. Direct shuttle buses from Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (Worringer Straße) to Weeze Airport have become less frequent and are often operated by private companies; schedules vary depending on flight plans, a ticket costs €15–€20, and the journey takes 75–90 minutes. It is highly recommended to check the airport's website for current operators and to book in advance.
For solo travelers or groups without a Deutschlandticket, the SchönerTagTicket NRW is a good option. The single ticket is around €33, and the group ticket (up to 5 people) is around €52. These tickets are valid on all local trains (RE, RB, S-Bahn) and buses throughout North Rhine-Westphalia, and can be bought at ticket machines or via the DB/VRR apps.
Arriving by Train and Ticket Validation
Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (main station) is a major stop for Deutsche Bahn. Long-distance express trains (ICE) serve all major German towns and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The statewide network is covered by S-Bahn, Regionalbahn, and Regionalexpress, and Flixtrain also serves the city.
All tickets must be validated before departure. For Regionalbahn or Regionalexpress trains, there is an orange machine before you go up the stairs to the platform where you must stamp your ticket. Rheinbahn tickets for the local Stadtbahn (subway) and Straßenbahn (tram) service need to be validated on the actual trains, although you will also find stamp boxes at the entrance to the platform. Failure to stamp the ticket in the appropriate machines ("entwerten") will result in either a €60 on-the-spot fine or being brought to a police station by security, where the police will request your ID such as your passport for later prosecution. Not being German, not understanding the language or the complicated system, or the fact that you have purchased a ticket will not be accepted as excuses: if it is not stamped, it is not valid, and travelling with a non-stamped ticket is considered an offence.