North Rhine-Westphalia · Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf combines a fashion and business scene along the Rhine with a compact, lively old town. It's a dense rail hub in the Rhine-Ruhr region with frequent ICE and regional connections.
Highlights
Altstadt
The 'longest bar in the world', packed with Altbier breweries and pubs.
Königsallee
The city's grand shopping boulevard, known as the 'Kö'.
Rhine Tower
A telecommunications tower with an observation deck over the Rhine.
MedienHafen
A former harbour redeveloped with striking modern architecture, including a Frank Gehry building.
Japanese Quarter
One of continental Europe's largest Japanese communities, with authentic restaurants.
Getting there by train
Main station: Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof
| From | Journey time | Typical trains |
|---|---|---|
| Cologne | about 25 min | ICE / RE |
| Frankfurt | about 1.5 h | ICE |
| Hamburg | about 3.75 h | ICE |
| Amsterdam | about 2.5 h | ICE International |
Source: DB timetable data (typical journey times). Checked on 1 June 2024.
Local transport
Düsseldorf's Rheinbahn trams and buses, plus S-Bahn, serve the wider Rhine-Ruhr area. The Deutschlandticket covers local buses, trams, U-Bahn and S-Bahn in and around the city, though not long-distance ICE/IC trains.
Day trips
- Cologne (about 25 min) — The cathedral city, a very quick regional trip away.
- Essen (about 30 min) — Home to the Zollverein Coal Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage industrial site.
Neighbourhoods
Altstadt
Compact old town known as 'the longest bar in the world' for its density of pubs.
MedienHafen
Redeveloped docks with Frank Gehry's leaning buildings.
Königsallee
The canal-side luxury shopping boulevard, a few minutes from the station.
Food and drink
Altbier, a dark top-fermented beer, is poured continuously in the old town brewhouses. Rheinischer Sauerbraten and Killepitsch herbal liqueur are the other local staples.
Practical notes
- Düsseldorf Flughafen has its own long-distance station on the ICE line.
- Cologne is about 25 minutes away, so the two cities work well as one base.
- Never order a Kölsch in a Düsseldorf Altbier house — the rivalry is real, if good-humoured.
Düsseldorf bookshelf
German-language editions worth reading before or during a stop in Düsseldorf, grouped by shelf. Each link searches Amazon for that edition so you land on the copy currently in print — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure.
Romane & Literatur
- Find on Amazon →Buch der LiederHeinrich Heine
The city's most famous writer, born in the old town in 1797.
Geschichte
- Find on Amazon →Düsseldorf: Geschichte der StadtHugo Weidenhaupt
From Rhine village to state capital.
Kultur & Musik
- Find on Amazon →Kraftwerk: Eine BiografieDavid Buckley
The Düsseldorf band that shaped electronic music, with its Kling Klang studio in the city.
Reiseführer
- Find on Amazon →DuMont Reise-Taschenbuch DüsseldorfDuMont
German guide with Altstadt and MedienHafen walks.