Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf is a city on the River Rhine in western Germany and is the capital city of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is one of the economic centres of the country, and a major city within the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, with a population of 620,000 (2018).

While Frankfurt is the German hub for financial services and many other German cities excel in various branches of industry, Düsseldorf has the highest concentration of professional services, creative industries and media, and is regarded as the German capital of fashion. Düsseldorf also hosts a large number of German or European head offices of Japanese companies, and has a considerable Japanese population, forming over 1% of the city's population.

The city is famous for its nightlife, carnival, events, shopping and for fashion and trade fairs like the Boot Messe (trade fair for boats and watersports) and Igedo (fashion fair). Every year, more than 4 million people visit the Kirmes fun fair which runs for 10 days in the summer.

Orientation
Düsseldorf lies on the River Rhine, or more precisely, mostly on its right (eastern) riverbank. The corresponding western riverbank is mostly occupied by the neighbouring cities of Neuss and Meerbusch except for a small bit of land on the left bank belonging to Düsseldorf, which forms the District 4.

Düsseldorf is divided into 10 districts (Stadtbezirke), which are referred to only using numbers. Those are further divided into "city parts" (Stadtteile), or neighbourhoods/quarters, which in turn have meaningful names.

Tourists are most likely to concentrate on District 1, with its quarters of Stadtmitte ("city centre") spreading northwest from the train station, as well as Altstadt ("old town") and Carlstadt on the Rhine. Many will continue further south along the Rhine through Unterbilk in District 3 to the haven (Hafen), which has been largely converted to commercial and leisure use from its original industrial and transportation functions. This whole area is rather compact, compared to the entirety of Düsseldorf, and mostly walkable.

Of the other districts and city parts, of interest to tourists may be the Benrath in District 9, with its grand palace and park and Lohausen in District 5, which contains Düsseldorf's airport.

Spelling
The name Düsseldorf can be split into two words, "Düssel" and "Dorf". The first is the name of a little stream that flows through the city (mostly underground nowadays). And "Dorf" means "village", so "Düsseldorf" actually means "village at the Düssel".

In German, umlauts like ü can be transcribed as ue, so spelling without umlauts leads to Duessel. Origins of this name go back into the old German language, when over time vowels and consonants shifted slightly. 1065 this stream is mentioned named "Tussale", which means roaring or rushing. This gives "rushing/roaring village ".

Be careful not to misspell the name of the city as "Dusseldorf" without an umlaut, because if you do, you are calling it "Village of Fools": "Dussel" is a dated word meaning "fool".

Relationship with Cologne
Foreign guests might not know that there is rivalry between the citizens of Düsseldorf and their neighbours in Cologne. So if you order a “Kölsch” (a local light beer brewed in Cologne) in Düsseldorf, some people might react with sarcasm and seem unfriendly. When they see you are a foreigner they will no doubt forgive you. You would do better to directly order an "Alt", which is the local and of course much better local beer brewed in Düsseldorf.

Tourist information
There are two main tourist information offices in Düsseldorf: They offer a lot of brochures: a monthly calendar of events, a city guide and free maps with walking routes designed around a specific theme (e.g., "Art Route", "Düsseldorf in 1 Hour") and a guide for LGBT people. You can also book their guided tours, and note that there are also tours for disabled and deaf people.
 * Düsseldorf tourism website

By plane
Düsseldorf Airport, the third largest airport in Germany by passenger traffic, is within the city limits. As the distance is rather small and transportation links are good, the Cologne/Bonn Airport can be used as an entry point to Düsseldorf just as well. The low-cost airport in Weeze, in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia, has been branded as Düsseldorf Weeze, even though it is about 75 km away from the city. Flying into Frankfurt Airport and taking a direct high-speed train from there is also an option - Lufthansa offers single-ticket connections like that, to book them enter your destination as  for Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof train station.

Düsseldorf Airport
Düsseldorf is also a hub for Eurowings, Lufthansa's no frills subsidiary that offers a wide selection of flights to DUS. You will find flights from most major European airports operated by other major or minor airlines.

The airport is about 15 km from the main railway station. The airport has two train stations:
 * Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal, underneath the terminal, is only served by the S11 commuter trains
 * , larger and a bit further away, is served by commuter, local and long-distance trains. To get to "Düsseldorf Flughafen", take the SkyTrain monorail from the terminal and ride it to the end, past the stop for parking garages. The SkyTrain ride, with waiting time and stops takes about 10-15 mins.

Fares are the same for both stations, and while more trains call at the larger of the two, it also takes more time to get there. The fastest and easiest way to 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 cost €3. The ticket is valid for an onward journey on public transport within Düsseldorf. A taxi to Düsseldorf costs around €28 and takes 20 minutes, the rate to the trade fair (Messe) is fixed at €20.

Cologne/Bonn Airport
Köln 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. Another option is to take the S19 commuter train towards Düren or the RB27 towards Mönchengladbach. Change for both at Köln Messe/Deutz (not the Central Station/Hauptbahnhof) and take the RE 1 towards Hamm or the RE 5 towards Wesel. Both trains are RRX. Tickets cost around €11 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 somewhat faster express train (IC/ICE) connections for a higher price.



Weeze Airport
Weeze Airport is used almost exclusively by Ryanair. The airport is 80 km from Düsseldorf main railway station, a 90-min drive by car or bus (bus: 6-8 departures per day, €14 fare). The airport is not connected directly to the railway network, something that is rather unusual in Germany.

If you need to travel from Düsseldorf main airport (DUS) to Weeze Airport (NRN), Deutsche Bahn is the easiest and fastest option. Just follow the DB signs at DUS Airport. The train (S11 then RE10) gets you to Weeze or Kevelaer; then, change to a special bus, which takes you directly to Weeze Airport. Local bus fare is included in Deutsche Bahn tickets. The bus from Weeze train station leaves hourly for the airport until 21:20. The train goes every hour.

Sometimes, it is cheaper to buy a SchönerTagTicket/Nice Day Ticket NRW (€28.50 single, €39.50 for up to 5 people), valid all day on all public transport in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This ticket can be bought online on DB's website, from stations, DB counters (where it costs €2 extra), bus drivers, or ticket machines.

If you want to travel from Düsseldorf city to Weeze Airport, you can also take a bus from the Busbahnhof, close to the Hauptbahnhof. The stop is only a 3 min walk from the Hauptbahnhof, behind the cinema at Worringer Straße. The bus takes you straight to Weeze Airport. Tickets can be purchased from the driver (about €13). The same bus takes you from Weeze to Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, the main train station in 1 hr.

By train
The  (main station) is a major stop for Deutsche Bahn (German state railway). 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. Flixtrain serves the city.

All tickets will have to be validated before departure. For the trains like Regionalbahn or Regionalexpress there's an orange machine before you go up the stairs to the platform, where you have to stamp your ticket.

The Rheinbahn tickets for the local Stadtbahn (subway) and Straßenbahn (tram) service need to be validated on the actual trains although you will find stamp boxes at the entrance to the platform as well.

Failure to stamp the ticket in the appropriate machines ("entwerten") will result in either a €60 on-the-spot fine (2019) or being brought to a police station by the security where the police will request your I.D. such as your passport for later prosecution. Not being German, not understanding the language or 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.

By bus
Flixbus and other companies operate here. It's near the central train station.

By car
Düsseldorf is connected to the following highways: A3, A44, A46, A52, A57 (via Neuss) and A59.

By local transportation
The bus, tramway (Straßenbahn) and light rail/subway (U-Bahn/Stadtbahn) (Map) networks - impressive for a city its size - are operated by Rheinbahn AG. There is also a suburban railway network (S-Bahn). Most destinations in Düsseldorf can be reached by local transportation. Tickets must be purchased and stamped for validation before using the transportation service. Tickets are bought from vending machines on the tram or subway stops. There are many different ticket types and the vending machines' instructions are given in several languages including German, English, and French. To the average traveler, these three are the most relevant ticket types:
 * Short trip ticket (Kurzstrecke): Valid for 30 min, about 4 stops (on each vending machine there is a list telling where one can travel on a short trip ticket bought from that particular machine).
 * A-class ticket (Preisstufe A): adequate to reach your destinations within Düsseldorf. Valid for 90 min.
 * Day ticket (Preisstufe A / Tagesticket): Valid until 03:00 of the following day.
 * Day group ticket (Preisstufe A / Gruppenticket): With the Group Ticket, families or groups containing up to 5 individuals can travel the whole day long by bus and rail

(01.01.2020) All the main sights and establishments are in the A-area, but if you are visiting other nearby cities in the same time period, for example Neuss, Wuppertal and Dortmund, you may need a ticket at price level B, C or D. If you enter the details of your trip into the VRR website (linked below), then the required ticket area for that journey will be shown.
 * SingleTicket ADULT : €2.90
 * Additional-Ticket : €3.70
 * 4-Ticket ADULT : €11.00
 * 24-Hour-Ticket (1 person) : €7.30
 * 48-Hour-Ticket (1 person) : €13.90
 * 7-Day-Ticket : €29.50
 * 30-Day-Ticket 1000 : €80.50
 * 30-Day-Ticket 2000 : €90.80
 * 30-Day-Ticket 1000 9 o'clock : €59.70
 * 30-Day-Ticket 2000 9 o'clock : €67.50
 * SingleTicket child : €1.70
 * 4-Ticket child : €6.20
 * 4-Additional-Ticket : €13.40
 * 24-Hour-Ticket (2 Persons) : €10.90
 * 24-Hour-Ticket (3 Persons) : €14.50
 * 24-Hour-Ticket (4 Persons) : €17.90
 * 24-Hour-Ticket (5 Persons) : €21.50
 * 48-Hour-Ticket (2 Persons) : €20.70
 * 48-Hour-Ticket (3 Persons) : €27.50
 * 48-Hour-Ticket (4 Persons) : €34.30
 * 48-Hour-Ticket (5 Persons) : €41.20
 * 30-Day- Class 1st class surcharge : €49.00
 * Nice Day Ticket NRW : from €30.60

Timetables:
 * bahn.de (German, English, French and Italian)
 * vrr.de (German, English and French)
 * Net Plan of regional transfer service

By car
The city centre is an "environment zone" similar to that found in many other large German cities. Cars must have a sticker declaring the car's pollution category.

By bike
There are several bike hire vendors in Düsseldorf, which offer daily or longer term bookings, for ~€9/day, or less for longer rental times.

You can hire bikes (Fahrradverleih) from the "Hauptbahnhof" (main station) at the RadStation (in German), which is owned by the City of Düsseldorf and can be booked a day in advance online. You can also park your bikes under cover here for €0.70/day.

A commercial service is run by Nextbike (in German), but requires free registration to receive the combination lock codes to access the bikes. A working mobile phone is also required. You can pick up a SIM card fairly cheaply from a local mobile phone store.

By foot
The city centre is not that large and most attractions are in a walkable distance from one another.

By e-hailing
Uber, Bolt and Free Now cover the city.

By taxi
Taxis are widely available, the two largest taxi companies being Taxi-Düsseldorf and Rhein-Taxi. As in most of the rest of Germany, licensed taxis are always in ivory colour and on the back window you always find a black number on a yellow patch.

When riding a taxi, the starting fee is €4.50. Price per km is €2.20, waiting time €35 per hour, which is calculated in steps increasing by €0.10 each 10.29 seconds. Additional surcharge for a journey with more than 4 passengers is €7, and an obligatory flat rate between the fairgrounds to the airport DUS and, vice versa is €20, each direction. Credit card service fee is €2. According to the Düsseldorf taxi-regulation you find an identity card of the driver and information about the tariff. Taxi drivers are not allowed to refuse a short ride or indeed to anywhere in the city or to the direct neighbour cities.

Neighbouring cities have individual tariffs which may differ from those of Düsseldorf. So it is normal that a journey from, for example, Mönchengladbach to Düsseldorf is less expensive as the exact same way from Düsseldorf to Mönchengladbach

See
The city was largely destroyed in World War II, and there were very few old buildings left. People interested in modern architecture, however, will have much to see in Düsseldorf. Also, there are many modern public artworks, and on Stresemannplatz Square and the Rhine Bank, there are palm trees, not really something you'd expect to see on a cold day in October.

Stadtmitte
Stadtmitte is the first part of Düsseldorf most travellers see, as it extends northwest from the Hauptbahnhof. It is a very no-nonsense district mostly filled with offices and retail, with few historic buildings, but not without its charm. The Königsallee at the western end of Stadtmitte, close to the Altstadt, is an internationally famous boulevard and luxury shopping street running along both banks of the Kögraben canal. On balance, the area around the Hauptbahnhof may seem relatively seedy for a city lauded for its living conditions - the general rule is that the farther from the train station and closer to the Kö, the nicer the neighbourhood. You may also want to stroll along another shopping street, the Schadowstraße - see the section of this guide for more tips.

The quarter between Berliner Allee, Klosterstraße, Charlottenstraße and Graf-Adolf-Straße is known as the Japanese quarter (Japanisches Viertel), as the many Japanese companies tend to place their head offices there. This in turn results in the proliferation of typically Japanese service providers, including many restaurants and specialist stores. Moreover, the Japanese companies often provide company apartments to their employees within the quarter. Beyond the long-standing Japanese places, there are also many Chinese and South Korean establishments.

To the west of the Königsallee, encroaching on the territories of Altstadt and Carlstadt, is the Bankenviertel, where traditionally the big international, national and local banks have had their headquarters or local offices. This afforded the area between the parallel Kasernenstraße, Breite Straße and Königsallee with many impressive office buildings, many dating back to the 19th century, and continues to affect the local rents, highest in the city. Apart from banks, media (especially those concentrating on business and economics) and professional services firms also occupy much of the office space available.

By order of elector Carl Theodor, the architect Nicolas de Pigage planned and implemented the first public park in Germany, named Hofgarten. It became the prototype of the English Garden of Munich. In the oldest part of Hofgarten you find the Jröne Jong (local dialect, meaning green boy). From there the “Riding Alley” leads strait forward to palace Jägerhof, which today houses the Goethe-Museum. People like the self-luminous park benches on Riding Alley. And last not least Hofgarten houses some sculptures of famous artists.





Altstadt
The Old Town of Düsseldorf, almost completely destroyed during World War II, was rebuilt according to historic plans on its foundation walls, which makes it look like a real historic town. Today the Altstadt is a popular shopping mall and at night and weekends turns into the “longest bar in the world”. Within one square kilometre, you will find about 260 bars, coffee shops and snug brewing houses. The old town is the home of “Altbier”, a top-fermented, dark beer. They say it tastes best at the historical brewing houses. There, the Köbesse (local dialect: waiters) may be somewhat harsh but they are warm hearted. If your beer glass is empty the next Alt comes without you even having to order it. Many times the first Alt comes without even having to order it!

The promenade on the bank of the Rhine is one of the most beautiful ones in Germany, and it is situated on the correct side, the right bank, because the sun shines onto this side all day long (the citizens of Cologne used to say the left bank of Rhine is the correct one because the centre of Cologne is situated there), The promenade leads from Parliament via Mannesmannufer, Rathausufer, Burgplatz, and Tonhalle to Rhine-Park. It was created by constructing a tunnel in 1993 and moving motorized traffic underground, so that the riverside became a pedestrian area. Most gangways for boat trips on the Rhine are situated near the Burgplatz. Many coffee shops offer seats outside where you can watch and be watched when the weather is fine. The pavement of the promenade is an artwork too; its sinuous design reflects the waves on the river.

Inside the old town, but everywhere in the city also, you will find lots of marvellous old gas lamps. Besides Berlin Düsseldorf is the city with the most gas lamps in Germany.













Carlstadt
Carlstadt is Düsseldorf's smallest Bezirk by area, whose development started in the late 18th century when the old fortifications of the city became obsolete and the need for more housing pressing. It is named after Prince-Elector Carl Theodor, whose domain encompassed the city at that time. Different in character from the business-oriented Stadtmitte and noisy Altstadt, the Carlstadt charms with its baroque façades, chess-board-like street plan and relative prevalence of greens.

Carlstadt is known for its many antique and art traders, upscale jewellery stores, as well as many museums, galleries and other cultural institutions. Among the artists who have over the years chosen to live in the area were Clara and Robert Schumann. The most commercially active are the Bilker Straße and Hohe Straße. A more historic part of the Bezirk is to be found between the Citadellstraße, Schulstraße and Anna-Maria-Luisa-Medici-Platz.













Unterbilk and Hafen




Other districts




Pillar Saints
Throughout Düsseldorf you may encounter life-size figures of people standing on advertising columns, the so-called pillar saints. There are nine of them. It is a project of artist Christoph Pöggeler (born in 1958 in Münster/Westphalia). Humans, removed from their daily routine and put on a pedestal, become noticeable as individuals again and also refer to groups of society like children, business men, vagabonds and strangers. The position of the sculptures are:
 * Business Man: Joseph-Beuys-Ufer, Düsseldorf 2001
 * Marlis: Stromstraße, WDR, Düsseldorf 2001
 * Couple I: Burgplatz, Düsseldorf 2002
 * Tourist: Kaiserswerther Straße, Düsseldorf 2003
 * Father and Son: Oststraße, Düsseldorf 2003
 * Photographer: Hauptbahnhof, Düsseldorf 2004
 * Couple II: Berger Allee, Düsseldorf 2004
 * Stranger: Schlossufer, Düsseldorf 2005
 * Bride: Schulstraße/Ecke Citadellstraße, Düsseldorf 2006

Do

 * Football:

Events

 * Düsseldorf is a stronghold of Carnival. The 5th season starts on 11 Nov (11.11). at 11:11 with the handover of the keys of the city hall to the women. But the main carnival runs from Carnival Monday to Ash Wednesday. If you have the chance don’t miss the parade on Carnival Monday in February.
 * Every year in April or May there is the Düsseldorf Marathon which is open for everyone. Registration is required for participants, but viewers are welcome any time.
 * Free entrance to the K20 and K21 every first Wednesday in the Month.
 * Every year in April or May there is the Düsseldorf Marathon which is open for everyone. Registration is required for participants, but viewers are welcome any time.
 * Free entrance to the K20 and K21 every first Wednesday in the Month.
 * Free entrance to the K20 and K21 every first Wednesday in the Month.

Buy
Königsallee, called the Kö by the locals, is the city's main boulevard with high-end stores and boutiques, as well as gourmet restaurants and luxury hotels.

The Schadowstraße is another major shopping street, much more affordable, with department stores and apparel shops from local and international chains.

Another famous department store in Düsseldorf is the Carsch-Haus at Heinrich-Heine-Platz. Opened in 1915 by Paul Carsch, it was rebuilt after the Second World War and continued in operation until 1979, when its façade had to be moved 23 m back to make room for the U-Bahn station. After this meticulously performed operation, it remains continually open since 1984 under its historic name, despite changing hands and becoming a part of the Hertie chain and ending up as part of Kaufhof AG. Kaufhof positions the store as slightly more upmarket than its own-brand Galerias.

Other high-end fashion retailers to be found in Düsseldorf include:

Independent fashion
Those who like trendy fashion should visit the quarter of Flingern, especially Ackerstraße. The former residential quarter has is a creative district offering stores like the trendy ones you will find in Berlin. Also the district of Pempelfort (Tußmannstraße) and Unterbilk (Lorettostraße) demonstrate that there is a fashion scene beside international fashion houses.

Local specialties

 * Killepitsch is a local liquor flavored with herbs (so called "Kräuterlikör"). The liquor has a blood red colour and is made from a combination of 90 fruits, berries, herbs, and spices. Available at
 * Bottles of Altbier - One nice souvenir or gift is a bottle of local Altbier. Breweries usually sell these bottles directly in their gastronomies.
 * Bottles of Altbier - One nice souvenir or gift is a bottle of local Altbier. Breweries usually sell these bottles directly in their gastronomies.

Eat
Characteristic Rhenish dishes like Düsseldorfer Senfrostbraten (mustard roast pork), Rheinischer Sauerbraten (marinated beef with raisins), Halve Hahn (not a "half chicken", but a slice of cheese with mustard and a gherkin on rye bread) or Ähzezupp (pea soup) are offered everywhere within the old town.

Drink


Düsseldorf is known for its many bars in the downtown (Altstadt) area. In fact, many people refer to the Altstadt as the "longest bar in the world" ("Längste Theke der Welt"). The most common drink is "Altbier" or simply "Alt." This dark beer, served in small glasses, is available at practically any restaurant in the city. Altbier is only brewed in breweries around Düsseldorf. Some of the traditional breweries are the "Uerige", "Füchschen", "Zum Schlüssel" and "Schumacher".

In the Altstadt you can enjoy Schlüssel, Uerige, Schumacher, and Füchschen beers, at traditional brewery restaurants. The waiters at these traditional restaurants are called "Köbes." These waiters will replace empty glasses with full ones when they see one. Typically new visitors to the city are surprised by a new fresh glass of Altbier in front of them when they did not order one. To signal that you are done and do not want any more Altbier, simply place your coaster ("Bierdeckel") on top of your glass, and the "Köbes" will not automatically refill you. Bolkerstraße (Zum Schlüssel, Schumacher), Flingerstraße (Uerige), Ratinger Straße (Füchschen) and Kurzestraße (Kürzer) are the main places where you find all kinds of pubs and breweries. A variation of the Altbier is called Krefelder. It's an Altbier with Coke.

During summer months the Altstadt will come alive after work. People standing outside the pubs and enjoying their beer and good company. This will be especially the case on Wednesday evenings on Ratingerstraße. The street will be packed full of people with a great chilled atmosphere. Be aware though of broken glass on the cobbled street. But if you have a chance to go, do not miss it.

Besides Altstadt, which some might consider to be slightly artificial, there are many other places around the city to enjoy beer or cocktails as well. Medienhafen (Media Harbour) is a very popular quarter, especially during the summer. Other areas which are rather non-touristic include Pempelfort (Nordstraße), Unterbilk (Lorettostraße, Düsselstraße), Oberkassel (Luegallee), and Düsseltal (Rethelstraße).

Religious services
Holy mass in Catholic churches in downtown Düsseldorf:


 * Franziskanerkirche, Immermannstraße/Oststraße (near the central station). Su 10:00, 12:00; M-F 15:30.
 * St. Maximilian, Schulstraße/Maxplatz (Altstadt). Su 10:00, 11:30, 18:00; M-Sa 18:00.
 * St. Andreas, Hunsrückenstraße (near the Kunsthalle, Altstadt). Mass times: Su 08:30, 11:00, 18:00; M-Sa 12:00, 18:00
 * St. Lambertus Basilika minor, Stiftsplatz (near the Rhine bank, Altstadt). Mass times: Su 10:30, 17:00; M-Sa 17:00.

Jewish:


 * Jüdische Gemeinde Düsseldorf
 * Chabad of Düsseldorf Synagogue and Jewish Centre that holds weekly Sabbath services and other events.

Stay safe
Düsseldorf is generally as safe as other European cities of similar size. However the surroundings of the central railway station might be a bit intimidating, particularly at night, if there are junkies around. In particular, the pedestrianised office district outside the rear entrance to the station, heading away from the town centre, is quite deserted late at night and best avoided.

Respect
Düsseldorf is in a strong rivalry with its neighbor city Cologne, especially concerning comparisons between the local beers. Cologne is almost twice the size of Düsseldorf in terms of population, and the Cologne Cathedral is known nationwide. Düsseldorf is an economic powerhouse and capital city of the state of NRW. If you have been to Cologne, try to avoid any comparisons between the two cities.

Close by

 * Cologne — the largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia maintaining a legendary rivalry with its close neighbour
 * Brühl — almost a suburb of Cologne and contains the Augustusburg Palace which has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The palace is one of the key works of Balthasar Neuman, and contains one of the finest Rococo interiors in the world, the highlight being the main staircase. Also in the grounds is the magnificent hunting Lodge of Falkenslust. Brühl is easily reached by train. The Phantasialand theme park is also in Brühl.
 * Bonn — the former capital of (West) Germany is due south and easy to reach by train or S-Bahn
 * Königswinter and Bad Honnef — small towns at the Middle Rhine Valley reachable by train
 * Lower Rhine with the towns of Neuss, Meerbusch and Krefeld
 * Ratingen city to the northeast
 * Ruhr (Ruhrgebiet) — If you are interested in heavy industry and/or industrial culture this might be a worthwhile trip. It is about 50 km north of Düsseldorf. The region, which was the centre of Germany's mining industry (coal and steel) is going through a structural transformation and presents its industrial heritage (not without pride) on the Industrial Heritage Trail.

International
Due to Düsseldorf's proximity to the German/Belgian/Dutch border, weekend trips to foreign destinations are easy to arrange.


 * Amsterdam
 * Paris
 * Brussels
 * Eindhoven
 * Antwerp
 * Arnhem