Munster (Lower Saxony)



Munster is a town of 15,000 people (2020) in the Lüneburg Heath of northern Germany on the River Örtze. Munster is in the middle of the triangle of the cities of Hamburg, Bremen and Hanover. All three cities can be reached in less than 1 hour. The town centre is very clean and modern with plenty of opportunities to visit coffee shops and cafes as well as the local market open at weekends.

Understand
The town is home to the German Army's largest garrison and is situated between the two training areas of Munster North and Munster South. Munster has been closely associated with the military for over 100 years. However the use of this area as a training ground goes back to 1893. The Munster military training areas, represent nearly 50% of the city's total area, are reserved for military use. Due to the restricted areas, many rare species and habitats can be found in this region. The region's populations of rare species have been previously drawn upon to restore populations in other regions where such species are endangered.

The Bundeswehr's Research Institute for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare Defence is located in Munster. In 1916, the German Empire opened Gasplatz Breloh ("Breloh Gas Facility"), an area dedicated to research in and production of chemical weapons. In 1935, the Third Reich reopened the site as an experimental research and production area for chemical ammunitions under the name Heeresnebelfüllstelle Raubkammer ("Army fog-filling plant, Raubkammer"), "fog" being used as a cover for chemical agents. During World War II, large quantities of sulphur mustard gas and the nerve agent were produced here. At the end of the war, Germany had a continuous production line for GB ready to go online; this plant was dismantled by the British Occupation Forces and later shipped to Porton Down, Great Britain.

The close relationship between the civil and the military circles is symbolized by the bronze statue of Lili Marleen. She and her soldier have been greeting all visitors for more than twenty years from their point of welcome beside the town gate leading to the centre of Munster. Thousands of visitors each year are attracted to the German Tank Museum. In Munster there is a wide range of hotels, holiday apartments and a 4-star camping site. There are several restaurants and guesthouses offering ranges of food. There is plenty of free parking available.

By plane
Munster is situated little more than 1 hours driving time from the 3 International Airports of Hamburg, Bremen and Hanover

Hannover airport is 107 km from Munster. The international airport has regular flights from all over the world with services from most European capitals and major cities. The airport is 11 km north of Hanover centre and has easy access to the autobahn. It is the ninth largest airport in Germany and is one of very few German airports which are open 24 hours a day, although there are very few flights between 23:00 and 04:00. Munster Oertze is approximately 107 km from Hanover airport with an estimated driving time of 75 minutes. Hanover airport is also accessible by a combination of trains, buses and taxis.

There is also an international airport at Bremen which has many of the budget airlines operating regular flights to most European countries. The airport is located close to the city centre and there is a tram which departs every 5 to 10 minutes (on Sunday evenings up to 30 min) to Bremen city centre and the journey takes 11 minutes and costs €2.30. This airport is close to the autobahn links but is 124 km and a 85-minute journey to Munster

Hamburg is the nearest international airport to Munster. It is about 8 km north of the city centre and is the fifth busiest airport in Germany. There is good road access and connections to the Hamburg S-Bahn system which connect with the main Bahnhof in Hamburg city centre. The airport is 89 km away from Celle and will take approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes by car.

By train
Today regional trains work the line from Bremen via Soltau to Uelzen. Long distance trains (IC) trains only run on Fridays and Sundays from Berlin and are geared predominantly to commuting Bundeswehr soldiers.

By train use the rail line No 116 Bremen - Uelzen indicated in the railway guide and alighting from the train at the Munster (Oertze) Station.

By car
Munster lies on the B71 federal road between Soltau and Uelzen, not far from the A 7 motorway. You can reach Munster by car via the A7 Hanover - Hamburg motorway taking the exit "Soltau Ost" and following the through road B71 to Munster. Munster is well sign posted from all directions leading to the town centre and car parks.

Access from Hanover centre would be via the A7 (North) taking the exit "Soltau Ost" and following the through road B71 to Munster. The journey is 107 km and will take approx 75 min.

Driving from Bremen (from a westerly direction) will be on the autobahn A27 which connects to the A7 to the south-east of Walsrode. The A7 runs north taking the exit "Soltau Ost" and following the through road B71 to Munster. Driving distance is 124 km and will take approx 85 min.

Travelling from the north (Hamburg) is also via the route A7 taking the exit "Soltau Ost" and following the through road B71 to Munster. The jouorney distance is 85 km and will take 65 min.

Get around
The town is small and it is quite easy to walk from most of the car parks. There is plenty of opportunity for cycling in the area but there is no public transport. Taxis available from Taxi Bormann at Lindenstraße 23, Tel:

Buy
Munster has a full range of shops should any items be required during your visit. There is a market on Saturdays. There is a whole range of cafes and coffee shops so there is no need to be hungry or thirsty.

Mid-range




Connect
For internet cafes you will need to travel to some of the larger towns such as Soltau, however a number of the hotels have Wifi availability if you are a resident. Mobile phone coverage is good for the main providers, Vodafone and D1 (Deutsche Telekom)and O2.

Go next

 * Hannover is the capital of Lower Saxony, hosting many cultural events, annual commercial expositions such as the Hanover Fair and the CeBIT. Every year Hanover hosts the Schützenfest Hannover, the world's largest Marksmen's Fun Fair, and the Oktoberfest Hannover, which is the second largest Oktoberfest in the world.
 * Hamburg is Germany's second city and largest port. It is around 40 minutes away on the A7/A1 motorways.
 * Bremen is home to the world famous Town Musicians, puts itself on the map as the pulsating, multifaceted heart of North West Germany. A popular hive of heritage, science, high technology and space industry keeps up breathtakingly pacy innovations. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser.
 * Celle is lined with half-timbered houses, most of them built in the 16th century. There are a lot of excellent shops in the pedestrian precinct.
 * Walsrode Bird Park Located in Walsrode about ½ hour away, is the largest bird park in the world and suitable for all ages.
 * Serengeti Park, not far from Walsrode, is the largest safari park in Europe and a must for families.
 * Soltau Therme, Thermal baths that offer swimming both in and outdoor, sauna, general wellness including cosmetics, massages and general therapy as well a restaurant.
 * Heide Park,Heide Park is a theme park in Soltau, Lower Saxony. With an overall area of over 850,000 m², it is one of the largest amusement parks and the biggest in Northern Germany.
 * Timmerdorfer Strand, Timmerdorfer Strand has everything to offer. Sandy beaches, lifestyle, culture, hotels, bars, nightlife and a multitude of events hosted throughout the year.
 * Dinosaur Park, 130 million years ago, huge herds of dinosaurs roamed the countryside around the Steinhuder Sea. The footprints of these huge creatures can be found right here in the park.