Neumünster

Neumünster is the fourth largest city in Schleswig-Holstein with a population of approx. 77.000. It is located in the center of Schleswig-Holstein, 40 km south of Kiel and 60 km north of Hamburg.

Understand
The name Neumünster is derived from the latin "novam monasterium" (new monastery). Founded in 1127 as a monastery the city grew rapidly in the second half of the 19th century as a centre of industry (iron works, leather and textile industry, rail service workshops). Today the city's economy is based on a modern mix of industries. Approximately 40 percent of the city were destroyed by allied bombings in World War II so there is no historic district today.

Since the 19th century Neumünster is an important hub for street and rail traffic in Schleswig-Holstein.

By car
Neumünster is connected via four exits to the Autobahn A7 (Hamburg-Flensburg) and via highways B430 and B205 as well by smaller roads to other cities in Schleswig-Holstein. For visiting events in "Holstenhalle" use the exit Neumünster-Nord to avoid driving through the city.

By train
The city is a main railroad hub for Deutsche Bahn AG, Nordbahn, AKN and Schleswig-Holstein-Bahn.


 * ICE (high speed train) connections: to Hamburg, Kiel, Rendsburg, Schleswig and Flensburg (and further to Denmark)
 * EC/IC (EuroCity/InterCity) train connections to: to Hamburg, Kiel, Rendsburg, Schleswig and Flensburg (and further to Denmark)
 * Regional train (Deutsche Bahn AG) connections to Hamburg, Kiel, Rendsburg, Schleswig, Kiel, Flensburg
 * Regional train (Schleswig-Holstein-Bahn SHB) connections to: Heide (and further to Büsum/Northsea)
 * Regional train (Nordbahn) connections to: Bad Oldesloe (and further to Lübeck with Deutsche Bahn AG)
 * Regional train (AKN) to Kaltenkirchen and Hamburg

Lübeck is connected by train only via Bad Oldesloe by Nordbahn trains.

Caution: Neumünster has three railway stations - Hauptbahnhof (central station), Südbahnhof (southern station) and Neumünster-Stadtwald. All train services serve Hauptbahnhof. AKN and Nordbahn are serving Südbahnhof, too. SHB serves Neumünster-Stadtwald, too. (For all AKN, SHB and Nordbahn trains Hauptbahnhof is the final destination.) When you have to change trains from AKN, Nordbahn or SHB to another train service make sure that you do not leave your train too early at Südbahnhof or Neumünster-Stadtwald!

By plane
Hamburg airport is the nearest public airport and is connected to Neumünster by a special motor coach (Kielius) operated hourly by Autokraft. There is a reduced price for return tickets. Tickets have to be bought by the driver. (Caution: they do not accept credit cards!)



By bus

 * Autokraft motor coach connections to Hamburg and Kiel
 * Motor coach connections to Plön and some other regional places

Get around
By bus within the city and to some suburban villages. Bus services usually end at about 20:00 hrs. The city and the surrounding landscape is very flat and convenient for bicyclists. Taxi is good but expensive.

Do
A local monthly magazine (Treffpunkt Neumünster ) is available in print and online.

Buy
Neumünster is an important shopping centre for the whole region. Besides a lot of shops in the inner city there is a shopping mall in the west (Freesencenter) and a big factory outlet centre in the south. Weekly markets on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at "Grossflecken" in the inner city.

Eat
A lot of restaurants of all styles and price levels are available.



Go next

 * Beaches of the baltic sea (Kiel, Schönberg) are some 40 km away, those of the North Sea (Büsum, St.Peter Ording) some 60 km.
 * Plön