Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [485]
HIGHLIGHTS
Sucker for Soccer Find out why football is a religion in the Ruhrgebiet when attending a Schalke 04 match in Gelsenkirchen or Borussia Dortmund game in Dortmund
Heavenly Heights Feel your spirit soar when faced with the majestic loftiness of Cologne’s Dom (cathedral; Click here)
Regal Reception Go behind the scenes of life at court on a tour of Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl
Miraculous Metamorphosis See urban planning in the making at Cologne’s Rheinauhafen
Mine Madness Experience a 21st-century spin on the industrial age at the Zeche Zollverein coal mine in Essen
Avant-Garde Art Have your mind blown by cutting-edge exhibits in an old gas storage tower in Oberhausen
POPULATION: 18 MILLION
AREA: 34,080 SQ KM
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Getting Around
There are several deals available for getting around North Rhine–Westphalia by public transport. The SchönerTagTicket buys one day of unlimited travel within the state from 9am to 3am the following day (midnight to 3am the next day on weekends). You can only use RE, RB and S-Bahn trains as well as buses, U-Bahn and trams. The ticket costs €25 for single travellers and €34 for groups of up to five people. There’s also the SchöneFahrtTicket (€16), which gives you two hours to make a one-way trip to anywhere within North Rhine–Westphalia. Tickets are available at vending machines; if purchased from the ticket office, a €2 surcharge applies.
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THE RHINELAND
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DÜSSELDORF
0211 / pop 585,000
Düsseldorf, the state capital, dazzles with boundary-pushing architecture, zinging nightlife and an art scene to rival many larger cities. It’s a posh and modern city that seems all buttoned-up business at first glance: banking, advertising, fashion and telecommunications are among the fields that have made Düsseldorf one of Germany’s wealthiest cities. Yet all it takes is a few hours of bar-hopping around the Altstadt (old town), the historical quarter along the Rhine, to realise that locals have no problem letting their hair down once they shed those Armani jackets.
The Altstadt may still be the ‘longest bar in the world’ but in recent times it’s been getting competition from the Medienhafen, a redeveloped harbour area and a feast of international avant-garde architecture. Older neighbourhoods are changing too. Case in point: Flingern, which has gone from drab to fab in recent years and is developing a multifaceted arty boho scene. Highbrow types, meanwhile, can get more than their fill at the city’s many world-class art museums and such venues as the renowned opera house, theatre and orchestra hall.
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Orientation
The airport is about 7km north of the Altstadt; Click here for details about getting into town. The Hauptbahnhof (main train station) is on the southeastern edge of the city centre. From here it’s about a 20-minute walk along Bismarckstrasse and Blumenstrasse to the Königsallee, with the Altstadt just beyond. Alternatively, any U-Bahn from the Hauptbahnhof to Heinrich-Heine-Allee will put you right in the thick of things.
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Information
BOOKSHOPS & INTERNET ACCESS
Buchhaus Stern-Verlag ( 388 10; Friedrichstrasse 24-26; per 15min €1; 9.30am-8pm Mon-Sat) Awesome bookshop with huge international selection, a cafe and internet access.
DISCOUNT CARDS
Düsseldorf Welcome Card (per 24/48/72hr €9/14/19, group €18/28/38) Available at the tourist offices, hotels and public transport service points, this card buys unlimited public transport and free or discounted tickets for museums, tours and cultural events.
EMERGENCY
After-hours medical emergencies ( 192 92)
Dental emergencies ( 666 291)
Municipal Lost & Found ( 899 3285)
MONEY
ReiseBank ( 364 878; Hauptbahnhof; 7am-10pm Mon-Sat, 8am-9pm Sun)
POST
Post office (Konrad-Adenauer-Platz 1; 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat)
TOURIST INFORMATION
Staff stick around longer when big trade shows are in town. For pre-trip planning, go to www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de.