Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [491]
Zakk ( 973 0010; Fichtenstrasse 40; Mon-Sat) Parties, concerts, readings, theatre, discussions – the menu sure varies at this well-established cultural centre in a former factory. The beer garden is a convivial place to spend a balmy summer night. It’s a couple of kilometres east of the Hauptbahnhof; take tram 706 to Fichtenstrasse or the U-Bahn 75 to Kettwiger Strasse.
THEATRE
D:ticket ( 01805-644 332; www.dticket.de) is the central booking hotline.
Schauspielhaus ( 369 911; www.duesseldorfer-schauspielhaus.de; Gustaf-Gründgens-Platz 1; tickets €14-41) The main venue for drama and comedies, the Schauspielhaus enjoys a solid reputation nationwide.
Marionetten-Theater ( 328 432; www.marionettentheater.duesseldorf.de; Bilker Strasse 7; tickets €13-20) Generations of kids and adults have been enthralled by the adorable marionettes that sing, dance and act their way through beautifully orchestrated operas and fairy tales at this venerable venue. Pure magic.
Roncalli’s Apollo Varieté ( 828 9090; Apolloplatz 1; tickets €19-47) No German skills are needed to enjoy the line-up of acrobats, comedians, magicians, artistes and other variety acts performing under the starry-sky ceiling of a nostalgic theatre hall.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Mozart to Monteverdi are the bread and butter of Düsseldorf’s renowned opera house, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein ( 892 5211; www.rheinoper.de; Heinrich-Heine-Allee 16a; tickets €15-68), while the imposing domed Tonhalle ( 899 6123; www.tonhalle-duesseldorf.de; Ehrenhof 1; tickets vary), in a converted 1920s planetarium, is the home base of the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker (Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra).
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Getting There & Away
AIR
Many domestic and international carriers serve Düsseldorf International Airport ( 4210; www.duesseldorf-international.de), which has all the expected infrastructure as well as wi-fi and even counselling for those suffering from fear of flying.
BUS
Düsseldorf’s central bus station is on Worringer Strasse, about 250m north of the Hauptbahnhof main exit. From here, Eurolines services include daily buses to Paris (one-way/return from €41/74, 7½ hours), Warsaw (€63/95, 20 hours) and London (€63/114, 13½ hours).
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Autobahns from all directions lead to Düsseldorf, including the A3 from Cologne and the A46 from Wuppertal and the eastern Ruhrgebiet.
TRAIN
Düsseldorf is part of a dense S-Bahn network in the Rhine–Ruhr region (Click here) and frequent services run to Cologne and Aachen as well. ICE train links include Berlin (€100, 4¼ hours), Munich (€127, 4¾ hours) and Frankfurt (€73, 1¾ hours).
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Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
S-Bahns, regional RE and long-distance trains connect the airport with Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, and cities beyond, every few minutes. The free SkyTrain links the airport terminals with the station. A taxi into town costs about €16.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Central Düsseldorf is now a low-emission zone, meaning that your car needs to display an Umweltplakette (emission sticker). Rental cars automatically have one, but if you’re driving your own vehicle, Click here for details on how to obtain the sticker.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
An extensive network of U-Bahn trains, trams and buses operates throughout Düsseldorf. Most trips within the city cost €2.30, longer trips to the suburbs are €4.50. Day passes are €5.30. Tickets are available from bus drivers and orange vending machines at U-Bahn and tram stops and must be validated upon boarding.
TAXI
For a taxi, call 333 33 or 212 121. Flag fall is €5.50, including the first 2km; additional kilometres are €1.70.
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AROUND DÜSSELDORF
If you have a penchant for art in weird places, make the trip out to the Langen Foundation ( 02182-570 10; www.langenfoundation.de; Raketenstation Hombroich; adult/concession €7.50/5; 10am-6pm). The location: a former NATO missile base where