By bus, train or electric boat

North Rhine-Westphalia has excellent international transport links: the Eurostar and ICE high-speed trains connect Cologne and Dortmund with Brussels, Paris and Basel. Thanks to the night train, it is even possible to travel from Zurich, Basel, Vienna and Innsbruck whilst you sleep.

The numerous Flixbus services offer an alternative by road: North Rhine-Westphalia is also easily accessible from other European countries using this mode of transport. For example, there are direct bus connections from Basel, Vienna, Warsaw and London. Once you’ve arrived, you can continue your journey comfortably by public transport: in a region where distances are short, you can get from A to B easily by train, thanks to Germany’s densest rail network, spanning around 6,000 kilometres.

Good to know: visitors to NRW can also set
sail in a fully electric vessel. On Biggesee in the Sauerland region, Europe’s largest fully electric passenger ship, the EMS Westfalen, is in service – it is clean, quiet and CO₂-neutral. And on the Aasee in Münster, too, a passenger boat offers an alternative way to enjoy a boat trip: the solar-powered ‘Solaaris’ runs sightseeing cruises from spring to autumn.

www.mobil.nrw | Biggesee.de | Aaseeschiffahrt.overschmidt.de

Whether it’s a museum in Düsseldorf, shopping in Cologne or industrial heritage in Essen: many towns and cities – and sometimes even entire regions – in North Rhine-Westphalia offer tourist tickets that not only provide numerous discounts or free admission, but also allow free travel by bus and train.

The DüsseldorfCard is valid as a ticket for buses and trains within the city limits and is also available in a cycling version: those who prefer to explore the city by bike can book the DüsseldorfBikeCard, which includes a hire bike for 24 or 48 hours.

Other tourist tickets are automatically included with overnight stays at certain establishments: for example, the SauerlandCard for the Ferienwelt Winterberg is automatically provided upon payment of the visitor’s tax. The GästeCard in the Northern Eifel is available when staying overnight at one of the participating accommodation providers. If you book your Eifel holiday in good time, you can even use the card on your journey there. Whether in the city or the countryside: when travelling to North Rhine-Westphalia, it’s worth keeping an eye out for offers like these. 

Good to know: A better urban
climate In Düsseldorf, Europe’s largest green façade ensures a good urban climate. At Kö-Bogen 2, around 35,000 hornbeam hedge plants grow both horizontally and vertically.  

www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de | www.winterberg.de | nordeifel-tourismus.de |

Smaller towns with shorter distances make for a leisurely exploration on foot or by bike. Aachen, Münster, Bielefeld and Bonn are perfect for a stroll through the streets, and the sights are easily accessible on foot.

Those who fancy a longer ride and want to cycle from one town to another will also find opportunities to do so. For example, if you hire a bike through Metropolrad Ruhr in any of the ten participating towns in the Ruhr region, you can return it to any of the others. The same applies to the green bikes from ‘NiederrheinRad’: whether in Duisburg, Krefeld, Kleve, Wesel, Viersen or the Rhine District of Neuss: Bicycles can be both collected and returned at the rental stations spread throughout the region.

Incidentally, anyone wishing to explore North Rhine-Westphalia on two wheels has a huge choice of beautiful routes: the NRW cycle network covers a total of around 30,000 kilometres. The network of walking trails is even larger, at over 50,000 kilometres. Whether it’s a certified premium hiking trail, a ‘Top Trail of Germany’ or an insider’s tip: experiences close to nature, beautiful views and new adventures await at every turn in NRW.

Good to know: Sustainable travel regions in NRW recognised
The North Eifel, the Winterberg holiday region including Hallenberg, and the Sauerland – three destinations in NRW – have already been recognised as sustainable travel destinations by the renowned certification body TourCert.

www.metropolradruhr.de | niederrhein-tourismus.de | nordeifel-tourismus.de | www.winterberg.de | www.sauerland.com