Our offline app for Gelsenkirchen HERE

GELSENKIRCHEN WEATHER

How to Get Around by Public Transportation

  1. U-Bahn, tram and bus
    https://www.vrr.de/en/
    Trip planner: https://www.vrr.de/en/timetable-mobility/journey-planner/app/trip?lng=en&trip=multiModalitySelected%3Dpt

U-Bahn, tram and bus lines provide great access to the districts of Altstadt, Buer, and Horst. Travel costs within Gelsenkirchen vary from €1.90 to €3 per journey. Tickets can be purchased from machines at Gelsenkirchen Central Station or via the VRR website. There are a limited number of public transport services after midnight, so make sure to check the timetables ahead of time. Night buses usually run from midnight to 05:00.

  1. Walking When exiting Gelsenkirchen Central Station, you can enjoy a stroll through the Altstadt district north of the train station.

It’s a 7km or 1h30 walk from here to the Fan Zone and Public Viewing in Nordsternpark, if you want to stretch your legs and increase your step count.

  1. Cycling There are two main cycle routes to cross the city quickly and safely. Bike paths also run past the stadium and the Fan Zone in Nordsternpark, all well signposted and part of the official cycling network.

Rental bikes are widely available, check out the Gelsenkirchen website for providers (link available in German only).

  1. By taxi Official taxis can be recognised by the illuminated yellow taxi sign on the roof of the car. The colour of the vehicles is light ivory. Set tariffs are mandatory in the city of Gelsenkirchen and fares should not be negotiated with the driver.

Visit the Host City taxi infopage for more information and prices.

  1. Getting to Gelsenkirchen

    1. By train
      Gelsenkirchen Central Station is the city’s main local and long-distance transport hub. Around 30 long-distance trains depart from Gelsenkirchen every day and over 300 regional trains go to the surrounding cities daily.

    Tickets can be purchased at the service counters in the airport, at the train stations or online via Deutsche Bahn (app / web).

    1. By plane Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) is the closest to Gelsenkirchen and located about 40km southwest of the city. 

    From there, the RE2 and RE3 train lines offer a direct connection to Gelsenkirchen Central Station which will take you approximately 35 minutes. If you opt for a taxi, it’ll take you between 40 and 60 minutes and cost about €100.

    Another option is to book a flight to Münster Osnabrück Airport (FMO), located 100km northeast of Gelsenkirchen.

    From there, you’ll first need to take the bus S50 or the R51 train to Münster (West) Hbf and then take the RE42 train to Gelsenkirchen Central Station. The journey will take you approximately 2 hours. Taxis are also available and will cost about €110 for a 60 to 70-minute journey.

    Check out the Düsseldorf Airport or Münster Osnabrück Airport websites for further information.

    1. By long-distance bus Gelsenkirchen can be reached by long-distance buses. The central coach station, ZOB Altstadt, is right by the main train station.

    If you can’t find a connection to Gelsenkirchen, plan your journey by long-distance bus to Essen Central Station. From there, hop on regional express lines RE2 or RE42, the S-Bahn S2 line or tram line 107 towards Gelsenkirchen Central Station. It’s also possible to go directly from Essen Central Station to the Fan Zone by taking U-Bahn U11 line to Gelsenkirchen/Buerer Straße and getting off at station Schloss Horst.

Tips

  1. Apps/Convenient Cards
    1. Mytripnavi Offline map & travel guide
      https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mytripnavi.app.gelsenkirchen
    2. Find maps of other cities https://mytripnavi.com/maps/all/
  2. Other apps

DUS Airport - Düsseldorf

  1. Departure and Arrival Flights https://www.dus.com/en/flights
    1. Departure flight information https://www.dus.com/en/flights/departures
    2. Arriving flights https://www.dus.com/en/flights/arrivals
    3. Airlines and terminals https://www.dus.com/en/flights/airlines
  2. Transit guide-Connecting flights https://www.dus.com/en/flights/transferring
  3. Getting to the Airport https://www.dus.com/en/to-and-from https://www.dus.com/en/to-and-from/bus-and-train
  4. Airport map & apps https://www.dus.com/en/inform/location-map
  5. Transfer between terminals
  6. Shop, Dine, Relax and do more https://www.dus.com/en/shop-and-dine
    1. Dining https://www.dus.com/en/shop-and-dine/gastro
    2. Shop https://www.dus.com/en/shop-and-dine/shops
    3. Duty Free/Tax Free https://www.dus.com/en/shop-and-dine/duty-free
  7. Facilities and Services
    1. Lounges, hotels and spas https://www.dus.com/en/inform/lounges https://www.dus.com/en/inform/vip-service
    2. Taxi https://www.dus.com/en/to-and-from/taxi
    3. Rideshare and Rental Car https://www.dus.com/en/to-and-from/car-rentals
    4. Parking https://www.dus.com/en/parking https://www.dus.com/en/parking/information https://www.dus.com/en/parking/parkspecials https://www.dus.com/en/parking/parkinggarages
    5. Baggage Claim/Damage/Lost https://www.dus.com/en/inform/baggage
    6. Fast Track
    7. Pick up and Drop Off https://www.dus.com/en/to-and-from/arriving https://www.dus.com/en/to-and-from/coaches
    8. Lost and Found
    9. Banking, Currency Exchange, ATM
    10. Health Services
    11. Traveling with Kids https://www.dus.com/en/inform/traveling-with-children
    12. Traveling with Pets/Animals
    13. Prayer room
    14. Other Services/Accessibility https://www.dus.com/en/inform/barrier-free-travel
    15. Useful contacts

Foods you must try

Famous foods top 5

  1. Bratwurst: Grilled or fried sausages made from pork, beef, or veal.
  2. Sauerkraut: Fermented cabbage often served as a side dish.
  3. Sauerbraten: Pot roast marinated in a sour sauce.
  4. Wiener Schnitzel: Breaded and fried veal or pork cutlet.
  5. Pretzels: Soft, twisted bread snacks.

Famous Sweets

  1. Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte: Black Forest cake from the Black Forest region.
  2. Apfelstrudel (Apple Streudel)
  3. Bienenstich Kuchen (Bee Sting Cake)
  4. Spaghettieis (Spaghetti Ice Cream Sundae)
  5. Streuselkuchen (Crumb Cake)
  6. Dampfnudeln mit Vanillesauce (Steamed Dumplings with Vanilla Sauce)
  7. Franzbrotchen
  8. Knödel (Dumplings)
  9. Lebkuchen (Gingerbread)
  10. Krapfen (Donuts)
  11. Kaiserschmarrn (Shredded Pancakes)
  12. Mandelhörnchen (Almond Horn)
  13. Stollen

Famous Drinks

  1. Beer
  2. Heiße Schokolade (Hot Chocolate)
  3. Kaffee Kirsch (Cherry Coffee)
  4. Kaffeespezialitäten (Specialty Coffee)

Famous Fruits

Food trivia

  1. Lecker! means “It’s delicious”
  2. Imbiss a food kiosk selling fast food to go or to eat at a standing table when you just want to get something snack-like on the go.
  3. Baumkuchen is traditional German sweet but there’s very few places that sell it.

Other famous foods

  1. Kartoffelsalat: Potato salad, prepared differently across regions.
  2. Rouladen: Beef rolls filled with onions, bacon, and pickles.
  3. Haxe: Roasted pork knuckle.
  4. Königsberger Klopse: Meatballs in a creamy caper sauce.
  5. Maultaschen: Swabian dumplings filled with various ingredients.
  6. Currywurst: A Berlin specialty featuring sliced sausages with curry ketchup.
  7. Brezen: Bavarian-style pretzels.
  8. Labskaus: A dish from the north made with corned beef, potatoes, and beetroot.
  9. Thüringer Rostbratwurst: Sausages from Thuringia.
  10. Eintopf: A hearty one-pot stew, with variations in different areas.
  11. Hamburger Labskaus: A maritime dish from Hamburg.
  12. Weißwurst: Traditional Bavarian white sausages.
  13. Königspastete: A puff pastry dish from Saxony.
  14. Grünkohl mit Pinkel: Kale with smoked sausage, popular in northern Germany.