By plane

Düsseldorf Airport, the third largest airport in Germany by passenger traffic, is within the city limits. As the distance is rather small and transportation links are good, the Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN IATA) can be used as an entry point to Düsseldorf just as well. The low-cost airport in Weeze, in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia, has been branded as Düsseldorf Weeze (NRN IATA), even though it is about 75 km away from the city. Flying into Frankfurt Airport (FRA IATA) and taking a direct high-speed train from there is also an option - Lufthansa offers single-ticket connections like that, to book them enter your destination as (QDU IATA) for Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof train station.

Düsseldorf Airport

1 Düsseldorf Airport (DUS IATA). It receives flights from 175 destinations worldwide. Intercontinental destinations include Dubai, and Tokyo.

Düsseldorf is also a hub for Eurowings, Lufthansa's no frills subsidiary that offers a wide selection of flights to DUS. You will find flights from most major European airports operated by other major or minor airlines.

The airport is about 15 km from the main railway station. The airport has two train stations:

Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal, underneath the terminal, is only served by the S11 commuter trains

2 Düsseldorf Flughafen, larger and a bit further away, is served by commuter, local and long-distance trains. To get to "Düsseldorf Flughafen", take the SkyTrain monorail from the terminal and ride it to the end, past the stop for parking garages. The SkyTrain ride, with waiting time and stops takes about 10-15 mins.

Fares are the same for both stations, and while more trains call at the larger of the two, it also takes more time to get there. The fastest and easiest way to Düsseldorf tends to be the station underneath the terminal; look for signs with a white S on a green circle. Trains run every 20 minutes, take 12 minutes to reach the Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) and cost €3. The ticket is valid for an onward journey on public transport within Düsseldorf. A taxi to Düsseldorf costs around €28 and takes 20 minutes, the rate to the trade fair (Messe) is fixed at €20.

Cologne/Bonn Airport

Köln Bonn Airport (CGN) is a 60-minute drive or train ride away from Düsseldorf city centre. The RE 6 (RRX) goes directly from Cologne airport to Düsseldorf. Another option is to take the S19 commuter train towards Düren or the RB27 towards Mönchengladbach. Change for both at Köln Messe/Deutz (not the Central Station/Hauptbahnhof) and take the RE 1 towards Hamm or the RE 5 towards Wesel. Both trains are RRX. Tickets cost around €11 and can be bought from the machines in the train station; make sure to select that you want to travel by local transport only. Otherwise the machine will offer somewhat faster express train (IC/ICE) connections for a higher price.

Weeze Airport

Weeze Airport (NRN IATA) is used almost exclusively by Ryanair. The airport is 80 km from Düsseldorf main railway station, a 90-min drive by car or bus (bus: 6-8 departures per day, €14 fare). The airport is not connected directly to the railway network, something that is rather unusual in Germany.

If you need to travel from Düsseldorf main airport (DUS) to Weeze Airport (NRN), Deutsche Bahn is the easiest and fastest option. Just follow the DB signs at DUS Airport. The train (S11 then RE10) gets you to Weeze or Kevelaer; then, change to a special bus, which takes you directly to Weeze Airport. Local bus fare is included in Deutsche Bahn tickets. The bus from Weeze train station leaves hourly for the airport until 21:20. The train goes every hour.

Sometimes, it is cheaper to buy a SchönerTagTicket/Nice Day Ticket NRW (€28.50 single, €39.50 for up to 5 people), valid all day on all public transport in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This ticket can be bought online on DB's website, from stations, DB counters (where it costs €2 extra), bus drivers, or ticket machines.

If you want to travel from Düsseldorf city to Weeze Airport, you can also take a bus from the Busbahnhof, close to the Hauptbahnhof. The stop is only a 3 min walk from the Hauptbahnhof, behind the cinema at Worringer Straße. The bus takes you straight to Weeze Airport. Tickets can be purchased from the driver (about €13). The same bus takes you from Weeze to Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, the main train station in 1 hr.

By train

The 3 Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (QDU IATA) (main station) is a major stop for Deutsche Bahn (German state railway). Long distance express trains (ICE) serve all major German towns and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The statewide network is covered by S-Bahn, Regionalbahn, and Regionalexpress. Flixtrain serves the city.

All tickets will have to be validated before departure. For the trains like Regionalbahn or Regionalexpress there's an orange machine before you go up the stairs to the platform, where you have to stamp your ticket.

The Rheinbahn tickets for the local Stadtbahn (subway) and Straßenbahn (tram) service need to be validated on the actual trains although you will find stamp boxes at the entrance to the platform as well.

Failure to stamp the ticket in the appropriate machines ("entwerten") will result in either a €60 on-the-spot fine (2019) or being brought to a police station by the security where the police will request your I.D. such as your passport for later prosecution. Not being German, not understanding the language or complicated system, or the fact that you have purchased a ticket will not be accepted as excuses: if it is not stamped, it is not valid, and travelling with a non-stamped ticket is considered an offence.

By bus

4 Intercity bus station.

Flixbus and other companies operate here. It's near the central train station.

By car

Düsseldorf is connected to the following highways: A3, A44, A46, A52, A57 (via Neuss) and A59.

Starting from 1 February 2026, Theodor-Heuss-Brücke bridge, carrying Highway B 7 across the Rhine, will get a weight limit of 3.5 tonnes (7,700 lb). The iconic 1950s bridge is nearing the end of its life and will be replaced in the long-term.

Parking in the city centre can be found in one of the many, rather pricey, car parks and underground garages. Street parking is restricted.