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Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Dortmund
Give Dortmund one full day for the U-Tower, Kokerei Hansa and the stadium; sleep in the centre, not near the ground.
Dortmund is the largest city in the Ruhr and the region's transport hub, with 600 trains a day through the Hauptbahnhof. The centre is small enough to walk end to end, but the sights that matter — the U-Tower, Kokerei Hansa, Westfalenpark, the stadium — sit outside it. Most travellers use Dortmund as a base for the Ruhr and give the city itself one day, two if a match or a concert is on.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (grey, wet, 5 °C)Nov–Feb (grey, wet, 41 °F)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Card acceptance has improved but some bakeries, bars and small restaurants are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telekom, Vodafone and O2 are the networks; Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect and congstar resell them cheaply in supermarkets and electronics shops.
- Emergency
- Fire and ambulance 112 · Police 110
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or add 5–10%; say the total you want to pay as you hand over money or card.; Bar and café: Round up to the nearest euro.; Taxi: Round up by €1–2.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night, optional.; Free walking tour: €10–15 per person.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants usually sell bottled water; fizzy (mit Kohlensäure) is the default, ask for 'still' or 'ohne'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost €0.50–1.50 (Rail&Fresh WC); restaurant toilets are for customers; the 'WC' at motorway rest stops takes coins and gives a voucher.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2.50–4 |
| Currywurst or a Döner | €4–8 |
| Dortmunder beer, 0.3 l in a bar / crate in a shop | €3–5 / €15–20 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | €15–20 |
| Stadtbahn single ride, level A | €3.60 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
| Museum entry (U-Tower, Kokerei Hansa tour) | €5–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DTM · Dortmund Airport
- No rail link; shuttle bus to Dortmund Hbf about 25–30 min, or bus 490 to Aplerbeck then U47
- DUS · Düsseldorf Airport
- Direct Deutsche Bahn trains to Dortmund Hbf, about 45–60 min by car, longer by train; better for long-haul
Typical fares
- DTM airport → Dortmund Hbf, shuttle bus
- €6.50, 25–30 min
- DTM airport → Aplerbeck, bus 490, then U47
- €3.30 single, about 45 min (check)
- Dortmund Hbf → Essen Hbf, regional train
- about €10–13, 25 min (check)
Get around
The Stadtbahn (metro-style trams) runs in three tunnels under the centre, crossing at Kampstraße, Reinoldikirche and Stadtgarten; the Hauptbahnhof has its own underground stop. A single trip inside the city is a VRR level A ticket, about €3.60 (2026 estimate); day tickets use the same A–C levels. Buses run roughly 05:00–23:00, with night buses early on Saturday and Sunday. The centre itself is small enough to walk between both ends.The Stadtbahn (metro-style trams) runs in three tunnels under the centre, crossing at Kampstraße, Reinoldikirche and Stadtgarten; the Hauptbahnhof has its own underground stop. A single trip inside the city is a VRR level A ticket, about €3.60 (2026 estimate); day tickets use the same A–C levels. Buses run roughly 5:00 AM–11:00 PM, with night buses early on Saturday and Sunday. The centre itself is small enough to walk between both ends.
See and do
Known for
- Dortmunder export beer
- Borussia Dortmund and Signal Iduna Park
- Dortmunder U tower
- Kokerei Hansa industrial monument
- Ruhr industrial heritage
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Essen | S-Bahn or regional train from Dortmund Hbf, about 25 min | About 45 min |
| Bochum | S-Bahn or regional train from Dortmund Hbf, about 20 min | About 40 min |
| Hattingen | S-Bahn to Hattingen Mitte, about 35–40 min | About 1 h |
| Duisburg | Regional train from Dortmund Hbf, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Witten | S-Bahn or regional train, about 20–25 min | About 45 min |
| Herne | S-Bahn or regional train, about 15–20 min | About 40 min |
Sleep
- City centre (Innenstadt / Hauptbahnhof)
- Walkable to Alter Markt, Westenhellweg shopping and all three Stadtbahn tunnels; best for one or two nights with bags.
- Kreuzviertel
- Quiet 19th-century streets, cafés and bars, 10–15 min walk or one U-Bahn stop from the centre; good for a longer stay.
- Hörde
- South of the centre by the Phoenix See, U41 to the centre in about 10 min; cheaper rooms, calmer evenings.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Entschuldigungent-SHOOL-dee-goong |
| Thank you | DankeDAN-kuh |
| This one, please | Das hier, bittedas heer, BIT-tuh |
| How much is it? | Wie viel kostet das?vee feel KOS-tet das |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit KAR-tuh TSAH-len |
| Where is the toilet? | Wo ist die Toilette?vo ist dee toy-LET-tuh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake with eye contact; 'Guten Tag' or 'Hallo'; avoid: Hugs with people you have just met
- Names: Herr / Frau plus surname until invited to use first names; avoid: Using 'du' with officials or older strangers
- Punctuality: Arrive on time for tours, dinners and appointments; avoid: Being more than 5–10 minutes late without a message
- Queues and rules: Follow signs, wait at red lights, sort rubbish; avoid: Walking in cycle lanes
- Conversation: Direct and factual; people say what they mean; avoid: Taking directness as rudeness, or joking about the Nazi era
- Home visit: Bring flowers (odd number, not red roses) or wine; shoes off if the hosts do; avoid: Arriving early
- Paying: Say the total including tip as you pay; avoid: Leaving coins on the table and walking off
Scams and watch-outs
- Stamp your ticket before boarding. An unstamped ticket is invalid and the on-the-spot fine is about €40, with no language excuse accepted.
- The city centre is a low-emission zone: cars need a pollution-category sticker.
- Match days: U42 and the Stadion stop are packed; extra trams run from Stadion.
- The airport has no train or tram link — allow for the shuttle or the 490 bus plus U47.
Dortmund is a normal German big city; the centre is fine on foot by day and busy at night. Watch your bag on the U-Bahn at match times and around the Hauptbahnhof, and avoid unlit stretches of the Nordstadt after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Dortmund yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Dortmunder export beer
- Borussia Dortmund and Signal Iduna Park
- Dortmunder U tower
- Kokerei Hansa industrial monument
- Ruhr industrial heritage
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Dortmund: www.dortmund.de/
- Dortmund Tourist and Information Office: www.dortmund-tourismus.de/
- Dortmund Airport: www.flughafen-dortmund.de/
- VRR — Rhine-Ruhr transport authority: www.vrr.de/en/
- Deutsche Bahn: www.bahn.de/
- Wikivoyage: Dortmund, revision 5243255 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5243255
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Dortmund
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Germany has no US or UK embassy in Dortmund; the US consulate-general is in Düsseldorf and the British consulate-general in Düsseldorf, with embassies in Berlin.
Tipping: round up or add 5–10% and say the total as you pay.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/dortmund). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.