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Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Soltau
Go for one night if you want Heide Park or the thermal baths; two nights if you also walk or cycle the heath. Otherwise skip it.
Soltau is a small heath town of about 21,000 people between Hamburg and Hanover, known for Heide Park, one of Germany's largest amusement parks, and the Soltau Therme thermal baths. The town centre is compact and walkable, the surrounding Lüneburg Heath has more than 1,400 km of signposted trails, and the Südsee lake draws campers. Most visitors come for a single full day at the park or a wellness weekend; the town itself needs half a day.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Sep for the heath and theme park; Dec for the Christmas market
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (park closed, few outdoor options)
- 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 and cake in a café | €4–8 |
| Currywurst and chips at an Imbiss | €5–9 |
| Main course, mid-range restaurant | €10–19 |
| Beer, 0.5 l in a restaurant | €4–6 |
| Taxi, 5 kmTaxi, 3.1 mi | €12–16 |
| Regional train Soltau → Hanover | €15–25 |
| Museum entry (Toy Museum) | €4 adult / €2 child |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HAM · Hamburg Airport
- About 100 km north; roughly 1 h by car via the A7, exit 44 Soltau-OstAbout 62 mi north; roughly 1 h by car via the A7, exit 44 Soltau-Ost
- HAJ · Hanover Airport
- About 70 km south; roughly 45 min by car via the A7, exit 45 Soltau-SüdAbout 43 mi south; roughly 45 min by car via the A7, exit 45 Soltau-Süd
Typical fares
- Taxi Soltau station → Heide Park
- about €25–35 (check)
- Regional train Soltau → Hamburg
- about €20–30, roughly 1.5–2 h with a change (check)
- Soltau Therme entry
- €4–16 by ticket type
Get around
The centre is small enough to walk. Regional trains (RB) run from Soltau station to Hanover, Bremen and Hamburg roughly 05:00–22:00, with stops at Soltau Nord and Wolterdingen. Local buses and taxis cover the rest; taxis wait at the station. Long-distance cycle routes RFW 4 and RFW 15 meet in town, and most hotels rent bikes. Parking in town is mostly free.The centre is small enough to walk. Regional trains (RB) run from Soltau station to Hanover, Bremen and Hamburg roughly 5:00 AM–10:00 PM, with stops at Soltau Nord and Wolterdingen. Local buses and taxis cover the rest; taxis wait at the station. Long-distance cycle routes RFW 4 and RFW 15 meet in town, and most hotels rent bikes. Parking in town is mostly free.
See and do
Known for
- Heide Park
- Soltau Therme thermal baths
- Lüneburg Heath trails
- Südsee lake and campsite
- Toy Museum
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Heide Park | Train to Wolterdingen (Han) station, then a short walk or taxi; or drive via the A7 exit 45 | About 30–40 min from Soltau centre |
| Südsee lake and camp | Car or taxi via the A7 exit 45 towards Celle, about 4 kmCar or taxi via the A7 exit 45 towards Celle, about 2.5 mi | About 15 min |
| Bispingen | Heath Railway (Heidebahn) or the Sunday railcar 'Anteater' from Soltau station | About 20–30 min |
| Lüneburg | Train via Uelzen or Buchholz, change required | About 1.5–2 h |
| Celle | Train via Hanover or Uelzen, change required | About 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Town centre (Marktstraße / Georges-Lemoine-Platz)
- Walkable to shops, cafés and the Toy Museum; 10–15 min walk to Soltau station.
- Near Soltau Therme
- Quiet, free parking, best for a spa weekend; about 15 min walk from the centre.
- Wolterdingen / Heide Park area
- Closest to Heide Park and the Wolterdingen station; few services, car useful.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Guten TagGOO-ten tahk |
| Thank you | DankeDAHN-kuh |
| Please | BitteBIT-tuh |
| How much is it? | Wie viel kostet das?vee feel KOS-tet dahs |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kahn ikh mit KAR-tuh TSAH-len |
| Where is the station? | Wo ist der Bahnhof?voh ist dair BAHN-hohf |
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
- Heide Park is seasonal: check opening dates before booking, it is not open year-round.
- Shops close on Sunday; Saturday closing is around 17:00.
- The town has little to offer in winter once the park and baths are the only draws.
- Soltau station is on regional lines only: no high-speed trains, so plan connections via Hanover or Hamburg.
Soltau is a quiet, low-crime small town; the real risks are deer and cyclists on the heath roads, tick bites in summer grass, and the theme park's height and queue rules. Emergency number 112 works everywhere.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Soltau yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Heide Park
- Soltau Therme thermal baths
- Lüneburg Heath trails
- Südsee lake and campsite
- Toy Museum
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Soltau official town website: www.soltau.de/
- Heide Park official site: www.heide-park.de/
- Wikivoyage: Soltau, revision 5291136 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5291136
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Soltau
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Soltau; the nearest consulates-general are in Hamburg, embassies in Berlin.
Tipping: round up or add 5–10%, said to the server as you pay.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/soltau). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.