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Voykit pocket guide · Germany
Witten
Skip Witten as a base unless you want cheap Ruhr beds and green river days: one night, or a half-day stop on the Ruhr Valley bike path.
Witten is a 96,000-person Ruhr town between Dortmund and Hagen, on the Ruhr river. Coal mining in the region started here, and the deindustrialised centre is small; the value is the green outskirts, the Kemnade reservoir and the Ruhr Valley heritage railway. Most travellers use it as a cheap, central bed for the Ruhr rather than a destination.
- Country
- Germany
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (grey, wet, few outdoor draws)
- Stay
- 1 night
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 €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €85–140 excl. bed · High €140+ 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 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / bottle at a kiosk | €4–5.50 / €1.50–2.50 |
| Main course in a mid-range restaurant | €12–20 |
| Tram or bus single ride | €3–4 (check) |
| Märkisches Museum entry | Free |
| Nachtigall Mining Museum entry | €4 adult, €2 child |
| Freizeitbad Heveney pool, adult | €12.75 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DTM · Dortmund Airport
- About 21 km away; small, mostly short-haul.About 13 mi away; small, mostly short-haul.
- DUS · Düsseldorf Airport
- About 43 km away; the useful one for long-haul and most European flights.About 27 mi away; the useful one for long-haul and most European flights.
Typical fares
- DUS Airport → Witten by train
- about 1 h 15 min with a change, price varies (check)
- Witten → Dortmund, regional train
- about 30 min, covered by the Deutschlandticket (check)
- Ruhr Valley heritage railway, return
- €24, cash only
- Taxi in town
- metered; short hops usually under €15 (check)
Get around
Two tram lines (309, 310) plus buses run roughly 05:00–23:00, later starts at weekends, with very limited night buses. The centre is small enough to walk; Bahnhofstrasse is partly closed to cars. The Ruhr Valley bike path runs along the river.Two tram lines (309, 310) plus buses run roughly 5:00 AM–11:00 PM, later starts at weekends, with very limited night buses. The centre is small enough to walk; Bahnhofstrasse is partly closed to cars. The Ruhr Valley bike path runs along the river.
See and do
Known for
- Birthplace of Ruhr coal mining
- Lake Kemnade reservoir
- Ruhr Valley heritage railway
- Ruhr Viaduct
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Dortmund | RE4, RE16 or S5 from Witten Hauptbahnhof | About 30–40 min |
| Bochum | RB40 or tram, about 9 kmRB40 or tram, about 5.6 mi | About 30 min |
| Hattingen | Regional train or the Ruhr Valley heritage railway | About 30–45 min |
| Essen | RB40 towards Essen | About 45–60 min |
| Wuppertal | RE4 towards Düsseldorf, about 24 kmRE4 towards Düsseldorf, about 15 mi | About 40 min |
| Düsseldorf | RE4 direct, about 45 kmRE4 direct, about 28 mi | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Witten centre (around Hauptbahnhof and Bahnhofstrasse)
- Walkable to the station, shops and the main tram lines; the practical choice for one night.
- South of the centre (Hohenstein, Ardey)
- Quieter, greener, upscale hotels in a park-like area; bus or tram to the centre.
- Herbede and the Ruhr valley
- Riverside, near the bike path and the heritage railway stops; car or bike helps.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallohallo |
| Thank you | Dankedanke |
| Please | Bittebitte |
| How much is it? | Wie viel kostet das?vee feel kostet das |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit karte tsahlen |
| Where is the station? | Wo ist der Bahnhof?vo ist dair bahn-hof |
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
- Tram and bus service thins out after about 23:00; weekend nights have very few night buses.
- Parts of the centre are closed to through traffic and some residential streets are permit-only for parking and entry.
- Bike lanes are patchy and sometimes badly placed: ride defensively.
- The Ruhr Valley heritage railway fare is cash only.
Witten is a normal Ruhr town and generally safe by day; the centre is quiet at night, so stick to lit streets and check the last tram. The bigger risks are wet, dark cycle paths and patchy bike lanes.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Witten yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Birthplace of Ruhr coal mining
- Lake Kemnade reservoir
- Ruhr Valley heritage railway
- Ruhr Viaduct
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 Witten (official): www.witten.de/
- BOGESTRA (local transport): www.bogestra.de/service/kundencenter
- LWL Industrial Heritage — Zeche Nachtigall: www.lwl-industriekultur.de/en/
- Kulturforum Witten — Märkisches Museum: www.kulturforum-witten.de/de/maerkischesmuseumwitten/
- Wikivoyage: Witten, revision 5323930 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5323930
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Witten
Zu dieser Adresse, bitte
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Witten; the US consulate-general is in Düsseldorf and most embassies are in Berlin.
Tipping: round up or add 5–10%, said to the server as you pay.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/witten). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.