Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf suits a short city break built around Old Town brewpubs, Frank Gehry buildings on the Media Harbour and a walk along the Rhine.

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Düsseldorf is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, and a city of 619,444 residents on the Rhine. Most of it lies on the east bank. Visitors start in the Altstadt, the Old Town, where brewpubs pour Altbier, a local top-fermented beer usually served in 0.25-liter glasses. Königsallee, known as the Kö, is the upscale shopping boulevard with jewelry shops, designer labels and galleries. On the Medienhafen, the redeveloped Media Harbour, the Neuer Zollhof is a group of buildings designed by Frank Gehry.

Düsseldorf is a good choice for a short city break. The Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen shows modern and contemporary art, and the Academy of Art, founded in 1819, shaped the Düsseldorf School of Painting. Düsseldorf Airport lies about 8 km north of the center in Lohausen and is reached by S-Bahn or regional train, or by the SkyTrain people mover. Summers are mild to warm, which suits walks along the Rhine.

Düsseldorf in five

Take the S-Bahn from DUS to the centerDüsseldorf Airport has its own rail station, and the S-Bahn reaches the Hbf in roughly 10 to 15 minutes. It is one of the easiest airport arrivals in Germany, so skip the taxi.
Drink Altbier in the Altstadt, not at the stationAltbier is the dark local beer, poured in small glasses in brewhouses packed into the Altstadt, often nicknamed the longest bar in the world. Sit down, eat something and let the waiters keep refilling until you put a coaster on top.
Walk the Rhine promenade to the MedienhafenThe riverside path runs from the old town to the Medienhafen, where bold buildings by Frank Gehry and others stand beside converted warehouses. Allow about an hour on foot each way.
Check the trade-fair calendar before you bookMesse Düsseldorf hosts large fairs that push hotel prices up sharply and fill rooms across the region. Compare dates on the fair's calendar before you commit to a booking.
Eat at Little Tokyo on ImmermannstrasseThe area near the Hbf has a large Japanese community, with ramen shops, bakeries and grocery stores. It is an easy dinner choice after arriving by train, and the street is a short walk from the station.

Things to do in Düsseldorf

See all attractions in Düsseldorf

Museum · DüsseldorfHeinrich-Heine-Institut

Museum · DüsseldorfNRW-Forum Düsseldorf

Museum · DüsseldorfKunsthalle Düsseldorf

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Need to know

Airport: Düsseldorf (DUS), about 10–15 minutes by S-Bahn to the Hbf
Getting there: Cologne about 25–45 minutes; Amsterdam about 2–2.5 hours; Frankfurt about 1.5–2 hours
Getting around: U-Bahn, trams and buses (Rheinbahn); the Altstadt is walkable
Best base: Altstadt for evenings, near the Hbf for trains
Time needed: 1–2 days; a stop between Cologne and Essen

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days
Festival

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryRain17 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low2°Cold, grey
FebruaryRain14 rainy daysHigh8°Low3°Carnival season
MarchRain13 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Mild, showers
AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh15°Low6°Spring, blossom
MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh19°Low10°Warm, long days
JuneRain12 rainy daysHigh24°Low14°Rhine evenings
JulyRain14 rainy daysHigh24°Low15°Warm, busy
AugustRain13 rainy daysHigh25°Low16°Warm, busy
SeptemberRain12 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°Mild, clear
OctoberRain15 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Autumn color
NovemberRain14 rainy daysHigh10°Low6°Damp, quiet
DecemberRain17 rainy daysHigh7°Low4°Christmas markets

Average daily high and low in Düsseldorf, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: May Moers Festival · Jun Moers Festival

Right now in Düsseldorf

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 9°
Humidity: 86%
Wind: 8 km/h
Chance of rain: 24%

Düsseldorf

09:47 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+1

Today10°8°24%Monday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 24%.
Tue10°5°8%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 8%.
Wed10°3°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
Thu11°3°0%Thursday: Clear. High 11°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
Fri11°3°2%Friday: Clear. High 11°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 2%.
Sat8°2°6%Saturday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 6%.
Sun10°6°6%Sunday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 6%.

Updated 06:37 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.8961 EUR

Amount

Converted to

EUR · Euro

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Düsseldorf

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Every year

Feb–MarCologne CarnivalCologne, a day trip
May–JunMoers FestivalDüsseldorf
JulSummerjamCologne, a day trip
JulAmphi FestivalCologne, a day trip
Sep–OctInternational Beethoven Festival BonnBonn, a day trip

Day trips by train

Cologneabout 25–45 minutes by trainThe cathedral and brewhouses, a good counterpoint to Düsseldorf's polish.Read the guide
Aachenabout 1–1.25 hours by regional trainCharlemagne's cathedral and a compact old town.Read the guide
Essenabout 25 minutes by trainThe Zollverein coal-mine complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Before you go to Düsseldorf

Trains from DüsseldorfICE to Amsterdam, Cologne and FrankfurtRead the guide

Hotels in the AltstadtBrewhouse streets and station roomsCheck availability

eSIM for a business tripHotspot data for fair days and laptopsRead the guide

Cover for a short city breakFlight changes at a large airportRead the guide

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Rules for Düsseldorf, checked

Most non-EU visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Check entry rules on the Federal Foreign Office travel page before you book.Source
Dial 112 for fire or an ambulance anywhere in Germany, and 110 for the police.
Much of the city lies inside an environmental zone (Umweltzone) for nitrogen dioxide. Check your vehicle's rules before you drive in.
Deutsche Bahn Call a Bike rental bicycles may not be parked on public pavements or streets in Düsseldorf.

Plan around Düsseldorf

Cologne travel guide

The cathedral city 25 to 45 minutes south by train

Read the guide Cologne & Northern Rhineland

One rail network for four cities

Read the guide Aachen travel guide

Charlemagne's cathedral an hour west

Read the guide Bonn travel guide

Beethoven's birthplace on the Rhine

Read the guide Is a Eurail Pass worth it?

Regional tickets versus a pass around the Rhine

Read the guide All of Germany

Regions, trains and entry rules for a Germany trip

Read the guide

Düsseldorf FAQ

Is Düsseldorf worth visiting?

Yes, for a short stop with good beer, shopping and modern architecture. It has fewer historic sights than Cologne, so go for the Altstadt, the Rhine promenade and the Medienhafen.

Düsseldorf or Cologne: which should you visit?

Cologne for the cathedral, museums and a larger old town. Düsseldorf for a smoother airport arrival, fashion shopping and a polished riverfront. The two are close enough to see both.

How long do you need in Düsseldorf?

One to two days: an afternoon on the Königsallee and the promenade, an evening in the Altstadt and a morning for the Medienhafen. A third day works only if you add Essen or Aachen.

How do you get from Düsseldorf Airport to the center?

By S-Bahn, in roughly 10 to 15 minutes to the Hbf, or by taxi. The airport also has a long-distance station for ICE trains to Cologne, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.

What should you eat in Düsseldorf?

Altbier with a plate of local fare in a brewhouse, then mustard from the Löwensenf tradition. Rhenish dishes like sauerbraten and potato pancakes show up in traditional taverns.