I have a trip next week which involves getting from Dusseldorf Airport to Cologne Hbf on Wednesday and back again the following day. I've done this loads of times before but only once this year. There does seem to be major works going on which interrupts my habitual routes. I previously would take the SkyTrain to Flughafen Station and then an RE 1 or 5 direct to Cologne Hbf. All on the VRS tariff which then would include local onward travel in Cologne. Can anyone advise on how it might work next week.
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Between Cologne and Düsseldorf Airport. Disruption?
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dutchflyer
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Yes, have travelled quite a few times over there or around lately with my D-Ticket and there are currently weeks of works-a part gets a 3d or 4th track.
Best info is on mobil.nrw (probably only in german fully).
Also there is NO either VRR (Düsseldorf Rhein Ruhr) nor VRS (Rhein Sieg=Köln Bonn) fare between the 2, its NRW (the Land=province).
But that -for a normal full fare single- does not mean very much, as you can also just buy it from a machine (and then its local, so NO IC/ICE allowance).
However, if you had planned to use a network wide VRS ticket-for days-you will need to stop at first station In VRS-area and buy from the machine there-or check what app/web is available
The machine will/can also show timings for next trips/times, if you set it to.
Somehow-but double check yourself, I also think the the usual DIREct S-bahn from airport (rather dank stop just beside) to HBF=Main in Dús is out of use, due to very serious staff shortages. These may also mean that any timings found the day before will turn out worthless. It is what it is sadly for now.
Best info is on mobil.nrw (probably only in german fully).
Also there is NO either VRR (Düsseldorf Rhein Ruhr) nor VRS (Rhein Sieg=Köln Bonn) fare between the 2, its NRW (the Land=province).
But that -for a normal full fare single- does not mean very much, as you can also just buy it from a machine (and then its local, so NO IC/ICE allowance).
However, if you had planned to use a network wide VRS ticket-for days-you will need to stop at first station In VRS-area and buy from the machine there-or check what app/web is available
The machine will/can also show timings for next trips/times, if you set it to.
Somehow-but double check yourself, I also think the the usual DIREct S-bahn from airport (rather dank stop just beside) to HBF=Main in Dús is out of use, due to very serious staff shortages. These may also mean that any timings found the day before will turn out worthless. It is what it is sadly for now.
vrs.de says otherwise. Please check.
Nope, VRS fare available for the entire journey.
The issue with the VRS ticket is that it's not valid on IC, ICE or EC trains, so if the RE trains in particular are disrupted my travel choices are reduced, and flights being what they are, I can never predict exactly when I can catch a train.
A slightly bizarre issue is that the VRS ticket covers the SkyTrain link as well, whereas I don't think a normal DB ticket would. I've never ever seen a ticket check on the SkyTrain but I cannot afford the risk of being present ticketless when one does occur.
A look on DB navigator has turned up itineraries that suggest that the RE trains aren't running through the Flughafen Station. I would like to know how they are currently routed as then I can get my head around the potential route choices that make sense, and which sort of ticket to buy. If the Flughafen Terminal Station is likely to be closed, that reduces the choices even more!
A slightly bizarre issue is that the VRS ticket covers the SkyTrain link as well, whereas I don't think a normal DB ticket would. I've never ever seen a ticket check on the SkyTrain but I cannot afford the risk of being present ticketless when one does occur.
A look on DB navigator has turned up itineraries that suggest that the RE trains aren't running through the Flughafen Station. I would like to know how they are currently routed as then I can get my head around the potential route choices that make sense, and which sort of ticket to buy. If the Flughafen Terminal Station is likely to be closed, that reduces the choices even more!
Looks as if nothing is running North from Duesseldorf except the S-bahn to Terminal for the next 2 weeks (school holidays in NRW I presume) and some ICs diverted (at a guess) via Wuppertal.
3rd Oct is a public holiday as well.
nwales58
Member
There is work between Duisburg and Mülheim with rail replacement buses.
From Düsseldorf Flughafen S1 is running every 20' Duisburg-Düs Hbf-Solingen (as well as SEV which you probably don't want).
Or from Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal - turn right out of the A/B exit instead of left and follow the signs - S11 is running as normal.
VRS into VRR ticket will work as it is valid between zone Düsseldorf Mitte/Nord (VRR zone but counted into the VRS Preisstufe) and VRS zone Köln. The limits of the cross-border zones are in the map accessible from
www.vrs.de
From Düsseldorf Flughafen S1 is running every 20' Duisburg-Düs Hbf-Solingen (as well as SEV which you probably don't want).
Or from Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal - turn right out of the A/B exit instead of left and follow the signs - S11 is running as normal.
VRS into VRR ticket will work as it is valid between zone Düsseldorf Mitte/Nord (VRR zone but counted into the VRS Preisstufe) and VRS zone Köln. The limits of the cross-border zones are in the map accessible from
Tickets zu Nachbarn und durch NRW
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Thanks. I'm aware of the S11, which would normally take me direct to my actual destination, Köln Hansaring, albeit very slowly! But I was getting the notion that the line on the west bank of the Rhine via Neuss (?) was also disrupted, because the RE6 which usually goes that way is apparently diverted. (Enough knowledge of German to get a hint, but not enough to be certain)
Spoorslag '70
Member
The RE6 runs via Leverkuse to provide two regional fast trains per hour. The RE5 is diverted via Neuss (due to the works around Duisburg).
Personally, I would take a S11 service (supposed to run every 20 minutes, but quite some cancellations due to staff shortages - a very common theme on the S-Bahn in Köln...) to Düsseldorf Hbf and then either the RE1 or RE6 to Köln (both hourly). That's all doable on a VRS ticket (and has been as long as I can remember) as there is a special overlap rule for journey to/from Düsseldorf (and some other places, cf. https://www.vrs.de/fileadmin/Dateien/Downloadcenter/Infobroschueren/VRS_Flyer_VRR_01072023_web.pdf). https://eezy.nrw/ might also be an option, the single journey is slightly cheaper that way.
The works involve the replacement of a motorway bridge between Duisburg, Oberhausen and Mülheim and cable works on the mainline between Duisburg and Düsseldorf. https://www.zuginfo.nrw/?msg=88867 has detailed information, including a diagram of the service pattern (https://www.zuginfo.nrw/download/1693304450396_Baumassnahme_Duisburg_Kaiserberg.pdf).
Spoorslag '70
Member
Any ticket including local public transport in the correct area is valid. Interrail passes are not valid as far as I know.
duesselmartin
Established Member
Services between Duisburg and Düsseldorf are suspended for two weeks barr the S1.
So your best option is S11 to Düsseldorf Hbf and change there.
So your best option is S11 to Düsseldorf Hbf and change there.
DeverseSam
Member
Ticket type K at 1,90 apparently, otherwise 60 euro fine
The SkyTrain is part of the Düsseldorf public transport system. A Kurzstrecke ticket is sufficient for any journey on it, but as is normal in Germany, any relevant local zonal ticket is valid too. The ticket machines at the SkyTrain stops in the Terminal building are VRR (Düsseldorf) machines but they also sell VRS (Köln -Bonn) zonal tickets (and possibly NRW (NordRhein Westfalen) tickets too).
It took a long time for me to fathom out the full extent of rail travel and ticket possibilities between there and Cologne. My knowledge gets thrown when services are disrupted like this. Hence the search for advice.
It took a long time for me to fathom out the full extent of rail travel and ticket possibilities between there and Cologne. My knowledge gets thrown when services are disrupted like this. Hence the search for advice.
DeverseSam
Member
The airport is in vrr.
So why would it be a vrs + Düssedorf fare, rather than a vrr + Köln fare?
nwales58
Member
Because it is.
VRR<>VRS has a VRS fare. VRR<>AVV has a VRS fare. Neither has a VRR or AVV fare. There are also NRW fares but fewer options.
Unless you have an HND equivalent in Tarifverbund systems, you have to work out which system each place is in (map on Wikipedia helps, a few places are in no Verkehrsverbund), look at the fare systems and zonal plans for each, check which end does any cross-border fares (in this case it is only a subset of VRR<>VRS), check again for the Land, check DB's Regionalangebote (some of which cover more than one Land) and double-check restrictions (eg Rheinpfalz is not valid on buses nor for trips within the VRN area), go back to check whether day tickets are day or 24h then work out the probability of each option being cheapest for the trips and modes you might need that day. Close to national border you also need to ... etc etc. It all seems logical to a german. Maybe.
Now you see the attraction of the Deutschlandticket for casual users.
Too true.
It only took me about 2 years of regular visits to work out the best fare for the journey I enquired about!
Pretty much any local transport ticket including Deutschland ticket is valid, as are VRR tickets or DB tickets with cityplus, tickets to the airport viewing platform, airport car park tickets, and boarding passes from several airlines. If one has none of these, a Kurzstrecke (short trip) ticket should be purchased for €1.90. My understanding is that the ticket requirements are not actively enforced other than for the purpose of moving on beggars and undesirables.
Update. In spite of Eurowings doing their best to disrupt any sane plans I had, I did successfully get to Cologne on the cheapest fare and faster connection. I missed the recommended S11 by about a minute. An unfamiliar new and slow interface on the SkyTrain ticket machine made me lose my chance to get the S1 for the same connection at Düsseldorf. I got the VRS ticket and opted for the next S11, 20 mins after the missed one.
I realised that there was a 2 minute scheduled overlap between that S11 service and the RE1 at Düsseldorf Hbf. So with careful positioning, and a mad dash between platforms 11 and 16, I made it!
Now for some similar fun on the return journey tomorrow.
I realised that there was a 2 minute scheduled overlap between that S11 service and the RE1 at Düsseldorf Hbf. So with careful positioning, and a mad dash between platforms 11 and 16, I made it!
Now for some similar fun on the return journey tomorrow.
duesselmartin
Established Member
Rather amazed you made that Connection. Have fun in Germany. With a bit of patience you can even enjoy the rail network
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