Getting to Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf’s airport (DUS) is actually the third largest airport in Germany after those in Frankfurt and Munich. However, direct flights can sometimes be tricky to find unless you fly with Lufthansa or Continental and it is likely you might have to connect through London Heathrow, Paris Charles DeGaulle, Amsterdam Schipol, or Frankfurt International.
When looking for flights to come over and if getting to Düsseldorf is expensive, try flying into Frankfurt (FRA) or Amsterdam (AMS) and seeing if taking a connecting train is cheaper. The ride to Frankfurt is no longer than two hours on the train and there are several trains per day that go directly from the airport to Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (Central Station). I’m not entirely sure about taking the train from Schipol, but the city of Amsterdam is also two hours away by train, more or less.
One other option is to fly into Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN) and take the regional train from there. My dad did that when he visited me back in summer 2008 and for some reason, flying into that airport was cheaper, even though the airport is much smaller.
Here are some links to make booking flights easier:
Things To Do Besides the Wedding
If you’re coming from abroad, you might be thinking about making a vacation out of coming here to Germany or Europe. Düsseldorf isn’t a huge tourist destination, but if you want to travel around the area and/or country, there’s plenty to do. Here I’m compiling a list of possible things if you want to make a longer trip out of being here if you decide to come.
In the area:
Cologne - A slightly larger city 30 minutes south of Düsseldorf, Cologne is home to the famous Cologne Cathedral and lots of Roman ruins. Accessible by regional train.
Aachen - Smaller than Düsseldorf and about an hour and a half train ride away, Aachen’s cathedral houses the remains of Charlemagne. Cute little city with interesting architecture. Accessible by regional train.
Maastricht - A small city across the border in the Netherlands, Maastricht has a medieval feel to it with a twist of the modern. Accessible by regional train.
In Germany:
Oktoberfest - Our wedding actually falls right in the middle of Oktoberfest, which is from September 22nd until October 7th. Getting between Düsseldorf and Munich is pretty easy, via an almost five hour train ride, flying between the two cities, or of course, renting a car. Going to the fairgrounds for Oktoberfest is free, but if you want to go into a beer tent, it’d probably be best to make a reservation. Christian and I have never been there ourselves, but you can find all the information at the Oktoberfest website (which has yet to have been updated as I write this).
my band put out a new EP today
It is called Getting Around. It’s a 2 song 7”. You can download it via BandCamp and/or iTunes.
You can pre-order a limited edition 7” (comes with full artwork, liner notes/lyric sheet, free download card) at our label website - http://www.cashtomouthrecords.com
Stream the two songs via YouTube here:
Thank you and I hope you enjoy it.
How Good Is Public Transit in Your Area?
As we well know, public transport systems vary widely across the globe between countries, from city to city.
So just for fun, today we have compiled a list of cities with the best transport around the world. It’s cheap, it’s fast, it’s frequent, and it’s easy to use. How is the public transport system in your city or area? Answer at www.pingcolors.com.
Seoul, Korea
Seoul’s a nightmare of a place to walk around - the streets are badly signed, and the numbering system defies comprehension. But the city’s Metro system is something else. Every trip, no matter how far, costs the equivalent of a dollar. A new train seems to arrive the minute the old one pulls out. All stations have maps of the surrounding area, and clearly numbered exits for you to get your bearings. Couldn’t be easier.
Paris, France
It may not smell the best, but you can’t fault the Paris Metro’s frequency, and the areas of the city it manages to cover. Assuming no one’s on strike, you can get around with ease. Admittedly, I haven’t given the buses a whirl - anyone fill us in on that?
Shanghai, China
Like Seoul’s system, the Shanghai Metro is cheap and easy to use, with plenty of signs in English, and maps around to help you out. The city also boasts the Maglev, the new train that whips you out to Pudong Airport from the city at 430km/h, and costs about 10 bucks. (Seriously, it really does go that fast.) Taxis are frightening, but cheap, and can even be paid for with the swipe card you get for the Metro.
New York, USA
I was freaked out by the subway at first. I’m not sure why - all those colours and dots I guess. But once you get the hang of things, the subway’s a dream. There seems to be a station on just about every city block, and if you stand around looking confused for more than a few seconds, someone will offer to help you. Beats paying for cabs.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Most people learn about Amsterdam’s public transport the hard way - by almost getting run over by it. The city’s trams are notoriously silent killers, creeping up on you and warning you with a “Ding!” seconds before impact. On the bright side though, they’re cheap and easy to use - as is the train system that connects the ‘Dam with neighbouring cities like Haarlem and Zandvoort. Best way to get around, though, is to do like the Dutchies do, and ride a bike.
London, UK
The downside: London transport is damn expensive. If you don’t have an Oyster card, a single trip through one zone on the Tube will cost you the equivalent of $10. That’s insane. Plus, riding the Tube in summer is about as much fun as cancer. The upside is that the trains are frequent, easy to use, and once you have that Oyster card, you can use it to pay for pretty much everything. Buses run all night too, which is handy, given the outrageous price of catching taxis…
So, join us in the conversation: how good is public transit in your area? Answer with the simple click of a button at www.pingcolors.com
Friday Links: Getting around
With forthcoming shoots on two sides of the Atlantic, in Florida, Texas, Bath, London and more besides we’re always looking for the best way of getting around. And this pedestrian trench bridge in the Netherlands by Ro&Ad Architekten strikes us as a pretty great option.
