Your flight to Germany

The Düsseldorf Airport is the closest airport to Essen. Most airlines fly directly from major US cities to Düsseldorf.

To get further information on flights to and from Düsseldorf look at the website of Düsseldorf airport: www.duesseldorf-international.de

1. By Taxi: You can take a cab from the airport to your hotel in Essen. Taxis are standing in front of Arrivals A and C. The ride takes about 20 minutes and will cost approximately EURO 45 ($ 50.00). This is the most convenient way, however also the most expensive.
   
2. By Train: The Deutsche Bahn runs a direct train from the Düsseldorf airport to the main train station in Essen "Essen Hbf". You have to go downstairs in the airport to the trains and catch the S 1. This train goes directly to Essen Hbf and departs every hour. The ride takes about 40 minutes. The cost for the train is around $6 for coach class and $7.50 for first class. Please validate your ticket before you enter the train.
   
   Once in Essen you can either take a cab to your hotel or take the subway or a bus. Cabs are available at every exit. If you go by subway or bus just ask how to get to your hotel at the information booth, labeled with an i.
   
   To get further information on trains to and from Essen look at the website of the Deutsche Bahn: www.bahn.de
   
3. By the Messe Essen Airport Express Bus: During most trade shows, a bus runs directly from the airport to the Essen Exhibition Complex (Messe Essen) and vice versa. The cost is $20 round-trip. The bus is called the Airport Express Bus and there are signs for it at the Essen/Düsseldorf Information Stand as you come out of the Düsseldorf airport. If you can't find it, just ask someone.
   
   The buses leave the airport and the Exhibition Complex at the same times: From 8:00 - 11:00 a.m. every half-hour and from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. also every half-hour.
   

Traveling by car

There are two highway connections: The A 52 goes North-South (Düsseldorf / International Airport - Essen) and the A 40 West-East (Duisburg - Dortmund). Both highways lead directly to the Exhibition Complex. On the A 52 take the Exit marked "Essen-Rüttenscheid" and from the A 40 take the "Essen-Frohnhausen" exit. Follow signs to Messe/Gruga. Parking areas around the exhibition grounds have about 7,000 spaces. An additional 10,000 spaces can be found further away, but have a free shuttle service to the exhibition complex.

You can rent a car directly at the Düsseldorf Airport. The following rental car companies, located on the ground level of Parking Structure 3 provide service at the Airport: AVIS, Europcar, Hertz, National Car Rental and Sixt. If you reserve a car ahead of time in the US it will most likely be much less expensive.

To get further information on the Autobahn connections please look at the following website: www.reiseplanung.de

Traveling within Essen by public local transport

Traveling within Essen is quite simple and inexpensive. The Essener Verkehrs AG (EVAG) runs a comprehensive local network consisting of bus, tram, U-Bahn (subway) and S-Bahn (railway) routes.

To get to the Exhibition complex from the central train station in Essen (Essen Hauptbahnhof, abbreviated as Essen Hbf) take the U 11 which goes directly to the Exhibition Complex. For the Ost Halls (or east halls), get off at the Messe/Gruga station. This enters into hall 12. You can also go one stop further and get off at the Messe Süd/West stop. This will let you enter the South halls 1 and 1a or the West wing at hall 3. The ride takes you about 5 minutes.

A seven day unlimited public transportation pass within Essen is available at the central station (Essen Hbf). Go to the Customer Center (Kunden Center), which is located on the lower level, and ask for the seven day pass within Essen. It costs only $12.50. Make sure you keep it on you at all travel times. If you're caught without it, you pay!

To get further information on the public local transport system in Essen look at the website of the Essener Verkehrs AG (EVAG): www.evag.de