Travelling to the Grand Départ Düsseldorf 2017
... by air
Travel to Düsseldorf by air is possible via Düsseldorf International Airport. The state capital Düsseldorf can be conveniently reached by direct flight from more than 200 cities worldwide: www.dus.com/en
At the airport there will also be a reception counter for visitors to the Grand Départ Düsseldorf 2017, where information about onward-travel can be obtained.
Thomas Schnalke, spokesperson for Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH, says, "Düsseldorf and the whole area are looking forward to many thousands of visitors travelling to the Grand Départ from far and wide. The sporting highlight will be the visiting card that our city will be issuing this year. The airport will therefore be optimally ready for the visitors who will be travelling by air to the Tour de France. Our state capital Düsseldorf can be conveniently reached by direct flights. Airlines are making visitors from almost all keen cycling countries like Italy, Spain, France, England or the USA an outstanding flight offer that will make it very easy for them to travel to the event. Visitors can then travel on into the city by bus, U- and S-Bahn (underground and local tram) or taxi. Our city and airport are noted for the short distances between and in them. That is what marks them out internationally."
... by train
Visitors from Germany can travel from anywhere in Germany by Deutsche Bahn long-distance train for an attractive and exclusive fixed price of 99 euro (2nd class) or 159 euro (1st class) and with 100 % green energy on all regular Deutsche Bahn routes. Both prices are valid for travel to and return from any station of Deutsche Bahn in Germany. The offer will be valid from 27th June 2017 until 4th July 2017. Tickets are obtainable at www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de/gd-offers/.
Visitors from North Rhine-Westphalia should best use regional trains and the "SchönerTagTicket NRW" (NRW SuperSaver Ticket) (30 euro for 1 person; 44 euro for 5 persons). It is valid for all underground and local trams, buses throughout North Rhine Westphalia and 2nd class on all local trains. The ticket can be purchased in advance with the app of the Düsseldorf travel company "Rheinbahn" (www.rheinbahn.de/app) or on the Internet (www.rheinbahn.de/shop).
Visitors from the area covered by the Rhein-Ruhr Verkehrsverbund (VRR) (VRR Transport Network) and the city of Düsseldorf should likewise use local S- and U-Bahn trains (local and underground) and buses. For this the Rheinbahn recommends the "TagesTicket" (DaySaver Ticket) for up to five persons (from 6.80 euro up in price level A).
... by bus and rail within Düsseldorf
Whether one travels to the event by air, rail, long-distance bus or private car, from the airport S-Bahn station terminal or airport long-distance station, car parks and Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (Central railway station), which long-distance buses also call at - the local transport company "Rheinbahn" will take one into and through the city in comfort.
In the Düsseldorf City area the Rheinbahn recommends the "TagesTicket" (DaySaver Ticket) from 6.80 euro at price level A. With this ticket individual visitors or groups of visitors of up to five persons can travel cheaply, because it permits them to travel to the various event sites as often as they wish. The tickets are obtainable on the Internet at www.rheinbahn.de/shop or - the quickest way - direct with the Rheinbahn app (www.rheinbahn.de/app). There tickets can be paid for very conveniently by mobile phone invoicing, without registration.
The Rheinbahn's network map for the Grand Départ weekend and alle timetable data are available in the Rheinbahn German-English info sheet and at www.rheinbahn.com
Rheinbahn management spokesman Michael Clausecker says, "The Rheinbahn wants to actively use this unique opportunity and show that bicycle and Rheinbahn offer the ideal link for more and more people. Our eye-catchingly branded vehicles run through the entire city and advertise the Grand Départ. That will be a real super-event for Düsseldorf and the area, and we look forward to being part of it."
... by long-distance bus or coach / by tourist bus (charter)
... by long-distance bus or coach
Visitors can also travel by them to Düsseldorf for the Départ of the Tour de France Grand. For more information about travel to the event and a direct link to the provider, Flixbus, which calls at Düsseldorfer Hauptbahnhof (Central railway station), please go to: www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de/gd-offers/
... by tourist bus (charter)
Düsseldorf Tourismus is offering coach tour operators an online reservation system for coach parking spaces, which has already proved successful during the Christmas market. Further information is available by emailing: hospitality@duesseldorf-tourismus.de
... by private car
Route closures will already be put in place on Friday. Up until the end of the time trial at 16:45 and a certain period of time needed to take down the barriers on Saturday, 1st July, major restrictions are to be expected on general traffic in the city. The city districts of Carlstadt, Altstadt, Oberkassel south of Luegallee, "Weiße Siedlung" Golzheim, to left and right of Stockumer Kirchstraße, and the estate north of Beckbuschstraße will be closed to general traffic during this time.
Travel by private car - particularly into the city centre - for the 2nd stage is not to be recommended either. The 2nd stage of the Grand Départ will begin at 10:00 on Sunday, 2nd July, with the start of the publicity caravan at the Burgplatz. The race proper is set to start at 12:00. The period of unavoidable restrictions on general traffic in Düsseldorf will last from 07:30 until 16:00. The stage runs through the city districts of Altstadt, Carlstadt, Hafen, Unterbilk, Stadtmitte, Pempelfort, Düsseltal, Grafenberg, Gerresheim, Rath, Mörsenbroich, Derendorf, Niederkassel, Oberkassel, Lörick und Heerdt.
For visitors arriving by car, special Park & Ride parking spaces are provided in Düsseldorf's city district. The parking ticket includes one Rheinbahn day ticket for four persons for the onward journey to the Tour route. Park & Ride tickets can be pre-booked online until Friday, 30 June, 9 pm, after which the Park & Ride tickets will be sold at the respective parking areas (cash only). Information on the Park & Ride offers and booking at: www.parkvogel.de/granddepart
For disabled people arriving by car, parking areas are provided on Maximilian-Weyhe-Allee (only Saturday, 1 July) and at the Aquazoo. Parking tickets can be pre-booked online until Friday, 30 June, 9 pm, after which the tickets will be sold at the respective parking areas (cash only). Information on the parking tickets for people with disabilities and booking at: www.parkvogel.de/granddepart
Dr. Christian Jahncke, manager of SITA Airport IT GmbH ("Parkvogel") says, "We look forward to being permitted to assist Team Düsseldorf 2017 to host the Grand Départ. Parking on this week-end will be a challenge for every visitor. We offer all visitors facing this challenge, whether they are coming by private car or camper van, the opportunity to reserve their parking space in advance online at www.parkvogel.de. So visitors can travel here worryfree and just look forward to this unique event!"
... by camper van
Around 750 fully-equipped pitches for mobile homes or cars with caravans are available at the Caravan Centre of the trade fair Messe Düsseldorf (P1). The pitches are close to the start/finish area of the 1st stage. Caravan parking tickets can be pre-booked online until Friday, 30 June, 9 pm, after which the caravan parking tickets will be sold at the parking areas (cash only). The caravan parking ticket on the competition days 1 & 2 July includes one Rheinbahn day ticket per day for four persons for the onward journey to the Tour route. Information on the caravan parking tickets and booking at: www.parkvogel.de/granddepart
... by bicycle
Those who very appropriately want to come by bicycle to Düsseldorf for the Grand Départ will very quickly find the best cycle route into the City of Düsseldorf at www.radroutenplaner.nrw.de.
Details about accessibility for cyclists to the Tour route on the day of the 1st stage can be found on this cycle route map.
In addition to the already existing bicycle parking facilities, the City of Düsseldorf will be offering a further 33,000 bicycle parking spaces at least around the track of the 1st stage of the Grand Départ. These will be grids where bicycles can be parked and locked. The parking facilities will be shown on a layout map and marked with signs at the parking point. The Altstadt (Old Town) can be reached and cycled through on Saturday, 1st July. Approach will be from the south via Apollo-Platz and Mannesmannufer. However, a north-south route right the way along the Rhine bank will not be possible. Between the "Oberkasseler Brücke" bridge and the "Messe" area (Fair Centre) the cycle route by the Rhine will be closed. From the north the start and finish point for the 1st stage can be reached via the Lohauser Deich or the Beckbuschstraße/Arena-Straße. The left and right banks of the Rhine will be accessible via the "Theodor-Heuss-Brücke" and the "Rheinkniebrücke" bridges, which are also a part of the diversion route for cyclists.
Cyclists can get to the 2nd stage of the Grand Départ by the available cycle paths and even cross the Tour route at any time, except when the publicity caravan, the support vehicles and the racers are passing through.
As a help for cyclists to navigate within the city area we recommend www.duesseldorf.de/radschlag or the RADschlag app (cycle guide app).
... by taxi
Taxis will be subject to the same restrictions as private car traffic on both days of the Grand Départ Düsseldorf 2017. Temporary taxi ranks will be set up in the vicinity of the stage route. Before starting their journeys visitors should find out from the taxi drivers whether they can take them all the way to their destinations.