Germany - Dusseldorf, Cologne. Where to stay in Düsseldorf? Choice of hotel Cologne düsseldorf who bought what

The quiet charm of Cologne

The Rhine-Ruhr region of Germany is far from being the most touristic area of the country. This is, above all, the center of German industry, with a very high density of cities similar to one another. However, there is also something to see here. First of all - the famous Cologne Cathedral. Actually, for the sake of this, we included Cologne in our route, and Dusseldorf - because of the geographical proximity and transport convenience. Transport in Germany is a completely different story. It is difficult to come up with a clearer and more streamlined system than the German railways Deutche Bahn. A network of railways with many stations inside major cities envelops the whole country in a web. Trains run so frequently that there is no difference between the city's underground and the national rail network. At the same time, the stations are not even as large as in Russia and Ukraine. But, on each platform, trains change one after another with a frequency of 2-3 minutes. This is where the real German precision is.

KLM will operate flights from Amsterdam

We arrived in Düsseldorf at half past nine in the morning, not yet completely moving away from the influence of Amsterdam. The city seemed rather strict and gloomy. On a weekday, there were almost no people on the streets, everyone was working in their numerous offices and enterprises. On the way to the Rhine embankment and the old town, we saw a small square with benches and a small pond with ducks. We sat there for a bit to collect the remnants of strength after Amsterdam for the German breakthrough.

After wandering around the city for a couple of hours, the only interesting place, and then with a stretch, seemed to us the city square Marktplatz.

It is located in the center of the old town with narrow streets and small German restaurants.

The Rheinturm tower seemed gloomy concrete structure, hanging over the city, and the most famous street of the city, Königsallee, looked like a sewer.

In general, after looking at the routine of a typical industrial German city, we went to a more cultured Cologne. The train ride took about half an hour. It is very convenient to buy tickets in vending machines, which are installed everywhere at the stations. Tickets are not valid for a specific train, but for one trip during the day. There are also unlimited day passes within certain zones and regions. True, this is all about regional trains. For interregional and international Intercity-express (or ICE) trains, the system is different. They can be used to buy tickets, including online, for a specific train and a specific time, both with and without a seat reservation. In this case, you will have to sit on any free one.

Cologne Central Station is located directly opposite the Cathedral. And in general, all the most interesting things in this city are located on a small patch. City Hall and the old Alter Markt are 800 meters from the station, a little further St. Martin's Church. There is also the Rhine embankment and the Hohenzollern Bridge, which crosses the river.

The Cologne Cathedral is by far the most outstanding building that we have seen since the beginning of our European trip. It is difficult to catch the right angle so that it completely falls into the camera frame. A building with a huge history and one of the personifications of the Gothic style in architecture, this cathedral definitely deserves to come to Cologne if only for its sake.

Inside the cathedral looks no less ambitious. The high nave, beautiful stained-glass windows, organs, and a pleasant atmosphere of tranquility can make you not leave the walls of the cathedral for a long time.

After visiting the main attraction of Cologne, we walked around the city a little more, sat on the Rhine embankment, watching pleasure boats, and went to Cologne/Bonn airport, also by train. Along the way, we had a bite of fried sausages in one of the eateries at the Cologne station. Very tasty, though the pleasure costs 5 euros. As fast food is not cheap. Our flight to Prague was delayed for an hour, so we had to walk a bit around the airport, quite large, but comfortable. At about 10 pm we arrived in Prague. By bus number 100 we got to the nearest metro station - Zličín, and from there to the Grado motel, which is located near the Jinonice station. The next day we had a full-scale inspection of Prague.

On German roads

You can talk about a trip to Germany for hours. And it's not even about churches, palaces and other historical and architectural sights - everything is different here. Clean streets, a decent standard of living and unique monuments combined with German punctuality and mentality make traveling in Germany one of the most exciting experiences.

Almost every city in Germany deserves special attention, but now we will talk about two, perhaps, one of the most unique Bavarian metropolises in their unsurpassed style. More specifically, how to get from Dusseldorf to Cologne. The distance between them is not so great - only some 50 kilometers. You can overcome it in various ways: by car, train, bus and even a boat. In summer, electric trains and suspension trains run between the cities. The road will not take much time - about an hour and a half.

By train

This is the easiest option. Trains from Düsseldorf depart regularly from the main station and arrive at the main railway station in Cologne. In total, about 50 trains pass along this route per day. They all arrive at their destination in some 20-25 minutes. There are also city trains that leave for Cologne every 15-20 minutes.

Throughout the entire route, the train "Düsseldorf - Cologne" makes six stops in the north-eastern part of the city. One ticket costs about 12 and a half euros.

By bus

When looking for information on how to get from Düsseldorf to Cologne, you should pay attention to the bus routes. Tourists can use the transport services offered by Fixbus, City2City, PostBus, etc. They depart every day, but different time. Information about them can be found at one of the stations.

It is best to travel to Cologne from Düsseldorf on suburban buses during the cool season. In summer, tourists prefer to travel by train. First, because it's faster. And secondly, because it is more comfortable.

This information will come in handy for those who decide how to get from Düsseldorf to Cologne. This route has some similarities with one, no less popular direction: Moscow - St. Petersburg. The fact is that these two cities tirelessly compete with each other for the title of the most beautiful city in Germany. Tourists very often ask the question of how to get from Dusseldorf to Cologne. Therefore, it is worth telling travelers in detail about how to do this in the most convenient way.

As mentioned above, there are several ways to get to Cologne from Dusseldorf. This can be done by rail, bus, train or car. Many people ask: "Is it possible to get from Dusseldorf to Cologne by boat?". We will definitely tell you how to do this, but a little later.

The most convenient and practical options

The easiest way to get from one city to another is by train. Rail transport departs and arrives at the main stations of each city. No transfer is needed for this. If, nevertheless, a tourist decides to use it, then the cost of the service will unpleasantly surprise the customer. The fact is that the beautiful Dusseldorf and the contrasting city of Cologne belong to different transport companies. Accordingly, they have different pricing. At the Langenfeld-Bahnhof station, there is a kind of border. From Düsseldorf, you must first get to it, and only after that - to Cologne. It turns out a little cheaper than the cost of a simple ticket from one city to another.

Train tickets are best purchased in advance. To do this, you can use the special service bahn.de. You should know in advance where the train arrives. The fact is that there are two stations in Cologne: the main and the secondary (so to speak). ICE trains arrive at the last one, the ticket for which costs a little higher than usual.

The airport

It happens that you need to overcome the distance "Düsseldorf - Cologne" as quickly as possible. Buses run regularly from the airport of the starting point of departure. Transfer services are also available. But this can be done provided that there is a group of eight people. You can, of course, go on your own, without waiting for the other 6-7 people, but, as you understand, you will have to pay for all the tickets.

The airport building has an underground railway station. Every 20 minutes there is an electric train to Cologne. The whole trip itself will take no more than 1.5 hours. At the station you can see the timetable of electric trains. The German company SkyTrain also operates on this route. It is easy to get to the city of Cologne by hanging train. Many people prefer this particular way of transportation - a ride on a monorail will seem bright and exciting. In addition, this is a unique opportunity to look at the sights of Germany from a different angle.

Impressive boat trip

The German company Koln - Dusseldorf offers tourists a delightful walk along the Rhine, and at the same time get from one city to another. This is comparable to the real romantic trip which will bring a lot of bright and exciting emotions.

A boat trip is a comfortable transfer and a real journey that will bring many vivid impressions (of course, if you do not suffer from seasickness). By the way, on board the ship you can see football matches, take part in a theme party, and also have fun. Finding a berth is not difficult - everywhere you can find the KD designations, which will lead to the ship.

What other options might there be?

There is a problem with buses here - there are no direct flights as such, but only passing ones. Therefore, you should not look for this route in the schedule - it will cost a pretty penny. This also applies to aircraft. Who wants to overcome some 40 kilometers for crazy money?

You can overcome the route by car. You can rent it directly in the city or at the airport.

Now you know how to get from one German city to another. It remains only to wish you a happy journey and a pleasant journey!

As you know, among the countries of Europe it is cheapest to fly to Germany - the competition in this direction is so great that airlines do not have the opportunity to raise prices, and, for example, to Berlin, Hamburg or Dusseldorf it is quite possible to “catch” a ticket for 100 euros round trip. At the same time, Düsseldorf is also convenient in that you can plan a lot of routes from it like in Germany (in particular, the surroundings of Dusseldorf itself, like Cologne, Aachen, Bonn, deserve attention; cities further away like Trier and Koblenz; castles and beautiful towns of valleys Rhine and Mosel) and countries bordering Germany (for example, France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg).

Despite the fact that flying to Dusseldorf is inexpensive, hotel prices can skyrocket during an exhibition, so before buying a ticket, you should check the prices of hotels in Dusseldorf for the period of the planned trip. If you have already bought tickets, then, of course, you should not run and hand them over - you can look at hotels in nearby cities, such as Cologne (see hotels) or Oberhausen (see hotels). Dusseldorf hotels, in turn, can be found.

When choosing a hotel in Düsseldorf, you should, of course, pay attention to both the budget that you have planned for the trip and the purpose of the trip itself. For example, if the budget is limited, then it is cheapest to stay in one of the hotels near the station, but it is worth settling here if you plan to often leave the city for sightseeing (thus saving travel time and money for travel, for example, to tram from the center to the station). If you came for shopping and planned to take a little walk around Düsseldorf itself, at most - to go see the Cologne Cathedral, then you should stop in the center. Düsseldorf is also considered as a convenient connection point for flights to other European countries and the American continent, and therefore, in case of a long connection, you can settle right at Düsseldorf airport and go from there to see the city for several hours.

What is the best area to stay in Dusseldorf?

Railway station district of Düsseldorf (as well as in Germany as a whole) - a pretty decent place (see the corresponding list of hotels). Shops are open until late in the station building, and there are also a large number of cafes and mini-restaurants where you can always have a bite to eat, there is also a DM drogerie that sells cosmetics, hygiene items, vitamins and some products. Perhaps a minus for someone will be the fact that on the streets near the station there are a fairly large number of shops "for adults", where part of the assortment is displayed in windows, but there is nothing more criminal in this area no. But the railway station is always close at hand, it is convenient to get to the airport and the city center and shopping streets nearby - 15-20 minutes on foot, and 10-15 minutes to the harbor, plus there is a Rewe supermarket, which presents quite a decent range of products .

For example, a representative of the well-known chain Mercure Hotel Düsseldorf City Center is located 5 minutes walk from the station, 3 minutes from the hotel there are 2 grocery supermarkets. The rooms here are cozy and compact rather than spacious, and you should definitely ask for windows facing the courtyard, because the hotel is located in a corner building and rooms facing the street can be noisy. Breakfasts in this network are usually excellent, however, and they cost a lot, but sometimes you can catch good special offers when a room with breakfast costs the same as without it. If you like to eat in silence, it is better to come to breakfast by 7.30, because before this time, numerous business travelers take food, who have a habit of talking loudly through three tables. It should be borne in mind that Mercure hotels usually have paid Internet, you can get it for free only in the lobby on the hotel computer, but in the same place you can print, for example, boarding passes for a flight for free. The CVJM Düsseldorf Hotel & Tagung is located 200 meters from the train station and a 10-minute walk from the Königsallee shopping boulevard. Here you should also make sure that the windows of the room overlook the courtyard, otherwise you will listen to the rattle of trams at night. The price of the hotel includes tickets for public transport around the city, which are also valid for the railway (however, for a trip to the same Cologne, you will have to pay about 5 euros). Nearby there is a Rewe supermarket, which is open from 7 to 24 hours. Hotel Stadt München is located 5 minutes from the station, there is a large shopping complex with a food court nearby, where Asian, Italian and Croatian cuisine is presented, it is quite possible to have dinner there every day. The room rate includes the use of the sauna and gym (it is better to book the sauna in advance). Smoking tourists should take into account that they will have to smoke in the winter garden (outdoors).

In the center of Düsseldorf(the so-called Altstadt - Altstadt, - that is, the Old City) there is also a choice of hotels (see the list), and here there are both designer hotels with a price tag of 200 euros per room, and quite modest hotels for 70–80 euros, however, it is better to book the latter in advance, they are quickly sold out. The convenience of this area lies in the fact that all the few sights of the city are within walking distance, there are many shops around (the main shopping streets are Konigsallee, Schadowstraße, Friedrichstraße), and the station is not so far away - 10 -15 minutes walk. However, it should be taken into account that for the last couple of years a metro has been built in the city center (just near the five-stars), and part of the pedestrian center has been blocked. Nearby hotels keep noise out thanks to double-glazed windows, but construction work near the hotel entrances can blur the impression of their pompous furnishings. The 5-star Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel provides every comfort, including a personal assistant. The biggest disadvantage of the hotel is its price - parking here costs 35 euros per day, breakfast - 42 euros, if you want to save money, you can use one of the city's public parking lots and have breakfast in a cafe. The Steigenberger Parkhotel Düsseldorf is located directly on the Königsallee and many shops deliver shopping to the hotel free of charge. The inconvenience is that the hotel does not have its own parking - guests are invited to use the public one. Perhaps, for some, the abundance of Russian-speaking tourists in the hotel will be a minus, and for someone, the presence of Russian-speaking staff and Russian channels will be a significant plus. The small Hotel Sankt Andreas is located in a pedestrian zone in the very center of the city in an old building, which, on the one hand, is cute and authentic, but on the other hand, it is not very convenient, because the hotel has no elevator. Nevertheless, the hotel is very popular precisely because of its "home-like" and rooms here should be booked in advance. Design Apart by Centro Comfort is also centrally located and includes a kitchenette. However, there are several nightclubs nearby, and on Friday nights this area does not sleep at all - the music plays very loudly and is perfectly audible in the rooms of all nearby hotels. The very nice Hotel am Rathaus (formerly El Rancho) is located at the City Hall, around the corner begins the main restaurant street of the city - Bolkerstrasse, and many rooms here overlook the main square of the Old Town - Marktplatz (Marktplatz). Again, for some, this is a plus, since the view of ancient buildings is usually pleasing to the eye, for someone it is a minus, because the square is a venue for celebrations, festivities and fairs on weekends early in the morning.

To the south-west of the Old Town, about 20-25 minutes walk along the embankment, there is a very beautiful harbor, where many yachts are laid up, there are many modern and quite beautifully designed harbors around the harbor. interesting buildings- Walking here is very pleasant. This area is called Medienhafen(Medienhafen). The disadvantage of living here can only be considered remoteness from shopping and the city center. Standing on the banks of the Rhine, the Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf boasts panoramic views of the harbor, and some rooms on the upper floors have a glimpse of the Old Town. The nearby Courtyard by Marriott Duesseldorf Hafen has special floor-to-ceiling windows for admiring the views, but keep in mind that the "harbor view" room actually overlooks the Rhine and the yachts, and not where the concept buildings stand.

Near Dusseldorf Airport there is also a selection of hotels, and both hotels and airport buildings are beautiful modern buildings that please the eye. It is convenient to stay here in the evening if you have an early flight (subject to online check-in, you can leave the hotel close to the landing), or, for example, spend the night during a long connection, while the rooms here are soundproofed and the noise of aircraft engines does not interfere with sleep. If the food options at the airport are not enough, you can find a Rewe supermarket open until late at the lower level. Closest to the airport is the Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf, there is an internal passage between the hotel and the terminal building, next to the hotel is the entrance to the S-Bahn station. The hotel rooms are spacious and comfortable, although breakfast is a bit pricey, but you can get by with food from the supermarket. Lindner Hotel Düsseldorf Airport is located 20 minutes walk from the airport in a quiet residential area, during the day a special shuttle runs between the hotel and the airport. The hotel rooms are excellent, the prices are affordable, the reception is very friendly, it works quickly (for example, all the questionnaires were filled out by our arrival, we only needed a signature), at the bottom there is a board of departures and arrivals of the airport. There is also a Kaisers supermarket right in the hotel building.

AT eastern part of Germany on the river Rhine two magnificent cities of German cities are located, separated by only 40 kilometers of the autobahn. But with their geographical proximity, these cities are so far from each other in terms of way of thinking, atmosphere and other important aspects of life that it is simply hard to believe. This is about cologne and Dusseldorf . Although both cities are located in federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, they are radically different in terms of atmosphere, architecture, people, attractions, and, perhaps, the most important in Germany- beer. So if you are traveling land of North Rhine-Westphalia, do not miss the opportunity to look into each of them and see and feel what you read below with your own eyes.

Given the geographical proximity of these two major German cities (Cologne is the 4th in Germany city by population Dusseldorf– 7th) there has always been and continues to be a strong rivalry between them. If you happen to be in the company of residents of both these cities, then be sure that your harmless question, where should you go for the weekend - to Cologne or Dusseldorf– will result in many hours of discussion! Since everyone is one hundred percent convinced and will enthusiastically prove that his city is the best.

Story

The history of the rivalry of these two cities is rooted in history and, in fact, is a classic story of a struggle for power. Cologne was a Roman city that was founded in the 50th century AD and reached its peak in the Middle Ages when it became an important trade route. With its Roman history, the city also became an important center of Catholicism. Evidence of this to this day is the famous Cologne Cathedral, which is an important place of pilgrimage for Catholic believers, and also receives about 20,000 tourists daily.

Dusseldorf same, unlike Cologne, quite organically and gradually grew into a big city from a small village located in a place where rivers meet Dussel and Rhine. Unlike Cologne, Düsseldorf was inhabited by a more secular society. years later Dusseldorf took over from Cologne capital status federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. AT last years rivalry between the cities is fueled by a variety of factors - mainly sports and beer.

Atmosphere

Dusseldorf is business, high fashion and chic. Center for financial, insurance and mobile conglomerates in the Rhine region, Dusseldorf also has a variety of entertainment options used by the local business elite, leaving their pseudo skyscrapers. With a deep respect for art (Kunstmuseum, K20 Kunstsammlung), good food (many Michelin-starred restaurants) and high-end shopping ( Koningsalle in Düsseldorf is a kind of German equivalent of famous Champs Elysees in Paris) the city simply boils with cultural events, justifying the expectations of its demanding citizens.

Koln is industry, media and simplicity. Every fifth inhabitant of this city is engaged in production, in addition, it is precisely in Cologne a third of everything that German television has is created. In terms of its atmosphere and lifestyle of local residents, the city is noticeably simpler and more relaxed than its northern competitor. In terms of culture, the city is also quite diverse, with more than 40 museums, and various outdoor festivals and concerts are regularly held. Locals enjoy their free time with leisurely conversations and drinks in one of the city's many cafes.

Architecture

Dusseldorf is contemporary architecture with a charming old city. In terms of architecture, Düsseldorf has a lot to offer its guests, ranging from super modern ( Gehry's Neuer Zollhof and Chipperfield's Kaistrasse 16) and ending with Expressionist buildings (Ehrenhof and Wilhelm Marx Haus). So-called Old city (Altstadt) is the historical center of Düsseldorf, located along the banks of the rivers Rhine and Dussel. The cobbled, pedestrian strip filled with restaurants, beer gardens, pubs, museums and markets offers an abundance of options for how to spend the day. Besides, in Düsseldorf home to the largest in Germany Japanese community. For this reason, the city has an atmospheric Japanese quarter along Immermannstrasse, where can I find traditional food, bookstores and other cultural attributes.

Koln features a functional urban space with a charming old town. As you can see, there is at least one similarity between the two rivals - the Old Town is good as in Cologne so in Düsseldorf. Wherein to Cologne you will see more tourists than locals strolling leisurely through the winding streets of the old town. Despite the fact that due to heavy bombing during the Second World War, most of the buildings were destroyed and later rebuilt in the style of the 50s and 60s city, a particle of the former charm in the architecture has still been preserved. The famous Cologne Cathedral, impressive in its scale and grandeur, is one of the main attractions Germany.

Beer

Beer is perhaps the most important aspect when it comes to Germany. Dusseldorf proud of his altbier (Altbier), while for Cologne their local Kelsh (Kolsch)- the only and favorite drink. Try ordering both drinks at one of the local bars in Cologne or in Düsseldorf, and you may find yourself already on the street or, at best, be ridiculed by the waiter. Both beers, contrary to our usual ideas about beer standards, are served in small narrow glasses by special waiters. Kobes, which are able to hold more than two dozen of these same glasses on one tray, making their way through the crowds filling the bar. In both cities, you will not even have time to take the last sip, as a new portion will already be waiting for you. At the same time, the waiters have their own way of keeping your score - they make notes about the amount you have drunk directly on the cardboard coasters. When you're ready to leave the establishment, simply walk up to the cashier with your stand and pay.

Altbier This is a dark hoppy ale. Altbier got its name from the old style of brewing - alt is German for old. In the middle of the 20th century, about a hundred breweries produced this drink, while now there are no more than ten of them. Altbier itself is a top-fermented beer, and the brewers have adapted cold conditioning technology into its production, which has contributed to its unique taste. In breweries Zum Uerige and Brauerei Im Fuchschen in the Old Town or in a pub Brauerei Ferdinand Schumacher next to the train station you can experience the atmosphere of traditional German pubs.

Kölsch This is a light, refreshing beer. Cologne beer, despite the similarity in production technique, is lighter in color and taste. In 1885 over twenty breweries signed "Kölsch Convention" according to which beer can be called kölsch, only if it is welded in Cologne, It has light color, brewed using top fermentation technology, filtered and brewed at specific temperatures. Although at first glance it may be mistaken for a lager, Kölsch is more fruity and sweet in taste. Currently Koln is the leader in Germany in terms of the number of breweries. The most famous beer cities are Fruh Am Dom, which is a large complex in the old town Near Cologne Cathedral, Brauerei Zur Malzmuhle, slightly out of the center, but more traditional in its atmosphere, as well as Paffgen Brauhaus, a traditional beer hall that was destroyed during World War II and later restored to its original grandeur.

Night life

have fun in the Old Town of Düsseldorf. Basically, the city's nightlife is in full swing here. Old city boasts 260 bars and restaurants within a half kilometer area. In addition to altbier, be sure to try another traditional drink that is famous for Dusseldorf - killepich (Killepitsch). Killepich is a digestif flavored with more than 90 herbs, fruits and spices. Wherein killepich stronger and harder than often compared to it also German liqueur Jägermeister.

To have some fun in Cologne, get out of old town. To plunge into Cologne nightlife you won't find best place, how Kwartier Latang, which is a student center Cologne. Bars, pubs and clubs just fill the streets Zulpicherstrasse and Aachenerstrasse. Also, an event not to be missed in Cologne is Carnival, which takes place in February and is a huge street party with costumes, beer and traditional German songs.

cologne carnival- this is perhaps one of the best carnivals in Europe. Sorry, Dusseldorf!

Let's leave aside the already much worn out joke about the fact that the Russian people have a tradition of visiting Germany in early May. Still, the holiday should be treated with respect. And there are a lot of reasons to visit Germany without reference to calendar months: beer, practice German language, medieval castles, cars of German concerns, etc. We flew to Germany, because - and this is quite surprising - it is geographically close to Holland. There was simply a great desire to return to the Netherlands, but there was no desire to spend big money on a flight to Amsterdam. Therefore, it was decided to fly to Dusseldorf for relatively little money, at the same time call in Cologne, because it is located invitingly close (only 40 km) to Dusseldorf, and only then get to Holland in a couple of hours.

Photo by @suglosta

How to get to Cologne

It is relatively cheap to fly from Moscow to the western part of Germany, where Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Bonn are located - now it is quite simple. In addition to the low-cost Pobeda, which flies to Cologne-Bonn Airport, other airlines offer flights to the large and modern international airport of Düsseldorf. A round-trip flight without luggage will cost approximately 12 thousand rubles. from a person.

The distance of 40 km from Düsseldorf Airport to Cologne Cathedral is best covered by car. After landing and passing through passport control, we go to the first floor to the rental desks. About 25 € per day, a deposit of 250 €, which is returned to you upon return, and in 20 minutes you are “on wheels”.

Some things to know about traffic in the western part of Germany:

There are no toll roads in Germany ( until 2019!) with the exception of special tunnels. Despite this, all highways are of excellent quality.
Even on intercity routes, traffic jams can occur, for example, due to road repairs. Take this into account when planning your route.
The speed limit in cities is 50 km/h. Outside the cities - mostly 100 km / h, but sometimes more - follow the signs.
In the central part of European cities, it is quite difficult to park directly on the street. On the other hand, there is a significant number of paid or multi-storey car parks. In Cologne, the cost of parking at such facilities is 1-2 € per hour. You can park right under the cathedral.
The cost of fuel in Europe is much higher than in Russia. On average, a liter of diesel will cost about 1.20€.

Traveling by train between cities is also quite convenient, especially considering that Cologne Central Station is literally next door to the cathedral. However, the cost of a ticket for the Dusseldorf-Cologne train is about 13€. Expensive.

Cologne and Cologne Cathedral

Bombings during the Second World War destroyed the city almost to the ground. The photographs of that time show striking results - the ruins of the city and the cathedral towering above them, also significantly damaged.

The city, of course, was restored, but besides the really interesting things in the city, to be honest, there is not enough. But this allows you not to spend a lot of time studying it.