telesaps

I am getting my daughter settled at Maastricht University for her study abroad semester this January. I need to get from there back to Los Angeles and found a great price traveling from Dusseldorf to LAX, about $250 less than flying Brussels to LAX. Is it fairly easy to take the train from Maastricht to Dusseldorf, or should I bite the bullet and just pay to fly from Brussels? (Paris, Amsterdam and London are the same price as Brussels). Thank you in advance.

hetismij2

Train to Dusseldorf from Maastricht involves a couple of changes normally.
If you look at www.nsinternational.nl you can fill in your dates and time to see how much it will cost, and whether it makes the saving and the journey worthwhile.

telesaps

Thank you. I did find a bus route using the above link with no transfers. How is the bus, traveling with a large suitcase?

PalenQ

Masstricht to Brussels airport by train will be only an hour less than to Du'dorf Airport and cost about the same- 1.5 hrs to Brussels airport on fastest trains- 2.5 hours right to Du'dorf Airport - both involve a couple of easy changes of train.

www.bahn.de/en - German Railways web site gives this info - you can get tickets as low as 25 euros or less if you book early enough on www.bahn.de/en to get those limited in number discounted tickets.

For lots on Benelux trains check www.seat61.com- great info on discounted tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

First-class tickets are also discounted on bahn.de and if not much more a more relaxed ride -fewer people - more room to easily stow luggage, etc.

PalenQ

buses have lots of room for large bags under the coach belly but not in the bus proper -with no changes may be the best way to go.

telesaps

Thank you so much for your prompt and helpful replies! I'm going to take a chance and head to Dusseldorf! I like an adventure, including trying to make my way on trains in foreign countries. Plus, 250.00 USD is a big savings!

PalenQ

Trains will be SO easy after you get there-everything is clearly marked -www.bahn.de/en tells you which platforms the connecting trains will be on and many folk speak some English.

A piece of cake!

hetismij2

If you are feeling really adventurous you could try blablacar.com, and carpool with someone else. Of course you have to be lucky enough to have someone going when you want to go, but it is the cheapest and fastest way of getting there.

hetismij2

Having looked at the DB IC Bus I think that is the way to go. It is fast, direct and comfortable, with drinks and snacks available on board. Your luggage will go in a hold under the bus and be placed there and retrieved by the driver normally. You will need to book it early to get the best price (€14 I think), but it sounds a good deal. It is perhaps less reliable than the trains given it is more subject to weather and traffic conditions of course, so I would allow plenty of time once you get to Dusseldorf - where you will need to get a train to the airport anyway.

PalenQ

It is perhaps less reliable than the trains given it is more subject to weather and traffic conditions of course>

even trains can be delayed or cancelled in wintery conditions. I once was going from Duisburg-just north of Du'dorf in early January and icy conditions had cancelled all trains to Arnhem so they put us on a bus instead.

When is your flight - same day as going to Du'dorf I presume - heed hetismij2's advice about leaving plenty of time.

The bus sounds nice and cheaper than trains - it only costs a few euro to take a train from Dusseldorf's train station which I presume it serves to the Flughafen or airport.

hetismij2 lives in Netherlands so knows well about the buses.

telesaps

I haven't yet booked my return flight yet, but after reading your advice, my best bet is to travel to Dusseldorf the day before the flight. This, of course, would necessitate a hotel stay, which would then cancel any savings on the flight! My whole reason for going to Dusseldorf in the first place! I am from California, and weather is never really an issue, so haven't even taken it into consideration in my travel plans . . . . : (

PalenQ

Of course you have the same weather potentials going to Brussels as to Dusseldorf and such problems are relatively unusual I think - having been in Holland often in winter the weather is usually above freeing and snow or ice relatively not rare but not normal.

Such conditions are also previewed so if so you could go to Du'dorf the day before but normally you should have not much to worry about.

traveller1959

Well, I work in Düsseldorf and my son used to study at Maastricht University, so I know the are a bit (certainly not as good as PalenQ who knows everything).

The best connection between Düsseldorf and Maastricht is indeed the Deutsche Bahn bus, which, however, departs only twice per day, at 10:50 and 16:50 from Düsseldorf main station. Net driving time is 1:30 and fares start from 9.00 Euro, which is close to nothing. This means, you have to take the train or S-Bahn from the airport to the main station and walk to the bus station, thus adding 30 minutes or so to total travelling time. So, total travelling time from DUS airport to Maastricht is around 2 hours.

The key question is, when do you land in Düsseldorf? If you land early, you lose time until the bus leaves at 10:50. If you land late, you may miss the 10:50 bus and have to wait for the 16:50 bus.

The alternative is taking the train. You have train connections from DUS airport to Maastricht about every 20 minutes. The train connections are between 1:48 and 3:23, fares start from 19.00 Euros. So, you are probably faster in Maastricht by taking the train.

If you tell us your time of arrival at Düsseldorf airport, we can give you better advice.

Second, your return flight.

I see no problem in departing from Maastricht in the morning and catching an early afternoon flight from Düsseldorf.

However, if you feel better arriving in Düsseldorf the day before, you might enjoy an evening in Düsseldorf. Düsseldorf is a beautiful city with a magnificent riverfront, a gaslamp district in the Old Town, world-class art museums, two fine baroque churches (where Schumann and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy worked as organists), a most elegant shopping street and vibrant nightlife with zillions of restaurants and bars. So, anything but a wasted evening.

Again, tell us your flight times and we can give you better advice.

PalenQ

(certainly not as good as PalenQ who knows everything).

Certainly not as much as a resident but much more than the average traveler as I was in Du'dorf on business many days for years and as an avid jogger think I covered most of it.

Please limit your snide remarks - I worked in the European travel industry for years and wrote magazine articles on practically every main city in Europe and especially on trains and traveled Europe now for more years probably than you are old, so I do know more than the average traveler.

Anyway quit the snide remarks please -especially when they are baseless and unwarranted and character assassination - being penalized by the nature of my professional life over three decades in Europe specializing in travel I can see where you may think that!

Thanks for the unintended compliment.

telesaps:

You may find a day in Du'dorf to be very nice - maybe you even have a few hours to spare before getting to the airport:

Du'dorf though largely destroyed in WW2 is a wonderful place - the Altstadt on a nice day is like Paris' Latin Quarter- the Rhine Ufer as always is a delightful strolling place- one of Germany's largest legal brothels is right by the train station (or was when I was there) and the KO (the Konigsallee) is a fashionable shopping street on par with the best in Paris and New York and Milan-with a closed off canal running down its middle it is delightful to walk along and window shop.

Dusseldorf has a tremendous pedestrian shopping zone with all the famous department stores, etc. to pick up gifts. All within a short walk of the station- which has luggage lockers.

Oh and also you probably have to change trains in Cologne - just a few minutes south of Du'dorf and as the world-famous Gothic Cathedral is smack by one of the world's busiest train stations it is easy to pop out of the station and spend a few minutes here before taking the train to Dusseldorf. Drag your luggage over there on a luggage cart if you have to (though not allowed in the cathedral) or stow them in Cologne's train station weird luggage storage - you put them in a machine and they disappear down to a room below and automatically come up when you return with your stub or code or whatever they use now.

telesaps

PalenQ and Traveller1959, thank you both for such great information. Dusseldorf sounds lovely and I think I will arrive the night before and explore a little!
Traveller1959, I am arriving from USA to Paris and spending a few days there before coming to Maastricht. I will be in Masstricht for one night (perhaps 2) and then off to Dusseldorf for the plane home, because I can get such a great fare.
I'm so looking forward to the trip, although will hate to leave my daughter! Will be back in April and time does pass by fast.
Thank you again! Will review all the information and make an informed decision.

PalenQ

consider visiting Cologne en route from Maastricht if only for the great cathedral- again easy to do so -especially if you must change trains anyway.

I believe in always being in your departure city the night before as you never know what may happen - train strikes - weather, etc.

PalenQ

Dusseldorf sounds lovely and I think I will arrive the night before and explore a little!>

If into the German beer hall experience check out some popular ones in Dusseldorf - seethe frauleins port an unfathomable number of humungous filled beer steins in each hand without spilling more than a few drops.

I'm sure traveller1959 knows all about these and can recommend one if into a real German experience - ledierhosen oompah band and down-home German food with the ubiquitous pretzels and radishes. Just pure fun - locals of all ages from grannies to young folk.

Prost!