Side trip from Brussels to Koeln or Dusseldorf?

Discussion in 'Germany' started by Domingo, Aug 10, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Since both seem perfectly feasible (around 2.5 hours), I'm thinking about making a side trek into the top fermenting areas of Germany next week. Anyone have any experience with this? We'll have a car, but haven't made any kind of hotel reservations or done much in the way of planning.
    Is there a good spot to drive into and stay for the night where the bier flows freely? I'm extremely familiar with Bavarian customs, but have never ventured into that part of the country.
    Anything odd I should be aware of related to border crossing with a rental car from Belgium?
     
  2. Erzengel

    Erzengel Zealot (523) Sep 8, 2008 Germany
    Trader

    Hey,
    within the EU, you won't find a boarder when driving - there is only a sign saying that you're in Germany (and that there is no speed-limit on the Autobahn, if not extra indicated) :grinning:

    If you are used driving in Brussels, Düsseldorf or Cologne won't be a problem for you. Dense traffic through the rush-hours, but not too bad. Take GPS - this helps a lot finding the correct streets. But it also will work without one.

    The public transport in both cities is great, so if your hotel is not too far away from a tram (Straßenbahn) oder underground (U-Bahn / Stadtbahn) -station, you don't have any problem getting to the beer-spots.
    If you have the whole day, you can stay in one city, drink beer there and use the train (30min) to the other (and back in the evening). This works pretty well.

    If you nee further help, let me know - I live 20min/30min away from both cities :slight_smile:
     
    bushycook, ThirstyBird and Domingo like this.
  3. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,339) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    I imagine you are not interested in the ICE? If you are willing to consider it, I believe it runs direct between Köln and Bruxelles-Midi. Of course Köln to Düsseldorf would be no problem at all with public transit. Traffic into Köln can be pretty tough, at least it was the one time I drove from HD. We ended up parking under the cathedral, which I'd advise against only because of the volume of people who had the same idea.

    Either way, the border crossing should not be a concern. I definitely encourage a Düsseldorf bar crawl, which is another argument for public transit. Those pubs are a destination in and of themselves.

    [​IMG]
    (Inside Brauerei im Füchschen - the lanterns are for St. Martin's Day)

    [​IMG]
    (outside of Uerige, I don't have any good interior shots)
     
    Domingo likes this.
  4. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Funny enough, I'm mainly doing it just because we have a car. I needed it for some areas in Belgium and figured that we're so close it might be worth a 1-day/night trek into some areas we've never visited in Germany. I most definitely don't plan on driving around once we get into town. I'm cautious enough over here in the states, let alone on the other side of the world in a country where I barely speak any of the language :grinning:

    Random question - how much is gasoline/petrol in that part of the world? Do most stations take credit cards? I have a "chipped" AMEX that should work over there.
     
  5. Bierman9

    Bierman9 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,669) Dec 20, 2001 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I think a litre is ~€1.35-1.40, so x3.785 for a gallon cost and then x(todays exchange rate).....
     
    Gutes_Bier likes this.
  6. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,339) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    @Bierman9 has it pretty much the way I remember it when I was last there - the exchange rate at the time was terrible, 1.40x or so, and gas was the equivalent of $6.00 - $8.00 per gallon. Luckily everything is close together.

    Chipped cards are probably OK. It varied from place to place, but generally speaking vendors would not take "American" (non-chipped) debit cards, and credit cards were iffy. As long as your AMEX has a chip in it, I think they'll be OK with it.
     
  7. Bierman9

    Bierman9 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,669) Dec 20, 2001 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Btw, the exchange rate is better than it's been in quite some time.... about $1.10/€ for the bankers rate.... Figure~ +2-3% higher for the general public.... Prosit!
     
  8. Erzengel

    Erzengel Zealot (523) Sep 8, 2008 Germany
    Trader

    If the card has a chip, it should work at the petrol stations. But as AmEx is not very popular here in Europe (we "mostly" have Visa or Mastercard) you should ask before you start filling the tank :slight_smile: (here in Europe you don't have to pay in advance). But I remember having seen the logo at the lagre chains like Esso, Shell or BP/Aral.

    Probably you can get a Diesel-car. Diesel is around 1,10€/liter, "normal" 95 petrol 1,40€/liter, the cheaper (and worse but for a rented-car ok-fuel E10 for 4¢ less). Belgium is a bit cheaper in Diesel, "normal" petrol about the same like Germany.
     
    #8 Erzengel, Aug 12, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2015
  9. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    What, they don't call it Benzine anymore? :grinning: Always liked that.

    Oh, and here in the US you don't always have to pay in advance either... only in the dodgier areas.
     
  10. Erzengel

    Erzengel Zealot (523) Sep 8, 2008 Germany
    Trader

    Then I've always been in the wrong areas for refuelling :sunglasses:

    Benzin here "was" the 92-Oktan version, that was stopped a few years ago. We still say it when we mean "Super" - the 95-Oktan version :slight_smile: to differ between Super-Benzin and Diesel :wink:
     
    steveh likes this.
  11. spartan1979

    spartan1979 Pundit (946) Dec 29, 2005 Missouri

    I haven't seen a pump in years that didn't require prepayment.
     
  12. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Wow. My preferred station, right down the street from home, allows me to fill and pay inside afterward -- and gives me a 5¢ per-gallon discount if I pay with cash. Must be some untrustworthy types in the Show Me state. :wink:
     
  13. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    It's mostly pre-pay out here, too. Not that I really care since I usually just pay with a credit card unless I'm filling up a can for the lawnmower.

    Anywhoo, we're almost certainly going to Dusseldorf for a day or two. It's too convenient not to and the operating hours for the alt breweries is tough to beat. The Belgian breweries keep crazy days and hours with limited touring arrangements (with some exceptions like Cantillon). Dusseldorf's brewery pubs are all open nearly every day starting at 10AM. They're also very close together, too.
    Plus, fresh altbier will be a a welcome change-up from super strong abbey beers, tart lambics, and funky saisons.
     
  14. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Quick notes as we're back in Brussels and have a few minutes of downtime. Düsseldorf is absolutely worth the trek. The two hours are wide-open highways and parking in town isn't that bad. We hit up Schumacher, Uerige, Füchschen, Schlüssel, and a brewpub Joh Albrecht. Also had a glass of Schlosser as well. Fresh altbier is quite delicious. The different breweries each have a tiny spin on the idea with some being hoppier and breadier than others. All had a bready backbone, though. The Schlosser was sweet and almost tasted like grape nuts cereal. It needed some balance, but malt fiends might like it. I think Füchschen might be my fave, although Uerige was also excellent. Their facility is massive and beautiful. It takes up a full city block! Be warned, don't expect a Bavarian weizen there! Theirs apparently uses the alt yeast and actually tastes a bit like an American wheat, but huskier.
    Great times and a huge thanks to Erzengel for meeting up with us, too.
    Next time Köln will probably be on the docket.
    Back to enjoying Brussels, which has been quite the adventure, too!
     
    ThirstyBird, rob2654, steveh and 6 others like this.
  15. birdman200

    birdman200 Initiate (0) Jul 6, 2010 Massachusetts

    did you find other things to do in Dusseldorf besides drink? Good for walking? Food? History/architecture/things to do, for, let's say, a wife/girlfriend? I'm thinking a similar trip.
     
  16. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yeah, Dusseldorf had tons of shopping. For a smaller city it had a lot of high-end stores like D&G and Hermes and such.
    Loads of different food options. Especially Japanese.
    There are also river tours and the downtown area is very easy to walk around. We just wandered in the Altstadt for hours and more or less stumbled upon the breweries.
    Since we were only there for a day, I didn't plan much...but you definitely can.
     
  17. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,339) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    Yes it's good for walking (like most German cities). You can walk from the main train station to the main shopping street, then over to the art museum and up to Füchschen for a pit stop, then down to Schumacher and Uerige, then along the river to the Frank Gehry buildings. There's more to see and do in Köln but Düsseldorf is definitely worth a visit. It's maybe my favorite city in Germany to have a drink.

    [​IMG]

    Somewhere in the German forum is a NY Times article "36 Hours in Düsseldorf" that is most definitely worth the read if you're thinking about doing something like that.
     
    Domingo and einhorn like this.
  18. -N8

    -N8 Initiate (0) Feb 7, 2014 Germany

    RE paying for gas - best bet is to use the ATM and with draw cash. In Europe, for the most part, cash is king

    Plus the German ATMs give you a better exchange rate than a lot of US banks
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.