Car rental at Düsseldorf Airport
Car rental at Düsseldorf Airport
Driving through Germany in a rented car is standard practice and suitable for any traveller. In Düsseldorf, the most convenient place to rent a car is the city airport. A range of services from well-known companies such as Enterprise, Buchbinder, Caro, Hertz and Global Drive is available. The preferred option is to book the required vehicle in advance, for example, on the Travelocars website, and collect it on arrival at the airport.
Car rental companies require the following documents: an international driving licence, a voucher and a credit card. The security deposit for the rental car is blocked on the card. The deposit is usually equivalent to the excess; information about it is listed on the voucher. Upon receiving the documents, you should carefully read the information and ensure that it matches the details specified in the voucher.
A number of companies handing over vehicles for rent in Düsseldorf are located in the immediate vicinity of the airport. Travellers are attracted by the affordable prices; however, they have to get to the office by public transport or a free shuttle. The best option is to rent a car in Düsseldorf in advance, directly at the airport terminal.
The average cost of a rental at Düsseldorf Airport
The cost of a daily rental in Düsseldorf is about €27-30. Motorists can save time and money by booking a vehicle in advance. This is particularly noticeable for tourists who decide to visit during the high season, from July to September.
| Category | 3 days, € | For 7 days, € |
| Mini | 96-150 | 188-540 |
| Economy | 102-174 | 192-348 |
| Normal | 186-307 | 373-614 |
| Luxury | 306-576 | 612-1152 |
| Versatile | 132-672 | 264-1356 |
| SUV | 227-841 | 454-1682 |
| Van | 138-684 | 270-1362 |
The cost of petrol and diesel
Diesel and unleaded petrol are the main fuels used by vehicles in Düsseldorf. If the vehicle's technical specifications allow it, the engine can be fuelled with gas or E10 petrol containing 10% ethanol. Fuel prices are almost the same at all petrol stations; prices increase only on motorways, where petrol station services are more expensive. Fuel prices are as follows:
- Diesel fuel: €2.266 per litre.
- LPG: €1.095 per litre.
- A95 petrol: €2.179 per litre.
- E10 petrol: €1.458 per litre.
Major penalties for traffic violations
Drivers in Düsseldorf are among the most law-abiding and considerate in Europe. This is partly explained by the mentality of local residents and partly by the hefty fines for traffic violations.
- Parking in the wrong place, particularly against the direction of traffic, will cost the vehicle owner €20-125.
- Driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs will cost the driver €500-1,500 and, in many cases, result in the loss of their driving licence or even imprisonment.
- Transporting a child under 12 years old in the front seat is subject to a €60 fine. If there are several children, the driver will pay €70.
Speeding is a serious offence, and the penalties are as follows:
| Speed exceeded, km/h | Fine on rural roads, € | Fine on urban roads, € |
| Up to 10 | 10 | 15 |
| 11-20 | 20-30 | 25-35 |
| 21-40 | 70-120 | 80-160 |
| 41-70 | 160-400 | 200-480 |
| More than 70 | 600 | 680 |
Parking in Düsseldorf: costs and basic rules
Düsseldorf is one of the largest cities in Europe, and there is a shortage of parking spaces, especially in the central area. In some areas of the city, parking is reserved for local residents. To use some parking spaces, it is necessary to obtain a special parking disc, or Parkscheibe. Before leaving the rental car, place the Parkscheibe under the windscreen, showing the arrival time.
This type of parking, known as Parkschein, is widespread in Düsseldorf. When entering the car park, the driver receives a ticket, which is paid for at a special parking machine near the pedestrian exits. In the city, in addition to conventional car parks, there are special spaces where only women and people with disabilities may park. This is usually indicated by a road sign, and there is always a car park nearby.
The average cost of parking is about €1.50 per hour, and this price is typical of the outskirts, whereas in the city centre and near the airport, the price may be as follows:
| Parking facility | Parking time in minutes | Price, € | Parking hours |
| Kunsthalle - Grabbeplatz 4 | 3 | 15 | around the clock |
| Kunstsammlung - Grabbeplatz 5 | 3 | 15 | Mon-Sun, from 8:00 to 23:00 |
| Galeria Kaufhof Kö - Heinrich-Heine-Allee 30 | 5 | 3 | Mon-Fri from 7:30 to 20:30 |
| Ratinger Tor - Ratinger Straße 50 | 5 | 18 | Mon-Sun around the clock |
| Rheinufer - Rathausufer 10 | 6 | 2.4 | Mon-Sun around the clock |
| Trinkaus Galerie - Königsallee 21 | 7 | 3 | Mon-Sat from 7:00 to 0:30 |
| Carsch Haus - Heinrich-Heine-Platz 1 | 7 | 2.5 | Mon-Fri 7:00-22:00 |
| Carlsplatz - Benrather Straße 7b | 8 | 2.2 | Mon-Sat from 7:00 to 1:00 |
| Schauspielhaus - Gustaf-Gründgens-Platz 1 | 10 | 18 | Mon-Fri from 6:00 to 24:00 |
| Sevens - Königsallee 56 | eleven | 2.8 | From Monday to Saturday from 7:30 to 22:30 |
| Schadow Arkaden - Martin-Luther-Platz 28 | eleven | 2.8 | Round the clock Monday to Sun. |
| Dreicubenhaus am Hofgarten - Gartenstraße 2 | eleven | 15 | Round the clock Monday to Sun. |
| Scheibenstraße - Scheibenstraße 2 | 13 | 18 | Mon-Sun around the clock |
| Schadowstraße / Bleichstraße - Schadowstraße 76 | 13 | 16 | Mon-Fri from 6:30 to 21:00 |
| Parkhaus Kö-Galerie - Königsallee 60 | 13 | 2.8 | Monday to Sun from 6:00 to 23:00 |
| Hohe Straße - Siegfried-Klein-Straße 5 | 13 | 16 | 7:00-20:30 |
| Kö59 - Breite Straße | 14 | 2.5 | Monday to Sun from 6:00 to 1:00 |
| Stilwerk - Grünstraße 15 | 14 | 2.5 | From Monday to Saturday from 7:30 to 21:30 |
| Kreuzstraße - Kreuzstraße 27 | 15 | 16 | Mon-Fri from 7:00 to 23:00 |
City car parks are popular: they are more expensive than usual but offer greater convenience when spaces are available. You can find the opening hours of the different sites on the sign nearby. Some car parks operate from 8:00 to 23:00, others from 7:00 to 1:00 or from 6:00 to 24:00. Some car parks are open around the clock.
At the airport, there are about 20,000 parking spaces. The area closest to the terminal is Orange, where parking costs up to €32 per day. A more budget-friendly option is the Yellow Zone, where parking for a week costs €74. The cheapest tariff zone costs €44 for eight days. There is also a special car park for arriving passengers, where parking is allowed for 30 minutes. If the trip is planned in advance, you can book a parking space at the airport by phone or online.
Average car rental prices in other cities
Berlin - EUR 130 per week Hamburg - EUR 211 per week Frankfurt - EUR 115 per week Munich - EUR 185 per week
