Fortuna Düsseldorf Fanzone: Getting to know the returning Rhinelanders
Bundesliga fans watch out: Fortuna Düsseldorf are back, and we are here to guide you on a trip to the North Rhine-Westphalia capital.
History
Fortuna have yo-yoed between the first and fourth tiers this millennium, with the fourth tier, where Düsseldorf languished between 1999 and 2008, particularly galling for a club that won the German title in 1933. The zenith – to date – was the 1970s, a decade during which F95 won the first of two DFB Cups and reached the European Cup Winners' Cup final in Basel in 1979, only to lose to Barcelona after extra time.
City
The capital of Germany's most populous region, Dusseldorf is an advertising and fashion hub – home to the country's modelling industry – and is also famous for its Altbier, a locally brewed dark beer. It's also a cultural hub: the world-famous band Kraftwerk – whose song The Model references the thriving fashion industry – hail from Dusseldorf, while Heinrich Heine, one of Germany's most famous poets, was born there in 1797. Just don’t mention fierce regional rivals Cologne.
Getting there
Dusseldorf international is Germany’s third-busiest airport, and serves over 190 destinations worldwide. Flying in to nearby Cologne or the Netherlands are viable alternatives, especially given the affordability and efficiency of Germany’s fast- and regional train networks.
The stadium itself is located in the north of the city, roughly four miles from the central train station. From there, take the metro (U-bahn) line U78 to Merkur Spiel-Arena/Messe Nord; you can also hop on in the historic old town at Heinrich-Heine Allee. The journey takes no more than 20 minutes. As with all Bundesliga matches, a ticket to the game also serves as your ticket for public transport.
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