Oberhausen

Oberhausen is a city of 209,000 people (2019) in North Rhine-Westphalia. The city hosts an international short film festival, and its gasometer is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage.

Get in

By plane

The closest airport is in Düsseldorf (DUS IATA)

By train

Oberhausen has 3 railway stations, Oberhausen Hauptbahnhof being the central station for the city served by long-distance services and regional trains.

  • 🌍 Oberhausen Hauptbahnhof. While this station is served by some long distance trains, you will most likely have to change trains in Duisburg which is about 6 minutes away by train. The platforms are wheelchair accessible via lifts and the station building includes a small convenience store, toilets, an information booth and places to eat. 
  • 🌍 Oberhausen-Sterkrade. Small commuter station for Sterkrade district, northern end of the bus and tramway from the city via Neue Mitte. When the rail line further north is blocked or during severe delays, some regional services from the south terminate here early. Served by regional trains from Arnhem and Düsseldorf. (updated Dec 2023)
  • Oberhausen-Holten, the third railway stop, only serves a residential neighbourhood.

By car

Oberhausen is well accessible by the local dense Autobahn highway network. Congestion during rush-hour can be quite bad. Drivers leaving the highway need a green pollution sticker on their windshield.

By coach, bus or tram

Local bus lines connect seamlessly to the neighbouring cities.

Tram line 112 starts in Oberhausen-Sterkrade, runs via the exclusive bus and tram road past Neue Mitte, serves the central station and city and continues south to Mülheim and is served by low-floor trams.

Intercity buses in Germany serve the city and other destinations throughout the Ruhr area.

By boat

Near the Centro Mall theres a small marina for private watercraft to dock.

Get around

By public transport

Oberhausen has a well-developed public transport network, operated by local company STOAG according to VRR tariffs.

The backbone of the system is the Streetcar line 112 and especially the part of it between the central station and Sterkrade, which doubles as a bus rapid transit (BRT) line. Opened in 1996 on a former industrial railway, this transitway has frequent and fast services every few minutes. If you miss one, don't worry, you can most likely already see the next bus or tram approaching in the distance. Board any service from platform 1 at the central station tram stop to get to the centr.O shopping mall at 🌍 Neue Mitte station. Tickets should be bought before boarding at the transitway stops. Customer service offices are located at the central station, at Neue Mitte stop next to the shopping mall and at Oberhausen-Sterkrade station.

Local bus lines operate throughout the city and to neighbouring cities. Single adult fare within the city is €3.30 from January 2024 onwards.

See
  • 🌍 Gasometer Oberhausen (next to the CentrO), . Closed until 15 March 2024. The largest disc-type gas holder in Europe which is now an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. It hosts varying exhibitions aimed at the general public (often including light and sound installations). A panoramic elevator inside the Gasometer can be used to travel to a floor level below the roof. From there, a stairway on the outside leads to three panoramic platforms mounted on the Gasometer's roof. People with disabilities can ask the staff to use the other elevator on the outside of the Gasometer, which directly leads to one of the platforms. €14.00. 
  • 🌍 Sea Life Centre, Zum Aquarium 1 (900 metres from Neue Mitte stop), ☏ +49 0731 146115333. Daily 10:00-18:30. former home of the late Paul the oracle octopus. Walk-up tickets from €23.00. 
  • 🌍 MWO Modellbahnwelt Oberhausen (Neue Mitte). A large H0 model railway installation depicting the Ruhrgebiet at its industrial zenith between 1965-1970. 
  • LVR-Industriemuseum (Museum of Industrial Heritage), Hansastraße 20. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Presents an overview of heavy industry at the Ruhr. Including two distinct sites: Altenberg zink factory and St Antony steel mill. (updated Oct 2016)
  • 🌍 "Slinky springs to fame" (Behind Schloss Oberhausen across Rhein-Herne-Canal). 460-metre-long stress ribbon bridge which is also a landscape sculpture; its spirals and wild colours allude to the popular children's toy "Slinky". At night it is illuminated by LED fields in 16 colours. (updated Dec 2023)
  • 🌍 Schloss Oberhausen (Oberhausen Castle), Konrad-Adenauer-Allee 46 (Busstop Schloss Oberhausen, Buses 956,966,NE10). Tu-Su 11:00-18:00. manor-like castle and namesake of the city, art gallery. €8.00/Adult. 

Do
  • Turbinenhalle A former industrial complex turned into a famous music and cultural venue near the city center. Mostly caters to rock and metal bands, but occasionally hosts artists from various styles. Some nightclubs are also located in the area.
  • International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. Late April-early May. This 6-day annual festival, founded in 1954, is one of the oldest short film festivals in the world. Individual ticket €8, 10-ticket pass €40. (updated Dec 2022)
  • Neue Mitte ("new centre") (accessible by car via Autobahn A42 exit "OB-Osterfeld/Neue Mitte", by bus/tram stop "Neue Mitte" or by boat via Rhein-Herne-Kanal at the "Heinz-Schleußer-Marina"). The main element of the Neue Mitte area is the CentrO complex which includes a shopping mall, a children's theme park and a promenade with restaurants and pubs. 
  • Tree2Tree (at the Gasometer). March to November: 11:00-19:30. High rope course. €35.00 adult. (updated Dec 2023)
  • 🌍 Metronom musical theatre. (updated Oct 2016)
  • 🌍 Theater Oberhausen. (updated Oct 2016)

Buy
  • 🌍 CentrO. M-Sa 10:00-20:00. One of Germany's biggest shopping malls. Major domestic and international chains, large food court and entertainment, served every other minute by bus and tram stop and offers thousands of parking spots in large car parks. 
  • 🌍 REWE To Go (Oberhausen central station), ☏ +49 0208 77890040. Su-Th 05:00-00:00 Fr Sa 05:00-01:00. Convenience store branded by REWE supermarket chain with small selection of drinks, hot and cold snacks, ready to eat meals, alcohol, baked good, coffee, etc., open late and on sundays. (updated May 2024)

Eat

Sleep

Go next
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