Osnabrück

Osnabrück [1] is a city in Lower Saxony. Understand Osnabrück is a typical mid-sized Lower Saxon town. It is home to around 165,000 people and surveys have proved them to be the most satisfied citizens in Germany. Osnabrück has seen its share of history and war. It was the ultimate city where the 30 Years War ended and over 2/3 of the city was then destroyed in World War II. Get in By plane Flughafen Münster/Osnabrück FMO [2] is the best choice. The airport is quiet and efficient yet sufficient. There are flights from around Germany and a few European destinations on Air Berlin, Lufthansa, Intersky and sorted public charters such as Sun Express and Hamburg International. The shuttle bus X150 [3] brings you to central Osnabrück in about 30 minutes for €9,50. Many travelers choose to use other nearby airports for budget airlines and international connections. These include: Bremen for Ryanair, Dortmund for easyJet and Wizz Air, Düsseldorf for Air Berlin and Cologne or Hannover for germanwings.com. Consider the cost of ground transportation from these airports as train tickets can cost upwards of €70 if not pre-booked. By train Osnabrück is well connected as it is a railway junction. Trains on the Amsterdam-Berlin route meet here with trains on the Hamburg-Cologne route. Die Bahn opereates most trains and connections for around Europe and Germany. The Dutch Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) sells discounted tickets to/from places like Amsterdam. Travel time from/to Osnabrück: Amsterdam - 3 hours by express train Berlin - 3 hours by express train Bremen - 0:50 hours by express train, 1:15 hours by regional train Cologne - 2 hours by express train Hamburg - 1:45 hours by express train Hannover - 1:10 hours by express train, 1:40 hours by regional train Other railways operate many of the local services but are always included in the DB search engine and tickets. NordWestBahn [4] runs several local services. WestfalenBahn [5] runs services to Münster. By car Osnabrück is also an Autobahn junction: A1 from Bremen to Dortmund and Cologne A30 from Amsterdam merging into the A2 to Hannover and Berlin A33 from Bielefeld Some of Autobahn encounter heavy traffic during daytime and weekends especially during rush-hour time and begin and end of holidays. Include some extra time, as much as 60 minutes (+60 min). Travel time from/to Osnabrück: Amsterdam - 2:45 hours via the A30/E30 (+45 min) (!Speedlimit!) Berlin - 4 hours via the A30 and A2 (+60 min) (partly no speedlimit) Bremen - 1:30 hours via the A1 (+30 min) (120 km/h during day, no speed limit at night) Cologne - 2 hours via the A1 (+30 min) (partly no speedlimit) Hamburg - 2:30 hours via the A1 (+60 min) (120 km/h during day, a lot of road work!) Hannover - 2:30 hours via the A30 and A2 (+45 min) (partly no speedlimit) By bus International buses are normally slow local routes, especially the ones stopping in Osnabrück. They are normally only a good deal if traveling with tons of luggage or last minute, otherwise airlines are cheaper. One main bus station ZOB Osnabrück is located next to the train station. The other main bus station is the Neumarkt in the city centre. Night buses all start at at the same time from Kamp Promenade, close to the Neumarkt, Ecolines carries passengers from Riga. Touring Eurolines Germany has some bus routes, for instance twice weekly to London via Lille. By boat The Mittellandkanal has a tangent running directly into Osnabrück (from Kilometer 30,4). There are not public boat services. Get around The city is most easily navigated by city/regional bus. The Stadwerke Osnabruck operates standard daytime as well as NachtBus (night) service on Friday and Saturday. They have an online trip planner as well as digital signs at many bus stops to inform you of the current predicted wait time. Fare information is posted inside all bus shelters and most bus operators speak some English. Tickets are bought from the bus operator of from vending machines on the Neumarkt. Bus operators are obliged to give change if you over-pay in cash. Many Osnabrückers choose to ride a bicycle as transportation since the compact size and good infastructure make it easy to get around. While utilizing the red-colored cycling lanes in Osnabrück one should exert caution. These lanes are often narrow, at street level, and/or shared with the city buses and taxis. Dangerous conditions lead to at least one bicyclist death a year in Osnabrück. Please use your best judgement and walk your bike on the sidewalk if you feel uncomfortable. Additionally there are many places where bicycles (and all cars) are forbidden in the city center. If you are riding on a street where there are no cars, be sure to double check that bicycles are not forbidden, because the police will stop you. See The Osnabrücker Rathaus (city hall) played a key role in the end of the 30 years war. In celebration with the authorities in nearby Münster, a peace treaty was signed. Medieval St. Peter's Cathedral. Heger Tor (monument of Osnabrück soldiers who died at Waterloo) and the neighbour old city are remnants of an earlier manifestation of Osnabrück. Two-thirds of the city was flatted during World War II, so, there are limited remnants of original prewar buildings. Osnabrück Castle (now University) and its gardens. Osnabrücker Zoo, the zoo of Osnabrück os located south of the city centre on a wooded hill. Even on hot summer days you can enjoy the zoo in the shadow. You will find everything from lions, elephants, giraffes, penguins, a small aquarium and much more. The zoo is children friendly. Price: 15€, reduced 11,50€, url="http://www.zoo-osnabrueck.de/". Museums Osnabrück has several museums and a Culture Card / City Card [6] for museum lovers. Felix Nussbaum Haus, Lotter Straße 2, ☎ +49 541-323-2207 (museum@osnabrueck.de), [7]. Mo closed. A museum dedicated to the Osnabrück native, Felix Nussbaum, a Jewish painter who was executed at Auschwitz during the World War 2. The extension of the building was designed by Daniel Libeskind (of Berlin Jewish Museum fame). 5€, reduced 3€. (latitude,) edit Museum and Park Kalkriese is about 15km north of Osnabrück. The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest supposedly took place there in 9 CE, when an alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius of the Cherusci ambushed and decisively destroyed three Roman legions, along with their auxiliaries, led by Publius Quinctilius Varus. url="http://www.kalkriese-varusschlacht.de/". Museum Industriekultur, an old coal mining plant showing old steam engines, url="http://www.industriekultur-museumos.de/". Kulturgeschichtliches Museum Osnabrück Villa Schlikker next to the Felix Nussbaum Haus, showing the live in Osnabrück of the 20th century. Do Talk to the locals. Sit in a street cafe. See the historical (rebuild) city centre around the town hall Hike or make a bicycle tour in the surrounding hills and forrests. Visit the Maiwoche (May week), North-Germanys larges street festival in mid May Learn Among other (technical) schools Osnabück is home to a university and a university of applied science. The universitys have several campuses dispersed throughout the city. The main locations are the city centre, Westerberg (western hill) for natural sciences and engineering and Haste in the North of Osnabrück for agriculture. Work R&R Ice Cream [8], Eduard Pestel Strasse - English Friendly. Buy The favorite shopping area is the pedestrian zone Grosse Strasse (Big Street) in the city centre starting at the Neumarkt. Eat Osnabrück offers an array of foreign cuisine in addition to the "typical German food". Budget The best place to get a quick bite is at a Döner (Turkish Kebab) stand or restaurant. There are several local operations offering this type of food throughout the city. Mid-range There are many "Gasthäuser" and "Lokale," the local old school sit-down German food places. The Rampendahl close to cathedral is a (rebuild) rustic traditional pub with it's own small brewery. Besides a good choice of different meals they offer a buffet. On weekday evenings, all you can eat for 6,66€. Splurge The restaurant La Vie is very luxurious, if you have the money it's worth the visit. Drink You will never have to look far to find a drink. There are many youth and student oriented bars and clubs as well as bars and clubs for the more sophisticated. On a nice summer evening you will find many people congregate in the Schlossgarten (Palace Graden) to drink together. Grüner Jaeger is an original beerhall serving the local Osnabrücker Pils. Cafe Orient serves a variety of German beers and offers Shishas (hookah/water-pipes) in a warm den-type environment. Cubana serves Caribbean style, on the premise of being a cocktail bar/salsa club. If you like pop music, go to the Alando [9], which is near the central train station. There may be drunk and misbehaving people, though. Kleine Freiheit [10] behind the train station is the best alternative club. 21+. Real good Electro and House Music will be found at the Stellwerk [11], right next to the Kleine Freiheit, located behind the Central Train Station. Students pay half the price on Fridays. If you like metal better, the Hyde Park [12]is for you. Every Thursday and Friday, there is rock and metal night. For Goths: visit Hyde Park on the second or fifth Friday each. Sleep Budget Penthouse-Backpackers, Moeserstrasse 19, ☎ +49 541 6009606 (info@penthousebp.com), [13]. Free WiFi, small breakfast, rooftop terrace, laundry, sauna. Dorm €14, bed in double €20, bedsheets €3.  edit Mid-range Advena (next to train station) Westermann Walhalla (behind the town hall) Dom Hotel Ibis Klute intourhotel Splurge Remarck Schloßresidenz Contact Stay safe Osnabrück is quite safe. There are break-ins and sometimes drunks getting lagered up, as well as rowdy, trouble making kids. Overall there are still very few violent crimes. Still, the Neumarkt and the Rosenplatz should be avoided at night. The small Neumarkt-Undercrossing (the one without shops) should be avoided the whole day. In an emergency call: 110 - for the police. In a true emergency they can be on scene within a few minutes. 112 - for fire and rescue. In a medical emergency depending on the situation, the dispatcher will send a rescue ambulance and if needed a second car with an emergency doctor. The rescue ambulance will respond within 5 to 10 minutes from five different stations. The emergency doctors respond from two hospitals/stations within 5 to 10 minutes. There are two main hospitals for emergencys open 24/7 in Osnabrück: Klinikum Osnabrück - 3 km west of the centre Marienhospital - in the city centre between train station and Neumarkt Cope In some parts of Osnabrück, locals resent the British military bases in town and are reluctant to speak English unless you have made an attempt in German. In others, people may automatically recognise that you aren't German and may thus begin a conversation in English. Since British left Osnabrück in 2008 this may be diminishing. If you are not sure, try to ask in German "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" (Do you speak English?). Usually they speak English and will help you at their best. Some speak a little French or Spanish, Get out Oldenburg Bielefeld Münster Rheine This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!