Driving to Dortmund Airport: A44, A1, B1 and the Traffic Traps of the Ruhr

The Ruhr has one of the densest motorway networks in Europe – and one of the most congested. Dortmund Airport lies on the eastern edge of this network, near the Dortmund/Unna junction where the A1 and A44 meet. From there it is only a few minutes to the terminal. If you know the typical bottlenecks, you will arrive comfortably from the Ruhr, the Sauerland or the Münsterland. This guide shows the most important routes, the well-known traffic traps and how to build your schedule.

The A44 – the direct route

The A44 runs from west to east south of the airport. Coming from Bochum, Witten or Essen, drive east to the Holzwickede/Dortmund Flughafen exit. From the direction of Kassel, Paderborn or Soest, drive west to the same exit. The “Flughafen” signs then lead you to the terminal or – if you have booked a private site – you follow your sat nav.

Via the A1 from Münster and Wuppertal

The A1 crosses the A44 at the Dortmund/Unna junction. Coming from the Münsterland, Hamm or Bremen, drive south; from Wuppertal, Hagen or Cologne, drive north. At the junction you switch to the A44 heading west. The A1 is one of the most important north–south routes, with a lot of lorry traffic. Roadworks and tailbacks before the Westhofen junction near Schwerte and the Kamen junction are not unusual.

From Dortmund city centre

From the city, the B1 runs east past the Westfalenpark and the stadium, continuing towards Unna. From the end of the B1 or the feeder roads you continue to the A44 and the airport. In rush-hour traffic the B1 is often slow. On BVB home match days it is jammed for hours around the stadium – then the detour via the A40 and the A1, or the A45 and the A44, is often quicker.

From the western Ruhr

From Essen, Gelsenkirchen or Duisburg, the A40, the A42 and the A2 lead east. The A40, known as the Ruhrschnellweg, is one of the busiest motorways in Germany and is regularly overloaded in rush-hour traffic. If you can, drive early or late, or use the A44 from Bochum. Check the traffic situation before setting off and follow a sat nav with real-time data.

From the Sauerland

From the Sauerland, the A45, the Sauerlandlinie, runs north towards Dortmund. Because of a bridge closure near Lüdenscheid and the subsequent rebuild, the route has only been usable to a limited extent for years; diversions via country roads lengthen the drive considerably. Check the current status before your trip. From Arnsberg and the Hochsauerland, the A46 runs west and on to the A44.

A schedule that works

1. Check your airline’s deadlines for baggage and boarding.
2. Set the recommended arrival time at the terminal.
3. Time for parking: valet takes a few minutes, shuttle a transfer block.
4. Driving time plus buffer – generous in the Ruhr.

Example: departure at 12:15, two hours in advance, so at the terminal at 10:15. Valet meeting point at 10:00. From Gelsenkirchen via the A42 and A1, allow about 40 minutes, plus 30 minutes of buffer for traffic: departure at 8:50. For early departures: Early flight from Dortmund.

Major events

Besides football, trade fairs and concerts in the Westfalenhallen attract many visitors, as do events at the Signal Iduna Park outside the Bundesliga season. If you fly on such days, check the dates beforehand.

The last stretch

After the Holzwickede/Dortmund Flughafen exit, a few kilometres lead to the terminal. Private parking providers have their sites in the surrounding area. Many ask you to call before you arrive – see frequently asked questions about calling the provider.

When time gets tight

If you are stuck in a traffic jam, inform the parking provider, use online check-in and, if time is very short, contact the airline. Tips: frequently asked questions about delays on the way there.

Christmas market, concerts and trade fairs

During Advent, Dortmund’s Christmas market around Hansaplatz with its giant tree attracts visitors from all over the Ruhr. In summer there are festivals in the Westfalenpark, in spring trade fairs such as Jagd & Hund in the Westfalenhallen. On such days there is more going on than usual in the city centre and on the B1. If you are heading for the airport, bypass the city via the ring of motorways. A look at the city’s events calendar when planning your trip is enough.

Rain, autumn storms and leaves

It rains frequently in the Ruhr, and in autumn storms sometimes bring down trees or close sections of road. Wet leaves make country roads slippery, for example on the last kilometres towards Holzwickede. Drive with foresight in such weather and allow a little more time. If there are severe weather warnings, find out about closures in advance.

Charging and refuelling on the way

Along the A1, A2 and A44 there are numerous service areas with fast chargers. Still, plan so that you can get home without stopping after your return – after a late return flight, nobody wants to look for a free charger.

With a motorhome or trailer

If you are travelling with a large vehicle, you need a provider with suitable spaces. State the length and height when booking. More: frequently asked questions about large vehicles.

The last kilometres from the exit

Once you have left the A44 at the Holzwickede/Dortmund Flughafen exit, follow the signs to the terminal. The access road passes fields and commercial areas; after a few minutes you reach the airport grounds with their parking areas and the forecourt. If you want to go to a private provider, do not follow the airport signs from the exit but the address from the booking – many sites are in Holzwickede, Unna or eastern Dortmund and are reached via their own roads. A common mistake: the sat nav is given “Dortmund Airport” even though the meeting point is somewhere else.

From Dortmund’s inner districts

If you live in the Kreuzviertel, the Nordstadt or Hörde, you have a choice: east via the B1 to the A44 junction, or via the Wall ring road and the urban motorways. The B1 is the most direct link, but also the most prone to congestion – in rush-hour traffic, during events in the Westfalenhallen and on match days. From Hörde and the Phoenix-See, the route east via country roads and then onto the A1 or the A44 is often quicker. Before an important flight, feel free to try out which route works best at your departure time.

Who drives, who comes along?

If someone takes you in your own car and drives it home again, you save the parking fee – but the driver has to make the trip twice, on the day of departure and on the day of return. For a short distance from Unna or Holzwickede this is manageable; for a journey from the Sauerland, less so. Be honest about what the trips cost and how much time they cost the people around you.

Sat-nav settings

Activate real-time traffic data and switch off the “avoid toll roads” option if you had activated it while travelling abroad. For the last metres to the provider, an exact house number is more important than the name of the airport.

The drive home

After landing, you take the route in reverse: from the terminal or site to the A44 and from there onto the A1, the A40 or the B1. Late in the evening the roads are usually clear; at night, roadworks can force diversions. If you are overtired, take a break after a few kilometres rather than battling your way home.

Checklist

• Address from the booking in the sat nav
• Traffic on the A1, A40, A44 and B1 checked
• BVB fixture list and events looked at
• A45 situation checked if you are coming from the Sauerland
• Provider’s phone number saved

All options: Parking options at Dortmund Airport. Routes by region: Getting to Dortmund Airport from the region. Whether offers can be booked via Friend-Park: Parking at Dortmund Airport.