To Dortmund Hauptbahnhof · One way · All prices are totals for 1 adult · All service hours
4 transfer optionsCar hire · not ranked
Not everything runs all night.Not all night: the AirportExpress bus to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 05:00–21:15, every day (from 06:00 on Sundays), the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 06:08–22:30, on weekdays (from 06:30 on Saturdays, 08:00 on Sundays), the AirportShuttle and RB59 train to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 06:05–20:49, every day (from 06:19 on Saturdays; on Sundays the first train is 07:36).
Recommended
The cheapest way in. The Kiwitaxi transfer to Dortmund (sold from €55) is 16 minutes quicker for at least €51.20 more, which is not worth it at this party size.
Bus
Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
490→U47 · DSW21, VRR tariff
34–36 min rideEvery 20 min06:08–22:30, on weekdays (from 06:30 on Saturdays, 08:00 on Sundays)
Bus stop 1→Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
1 change
€3.80total for 1 adult€3.80 eachBuy ticketOn DSW21, VRR tariff
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Bus stop 1, in front of the terminal on the departures level
One VRR single for the Dortmund zone (Preisstufe A), EUR 3.80, valid 90 minutes with the change; children 6 to 14 pay EUR 2.10. Buy it from the bus driver or in the DSW21 app.
Luggage. A city bus and a light-rail train; no luggage rule is published.
Hours. Bus 490 leaves every 20 minutes on weekdays until 19:28, then every 30 minutes to 22:30; at weekends every 30 minutes, from 06:30 on Saturdays and 08:00 on Sundays. At Aplerbeck the U47 runs every 10 to 15 minutes.
22–25 min rideEvery 60 min05:00–21:15, every day (from 06:00 on Sundays)
Bus stop 2→Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
€10total for 1 adult€10 eachBuy ticketOn Dortmund Airport
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Bus stop 2, in front of the terminal on the departures level
EUR 10.00 one way; children under 15 pay EUR 2.00, under-sixes ride free. Buy at the machine in front of the terminal, by cash or card, or from the driver in cash. VRR tickets and the Deutschlandticket are not valid.
Luggage. A regular bus with room for cases; no luggage rule is published.
Hours. Hourly on the hour from 05:00 to 20:00, then 21:15, Monday to Saturday; on Sundays from 06:00. Nothing leaves for the Hauptbahnhof after 21:15.
AirportShuttle and RB59 train to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
AirportShuttle→RB59 · Dortmund Airport (AirportShuttle) and eurobahn (RB59), VRR tariff
25 min rideEvery 30 min06:05–20:49, every day (from 06:19 on Saturdays; on Sundays the first train is 07:36)
Bus stop 1→Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
1 change
€10.80total for 1 adult€10.80 eachBuy ticketOn Dortmund Airport and eurobahn, VRR tariff
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Bus stop 1, in front of the terminal on the departures level
Two tickets: the AirportShuttle, EUR 3.00 (children EUR 2.00), and a VRR Preisstufe B single from Holzwickede, EUR 7.80 (children EUR 2.10). With a Deutschlandticket you pay only the shuttle.
Luggage. A bus and a regional train; no luggage rule is published.
Hours. The shuttle leaves every 20 minutes on weekdays and every 30 at weekends, last at 20:49. The RB59 leaves Holzwickede at 06 and 36 past the hour by day, hourly in the evening and on Sundays.
The options are still here — your budget or journey-time filter is drawn tighter than any of them. Widen either one, or reset the filters, to bring them back.
Prices marked "from" are starting prices set by the operator. Prices are whole-party totals; group fares are included. Ride times are recorded journey durations — no waiting or onward travel has been added — and road times vary with traffic. Confirm prices and availability with the operator. Going the other way? Dortmund to Dortmund Airport: where each one boards and when the first one runs
How do I get from Dortmund airport to Dortmund city center?
For one traveler we recommend the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at €3.80, 34–36 min, which is also the cheapest way in; the fastest is the Kiwitaxi transfer to Dortmund, sold from €55, 20 min. Every option below is priced as a total for your party and says where it leaves you.
A few things for the rest of your trip
Partner offers
Not transport options · Affiliate links
Car hire at Dortmund airportDiscover Cars
Hire a car for the Sauerland's lakes and hills, or for Ruhr towns off the rail lines. The AirportExpress reaches Dortmund Hauptbahnhof in about 22 minutes for €10, hourly until 21:15, and bus 490 with the U47 does it on one €3.80 ticket. Discover Cars shows the full price before you book.
A flight three or more hours late, or cancelled at short notice, can be owed up to €600 a passenger under EU and UK rules, depending on the flight. AirHelp charges only if the claim succeeds.
These links pay us a commission. They never change which transfer we rank first.
Arriving late?
Not everything runs around the clock: the AirportExpress bus to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 05:00–21:15, every day (from 06:00 on Sundays), and the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 06:08–22:30, on weekdays (from 06:30 on Saturdays, 08:00 on Sundays), and the AirportShuttle and RB59 train to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 06:05–20:49, every day (from 06:19 on Saturdays; on Sundays the first train is 07:36). Those night services run on some nights only, so check the day you land; on the others nothing runs to the center in those hours. Set the hour you leave arrivals and the board keeps only what is running.
Luggage
A regular bus with room for cases; no luggage rule is published.
Prefer one way in?
Every Dortmund option of one kind, against the rest
All buses leave from the stops right in front of the terminal on the departures level (level 1), a few metres from the entrance: the AirportExpress from stop 2, the AirportShuttle and bus 490 from stop 1.
Finding the station
The airport has no railway station. The AirportShuttle takes about 6 minutes to Holzwickede station, where the RB59 leaves for Dortmund Hauptbahnhof; the shuttle needs its own EUR 3.00 ticket.
Tickets
Buy AirportExpress and AirportShuttle tickets at the machine in front of the terminal (cash or card) or from the driver (cash only). For bus 490 buy a VRR single from the driver; it is valid at once.
The taxi rank
The taxi rank is on the arrivals level next to the east exit. Taxis run on the meter; the airport puts the ride to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at about EUR 35.
Uber and Bolt
Bolt operates in Dortmund. The airport names no pickup point for ride-hailing.
At night
After the last bus 490 at 22:30 nothing scheduled leaves for the city. Airport Taxi Dortmund, based at the airport, says its taxis run around the clock: +49 231 85 44 44.
Before you travel
Where each one starts, how long it runs, what it carries
AirportExpress · Dortmund AirportAirportExpress bus to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
From
Bus stop 2, in front of the terminal on the departures level
To
Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, on the station forecourt by the Königswall exit
Luggage
A regular bus with room for cases; no luggage rule is published.
Runs
05:00–21:15
Journey
22–25 min
EUR 10.00 one way; children under 15 pay EUR 2.00, under-sixes ride free. Buy at the machine in front of the terminal, by cash or card, or from the driver in cash. VRR tickets and the Deutschlandticket are not valid.
Hourly only: miss one and the next is an hour later, or take bus 490 and the U47.
Roadworks on the B1 can delay the bus by a lot at busy times; allow extra time.
On 24 and 31 December a special timetable applies.
Hourly on the hour from 05:00 to 20:00, then 21:15, Monday to Saturday; on Sundays from 06:00. Nothing leaves for the Hauptbahnhof after 21:15.
490→U47 · DSW21, VRR tariffBus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
From
Bus stop 1, in front of the terminal on the departures level
To
Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, changing at Aplerbeck from bus 490 to the U47
Luggage
A city bus and a light-rail train; no luggage rule is published.
Runs
06:08–22:30
Journey
34–36 min
One VRR single for the Dortmund zone (Preisstufe A), EUR 3.80, valid 90 minutes with the change; children 6 to 14 pay EUR 2.10. Buy it from the bus driver or in the DSW21 app.
Change at Aplerbeck, the end of the bus line, to the U47 toward Westerfilde.
Kampstraße, one stop before the Hauptbahnhof, is the closer stop for the shopping streets.
Roadworks on the B1 can delay bus 490; at times it has run only between the terminal and car park P6.
Bus 490 leaves every 20 minutes on weekdays until 19:28, then every 30 minutes to 22:30; at weekends every 30 minutes, from 06:30 on Saturdays and 08:00 on Sundays. At Aplerbeck the U47 runs every 10 to 15 minutes.
AirportShuttle→RB59 · Dortmund Airport (AirportShuttle) and eurobahn (RB59), VRR tariffAirportShuttle and RB59 train to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof
From
Bus stop 1, in front of the terminal on the departures level
To
Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, changing at Holzwickede from the shuttle to the RB59
Luggage
A bus and a regional train; no luggage rule is published.
Runs
06:05–20:49
Journey
25 min
Two tickets: the AirportShuttle, EUR 3.00 (children EUR 2.00), and a VRR Preisstufe B single from Holzwickede, EUR 7.80 (children EUR 2.10). With a Deutschlandticket you pay only the shuttle.
Dearer and slower than the AirportExpress unless you hold a Deutschlandticket or a Rail&Fly ticket, which the shuttle accepts.
Shuttle and train are not timed together: the wait at Holzwickede can be up to 40 minutes in the evening.
At Holzwickede take the RB59 toward Dortmund, not a train toward Unna, Hamm or Hagen.
The shuttle leaves every 20 minutes on weekdays and every 30 at weekends, last at 20:49. The RB59 leaves Holzwickede at 06 and 36 past the hour by day, hourly in the evening and on Sundays.
What is the best way from Dortmund airport to Dortmund city center?
For one traveler, the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at €3.80, 34–36 min. The cheapest way in. The Kiwitaxi transfer to Dortmund (sold from €55) is 16 minutes quicker for at least €51.20 more, which is not worth it at this party size. The same holds for a group of up to eight. How we weigh price against time is set out on the fares page, in numbers.
What is the cheapest way from Dortmund airport to Dortmund city center?
For one traveler, the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at €3.80. Per-person fares multiply with the size of your party and per-vehicle fares do not, so check the total for your group rather than the single fare.
How do I get from Dortmund airport to Dortmund city center by train?
One train reaches Dortmund Hauptbahnhof: the AirportShuttle and RB59 train to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, €10.80 for one traveler, 25 min. It is not the cheapest way in: the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at €3.80 is. The fastest way overall is the Kiwitaxi transfer to Dortmund, 20 min. See every option by train
How do I get from Dortmund airport to Dortmund city center by bus?
For one traveler the cheapest bus is the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at €3.80, 34–36 min; the fastest is the AirportExpress bus to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at €10, 22–25 min. For one traveler that is the cheapest way into Dortmund by any means. The fastest way overall is the Kiwitaxi transfer to Dortmund, 20 min. See every option by bus
How do I get from Dortmund airport to Dortmund city center by taxi?
One taxi reaches Dortmund Hauptbahnhof: the Kiwitaxi transfer to Dortmund, from €55 for one traveler, 20 min, to any address in Dortmund. It is not the cheapest way in: the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at €3.80 is. See every option by taxi
How long does it take to get from Dortmund airport to Dortmund city center?
Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof: 34–36 min. AirportExpress bus to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof: 22–25 min. AirportShuttle and RB59 train to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof: 25 min. Kiwitaxi transfer to Dortmund: 20 min
How far is Dortmund airport from the city center?
Dortmund Airport does not publish a distance to the city. By time: the fastest way in, the Kiwitaxi transfer to Dortmund, takes 20 min; the cheapest, the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, 34–36 min.
Where is the train station at Dortmund airport?
The airport has no railway station. The AirportShuttle takes about 6 minutes to Holzwickede station, where the RB59 leaves for Dortmund Hauptbahnhof; the shuttle needs its own EUR 3.00 ticket.
Is there Uber or Bolt at Dortmund airport?
Bolt operates in Dortmund. The airport names no pickup point for ride-hailing.
Where do I catch the Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof at Dortmund airport?
Bus stop 1, in front of the terminal on the departures level. Follow the signs from arrivals. It leaves you at Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, changing at Aplerbeck from bus 490 to the U47.
Is there a train from Dortmund airport to Dortmund at night?
The AirportExpress bus to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 05:00–21:15. The Bus 490 and U47 to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 06:08–22:30. The AirportShuttle and RB59 train to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof runs 06:05–20:49. Outside those hours nothing else on this board runs to the center, and taxis are not priced on it. Hourly on the hour from 05:00 to 20:00, then 21:15, Monday to Saturday; on Sundays from 06:00. Nothing leaves for the Hauptbahnhof after 21:15.
Worth knowing
The AirportExpress and the AirportShuttle are run by the airport outside the VRR fare system: VRR tickets and the Deutschlandticket are not valid on them. Rail&Fly tickets are accepted on the shuttle, not on the AirportExpress.
The cheapest way in is bus 490 to Aplerbeck and the U47 to the Hauptbahnhof on one VRR single, EUR 3.80: the airport is inside the Dortmund fare zone.
The shuttle to Holzwickede and the RB59 cost EUR 10.80 together: EUR 3.00 for the shuttle and a EUR 7.80 VRR single from Holzwickede, which lies outside the Dortmund zone.
The last AirportExpress leaves at 21:15, the last AirportShuttle at 20:49 and the last bus 490 at 22:30. After that only taxis leave; the terminal is open from 03:30 to midnight.
Taxis run on the meter: EUR 5.00, then EUR 2.80 for the first km and EUR 2.20 for each further km. The airport puts the ride to the Hauptbahnhof at about EUR 35.
From 1 January 2027 the VRR single rises to EUR 3.90 in the Dortmund zone and EUR 8.20 to Holzwickede.
Roadworks on the B1 (the future A40) can delay the AirportExpress and bus 490: allow extra time.
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