Dortmund

Dortmund is in North Rhine-Westphalia region in the Ruhr area of Western Germany. With a population of nearly 600,000, it's the largest city in Westphalia and 7th largest in the country. The history of Dortmund dates back to 880 AD but it wasn't until 1152, when the emperor Barbarossa moved there, that it grew to become one of the most powerful towns of the empire.

After the Napoleonic Wars, Dortmund was incorporated into Prussia and became a major centre for coal, steel, and beer.

Today, Dortmund is known as Westphalia's "green metropolis" with extensive forests, meadows, parks and gardens covering almost half of the city's 280 square kilometres, including the famous Westfalenpark adventure park. It has an impressive cultural reputation, featuring theatres, a wide variety of museums, and galleries.

But Dortmund is perhaps best known for its beer, a pale pilsner lager first brewed by Dortmunder Union in 1873. Its popularity with workers was responsible for Dortmunder Union becoming Germany's largest brewery - and Dortmund having the highest concentration of breweries in the country. At one point, Dortmund was second only to Milwaukee for its breweries.

Dortmund is also known for its excellent shopping - Westenhellweg is the main shopping area, while Ostenhellweg is another street worth visiting.

 HOW TO GET THERE

Air: Several budget airlines run direct flights to Dortmund Airport including Easyjet (from Barcelona, Luton, Milan, Paris and Rome). Most major national airlines fly to Dortmund with one change at an international airport in Germany.

By air to Dusseldorf: The nearest international airport to Dortmund is Dusseldorf (80km/50 miles from Dortmund) with direct connections from many European and US cities.

Trains: There are trains to Dortmund from Essen, Düsseldorf or Hanover.

From the airport to the City Centre:
Taxi: Dortmund Airport is 13km from Dortmund City centre; the taxi fare is around €22.

Bus: A non-stop shuttle-bus connects Dortmund Airport to the Central bus station in Dortmund (opposite the main railway station). The journey lasts 25 minutes and costs €5 per passenger.
Train: The airport can also be reached by taking the U47 underground train to Aplerbeck and then changing onto the 440 Bus.

From the airport to Casino Hihensyburg:Hohensyburg/Dortmund Casino is 26 km from the airport.

To/From the city centre to casino Hohensybirg:

Taxi: The taxi fare to/from the city centre to Casino Hohensyburg is approximately €20-25.

Bus: Bus No. 444 goes from Dortmund Central Station to the casino. Bus 544 goes from the Casino to Dortmund Central Station.

Shuttle: A shuttle bus runs regularly during the tournament from EPT qualifiers hotels to/from Casino Hohensyburg.

Accommodation

Players who have won full prize packages on PokerStars will be notified of their hotel details by email. You do not need to make a hotel reservation. If you have any queries, please email ept@pokerstars.com.

Useful Information

Official language: German; English is widely spoken.

Currency:  the Euro (1 euro = $1.55 approx).

Banks: Most banks have an exchange counter and are open from 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday. Automatic cash dispensers (ATMs) can be found through the city and at the casino. Some hotels will also exchange money (at rates generally higher than banks).

Visas:  Europeans do not need a visa to visit Germany. North Americans, Australasians and South Africans do not need a visa for visits of up to 90 days. All other citizens should consult their travel agent or nearest British embassy.

International dialling code: +49 (the USA is +1)

Time: Germany is in the Central European Time zone. All tournament times are local.

Tourist information: Germany Tourism