Osnabrück

Osnabrück is a typical mid-sized Lower Saxon city. 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 one of the two cities (together with Münster) where negotiations to end the Thirty Years War took place and the peace treaty (The "Westphalian peace" as it is often known) was signed. Later over two thirds of the city was then destroyed in World War II.

By plane

Münster Osnabrück International Airport (FMO) is the closest option. The majority of the flights are scheduled and public charters to holiday destinations arround the Mediterranean, as well as some domestic flights within Germany.
The shuttle bus X150 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 and Cologne or Hannover for Eurowings. 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. Deutsche Bahn operates most trains and connections for around Europe and Germany. The Dutch Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) sells discounted tickets to/from places like Amsterdam. Osnabrück is about 3 hours by express train from Amsterdam, Hamburg, Berlin and Cologne.
Other railways operate many of the local services but are always included in the DB search engine and tickets.

• NordWestBahn runs several local services.
• WestfalenBahn runs services to Münster.

By car

Osnabrück is also an Autobahn junction:
A1 from Bremen to Cologne
A30 from Amsterdam and Hannover
A33 from Bielefeld

By bus

Intercity buses have exploded unto the scene since the market was deregulated in 2012/13 and now a few lines connect Osnabrück to domestic and international destinations. The main bus station ZOB Osnabrück is located next to the train station.

• Ecolines carries passengers from Riga.
• Touring Eurolines Germany has some bus routes, for instance twice weekly to London via Lille.
• Flixbus is by far the biggest player in the German market

By boat

The Mittellandkanal has a tangent running directly into Osnabrück (from Kilometer 30,4). There are no public boat services.

The city is most easily navigated by city/regional bus. The Stadwerke Osnabrück 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 infrastructure 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.

Osnabrück, like most other larger cities in Germany, suffered extensive destruction during World War II, about two thirds of the historical city center were in ruins. Most destroyed buildings were not reconstructed, so there is limited historical architecture to visit.

Churches

• St. Peter's Cathedral

  address: Große Domsfreiheit
  Charlemagne founded the diocese of Osnabrück. Today's late-romanesque cathedral was erected from 1218 to 1277 and consecrated 1277. The shape is dominated by the two Western spires, which were built with 400 years in between. The triumph cross in the church was manufactured in the 12th century and is the largest cross in Lower Saxony.

Profane Buildings

• Osnabrück Castle(now University) and its gardens.

• RathausThe 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.

• Heger Tormonument of Osnabrück soldiers who died at Waterloo and the neighbour old city are remnants of an earlier manifestation of Osnabrück.

Museums

Osnabrück has several museums and a Culture Card / City Card for museum lovers.

• Felix Nussbaum Haus

  address: Lotter Straße 2
  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).

• Talk to the locals.
• Sit in a street cafe.

Among other (technical) schools Osnabück is home to a university. The university has several campuses dispersed throughout the city.

R&R Ice Cream , Eduard Pestel Straße - English Friendly.

The favorite shopping area is the pedestrian zone Grosse Straße (Big Street) in the city centre starting at the Neumarkt.

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.

• Comeback Pub & Restaurant

  phone: +49 541 580 26 87
  address: Lotter Str. 19,
  Very good home cooking at reasonable prices.

• Lagerhalle Kneipe

  address: Rolandsmauer 26
  Pub inside the Lagerhalle Cultural Center. Pizza, pasta and salads.

• Joe Enochs Sportsbar

  phone: +49 5 41 750 99 750
  address: Heger Str. 4/5
  The pub of a retired American soccer player who spent the majority of his career at German Second Division club VfL Osnabrück. Sandwiches (baguette) and salads (Greek, Scandinavian and Potato salad)

• Mc Döner

  phone: +49 541 3502968
  address: Johannisstraße 51
  Kebab

Mid-range

There are many "Gasthäuser" and "Lokale," the local old school sit-down German food places.

• Hausbrauerei Rampendahl

  address: Hasestraße 35
  Traditional German dishes and craft beer. Offers a buffet menu at a reasonable price.

Splurge

• La Vie

  phone: +49 541 331150
  address: Krahnstraße 1
  The gourmet restaurant La Vie is very luxurious, if you have the money it's worth the visit.

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 Jaegeran original beerhall serving the local Osnabrücker Pils.

• Cafe Orientserves a variety of German beers and offers Shishas (hookah/water-pipes) in a warm den-type environment.

• Cubana Cocktailbar & Restaurant

  phone: +49 6151 39 11 999
  address: Donnersbergring 20
  serves Caribbean style, on the premise of being a cocktail bar/salsa club.

• AlandoIf you like pop music, go to the Alando, which is near the central train station. There may be drunk and misbehaving people, though.

• Kleine FreiheitBehind the train station is the best alternative club. 21+.

• Hyde ParkIf you like metal better, the Hyde Park 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.

• Trash

  address: Meller Str. 16
  Alternative/Student-Bar with vintage interior and rock music. Mainly students and locals, not to pricey. Smoking and in the summer some places outside.

Budget

• Penthouse-Backpackers

  phone: +49 541 6009606
  address: Moeserstraße 19
  Free WiFi, small breakfast, rooftop terrace, laundry, sauna.

Mid-range

• Hotel Advena Hohenzollern

  address: Theodor-Heuss-Platz, Neustadt, Innenstadt
  Westermann

Splurge

• Steigenberger Hotel Remarque

  phone: +49 541 60960
  address: 1, Natruper-Tor-Wall

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.

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.

• Oldenburg
• Bielefeld
• Münster
• Rheine

Kalkriese

Nearby Kalkriese is an archeological site that is widely considered one of the most likely candidates for the site of the 9 CE battle in which three Roman legions led by Varus perished to Germanic warriors led by Armininus

• Varus battle museum