Okay, you get off the train here to visit Essen, not that there is actually all that much in Essen…read moreto see. The thing that really annoyed me about this place was that the change machine in the locker rooms didn't work, and the lockers only accepted coins. As such I wasted something like ten minutes trying to work out where to get some change, and the casino next door was incredibly unhelpful. In fact the owner of the casino next door was incredibly rude. I eventually got some coins, and dumped our bags, but it is something that I am going to remember next time.

The Essen Hauptbahnhof has recently undergone extensive renovation. It is not a very big main…read morestation, so getting to the platforms only takes a couple of minutes. There are enough shops and food stalls to cover your basic needs. It is modern enough and there is a huge display panel with the arrival and departure information.