Dithmarschen is surrounded on all sides by water: to the north is the River Eider, to the east, the Kiel Canal, to the west, the North Sea and to the south, the River Elbe. That's why the route to this green North Sea district leads over bridges and ferries.
To reach us by airplane
The nearest international airport is Helmut Schmidt Airport, Hamburg, around 100 kilometres from the district's main town of Heide.
There are airfields for light aircraft at Oesterdeichstrich/Büsum and in St. Michaelisdonn. Flying time from Hamburg averages 20 minutes.
By car
From Hamburg via the motorway A23 in the direction of Heide (Holstein), you reach Dithmarschen in about an hour. Those who prefer a more leisurely drive turn onto the green coast road B5 at itzehoe, which runs along the Kiel Canal to Brunsbüttel, then through Marne, Meldorf and Heide to Lunden.
From the north-west, use the B5, from the north-east, the B200 and B5 and from Kiel, the B210 via Rendsburg to reach Dithmarschen.
Information on roadworks, blockades / diversions and traffic jams can be obtained here:
By train
There is an hourly regional express (RE) service from Hamburg-Altona to Westerland which calls at Heide (Holstein)
An Intercity (IC) train runs from Hamburg-Hauptbahnhof to Westerland, also calling at Heide.
In addition, there is an hourly Nordbahn (NBE) service from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof to Itzehoe, with a regional railway connection to bring you to Dithmarschen, which calls intermediately at Burg, St. Michaelisdonn and Meldorf.
The railway asks cyclists to note that cycles are not carried between 6 am and 9 am, nor between 3 pm and 7 pm. There is in any case only limited space for cycles on trains on routes RE 6 and RE 60.
The Nordbahn (NBE) also runs from Heide station to Büsum.
Further information can be obtained under www.bahn.de or from the NAH.SH-Route planner.
You can get from A to B in Dithmarschen itself by bus or train. More information is available here: