The ride from the airport comes at the end of a tiring journey. The airport pages give no journey time figures for Dortmund city, so plan for a margin rather than a fixed time.
At the airport
The airport's transport pages give no family-specific information such as baby rooms or play areas, apart from a luggage-trip service (Kofferfahrten) mentioned on the taxi page, so none are described here. They do not describe the arrivals hall either.
Fixed-price private transfer
DTM Gelsenkirchen
From€114for 2 passengers
Other destinations
Getting to your accommodation with children
Taxi: the taxi rank is at the arrivals level, next to the east exit. Sample fares published by the airport, marked approximate, as of February 2024 and without guarantee, include about 11 EUR to Holzwickede, about 21 EUR to Unna and about 35 EUR to Dortmund Hbf. Between 22:00 and 06:00, and on Sundays and public holidays, the fare rises by about 10% for trips within Dortmund, to Unna and to Holzwickede. Confirm the fare with the driver.
Airport buses: the bus stops are directly in front of the terminal on the departures level (level 1). The airport express bus goes to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof and the airport shuttle bus to Bahnhof Holzwickede. Both need a separate ticket, because they are not part of the VRR tariff. With a stroller and bags, think about how you will manage the change from bus to train.
Pre-booked transfer: the vehicle goes to your door. You can ask for a larger vehicle for strollers and luggage. The live price to Essen is from EUR 119. Check your booking confirmation for the meeting point, and use the quote tool on this page for other destinations.
Child seats
No official statement on child seat rules or availability in taxis was found. If you need a seat, request it when you book a transfer and give the child's age and weight, then confirm it in your booking confirmation. Do not assume a taxi will have one.
Practical points
Carry water, snacks and any medicine in your hand luggage. Keep passports and your accommodation address within reach. If one adult can stay with the bags while the other finds the driver, arrivals go more smoothly.
The bottom line
With young children, a ride that goes straight to your accommodation is usually the calmer way to end a long journey.
Sources (checked 2026-10-27)
- Flughafen Dortmund, Bus und Bahn (official airport page, read 2026-10-27): https://www.dortmund-airport.com/de/bus-und-bahn
- Flughafen Dortmund, Taxi und Transfer (official airport page, sample taxi fares dated February 2024, read 2026-10-27): https://www.dortmund-airport.com/de/taxi-und-transfer