We often travel by motorhome and we have noticed that the cities are different even if they might be close to each other. In one town, motorhomes are welcome and it’s easy to find a spot. Ten minutes away – there are signs forbidding motorhomes to park. We have been to Essen and checked it out! Here is all you need to know about traveling by motorhome in Essen and how to get around.

Motorhome in essen – general information

Germany, in general, is a motorhome-friendly country and Essen is not any different. However, the best option is to leave your motorhome at a campsite and take the train to the city center and visit attractions like Zollverein. There are parking spots inside the city as well but, they are pretty small and narrow so you might not fit into the parking. The roads in Essen are nice and wide and all the signs are easily read.

We seldom feel comfortable leaving our motorhome parked in the city center of any town and we tried not to do that while in Essen too. The crime rate in Essen, Germany is moderate and we felt safe walking around there. But it’s a different thing to leave your motorhome with all of your stuff and just walk away.

Camping in Essen

There are several campings in and, outside of Essen. Let it be known that some of them are only open during the summer and high season. We came in October and drove to one camping that ended up – not opened and, not even a camping site. Ruhrcamping Essen is a small camping that is located close to the river. If you aren’t looking for a campsite there is also a parking area in the city center.

Reisemobilstellplatz is a pretty simple parking space where you can get electricity but, not much else. We felt it looked more like a regular parking spot so we ended up leaving our motorhome at a camping and not in the city center. If you prefer the parking, the address is Baedekerstrasse, Essen. 

KNAUS Campingpark Essen-Werden

During our visit to Essen, we stayed at KNAUS Campingpark Essen-Werden. The camping is pretty expensive, about 40 euros per night. They also have some express spots where you can park on asphalt and then it costs about 27 euros instead. Here, you are allowed to stay for two nights. If you want to stay longer – you have to move to the campsite.

The best part of this camping is by far their showers. We are real suckers for showers and love to have a nice, clean, warm shower. At this camping, you get all of that! This is a good camping to stay at while coming with your motorhome in Essen. There is also a store within walking distance of the camping and the area of Werden is also really nice. Address: Im Löwental 67, Essen. 

Getting around in Essen

Essen has a very well functioning public transport. There are trains, trams and, buses that run through all day and evening. For example, the camping is located a five minutes walk from the train station and it takes about 15 minutes to get to the city center. If you want to go to the Messe, you’ll switch trains and arrive ten minutes later. The city center is made to be walked.

Another option is to rent a bike. There are several places in the city where you can rent a bike from a stand and return it to another place. We ended up just walking and taking the train but if we would’ve stayed longer, I’m pretty sure that we would have ended up renting bikes. In all – motorhome in Essen is a great way to explore the city in the comfort of your own home. There are also a lot of grocery stores if you want to buy ingredients and cook in your motorhome.