WOLFSFBURG -
VW CITY
Stadium and City Guide
You won’t see more Volkswagens in one town than you’ll see
anywhere. That’s because Wolfsburg is the city that exists because
of Germany’s largest car maker. A sleepy little village did exist
to the east of Hannover along the mid-country
canal which connected the Rhine River to the Elbe River when a factory
was built in 1938 to manufacture
the new simple “People’s Car” but the factory was almost
immediately turned to war production. Heavily bombed in World War II,
some of the factory survived, and largely due to the foresight of one
British officer, rather than being torn down the factory was rebuilt
and began manufacturing the familiar “Beetle” which partly
fueled the rebirth of modern Germany. The town of Wolfsburg grew around
the auto plant, and is surely what one would call a company town.
The city of Wolfsburg
is a modern town, with the central part directly across the canal from
the Volkswagen plant and the automotive “theme
park” the Autostadt which it has created for customers who pick
up their new vehicle delivery and for tourists to promote the car makers
owned brands, which include Audi, Lambourghini, Bugatti, Porsche, Skoda & Bentley
among others. Wolfsburg’s stadium, the Volkswagen Arena which is
home to the Wolfsburg VfL Soccer Team is located next to the Volkswagen
property also across the canal from the city’s pedestrian shopping
and entertainment center, within view of the platforms of the Wolfsburg
rail station where Germany ICE trains stop on their high speed journey
between Berlin and Cologne and points west.
Volkswagen Arena
The
Volkswagen’s corporate presence is felt everywhere, in the
glass designs of the Wolfsburg Stadium’s VIP lounge and restaurant.
The permanent corporate “skybox”, the first in a row of the
boxes of industrial and financial company leased rooms overlooking the
stadium pitch, used as much for meetings as watching the football on
the field below. The stadium is a 15-20 minute walk from the heart of
the town, across the moving walkway footbridge from the architectural
futurist Phaeno
exhibition center (see Phaeno Wolfsburg) to the Volkswagen Autostadt,
then along the canal where motor barges make their slow journey carrying
cargo from the east to industrial ports along the Rhine.
The
Wolfsburg Stadium seats about 30,000 soccer fans under weather protive
awning and indoor VIP boxes. The Wolfsburg Stadium offers a regular
stadium tour which explains a
little of the history of Wolfsburg and a look at the locker rooms for
visiting teams, the mixing areas where the opposing teams join from the
lockers for a brief view before heading out onto the field, and a visit
to the VIP areas.
Unique at
Wolfsburg Stadium is the Wolfy Club, a special play area for children
who may not find people running around on a field
kicking a ball all that enthralling for a full match. The Wolfy Cup
offers activities even when soccer is not in play. A team fan shop
located behind
the stadium by the ticket windows has lots of soccer clothing and souvenir
gear, mostly with VW and Vfr Wolfsburg team logos. Though FIFA World
Cup gear will undoubtedly take up shelf space during the women’s
matches.
Wolfsburg Transportation
Wolfsburg
is served by DB Rail with direct ICE trains from Berlin, Cologne and
Frankfurt (see Germany
ICE Trains). Local transportation is the city
bus system with all lines stopping across from main rail station, though
most
of the
central
town
is small enough to get around on foot, though can require some distance
endurance. A morning run or hike along the canal with the sun rising
through the trees motoring canal barges can be an exhilarating exercise
for the physically active.
Things to Do in Wolfsburg
Volkswagen's Autostadt
No
visit to Wolfsburg would not include exploring the Volkswagen Autostadt,
the company’s automotive exhibition complex and visitor center.
The Autostadt features a range of activities and entertainment. One
of Germany’s most extensive car museums, present 125 years of
car history from a replica of Frederick Benz’ first motorized
vehicle to the 1 millionth Volkwagen Beetle to come off the assembly
line. Take an elevator ride up the twin automated car towers, tour
the park and brand pavilions or enjoy a meal in one of the Autostadts
restaurants (see VW
Autostadt Wolfsburg and Autostadt
Activities).
Phaeno
Directly across the Wolfsburg foot bridge from the Autostadt is Phaeno,
a wonderland of scientific discovery in the format of an “Exploratorium” with
hands on exhibits demonstration the fascination of natural and scientific
phenomena (see Pheano Wolfsburg).
Wolfsburg Castle
The castle is where Wolfsburg got its name, built in the Weser Renaissance
style, the castle is located behind the Volkswagen Autostadt and near
the stadium. The castle itself is now mostly used for offices, but
houses an small modern art museum and a museum of the history of the
Wolfsburg area. A café restaurant is on the castle grounds of
grassy wooded parklands.
BadeLand
Pool – Wake
Park
Directly behind the Wolfsburg Stadium is the town’s recreational
center for aqua-fitness, swimming and wellness enthusiasts. And just
outside of town is the water ski zone of Wake Park with waterskiing and
wakeboarding on artificial currents.
CineMaxx
The movie multiplex is directly across from the Pheano and Rail station.
Shopping - Dining
The pedestrian street of Porschestrasse is lined with stores and restaurants
on an outdoor plaza from the happy hour Margaritas of Sausalitos on
one end to H&M, the brands of the City Gallerie Mall and the City
Casino on the other. Get some shoes at the Al Bundy Shoe Outlet in
the middle. Yes, That Al Bundy. Didn't know he sold shoes. And watch
for the bronze Wolf Pack. Next to Phaeno and the Wolfsburg bridge is
the Designers Outlet Mall of Wolfsburg with name brand goods from Ralph
Lauren to Nike.
Bar Zone - Kaufhof
A small street just off the central pedestrian plaza is Kaufhof Strass
a street lined with pubs, restaurant sports bars and cafes where the
music plays late into the night. © Bargain
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See Also:
HOW RAIL
PASSES WORK
RENTING
A CAR IN EUROPE
TRAVELING
EUROPE ON A BUDGET
EUROPE
HIGH SPEED TRAINS - TGV - ICE
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP FOOTBALL – GERMANY
