Hi
gungadin,
Sorry to hear about your brother, hope his condition improves.
Datteln is certainly not on the classic tourist track... but Wikipedia tells me it's the world's largest canal junction so there is that
Anyway, my advice for someone who will be preoccupied and doesn't speak the language is to keep things simple.
I found
a transfer service called Ruhrtransfair that quotes EUR 73 for a shared transfer, or EUR 88 for a guaranteed private transfer, from DUS to Datteln. You can reach them at:
[email protected] or just fill out the "Buchungsanfrage" form on their webpage.
I also found a cab company called
Taxi Süd in Recklinghausen that quotes a price of
EUR 89 for a private transfer from DUS to Datteln. You can e-mail them at:
[email protected]
If that sounds too expensive, there is one train per hour from Dusseldorf airport to Recklinghausen main station ("Hauptbahnhof"), which is the nearest rail hub of any significance to Datteln. The trains leave Dusseldorf airport station at :13 past each hour, and cost EUR 14.60 each way. You need train line RE2 bound for Münster, which generally leaves from Track ("Gleis") 5. Recklinghausen is the 6th stop, and you'll arrive 51 minutes later. There is more frequent service, but the other trains involve a change in either Essen or Duisburg, which may be a bit confusing.
Fireflyer05 already gave you the link to the local public transportation authority VRR's website - you can pull up the schedules, all ticket prices and lots of other information there.
From Recklinghausen station, I would just catch a cab to your brother's place - Google maps tells me Datteln is about 12 km (7.5 miles) away, the cab fare should be under EUR 30. So total cost is under EUR 50, with a direct train and a cab. Travel time is just over an hour, with up to an hour's waiting time at the airport train station.
Last but not least, given the rather remote location your brother lives in, having a car at your disposal is probably a must, however I assume that your brother has one you can use once you're there. If that were not the case, I would strongly recommend renting one at DUS, as recommended by
Concerto. You can use the excellent and free
HERE app on your phone for offline navigation with turn by turn instructions.
Hope this helps,
Andre