Getting to Cologne, Germany — TFA World Guide

Getting There and Away

Written by Celine Fournier, Elsa Holm, Felix Schmidt, Finn Weber, Sandrine Simon

16/09/2025

Stunning view of Cologne Cathedral and Hohenzollern Bridge illuminated at dusk over the Rhine River.

Renato Dehnhardt, Pexels

Cologne is well-equipped with major transport hubs, including the Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) for air travel and Köln Hauptbahnhof (Cologne Central Station), which functions as a central hub for national and international train services.

By Air:

Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) is located approximately 15 kilometers southeast of the city center. From the airport, direct S-Bahn S19 trains connect to Köln Hauptbahnhof in about 12-15 minutes, with tickets costing around €3.50. Regional buses, such as the Airport Express SB60 to Bonn Hauptbahnhof (30 minutes, €6.30), also serve the airport.

By Train:

Köln Hauptbahnhof is a primary railway station offering extensive connections. International high-speed trains (ICE, Eurostar) connect Cologne to major European cities.

From London:: A train journey with a transfer in Brussels takes approximately 4 hours 40 minutes, with tickets starting from around €110-€360.
From Paris:: Direct Eurostar trains can reach Cologne in about 3 hours 24 minutes, with ticket prices ranging from approximately €55-€180.
From Amsterdam:: Direct trains take between 2 hours 41 minutes and 3 hours 20 minutes, typically costing €40-€140.

By Bus:

Various bus companies, including FlixBus, operate services to Cologne.

From London:: Bus travel can take around 13-15 hours, with fares from €40-€65.
From Paris:: Direct bus services generally take 6-8 hours, with tickets available from €23-€54.
From Amsterdam:: Bus journeys typically take about 3 hours 40 minutes, with costs from €11-€40.

By Car:

Renting a car in Cologne is an option, with economy car rentals starting from around $34-$56 per day. Cologne is well-connected by several European motorways.

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