The Ultimate Guide To Choosing The Perfect Cologne

Cologne, Germany is a major hub for international and domestic travel. The city offers a range of public transport options, including trams, buses, and suburban railways. The Cologne Bonn Airport is small and easily accessible by train from the city centre. The S19, RB26, RB27, and RE6 lines all go to the airport. For those travelling internationally, the closest international airports are in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Amsterdam, and Brussels. From these locations, travellers can take a connecting flight or train to Cologne. The train from London to Cologne takes just over four hours, making it a great alternative to flying.

Fly into Frankfurt and take the high-speed train

If you're flying into Frankfurt, you can take the high-speed train to Cologne, which takes less than an hour. The high-speed train travels at 185 mph and the travel time is approximately 62 minutes. The high-speed line is 180 kilometres long and connects the cities of Cologne and Frankfurt. The route mostly follows the Bundesautobahn 3 and is equipped for speeds of up to 300 km/h (186 mph).

There are around 36 trains per day running between Frankfurt and Cologne, with the first train leaving Frankfurt at around 03:13 or 04:44 and the last train leaving at 23:24. The journey takes around 1 hour and 25 minutes, with the fastest services taking just 1 hour and 5 minutes. The train operators on this route include ICE, DB, and ÖBB.

Tickets for this journey can be purchased online or at the train station, with prices starting at $17.00 for a single ticket. It is also possible to book a Rail & Fly ticket, which includes your flight and train journey. This option is offered by most airlines flying between the US and Germany, except for Delta.

When flying into Frankfurt, consider which terminal your flight arrives at, as accessing the ICE Station is easier from Terminal 1. Terminal 2 involves a bus ride and a walk to reach the train platforms.

Fly into Amsterdam and take the train

If you're flying into Amsterdam and want to take the train to Cologne, you're in luck! The route is an easy cross-border hop, with direct trains running from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Cologne Hauptbahnhof Station. The journey takes between 2 hours and 28 minutes and 4 hours and 20 minutes, depending on the source. There are around 36 to 51 trains per day, with the first train leaving Amsterdam at around 6:00 am and the last at around 8:30 pm.

The train operators on this route include Intercity-Express (ICE), Intercity (IC), NS, and ÖBB. Tickets start at $22.37 for a standard class ticket, but booking in advance is recommended as prices can go up to $72 one-way. The ICE trains offer free WiFi, a dining car, a children's compartment, and power sockets, while the IC trains have family and children's areas and are also equipped with WiFi.

So, if you're flying into Amsterdam, taking the train to Cologne is a convenient and affordable option. With frequent departures and a relatively short journey time, you'll be enjoying all that Cologne has to offer in no time!

Fly into Brussels and take the train

If you're flying into Brussels and taking the train to Cologne, you'll be pleased to know that the journey is simple, smart, and speedy. The high-speed Eurostar and ICE trains from Brussels to Cologne take less than 2 hours, with the fastest services taking just 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Getting from the Airport to Brussels-Midi Station

Firstly, you'll need to get from the airport to Brussels-Midi station, where you'll be able to catch a train to Cologne. The easiest way to do this is by taking the train from Brussels Airport to Brussels-Midi station, which takes around 20 minutes on the quickest services and runs every 10 minutes between 5:30 am and midnight, 7 days a week. The airport train station is located directly below the terminal. Alternatively, you can take the Airport Line (Line 12) bus from in front of the terminal building at bus platform C, which will drop you off at the European district in about 30 minutes.

Brussels-Midi Station to Cologne

Once you're at Brussels-Midi station, you can buy a ticket for the train to Cologne. Tickets start at €16, and the journey takes around 2 hours and 40 minutes on average, with 12 direct trains per day. The train will arrive at Köln Hbf/Cologne, which is right in the heart of the city and just a few minutes' walk from the shopping district, the main museums, and other attractions.

Onboard Experience

Onboard the train, you can enjoy free Wi-Fi, at-seat plug sockets, tasty food, and a generous luggage allowance. There are three travel classes available: Standard, Comfort, and Premium.

Fly into Düsseldorf and take the train

If you're flying into Düsseldorf and want to take the train to Cologne, you have a few options. First, you'll need to get from the airport to Düsseldorf train station. You can do this by taking the Skytrain from the airport to Düsseldorf Airport Station.

From there, you can take a regional train to Cologne Central Station. The RE1(RRX) runs hourly and takes around 40 minutes. You can also take the RE5(RRX) if you arrive after 8 am, which covers the same route and also runs hourly. You don't need to book these trains in advance; you can buy your ticket at the station or from the ticket machines.

If you want to take a high-speed train, you can take the ICE train, but this is more expensive and only saves around 10 minutes. You can also take the S11 train, but this takes much longer and doesn't run as frequently.

Fly into Cologne/Bonn airport

Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) is the international airport of Cologne, Germany's fourth-largest city, and also serves Bonn, the former capital of West Germany. The airport is located in the district of Porz and is surrounded by Wahner Heide, a nature reserve. It is situated 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of the Cologne city centre and 16 km (9.9 mi) northeast of Bonn.

Cologne Bonn Airport is one of Germany's few 24-hour airports and is a hub for Eurowings, FedEx Express, and UPS Airlines. It is also a focus city for several leisure and low-cost airlines. The airport has two passenger terminals located directly beside each other, with the older Terminal 1 featuring shops, restaurants, check-in and service facilities, and a visitors' deck on its roof.

To get to Cologne from the airport, you can take advantage of the airport's efficient public transportation system. Here are some options:

• Train: Cologne/Bonn Airport station is conveniently connected to both terminals and offers direct connections to the city centre. The S-Bahn line S19 to Düren and the regional train line RE6 to Minden connect the airport station to Cologne Main Station. Other train lines serving the airport include RB27 and RE8 between Mönchengladbach and Koblenz.
• Bus: Local bus lines connect the airport with Cologne (route 161) and Bonn (route SB60).
• Car: The airport has its own exit, named "Flughafen," on motorway A59, which provides easy access to the city centres of both Cologne and Bonn, as well as the Ruhrgebiet region.

Frequently asked questions