Road Trip To Cologne: A Guide To Getting There

Cologne is accessible by road from numerous European highways. The city is encircled by a motorway ring made up of the A1, A3, A4, A57, A59, A555, and A559. If you're driving into Cologne, remember that Germans drive on the right side of the road. To avoid getting stuck in traffic jams, it's recommended to use one of the park-and-ride facilities outside the city and switch to public transportation.

Travel by train

Cologne is accessible by train from many German and European cities. More than 1,300 passenger trains connect Cologne with Germany and abroad every day. The train is a comfortable, quick, and environmentally friendly way to travel to Cologne.

If you are travelling from Frankfurt, the train is the fastest way to get to Cologne. The journey from Frankfurt Central Station or Frankfurt International Airport to Cologne will take a little over an hour, and there are plenty of trains going in both directions. Every hour, there are up to three Intercity Express (ICE) trains available, which reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour. The Eurocity (EC) train has more stops but should be less expensive. Depending on the time of day and whether you opt for a direct train or a route with changes, one-way tickets are between roughly $25 and $88. You can buy your tickets online or at the railway station.

If you are travelling from the US West Coast, you can fly to Frankfurt and then take the train to Cologne. The train ride from Frankfurt to Cologne is interesting as its top speed is 300 kilometres per hour. However, it spends a lot of the journey in a trench, which doesn't provide much scenery.

If you are travelling from the US and based in Washington, DC, you can fly to Frankfurt with Lufthansa/United, which operate a few daily non-stops to Frankfurt. These airlines are based in Terminal 1, and accessing the ICE Station at Frankfurt is far easier from that terminal.

If you are travelling from Amsterdam, you can take the train from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Dusseldorf and then take another train to Cologne.

Travel by bus

Cologne is well-connected by road, with numerous highways and motorway axes leading into the city. One of the most environmentally-friendly ways to reach Cologne is by bus.

Cologne's bus network is extensive, with around 320 buses serving the city. The bus system consists of roughly 76 lines, carrying the numbers 120-196, with a few rare exceptions. Each district is assigned a certain range of numbers:

• Lines 120 and higher operate in Chorweiler
• Lines 130 and above operate in Rodenkirchen
• Lines 140 and above operate in Ehrenfeld, Lindenthal, and Nippes
• Lines 150 and higher operate in Mülheim and Kalk
• Lines 160 and above operate in Porz

The main bus operator in Cologne is Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (KVB), with over 850,000 passengers travelling on their buses and trains every day. Buses generally run at least every 20 minutes until late, thinning out to 30-40 minute intervals in the early morning. During rush hours, buses run more frequently, usually every 10 minutes.

Tickets for the KVB bus can be purchased from ticket machines, online, or on the KVB app, as well as from private sales offices and kiosks. Tickets can also be bought on the bus from the driver, but drivers may not accept notes larger than €10. Single tickets cost €2.90, with a short-haul ticket (up to four stops) costing €1.90. A day ticket costs €8.60 and is valid for 24 hours.

There are several bus stations in Cologne, including:

• Cologne Airport CGN (Terminal 2)
• Cologne East (Bergisch Gladbach, Refrath)
• Leverkusen Mitte station

International bus connections are also available from Cologne, with FlixBus offering routes to London, Paris, Bristol, and Birmingham.

Travel by car

If you're travelling to Cologne by car, you can reach the city via numerous European highways. A network of ten star-shaped motorway axes from all directions leads into a motorway ring that encircles the city: A1, A3, A4, A57, A59, A555, and A559. Cologne is also connected to several major Bundesstraße roads.

If you're coming from Frankfurt, the fastest route is the Autobahn A3, which goes directly to both cities. The journey is about 118 miles (191 kilometres) and will take around 2 hours. Note that signs to Cologne will say "Köln", the city's German name.

If you prefer to take the scenic route, you can drive along the Rhine River, which takes about 20 minutes longer and measures 126 miles (203 kilometres). To get on this route, take the A3 from Frankfurt for 88 miles (142 kilometres), continue onto the B48, and then take Exit 11 to merge onto the B42. After driving through the town of Neuwied, this highway travels right along the river until you pass Drachenburg Castle on your right and B49 changes to A59. Stay left at the fork to continue onto A559 and follow signs to Cologne.

Parking is tricky to find in the city centre, so it's often easier to use the park-and-ride service and leave your car on the outskirts.

Travel by plane

The closest airport to Cologne is Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN), which is connected to over 130 domestic and international destinations. From the airport, you can reach the centre of Cologne in just a few minutes via the underground train station Köln/Bonn Airport, located between Terminals 1 and 2. Alternatively, you can reach the terminals directly via the nearby A59 freeway.

If you are travelling from the US West Coast, another option is to fly into Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and then take a high-speed train to Cologne. The train journey from Frankfurt Airport to Cologne takes less than an hour, with speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour. You can book your flight together with a Rail & Fly ticket, which is cheap and flexible, and offered by all airlines flying between the US and Germany except for Delta.

Another option is to fly into Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is quite close to Cologne and offers many connections. From there, you can take a train to Cologne, which is a shorter journey than from Frankfurt.

If you are looking for cheaper connections, you could consider flying into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) and then taking a train to Cologne. This option may require you to factor in the additional cost of transportation from Amsterdam to Cologne.

Driving tips

• Always drive on the right. Germany is one of many countries in which you drive on the right-hand side of the road.
• Take your time driving through downtown Cologne. There are many narrow one-way streets.
• If you get lost, use the Rhine River as a marker. It splits the city centre from north to south.
• Parking is difficult to find in the city centre, so it's often easier to use the park-and-ride service and leave your car on the outskirts.
• Germany's Autobahn has no speed limits, so watch out for fast-moving vehicles.
• Drivers and passengers must wear seatbelts. Children must use special car seats and appropriate restraints.
• It is prohibited to use a hand-held mobile phone or similar device when driving.

Frequently asked questions