Exploring Cologne With The Cologne Pass

The KölnCard, also known as the Cologne Pass, is a tourist ticket that offers free public transport and discounts at museums, restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions in Cologne. The card is valid for 24 or 48 hours and offers an easy and inexpensive way to explore the city. During the validity period, cardholders can use all public transportation within the city for free, including buses, trams, suburban rails, and regional trains. In addition, the KölnCard provides discounted admission to museums, such as the Chocolate Museum and the Roman-Germanic Museum, and up to 50% discount on city tours, shopping, and gastronomic offers. The card is non-transferable and must be used in combination with an official personal ID. It can be purchased at tourist information centres, ticket machines, accommodations, and travel agencies within the area of validity.

KölnCard: 24-hour and 48-hour passes for free public transport and discounts

The KölnCard is a tourist ticket that offers visitors to Cologne an easy and inexpensive way to experience the city. The card provides unlimited travel on all public transport within the city limits of Cologne, including buses, trams, commuter trains and regional trains (2nd class). It also offers discounts of up to 50% with numerous partners in the fields of art, culture and gastronomy, including many museums, city tours, shops and restaurants. The KölnCard is available as either a 24-hour or 48-hour ticket and can be purchased for one person or for a group of up to five people.

A single 24-hour KölnCard costs €9.00, while a 48-hour card costs €18.00. A group ticket for five people costs €19.00 for 24 hours or €38.00 for 48 hours. The card can be purchased at Tourist Information Cologne, at KVB and DB ticket machines in the area of validity, in many accommodations, and at various travel agencies and tour operators.

To use the card, the cardholder must enter their name, along with the date and time reference, on the card. The card must then be validated in a ticket stamping machine before the first journey. The KölnCard is valid for 24 or 48 hours from the time of validation or first use, depending on the card type. It is important to note that the card is non-transferable and must be presented to the service provider before receiving any benefits. It is also only valid in combination with an official personal ID.

Cologne public transport: trains, trams, and buses

Cologne's public transport system is called KVB and includes trains, trams, and buses. The KVB website is available in English, and the system is well set up for foreign visitors.

Trains

The U-Bahn (underground trains) and S-Bahn (local trains) run from the outskirts to the city centre. The U-Bahn is indicated by a "U" on the line, and the S-Bahn by an "S". The S-Bahn is also two-tone in colour. The train lines are numbered from 1-18, and most U-Bahn lines go through the main station, whereas not all S-Bahns do.

Trams

Trams run alongside or in the middle of the streets and sometimes on special rails.

Buses

The bus system consists of roughly 76 lines, numbered 120-196. Each district is assigned a certain range of numbers. For example, lines numbered 120 and higher operate in the district of Chorweiler, and lines 150 and higher operate in the district of Mülheim.

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased via an app, online, at KVB customer centres and sales offices, in private sales offices (kiosks), and at ticket machines in buses, trains, and stations. Tickets bought at retail outlets must be validated on board, whereas tickets from machines are already validated. Tickets bought via the app or online are provided as a PDF and must be printed and carried.

Ticket options include:

• Single ticket: one journey with changes, not for return journeys or round trips.
• 4-journey ticket: one person or several people. One field must be validated per journey and per person.
• 24-hour ticket: valid for one person or up to five people for an unlimited number of journeys during the 24 hours after validation.
• 10-day flex ticket: consists of 10 individual 24-hour tickets for one person from the same price category. Must be retrieved/used within 30 days.
• Week ticket: valid for seven consecutive days for one person.
• Month ticket: valid for one person for one month.
• KölnCard: valid for 24 or 48 hours, this tourist ticket includes free travel on all public transport and discounts of up to 50% with partners from the arts, culture, and gastronomy sectors.

Ticket types: single, weekly, monthly, and yearly

The Cologne Pass is a ticket that offers unlimited travel on all public transport in Cologne, including buses, trams, suburban trains (S-Bahn), and regional trains. It also provides discounts of up to 50% with numerous partners in the fields of art, culture, and gastronomy. The KölnCard is available as a 24- or 48-hour ticket and is valid for 1 or up to 5 people.

Now, let's take a closer look at the different ticket types available for the Cologne Pass:

Single Ticket

The single ticket, or "EinzelTicket," allows the ticket holder to make one journey with changes but not for return or round trips. It is valid for all buses, trams, underground trains (U-Bahn), and local train services (S-Bahn, Regionalbahn, and RegionalExpress). However, it is important to note that the "Kurzstrecke" price category is not valid for certain express services. The ticket must be validated before use, and the validity period after validation depends on the number of stops and the price category. The single ticket is not transferable to other people, but an unlimited number of children aged 5 or under can accompany the ticket holder for free.

Weekly Ticket

The weekly ticket, or "WochenTicket," is valid for seven consecutive days for one person. It allows for unlimited journeys within the chosen price category. This ticket is transferable to other people, except for online or mobile phone tickets. It is important to check if the ticket has a flexible starting date or if it is restricted to the beginning of the calendar week (Monday).

Monthly Ticket

The monthly ticket, or "MonatsTicket," is valid for one person for one month, ending at 3 am on the following day. It offers unlimited journeys within the chosen price category and is transferable to other people, excluding online or mobile phone tickets. Similar to the weekly ticket, it is important to check the starting date restrictions when purchasing.

Yearly Ticket

The yearly ticket, or "annual contract," is available for all the above tickets with a 12-month abonnement. This option can provide a discount of up to 11%. It offers additional benefits such as direct debit payments, fast blocking in case of loss, transferability, and discounts from cooperation partners.

Discounts: up to 50% off at museums, restaurants, and cultural attractions

The KölnCard is a tourist ticket that offers free public transport and up to 50% discounts at museums, restaurants, and cultural attractions in Cologne. The card is valid for 24 or 48 hours from the time of validation and offers unlimited travel on all buses, trams, suburban rails (S-Bahn), and regional trains (2nd class) within the city.

With the KölnCard, you can enjoy discounted admission to many museums, such as the Chocolate Museum, the Roman-Germanic Museum, and the Farina Fragrance Museum. You can also receive up to a 50% discount on city tours, including boat trips on the Rhine, and guided tours of the city.

In addition to these discounts, the KölnCard offers up to 50% off at numerous partners in the fields of art, culture, and gastronomy. This includes restaurants like Karstadt Le Buffet Restaurant & Café, Maritim Hotel, Brauhaus Sion, and Hard Rock Cafe Cologne.

The KölnCard can be purchased for as little as €9.00 and is available for single persons or groups of up to five people. It is the perfect way to explore Cologne comfortably and cost-effectively, allowing you to discover the city's fascinating cultural attractions and culinary delights at discounted prices.

KölnCard purchase: online, ticket machines, travel agencies, and tourist information centres

The KölnCard is a 24- or 48-hour ticket for visitors to Cologne, offering unlimited travel on all public transport and discounts of up to 50% with partners in the arts, culture and gastronomy sectors. The KölnCard is a paper ticket that must be validated before departure and is available for 1 or up to 5 people.

You can buy a KölnCard online, at ticket machines, travel agencies, and tourist information centres:

Online

KölnCard is available to purchase online.

Ticket Machines

The KölnCard can be purchased from ticket machines at stops.

Travel Agencies

KölnCard is available to buy from travel agencies.

Tourist Information Centres

The KölnCard can be purchased from the KVB Customer Centres.

Frequently asked questions