There are 6 ways to get from Calais to Essen by train (TGV, Eurostar), train, bus, car, or train (Eurostar)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train
best- Take the train from Calais Frethun to Lille Europetrain Ter
- Take the train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Miditrain Tgv
- Take the train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Koeln Hbftrain Ice
- Take the train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbftrain Ice / ...
5h 41m€83–297Train, bus
cheapest- Take the train from Calais Frethun to Lille Europetrain Ter
- Take the bus from Lille to Brussels-North train stationbus 328 / ...
- Take the bus from Brussels-North train station to Essen central train stationbus 081
9h 43m€52–83Drive 399.7 km
- Drive from Calais to Essencar 399.7 km
4h€76–109Train via Aachen
- Take the train from Calais Ville to Lille Flandrestrain Ter
- Take the train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Miditrain Tgv
- Take the train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Aachen Hbftrain Ice
- Take the train from Aachen Hbf to Essen Hbftrain Re
6h 5m€84–302Train #2
- Take the train from Calais Frethun to Lille Europetrain Ter
- Take the train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Miditrain Tgv
- Take the train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Essen Hbftrain
6h 21m€162–302Train #3
- Take the train from Calais Ville to Lille Flandrestrain Ter
- Take the train from Tournai to Bruxelles-Miditrain Ic / ...
- Take the train from Bruxelles Midi to Essen Hbftrain Tha
7h 30m€159–260
Calais to Essen by train
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Calais to Essen is to train and bus which costs €50 - €85 and takes 9h 43m.
The fastest way to get from Calais to Essen is to drive which takes 4h and costs €75 - €110.
No, there is no direct train from Calais to Essen. However, there are services departing from Calais Ville and arriving at Essen Hbf via Calais Frethun, Lille Europe, Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi and Koeln Hbf. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 5h 41m.
The distance between Calais and Essen is 516 km. The road distance is 399.7 km.
The best way to get from Calais to Essen without a car is to train which takes 5h 41m and costs €80 - €300.
It takes approximately 5h 41m to get from Calais to Essen, including transfers.
Calais to Essen train services, operated by Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF), depart from Calais Frethun station.
Calais to Essen train services, operated by Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF), arrive at Lille Europe station.
Yes, the driving distance between Calais to Essen is 400 km. It takes approximately 4h to drive from Calais to Essen.
Book your Calais to Essen train tickets online with Omio.
What companies run services between Calais, France and Essen, Germany?
You can take a train from Calais Ville to Essen Hbf via Calais Frethun, Lille Europe, Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi, and Koeln Hbf in around 5h 41m.
Rome2Rio's guide to Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF)
Contact Details
- Phone
- +33 1 84 94 36 35
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
Train from Calais Frethun to Lille Europe
- Ave. Duration
- 28 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €19–30
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
Train from Calais Frethun to Lille Europe
- Ave. Duration
- 28 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €19–30
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
Train from Calais Ville to Lille Flandres
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19–35
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
Train from Calais Frethun to Lille Europe
- Ave. Duration
- 28 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €19–30
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
Train from Calais Ville to Lille Flandres
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19–35
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
- Phone
- +33 1 84 94 36 35
- Website
- TGV inOui
Train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 34 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €21–35
- Website
- TGV inOui
Train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 34 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €21–35
- Website
- TGV inOui
Train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 34 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €21–35
- Website
- TGV inOui
- Phone
- +44 (0)3432 186 186
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €40–70
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Koeln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €85–140
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €30–55
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €40–70
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Aachen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €60–100
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Aachen Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 41m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €60–100
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Lille Europe to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €40–70
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 53m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €120–200
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Bruxelles Midi to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €120–200
- Website
- Eurostar
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Koeln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €35–70
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €13–26
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Aachen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €24–50
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Aachen Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €24–50
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +49 221 13 999 444
- Website
- National Express
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Schedules at
- National Express
Train from Aachen Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Schedules at
- National Express
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixtrain.de
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €6–10
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Aachen Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €17–24
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
- Phone
- +32 70 79 79 79
- Website
- Belgian Railways
Train from Tournai to Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 3m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €15–23
- Website
- Belgian Railways
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Lille to Brussels-North train station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €10–16
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Brussels-North train station to Essen central train station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 50m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €22–35
- Website
- Flixbus
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