There are 11 ways to get from Cologne to Basel by train, bus, night train, car, rideshare, or plane
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 Köln Hbf to Basel Bad Bftrain 43N / ...
3h 42mCHF 45–240Rideshare
cheapest- Take the rideshare from Cologne to Basel489.8 km
5h 49mCHF 29Bus
- Take the bus from Köln to Basel, Bahnhofbus Ivano-Frankivsk
5h 53mNight train
- Take the night train from Koeln Hbf to Basel Bad Bfnighttrain Nj
6h 18mCHF 40–240Drive 490.1 km
- Drive from Cologne to Baselcar 490.1 km
4h 8mCHF 77–111Train via Mannheim
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhoftrain 47 / ...
- Take the train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Basel Bad Bftrain 20 / ...
3h 47mCHF 56–202Train to Frankfurt, fly to Basel
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurttrain
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Basel (BSL)plane FRA - BSL
3h 7mCHF 137–314Fly Cologne Bonn Airport to Basel
- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Basel (BSL)plane CGN - BSL
5h 20mCHF 72–224Train to Düsseldorf International Airport, fly to Basel
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bftrain
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Basel (BSL)plane DUS - BSL
5h 41mCHF 94–258Fly Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport, train
- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane CGN - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Basel SBBtrain
4h 50mCHF 81–238Train to Düsseldorf International Airport, fly to Zurich Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bftrain
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane DUS - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Basel SBBtrain
5h 20mCHF 88–272
Cologne to Basel by train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cologne to Basel is to rideshare which costs SFr 29 and takes 5h 49m.
The fastest way to get from Cologne to Basel is to train and fly which takes 3h 7m and costs SFr 130 - SFr 320.
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Köln and arriving at Basel, Bahnhof. Services depart once daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 5h 53m.
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Köln Hbf and arriving at Basel Bad Bf. Services depart every four hours, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 3h 42m.
The distance between Cologne and Basel is 489 km. The road distance is 490.1 km.
The best way to get from Cologne to Basel without a car is to train which takes 3h 42m and costs SFr 45 - SFr 240.
The train from Cologne Hbf to Basel Bad Bf takes 3h 42m including transfers and departs every four hours.
Cologne to Basel bus services, operated by GrandBus, depart from Köln station.
Cologne to Basel train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from Köln Hbf station.
The best way to get from Cologne to Basel is to train which takes 3h 42m and costs SFr 45 - SFr 240. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs and takes 5h 53m, you could also fly, which costs SFr 70 - SFr 230 and takes 5h 20m.
What companies run services between Cologne, Germany and Basel, Switzerland?
Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC) operates a train from Köln Hbf to Basel Bad Bf every 3 hours. Tickets cost CHF 45–100 and the journey takes 3h 42m. Two other operators also service this route. Alternatively, GrandBus operates a bus from Köln to Basel, Bahnhof once daily, and the journey takes 5h 53m.
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–330
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- CHF 75–310
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Basel via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 80–340
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Basel via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 100–380
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Basel via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 85–350
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Tuesday to Friday
- Estimated price
- CHF 55–170
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–330
- Website
- swiss.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–290
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 55–170
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 55–160
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 55–170
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 55–160
- Website
- airdolomiti.it
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 85–330
- Website
- klm.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Basel via Amsterdam Schiphol
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 45–300
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Basel via Berlin Brandenburg
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 20m
- When
- Monday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- CHF 50–240
- Website
- austrian.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Basel via Vienna
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- CHF 75–290
- Website
- airfrance.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Basel via Paris Charles de Gaulle
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 15m
- When
- Tuesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 45–310
- Phone
- +49 30 311 682904
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Köln Hbf to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 42m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- CHF 45–100
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- CHF 27–85
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 1m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 29–55
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 23–65
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 9–20
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +43 5 1717
- Website
- konzern.oebb.at
Train from Köln Hbf to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 29m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- CHF 90–140
- Website
- https://konzern.oebb.at/en/
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- ns.nl
Train from Köln Hbf to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 18m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–240
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 65–100
- 1st Class
- CHF 140–240
Night train from Koeln Hbf to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 18m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–240
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 65–100
- 1st Class
- CHF 140–240
Train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 35–120
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 35–55
- 1st Class
- CHF 70–120
- Phone
- +43 51717
- Website
- nightjet.com
Night train from Koeln Hbf to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 29m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 40–240
- Website
- https://www.nightjet.com/en/#/home
- Sleeper Carriage
- CHF 237–240
- Couchette Carriage
- CHF 120–150
- Seating Carriage
- CHF 40–55
- Phone
- +43 5 1717
- Website
- oebb.at
Train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 34m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 40–60
- Website
- https://www.oebb.at/en/reiseplanung-services/im-zug/unsere-zuege/eurocity-intercity
- Website
- https://shop.oebbtickets.at/en/ticket
- Phone
- +44 343 218 6186
- Website
- eurostar.com
Train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 23–55
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
- Standard
- CHF 23–35
- Comfort
- CHF 24–35
- Premium
- CHF 40–55
- Phone
- +41 848 446 688
- Website
- sbb.ch
Train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 13m
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 19–40
- Website
- https://www.sbb.ch/en
- Phone
- +38 098-888-11-08
- igoruzhanskyi@grandbus.com.ua
- Website
- grandbus.com.ua
Bus from Köln to Basel, Bahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Website
- https://www.grandbus.com.ua/en
- Phone
- +3 318 576 2228
- Website
- blablacar.com
Rideshare from Cologne to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 49m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 29
- Schedules at
- blablacar.com
Want to know more about travelling around Switzerland
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Heading to Europe? Read this before you buy a Eurail Pass
Read the travel guide
5 delightfully under-the-radar French towns you need to visit
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Cologne to Basel bus services, operated by GrandBus, arrive at Basel, Bahnhof station.
Cologne to Basel train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Basel Bad Bf station.
Yes, the driving distance between Cologne to Basel is 490 km. It takes approximately 4h 8m to drive from Cologne to Basel.
Book your Cologne to Basel train tickets online with Omio.
There are 1293+ hotels available in Basel.
Check out Blablacar's carpooling service for rideshare options between Cologne and Basel. A great option if you don't have a driver's licence or want to avoid public transport.
































