There are 10 ways to get from Cologne to Basel by train, night train, rideshare, plane, or car
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 Bf43N / ...
3h 42mCHF 45–240Rideshare
cheapest- Take the rideshare from Cologne to Basel489.8 km
5h 49mCHF 30Night train
- Take the night train from Koeln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 to Basel Bad BfNj
6h 15mCHF 40–244Train to Frankfurt, fly to Basel
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Basel (BSL)FRA - BSL
3h 4mCHF 135–335Train via Mannheim
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof43 / ...
- Take the train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB20 / ...
4h 19mCHF 49–246Drive 463.2 km
- Drive from Cologne to Basel463.2 km
4h 46mCHF 74–107Train to Frankfurt, fly to Zurich Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)FRA - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB
4h 23mCHF 115–309Fly Cologne Bonn Airport to Basel
- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Basel (BSL)CGN - BSL
5h 17mCHF 91–223Train to Düsseldorf International Airport, fly to Zurich Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bf
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)DUS - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB
5h 22mCHF 90–283Fly Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport, train
- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)CGN - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB
4h 51mCHF 86–237
Cologne to Basel by train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cologne to Basel is to rideshare which costs SFr 30 and takes 5h 49m.
The fastest way to get from Cologne to Basel is to train and fly which takes 3h 4m and costs SFr 130 - SFr 340.
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Köln Hbf and arriving at Basel Bad Bf. Services depart every two hours, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 3h 42m.
The distance between Cologne and Basel is 489 km. The road distance is 463.2 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 two hours.
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 fly, which costs SFr 90 - SFr 230 and takes 5h 17m.
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 463 km. It takes approximately 4h 46m to drive from Cologne to Basel.
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 4 hours. Tickets cost CHF 45–130 and the journey takes 3h 42m. Two other operators also service this route. Alternatively, Lufthansa, Eurowings, and easyJet fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Basel (BSL) 6 times a week.
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–470
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–470
Flights from Frankfurt to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–280
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Basel via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 80–330
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–320
- Website
- swiss.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–470
Flights from Frankfurt to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–280
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–230
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–180
- Website
- airdolomiti.it
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 95–310
Flights from Frankfurt to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 85–280
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–170
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–180
- Website
- condor.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–180
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Basel via Berlin Brandenburg
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- CHF 45–230
- Phone
- +49 30 311 682904
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Köln Hbf to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 42m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- CHF 45–130
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 23–75
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Hbf to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 32m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 27–90
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 21m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 29–75
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 6–22
- 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 28m
- 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
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 65–240
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 65–110
- 1st Class
- CHF 140–240
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 25–85
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 25–40
- 1st Class
- CHF 45–85
Train from Köln Hbf to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 36m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- CHF 35–120
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 35–55
- 1st Class
- CHF 70–120
Train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 35–130
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 35–55
- 1st Class
- CHF 75–130
- Phone
- +43 51717
- Website
- nightjet.com
Night train from Koeln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 to Basel Bad Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 15m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 40–244
- Website
- https://www.nightjet.com/en/#/home
- Sleeper Carriage
- CHF 241–244
- Couchette Carriage
- CHF 120–150
- Seating Carriage
- CHF 40–55
- Phone
- +32 70 79 79 79
- Website
- belgiantrain.be
Train from Köln Hbf to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 22m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 19–28
- Website
- https://www.belgiantrain.be/en
- 2nd Class
- CHF 19–28
- 1st Class
- CHF 30–45
- Phone
- +41 848 446 688
- Website
- sbb.ch
Train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 14m
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 19–40
- Website
- https://www.sbb.ch/en
- Phone
- +44 343 218 6186
- Website
- eurostar.com
Train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 24–55
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
- Standard
- CHF 24–35
- Comfort
- CHF 25–35
- Premium
- CHF 40–55
- Phone
- +3 318 576 2228
- Website
- blablacar.com
Rideshare from Cologne to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 49m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 30
- 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
Book your Cologne to Basel train tickets online with Omio.
There are 1255+ 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.
































