There are 11 ways to get from Cologne to Dessau by train, bus, car, 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 via Frankfurt am Main
best- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurttrain 41 / ...
- Take the train from Frankfurt to Leipzig Hbftrain 50 / ...
- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Dessau Hbftrain S2
6h 13m€102–226Bus, train
cheapest- Take the bus from Leverkusen to Hallebus N23
- Take the train from Halle(Saale)Hbf to Dessau Hbftrain S8
9h 59m€42–62Bus
- Take the bus from Köln-Ehrenfeld Gleis to Magdeburgbus Mykolayiv
- Take the bus from Magdeburg Hbf to Dessau Hbfbus Re13
7h 45mDrive 495.6 km
- Drive from Cologne to Dessaucar 495.6 km
4h 25m€73–105Fly Cologne Bonn Airport to Berlin Brandenburg Airport, train
- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)plane CGN - BER
- Take the train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hbftrain
5h 3m€76–273Train
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to Köthentrain 55
6h 16m€93–180Train to Frankfurt, fly to Leipzig-Halle Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurttrain
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ)plane FRA - LEJ
- Take the train from Leipzig Messe to Dessau Hbftrain
4h 28m€131–231Line 41 train to Düsseldorf International Airport, fly to Berlin Brandenburg Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Düsseldorf Hbftrain
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)plane DUS - BER
- Take the train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hbftrain
- Take the train from Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hbf to Dessau Hbftrain
5h 34m€98–292Fly Düsseldorf International Airport to Dresden Airport, train
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Dresden Airport (DRS)plane DUS - DRS
- Take the train from Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt to Leipzig Hbftrain
- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Dessau Hbftrain
5h 56m€152–454Train to Frankfurt, fly to Berlin Brandenburg Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurttrain
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)plane FRA - BER
- Take the train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hbftrain
5h 38m€121–297Train to Frankfurt, fly to Dresden Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurttrain
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Dresden Airport (DRS)plane FRA - DRS
- Take the train from Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt to Leipzig Hbftrain
- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Dessau Hbftrain
5h 59m€185–419
Cologne to Dessau by train
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Cologne to Dessau is to bus and train which costs €40 - €65 and takes 9h 59m.
The fastest way to get from Cologne to Dessau is to drive which takes 4h 25m and costs €70 - €110.
No, there is no direct bus from Cologne to Dessau. However, there are services departing from Köln-Ehrenfeld Gleis and arriving at Dessau Hbf via Magdeburg Hbf. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 7h 45m.
No, there is no direct train from Cologne to Dessau. However, there are services departing from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf and arriving at Dessau Hbf via Frankfurt and Leipzig Hbf. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 6h 13m.
The distance between Cologne and Dessau is 609 km. The road distance is 495.6 km.
The best way to get from Cologne to Dessau without a car is to train via Frankfurt am Main which takes 6h 13m and costs €100 - €230.
It takes approximately 6h 13m to get from Cologne to Dessau, including transfers.
Cologne to Dessau bus services, operated by OrionBus, depart from Köln-Ehrenfeld Gleis station.
Cologne to Dessau train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf station.
The best way to get from Cologne to Dessau is to train via Frankfurt am Main which takes 6h 13m and costs €100 - €230. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs and takes 7h 45m.
What companies run services between Cologne, Germany and Dessau, Germany?
You can take a train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Dessau Hbf via Frankfurt and Leipzig Hbf in around 6h 13m. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Köln-Ehrenfeld Gleis to Dessau Hbf via Magdeburg and Magdeburg Hbf in around 7h 45m.
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Berlin Brandenburg Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €50–320
Flights from Frankfurt to Leipzig-Halle Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €95–160
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Berlin Brandenburg Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €85–310
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Berlin Brandenburg Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- €75–330
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Dresden Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €140–420
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Dresden Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- When
- Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €80–480
Flights from Frankfurt to Berlin Brandenburg Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–250
Flights from Frankfurt to Berlin Brandenburg Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 52m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €45–280
Flights from Frankfurt to Dresden Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €130–290
Flights from Frankfurt to Dresden Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €130–290
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €30–65
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Frankfurt to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 12m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €65–140
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dessau Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 31 min
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- €11–22
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €16–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Hbf to Köthen
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 18m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €90–180
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €30–60
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Düsseldorf Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 19 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €7–14
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €16–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €21–45
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dessau Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 31 min
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- €11–22
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €30–60
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Lutherstadt Wittenberg Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €16–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €30–60
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €21–45
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dessau Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 31 min
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- €11–22
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +38 (050) 010-01-04
- orionbilet@gmail.com
- Website
- OrionBus
Bus from Köln-Ehrenfeld Gleis to Magdeburg
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 37m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Website
- OrionBus
Want to know more about travelling around Germany
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
Want to know more about Flixbus?
Read the travel guide
Booking & Getting There
Cologne to Dessau bus services, operated by OrionBus, arrive at Magdeburg station.
Cologne to Dessau train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Frankfurt station.
Yes, the driving distance between Cologne to Dessau is 496 km. It takes approximately 4h 25m to drive from Cologne to Dessau.
Book your Cologne to Dessau train tickets online with Omio.
There are 279+ hotels available in Dessau.





