There are 11 ways to get from Cologne to Leipzig by train, bus, night train, rideshare, 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 Frankfurt41 / ...
- Take the train from Frankfurt to Leipzig Hbf50 / ...
4h 54m€57–171Rideshare
cheapest- Take the rideshare from Cologne to Leipzig461.9 km
5h 4m€14–30Bus
- Take the bus from Leverkusen to Leipzig central train station264 / ...
9h 5m€22–50Night train
- Take the night train from Koeln Hbf to Halle(Saale)HbfNj
9h 51m€61–277Train
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to Leipzig Hbf51 / ...
6h€50–140Drive 461.7 km
- Drive from Cologne to Leipzig461.7 km
4h 39m€65–94Train to Düsseldorf International Airport, fly to Leipzig-Halle Airport
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bf
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ)DUS - LEJ
4h 54m€166–370Train to Frankfurt, fly to Leipzig-Halle Airport
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ)FRA - LEJ
3h 26m€112–258Fly Cologne Bonn Airport to Berlin Brandenburg Airport, train
- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)CGN - BER
- Take the train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Leipzig Hbf
4h 28m€71–283Train to Frankfurt, fly to Dresden Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Dresden Airport (DRS)FRA - DRS
- Take the train from Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt to Leipzig Hbf
4h 48m€169–407Train to Frankfurt, fly to Berlin Brandenburg Airport, train
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)FRA - BER
- Take the train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Leipzig Hbf
5h 5m€97–370
Cologne to Leipzig by train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cologne to Leipzig is to rideshare which costs €14 - €30 and takes 5h 4m.
The fastest way to get from Cologne to Leipzig is to train and fly which takes 3h 26m and costs €110 - €260.
No, there is no direct bus from Cologne to Leipzig station. However, there are services departing from Köln Heumarkt and arriving at Leipzig central train station via Leverkusen. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 9h 5m.
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Köln Hbf and arriving at Leipzig Hbf. Services depart once daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 6h.
The distance between Cologne and Leipzig is 550 km. The road distance is 461.7 km.
The best way to get from Cologne to Leipzig without a car is to train via Frankfurt am Main which takes 4h 54m and costs €55 - €180.
It takes approximately 4h 54m to get from Cologne to Leipzig, including transfers.
Cologne to Leipzig bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Leverkusen station.
Cologne to Leipzig train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf station.
The best way to get from Cologne to Leipzig is to train via Frankfurt am Main which takes 4h 54m and costs €55 - €180. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €22 - €50 and takes 9h 5m.
What companies run services between Cologne, Germany and Leipzig, Germany?
You can take a train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Leipzig Hbf via Frankfurt in around 4h 54m. Alternatively, FlixBus operates a bus from Leverkusen to Leipzig central train station once daily. Tickets cost €22–50 and the journey takes 7h 30m.
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Leipzig-Halle Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €200–310
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Leipzig-Halle Airport via Munich, Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 8m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €85–450
Flights from Frankfurt to Leipzig-Halle Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €80–160
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Berlin Brandenburg Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €80–310
Flights from Frankfurt to Dresden Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €120–290
Flights from Frankfurt to Dresden Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- €120–290
Flights from Frankfurt to Berlin Brandenburg Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–230
Flights from Frankfurt to Berlin Brandenburg Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 58m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €40–260
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Berlin Brandenburg Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €55–190
- Website
- condor.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Berlin Brandenburg Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €60–170
- Website
- austrian.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Leipzig-Halle Airport via Vienna
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 25m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- €100–380
- Website
- lufthansa-city.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Berlin Brandenburg Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–230
- Phone
- +49 30 311 682904
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €27–75
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Frankfurt to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 12m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €30–100
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Hbf to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €50–140
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Köln Hbf to D-Flughafen Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €7–24
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €23–60
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €18–40
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +43 51717
- Website
- nightjet.com
Night train from Koeln Hbf to Halle(Saale)Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 3m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- €50–265
- Website
- https://www.nightjet.com/en/#/home
- Sleeper Carriage
- €259–265
- Couchette Carriage
- €140–160
- Seating Carriage
- €50–65
- 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
- €25–60
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
- Standard
- €25–40
- Comfort
- €27–40
- Premium
- €40–60
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- ns.nl
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- €27–90
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- €27–40
- 1st Class
- €50–90
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- info@flixbus.de
- Website
- flixtrain.de
Train from S Südkreuz Bhf to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 8m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €4–14
- Website
- https://www.flixtrain.com/
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19–27
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +43 5 1717
- Website
- oebb.at
Train from Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt to Leipzig Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €28–40
- Website
- https://www.oebb.at/en/reiseplanung-services/im-zug/unsere-zuege/eurocity-intercity
- Website
- https://shop.oebbtickets.at/en/ticket
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Leverkusen to Leipzig central train station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €22–50
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +3 318 576 2228
- Website
- blablacar.com
Rideshare from Cologne to Leipzig
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 4m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €14–30
- Schedules at
- blablacar.com
Want to know more about travelling around Germany
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More Questions & Answers
Cologne to Leipzig bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Leipzig central train station.
Cologne to Leipzig train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Frankfurt station.
Yes, the driving distance between Cologne to Leipzig is 462 km. It takes approximately 4h 39m to drive from Cologne to Leipzig.
Book your Cologne to Leipzig train tickets online with Omio.
There are 1424+ hotels available in Leipzig.
Check out Blablacar's carpooling service for rideshare options between Cologne and Leipzig. A great option if you don't have a driver's licence or want to avoid public transport.







































