There are 8 ways to get from Cologne to Palermo by plane, train (Trenitalia), train, bus, car, or car ferry
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport
best- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Palermo Airport (PMO)plane CGN - PMO
5h 27m€71–326Train
- Take the train from Koeln Hbf to Frankfurt(Main)Hbftrain Ice
- Take the train from Frankfurt to Chiassotrain Ec
- Take the train from Chiasso to Milano Centraletrain S11
- Take the train from Milano Centrale to Roma Terminitrain
- Take the train from Roma Termini to Palermo Centraletrain Ic
26h 29m€370–638Train, bus
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurttrain 41 / ...
- Take the bus from Mühlheim am Main to Messina - Piazza della Repubblicabus
- Take the train from Messina Centrale to Palermo Centraletrain Re
29h 18m€268–417Drive, car ferry
- Drive from Cologne to Port of Genoacar
- Take the carferry from Port of Genoa to Port of Palermocarferry
29h 50m€255–374Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Palermo Airport (PMO)plane DUS - PMO
6h 8m€91–316Train to Frankfurt, fly
- Take the train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurttrain
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Palermo Airport (PMO)plane FRA - PMO
6h 7m€114–276Train to Dortmund Airport, fly
- Take the train from Koeln Hbf to Holzwickedetrain
- Fly from Dortmund Airport (DTM) to Palermo Airport (PMO)plane DTM - PMO
7h 6mBus
- Take the bus from Cologne to Palermo Piazza Cairolibus
38h 14m€300–410
Cologne to Palermo by train
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Cologne to Palermo is to fly which costs €70 - €330 and takes 5h 27m.
The fastest way to get from Cologne to Palermo is to fly which takes 5h 27m and costs €70 - €330.
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Cologne and arriving at Palermo Piazza Cairoli. Services depart once a week, and operate Wednesday and Saturday. The journey takes approximately 38h 14m.
No, there is no direct train from Cologne to Palermo. However, there are services departing from Koeln Hbf and arriving at Palermo Centrale via Frankfurt, Chiasso, Milano Centrale and Roma Termini. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 26h 29m.
The distance between Cologne and Palermo is 1534 km.
The best way to get from Cologne to Palermo without a car is to train which takes 26h 29m and costs €370 - €650.
It takes approximately 5h 27m to get from Cologne to Palermo, including transfers.
Cologne to Palermo bus services, operated by Onebus, depart from Cologne station.
Cologne to Palermo train services, operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), depart from Koeln Hbf station.
The best way to get from Cologne to Palermo is to fly which takes 5h 27m and costs €70 - €330. Alternatively, you can train, which costs €370 - €650 and takes 26h 29m, you could also bus, which costs €300 - €410 and takes 38h 14m.
What companies run services between Cologne, Germany and Palermo, Italy?
Ryanair, Eurowings, and Lufthansa fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Palermo Airport (PMO) 3 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a train from Koeln Hbf to Palermo Centrale via Frankfurt(Main)Hbf, Frankfurt, Chiasso, Milano Centrale, and Roma Termini in around 26h 29m.
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Palermo Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €90–330
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Palermo Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €95–340
Flights from Frankfurt to Palermo Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €85–310
- Website
- swiss.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Palermo Airport via Zurich
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €80–310
Flights from Frankfurt to Palermo Airport via Zurich
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–290
- Website
- ita-airways.com
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Palermo Airport via Milan Linate
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 42m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €170–290
Flights from Frankfurt to Palermo Airport via Milan Linate
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €95–200
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Palermo Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 25m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- €45–220
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Palermo Airport via Bologna
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- €45–220
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Palermo Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- €120–310
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Palermo Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- €160–350
- Website
- flyulendo.com
Flights from Dortmund Airport to Palermo Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- €55–210
Flights from Dortmund Airport to Palermo Airport via Rome
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 35m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €55–210
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
Train from Koeln Hbf to Frankfurt(Main)Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19–40
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Koeln Hbf to Frankfurt(Main)Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €30–70
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €30–65
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Messe/Deutz Bf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €30–65
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Frankfurt to Chiasso
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 49m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- €180–270
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from Chiasso to Milano Centrale
- Ave. Duration
- 46 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €15–22
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
- Phone
- +39 06 8937 1892
- Website
- Italo Treno
Train from Milano Centrale to Roma Termini
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €65–110
- Website
- Italo Treno
- Phone
- +39 06 68475475
- Website
- Trenitalia Intercity
Train from Roma Termini to Palermo Centrale
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 32m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €90–170
- Website
- Trenitalia Intercity
Train from Messina Centrale to Palermo Centrale
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 3m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €23–45
- Website
- Trenitalia Intercity
- Phone
- +39.06.5210550
- Website
- Trenitalia
Train from Messina Centrale to Palermo Centrale
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 54m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €26–40
- Website
- Trenitalia
- Phone
- +49 221 13 999 444
- Website
- National Express
Train from Koeln Hbf to Holzwickede
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Schedules at
- National Express
- Phone
- +39 0362 185 0590
- info@onebus.it
- Website
- Onebus
Bus from Mühlheim am Main to Messina - Piazza della Repubblica
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 53m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €210–290
- Website
- Onebus
Bus from Cologne to Palermo Piazza Cairoli
- Ave. Duration
- 38h 14m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €300–410
- Website
- Onebus
- Phone
- +39 010 209 4591
- booking@gnv.it
- Website
- Grandi Navi Veloci
Car ferry from Port of Genoa to Port of Palermo
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €100–150
- Website
- Grandi Navi Veloci
Want to know more about travelling around Italy
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Booking & Getting There
Cologne to Palermo bus services, operated by Onebus, arrive at Palermo Piazza Cairoli station.
Cologne to Palermo train services, operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), arrive at Frankfurt(Main)Hbf station.
Book your Cologne to Palermo train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Cologne to Palermo bus tickets online with Omio.
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