There are 5 ways to get from Essen to Cologne by train (Eurostar), bus, train, car, taxi, or rideshare
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 Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf43 / ...
52 min€5–70Rideshare
cheapest- Take the rideshare from Essen to Cologne69.2 km
1h 6m€3–7Bus, train
- Take the bus from Essen central train station to Düsseldorf central bus stationN1320 / ...
- Take the train from Düsseldorf Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf41 / ...
1h 54m€7–31Drive 69.5 km
- Drive from Essen to Cologne69.5 km
43 min€10–15Taxi
- Take the taxi from Essen to Cologne69.5 km
43 min€170–210
Essen to Cologne by train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Essen to Cologne is to rideshare which costs €3 - €7 and takes 1h 6m.
The fastest way to get from Essen to Cologne is to drive which takes 43 min and costs €9 - €15.
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Essen Hbf and arriving at Köln Hbf. Services depart every 20 minutes, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 52 min.
The distance between Essen and Cologne is 83 km. The road distance is 69.5 km.
The best way to get from Essen to Cologne without a car is to train which takes 52 min and costs €5 - €70.
The train from Essen Hbf to Cologne Hbf takes 52 min including transfers and departs every 20 minutes.
Essen to Cologne train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from Essen Hbf station.
Essen to Cologne train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Köln Hbf station.
Yes, the driving distance between Essen to Cologne is 69 km. It takes approximately 43 min to drive from Essen to Cologne.
Book your Essen to Cologne train tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
What companies run services between Essen, Germany and Cologne, Germany?
Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC) operates a train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf hourly. Tickets cost €18–30 and the journey takes 52 min. Five other operators also service this route.
Transport is disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Read more
- Phone
- +49 30 311 682904
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €18–30
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Düsseldorf Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 21 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €10–22
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
#/media/File:ICE_4_Berlin_Hauptbahnhof_(3).jpg "ICE 4 Berlin Hauptbahnhof")
- Phone
- 0221 13 999 444
- Website
- nationalexpress.de
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 3m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €15–22
- Schedules at
- nationalexpress.de
- Phone
- +44 343 218 6186
- Website
- eurostar.com
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 3m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €30–70
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
- Standard
- €30–45
- Comfort
- €35–50
- Premium
- €50–70
- Phone
- +49 9126 301 90 70
- fahrgaeste@train-rental.com
- Website
- train-rental.com
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Schedules at
- train-rental.com
Train from Düsseldorf Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 27 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Schedules at
- train-rental.com
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- info@flixbus.de
- Website
- flixtrain.de
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- €5–13
- Website
- https://www.flixtrain.com/
Train from Düsseldorf Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- €4–7
- Website
- https://www.flixtrain.com/
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €15–22
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Düsseldorf Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €10–14
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Essen central train station to Düsseldorf central bus station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €6–10
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +3-389-268-0068
- Website
- blablacar.co.uk
Bus from Essen central train station to Düsseldorf central bus station
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €3–4
- Website
- https://www.blablacar.co.uk/bus
- Phone
- +3 318 576 2228
- Website
- blablacar.com
Rideshare from Essen to Cologne
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €3–7
- Schedules at
- blablacar.com
- Ave. Duration
- 43 min
- Estimated price
- €170–210
Trans-Port-Essen
- Phone
- +49 201 706090
- Website
- trans-port-essen.de
Taxi Steele e.V.
- Phone
- +49 201 54954
- Website
- taxi-steele.de
Taxi Harris
- Phone
- +49 160 7668813
- Website
- taxiharris.de
Taxi Essen e.G.
- Phone
- +49 201 777 777
- Website
- taxiessen.de
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More Questions & Answers
There are 1736+ hotels available in Cologne.
Check out Blablacar's carpooling service for rideshare options between Essen and Cologne. A great option if you don't have a driver's licence or want to avoid public transport.