There are 11 ways to get from Munich to Essen by train (Eurostar), bus, night train, car, train, car train, rideshare, 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.
Rideshare
cheapest- Take the rideshare from Munich to Essen630 km
7h 28m€31Bus
- Take the bus from Munich central bus station to Essen central train stationbus N885 / ...
9h 50m€40–90Night train
- Take the nighttrain from Muenchen Hbf to Essen Hbfnighttrain Nj
8h 7m€40–120Drive 630 km
- Drive from Munich to Essencar 630 km
5h 17m€117–168Train
- Take the train from München Hbf to Essen Hbftrain 47 / ...
5h 3m€100–210Car train, drive
- Take the cartrain from München Ost to Fuldacartrain
- Drive from Fulda to Essencar
7h 31m€145–190Bus, train
- Take the bus from München, ZOB to Kölnbus Ivano-Frankivsk
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to Essen Süd Strain S6
13h 20m€93–103Fly to Düsseldorf International Airport, train
- Fly from Munich International Airport (MUC) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane MUC - DUS
- Take the train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Essen Hbftrain
3h 24m€89–243Fly to Cologne Bonn Airport, train
- Fly from Munich International Airport (MUC) to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)plane MUC - CGN
- Take the train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbftrain
4h 14m€96–307Fly to Münster Osnabrück International Airport, train
- Fly from Munich International Airport (MUC) to Münster Osnabrück International Airport (FMO)plane MUC - FMO
- Take the train from Münster Hauptbahnhof to Essen Hbftrain
5h 3m€140–313
Munich to Essen by train
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Munich to Essen is to rideshare which costs €31 and takes 7h 28m.
The fastest way to get from Munich to Essen is to fly and train which takes 3h 24m and costs €85 - €250.
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Munich central bus station station and arriving at Essen central train station station. Services depart three times a day, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 9h 50m.
Yes, there is an overnight train departing from Muenchen Hbf and arriving at Essen Hbf. This train operates every day. The journey takes approximately 8h 7m.
The distance between Munich and Essen is 656 km. The road distance is 630 km.
The best way to get from Munich to Essen without a car is to train via Düsseldorf which takes 5h 2m and costs €70 - €230.
It takes approximately 5h 2m to get from Munich to Essen, including transfers.
Munich to Essen bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Munich central bus station.
Munich to Essen train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from München Hbf station.
The best way to get from Munich to Essen is to train via Düsseldorf which takes 5h 2m and costs €70 - €230. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €40 - €90 and takes 9h 50m.
What companies run services between Munich, Germany and Essen, Germany?
You can take a train from München Hbf to Essen Hbf via Düsseldorf Hbf and Duesseldorf Hbf in around 5h 2m. Alternatively, FlixBus operates a bus from Munich central bus station to Essen central train station 3 times a day. Tickets cost €55–90 and the journey takes 9h 50m. Trans Turist also services this route 3 times a week.
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Munich International Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €40–280
Flights from Munich International Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €85–210
Flights from Munich International Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €45–300
Flights from Munich International Airport to Münster Osnabrück International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–430
- Website
- lufthansa-city.com
Flights from Munich International Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €40–280
Flights from Munich International Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €45–300
Flights from Munich International Airport to Münster Osnabrück International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–430
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from Munich International Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €65–230
Flights from Munich International Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- €75–260
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from München Hbf to Düsseldorf Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 34m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €100–200
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 25 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €7–14
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from München Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 3m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €100–210
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 21 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €5–11
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €13–26
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Münster Hauptbahnhof to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €14–28
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
Train from München Hbf to Düsseldorf Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 50m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- €65–130
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
- Phone
- +49 221 13 999 444
- Website
- National Express
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 31 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Schedules at
- National Express
Train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 24 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Schedules at
- National Express
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Schedules at
- National Express
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 42 min
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- €4–7
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Süd S
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €8–12
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 37 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €3–6
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Münster Hauptbahnhof to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €10–14
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
- Phone
- +44 (0)3432 186 186
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €17–28
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €30–55
- Website
- Eurostar
- Phone
- 0180 6 9 27 37 27
- info@eurobahn.de
- Website
- Eurobahn
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 29 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €10–15
- Website
- Eurobahn
Train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 22 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €9–14
- Website
- Eurobahn
- Phone
- +49 9126 301 90 70
- fahrgaeste@train-rental.com
- Website
- TRI Train Rental GmbH
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Schedules at
- TRI Train Rental GmbH
Train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 29 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Schedules at
- TRI Train Rental GmbH
- Phone
- +43 (0) 51717
- Website
- Nightjet
Night train from Muenchen Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 7m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €40–120
- Website
- Nightjet
- Sleeper Carriage
- €100–120
- Couchette Carriage
- €70–85
- Seating Carriage
- €40–50
- Phone
- +49 (0) 221 800 20 820
- info@urlaubs-express.de
- Website
- Urlaubs-Express (UEX)
Car train from München Ost to Fulda
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 46m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €95–110
- Website
- Urlaubs-Express (UEX)
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixtrain.de
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €6–10
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Train from Münster Hauptbahnhof to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 1m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €7–11
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Munich central bus station to Essen central train station
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 50m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- €55–90
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +387 35 320-321
- info@transturist.ba
- Website
- transturist.ba
Bus from Munich central bus station to Essen central train station
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 35m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- €40–55
- Schedules at
- transturist.ba
- Phone
- +38 098-888-11-08
- igoruzhanskyi@grandbus.com.ua
- Website
- Grand Bus
Bus from München, ZOB to Köln
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €85–95
- Website
- Grand Bus
- Phone
- +3 318 576 2228
- Website
- BlaBlaCar
Rideshare from Munich to Essen
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 28m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €31
- Schedules at
- BlaBlaCar
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.
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Booking & Getting There
Munich to Essen bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Essen central train station.
Munich to Essen train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Düsseldorf Hbf station.
Yes, the driving distance between Munich to Essen is 630 km. It takes approximately 5h 17m to drive from Munich to Essen.
Book your Munich to Essen train tickets online with Omio and 12go.asia.
Book your Munich to Essen bus tickets online with Omio, FlixBus and 12go.asia.
There are 2769+ hotels available in Essen.
Check out Blablacar's carpooling service for rideshare options between Munich and Essen. A great option if you don't have a driver's licence or want to avoid public transport.














































