There are 11 ways to get from Reading to Essen by train (Eurostar), bus, car, car train, train, plane, 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.
Train
best- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Take the train from London St Pancras Intl to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Miditrain Eil
- Take the train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Essen Hbftrain
7h 42m€130–408Train to London Gatwick Airport, fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
cheapest- Take the train from Reading to Gatwick Airporttrain
- Fly from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane LGW - DUS
5h 30m€80–266Bus
- Take the bus from Reading RailAir to Heathrow Terminal 2bus Ra1
- Take the bus from London Victoria to Duisburg central train stationbus N1328
16h 45m€88–120Drive, Eurotunnel
- Drive from Reading to Folkestonecar
- Take the car train from Folkestone to Calais-Fréthuncartrain
- Drive from Calais-Fréthun to Essencar
6h 32mTrain to London Heathrow Airport, fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Fly from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane LHR - DUS
4h 58m€94–327Bus via Dortmund
- Take the bus from Reading RailAir to Heathrow Terminal 2bus Ra1
- Take the bus from LONDON, Victoria Coach Station-Departure Hall to DORTMUND, Hbf Nordseite, Steinstrassebus
16h 49m€104–203Drive, car ferry
- Drive from Reading to Port of Dovercar
- Take the car ferry from Port of Dover to Calaiscarferry
- Drive from Calais to Essencar
7h 46m€121–183Train to Birmingham Airport, fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Take the train from Reading to Birmingham Internationaltrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane BHX - DUS
5h 22m€95–320Train to London Heathrow Airport, fly to Cologne Bonn Airport, train
- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Fly from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)plane LHR - CGN
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbftrain
5h 44m€114–411Train to London Stansted Airport, fly to Cologne Bonn Airport, train
- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Fly from London Stansted Airport (STN) to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)plane STN - CGN
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbftrain
6h 33m€95–330Train to London City Airport, fly to Rotterdam The Hague Airport, train
- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Fly from London City Airport (LCY) to Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM)plane LCY - RTM
- Take the train from Rotterdam Centraal to Utrecht Centraaltrain
- Take the train from Utrecht Centraal to Oberhausen Hbftrain
7h€154–468
Reading to Essen by train and subway
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Reading to Essen is to bus which costs €85 - €120 and takes 16h 45m.
The fastest way to get from Reading to Essen is to train and fly which takes 4h 58m and costs €90 - €330.
No, there is no direct bus from Reading to Essen station. However, there are services departing from Reading RailAir and arriving at Essen central train station via Heathrow Central Bus Station, London Victoria and Duisburg central train station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 16h 45m.
No, there is no direct train from Reading to Essen. However, there are services departing from Reading and arriving at Essen Hbf via Paddington, London St Pancras Intl and Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 7h 42m.
The distance between Reading and Essen is 735 km.
The best way to get from Reading to Essen without a car is to train which takes 7h 42m and costs €130 - €410.
It takes approximately 7h 42m to get from Reading to Essen, including transfers.
Reading to Essen bus services, operated by RailAir, depart from Reading RailAir station.
Reading to Essen train services, operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), depart from Reading station.
The best way to get from Reading to Essen is to train which takes 7h 42m and costs €130 - €410. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €85 - €120 and takes 16h 45m.
What companies run services between Reading, England and Essen, Germany?
You can take a train from Reading to Essen Hbf via London Paddington, Paddington, King's Cross St. Pancras station, London St Pancras Intl, and Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi in around 7h 42m. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Reading RailAir to Essen central train station via Heathrow Terminal 2, Heathrow Central Bus Station, London Victoria Coach Station Arrivals, London Victoria, and Duisburg central train station in around 16h 45m.
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from London Stansted Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–140
- Website
- britishairways.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €60–150
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €70–190
Flights from London City Airport to Rotterdam The Hague Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €90–250
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €55–170
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €60–170
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €70–220
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €55–170
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €100–320
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- €100–320
- Website
- klm.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Amsterdam Schiphol
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €40–280
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Amsterdam Schiphol
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–250
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from London Stansted Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Friday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €25–140
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from London Gatwick Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €40–160
- Phone
- +44 3457 000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- gwr.com
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- €24–45
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
- Anytime Day Single
- €24–29
- Anytime Day Single 1st Class
- €30–45
Train from Reading to Gatwick Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €30–50
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
- Phone
- 0343 222 1234
- Website
- tfl.gov.uk
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €13–26
- Website
- https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/elizabeth-line/
- Off Peak
- €13–21
- Peak
- €17–26
- Phone
- +44 343 218 6186
- Website
- eurostar.com
Train from London St Pancras Intl to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 1m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €70–240
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €45–120
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 58 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €30–70
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
- Standard
- €30–45
- Comfort
- €35–50
- Premium
- €50–70
- Phone
- +44 (0) 8443 35 35 35
- Website
- leshuttle.com
Car train from Folkestone to Calais-Fréthun
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.leshuttle.com/uk-en
Train from Reading to Birmingham International
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 24m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €21–95
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- +49 30 311 682904
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €18–55
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €15–22
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +49 9126 301 90 70
- fahrgaeste@train-rental.com
- Website
- train-rental.com
Train from Köln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Schedules at
- train-rental.com
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- ns.nl
Train from Rotterdam Centraal to Utrecht Centraal
- Ave. Duration
- 37 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- €10–29
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- €10–16
- 1st Class
- €17–29
Train from Utrecht Centraal to Oberhausen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €24–80
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- €24–35
- 1st Class
- €45–80
- Phone
- +44 345 646 0707
- Website
- railair.com
Bus from Reading RailAir to Heathrow Terminal 2
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- €30–40
- Website
- https://www.railair.com/
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from London Victoria to Duisburg central train station
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 5m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- €40–60
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +48 801 22 33 44
- bilety@sindbad.pl
- Website
- sindbad.pl
Bus from LONDON, Victoria Coach Station-Departure Hall to DORTMUND, Hbf Nordseite, Steinstrasse
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €55–85
- Website
- https://www.sindbad.pl/en/home
- Phone
- 01304 44 88 88
- customer.services@poferries.com
- Website
- poferries.com
Car ferry from Port of Dover to Calais
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- €28–45
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Phone
- +353 818 300 400
- info@irishferries.com
- Website
- irishferries.com
Car ferry from Port of Dover to Calais
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €35–45
- Website
- https://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/Travel-to-Ireland
- Car
- €75–190
- On Foot
- €35–45
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More Questions & Answers
Reading to Essen bus services, operated by RailAir, arrive at Heathrow Terminal 2 station.
Essen is 1h ahead of Reading. It is currently 12:53 PM in Reading and 1:53 PM in Essen.
Reading to Essen train services, operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), arrive at London Paddington station.
Book your Reading to Essen bus tickets online with Omio.
There are 2601+ hotels available in Essen.


























































