There are 8 ways to get from Zurich to Cologne by train (Trenitalia), bus, night train, car, train, 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 Mannheim
best- Take the train from Zürich HB to Basel SBBIce / ...
- Take the train from Basel SBB to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof20 / ...
- Take the train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Köln Hbf43 / ...
5h 22m€57–272Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Zurich Bus Station to LeverkusenN11
10h 59m€30–55Night train
- Take the night train from Zürich HB to Bonn-BeuelNj
8h 21m€174–317Drive 534 km
- Drive from Zurich to Cologne534 km
5h 21m€93–134Train
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Basel SBBIr36 / ...
- Take the train from Basel SBB to Köln Hbf43 / ...
6h€56–191Fly to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Fly from Zurich Airport (ZRH) to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)ZRH - CGN
3h 44m€81–215Fly to Frankfurt, train
- Fly from Zurich Airport (ZRH) to Frankfurt (FRA)ZRH - FRA
- Take the train from Frankfurt to Köln Hbf
3h 17m€107–268Fly to Düsseldorf International Airport, train
- Fly from Zurich Airport (ZRH) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)ZRH - DUS
- Take the train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Koeln Hbf
4h 35m€86–262
Zurich to Cologne by train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Zurich to Cologne is to bus which costs €30 - €55 and takes 10h 59m.
The fastest way to get from Zurich to Cologne is to fly and train which takes 3h 17m and costs €100 - €270.
No, there is no direct bus from Zurich station to Cologne. However, there are services departing from Zurich Bus Station and arriving at Köln Heumarkt via Wiesdorf Leverkusen Mitte Bf. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 10h 59m.
No, there is no direct train from Zurich to Cologne. However, there are services departing from Zürich HB and arriving at Köln Hbf via Basel SBB and Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 5h 22m.
The distance between Zurich and Cologne is 581 km. The road distance is 534 km.
The best way to get from Zurich to Cologne without a car is to train via Mannheim which takes 5h 22m and costs €55 - €280.
It takes approximately 5h 22m to get from Zurich to Cologne, including transfers.
Zurich to Cologne bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Zurich Bus Station.
Zurich to Cologne train services, operated by SBB GmbH, depart from Zürich HB station.
The best way to get from Zurich to Cologne is to train via Mannheim which takes 5h 22m and costs €55 - €280. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €30 - €55 and takes 10h 59m, you could also fly, which costs €80 - €220 and takes 3h 44m.
What companies run services between Zurich, Switzerland and Cologne, Germany?
You can take a train from Zürich HB to Köln Hbf via Basel SBB and Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof in around 5h 22m. Alternatively, FlixBus operates a bus from Zurich Bus Station to Leverkusen once daily. Tickets cost €30–55 and the journey takes 9h 55m.
Transport is disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Read more
- Website
- swiss.com
Flights from Zurich Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–190
Flights from Zurich Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–400
Flights from Zurich Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €60–240
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Zurich Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- €85–340
Flights from Zurich Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–400
Flights from Zurich Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–340
Flights from Zurich Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 7m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €45–320
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from Zurich Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–190
Flights from Zurich Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €60–180
- Website
- condor.com
Flights from Zurich Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–170
- Website
- airdolomiti.it
Flights from Zurich Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €85–300
- Phone
- +49 (0) 7531 915109
- info@sbb-deutschland.de
- Website
- sbb-deutschland.de
Train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- €8–11
- Schedules at
- sbb-deutschland.de
- Phone
- +49 30 311 682904
- Website
- bahn.de
Train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- €28–32
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Basel SBB to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 14m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €27–65
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 32m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €25–80
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Basel SBB to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 49m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €35–120
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
Train from Frankfurt to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €20–75
- Website
- https://int.bahn.de/en
- Phone
- +39 06 68475475
- ufficiogruppi@trenitalia.it
- Website
- trenitalia.com
Train from Basel SBB to Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €55–110
- Website
- https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
- 1st Class
- €75–110
- 2nd Class
- €55–80
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- ns.nl
Train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 36m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €35–130
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- €35–55
- 1st Class
- €75–130
Train from Frankfurt to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €27–90
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- €27–40
- 1st Class
- €50–90
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Koeln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 24 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €8–21
- Website
- https://www.ns.nl/en
- 2nd Class
- €8–12
- 1st Class
- €12–21
- Phone
- +32 70 79 79 79
- Website
- belgiantrain.be
Train from Mannheim, Hauptbahnhof to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 20m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- €21–30
- Website
- https://www.belgiantrain.be/en
- 2nd Class
- €21–30
- 1st Class
- €30–50
- Phone
- +41 848 446 688
- Website
- sbb.ch
Night train from Zürich HB to Bonn-Beuel
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €160–300
- Website
- https://www.sbb.ch/en
Train from Zürich HB to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 14m
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- €21–45
- Website
- https://www.sbb.ch/en
- Phone
- +43 5 1717
- Website
- konzern.oebb.at
Train from Basel SBB to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 52m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €100–150
- Website
- https://konzern.oebb.at/en/
- Phone
- 0221 13 999 444
- Website
- nationalexpress.de
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Koeln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 32 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- €9–13
- Schedules at
- nationalexpress.de
- Phone
- +44 343 218 6186
- Website
- eurostar.com
Train from Duesseldorf Hbf to Koeln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €24–55
- Website
- https://www.eurostar.com/rw-en
- Standard
- €24–35
- Comfort
- €25–35
- Premium
- €40–55
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Zurich Bus Station to Leverkusen
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €30–55
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
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More Questions & Answers
Zurich to Cologne bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Leverkusen station.
Zurich to Cologne train services, operated by SBB GmbH, arrive at Basel SBB station.
Yes, the driving distance between Zurich to Cologne is 534 km. It takes approximately 5h 21m to drive from Zurich to Cologne.
Book your Zurich to Cologne train tickets online with Omio.
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