What is the best way to travel from Cologne to Essen?
Looking for a trip? Compare all the available Buses, Trains and Carpool for the journey to Essen from Cologne. Check between different modes of transportation, look for the cheapest tickets, fastest rides and most popular stations, and see all 1 available companies to find your perfect trip!
What is the cheapest way to reach Essen from Cologne?
You can get to Essen with just $5 by taking a Carpool from BlaBlaCar, but you can find many more cheap offers: we have selected the best ones for next few days here for you.
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FlixBus1h 40m08:25 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station10:05 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/24/2025 8:25:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 10:05:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $8 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 40m
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FlixBus1h 55m08:40 PMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station10:35 PMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/24/2025 8:40:00 PM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 10:35:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $8 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 55m
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FlixBus1h 40m04:45 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station6:25 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/24/2025 4:45:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 6:25:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 40m
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FlixBus2h 0m05:10 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station7:10 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/24/2025 5:10:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 7:10:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 2h 0m
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Deutsche Bahn1h 14m05:29 AMCologneEhrenfeld Train Station6:43 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Train from Deutsche Bahn goes from Ehrenfeld Train Station, Cologne (Germany) at 12/24/2025 5:29:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 6:43:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $13 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 14m
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Deutsche Bahn1h 4m06:54 AMCologneEhrenfeld Train Station7:58 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Train from Deutsche Bahn goes from Ehrenfeld Train Station, Cologne (Germany) at 12/24/2025 6:54:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 7:58:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $13 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 4m
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Deutsche Bahn1h 11m07:54 AMCologneEhrenfeld Train Station9:05 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Train from Deutsche Bahn goes from Ehrenfeld Train Station, Cologne (Germany) at 12/24/2025 7:54:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 9:05:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $13 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 11m
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Deutsche Bahn1h 4m07:54 PMCologneEhrenfeld Train Station8:58 PMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Train from Deutsche Bahn goes from Ehrenfeld Train Station, Cologne (Germany) at 12/24/2025 7:54:00 PM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 8:58:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $13 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 4m
Cheapest Buses Wednesday
Cheapest Trains Wednesday
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BlaBlaCar0h 30m010:00 PMDusseldorf Airport10:30 PMEssen0EconomyA Car from BlaBlaCar goes from , Dusseldorf Airport (Germany) at 12/26/2025 10:00:00 PM to , Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/26/2025 10:30:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $5 per person are available. Travel duration is 0h 30m
Cheapest Carpool Friday
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FlixBus2h 0m010:50 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station12:50 PMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/28/2025 10:50:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/28/2025 12:50:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $8 per person are available. Travel duration is 2h 0m
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FlixBus1h 40m04:45 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station6:25 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/28/2025 4:45:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/28/2025 6:25:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 40m
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FlixBus2h 0m05:10 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station7:10 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/28/2025 5:10:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/28/2025 7:10:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 2h 0m
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FlixBus1h 40m08:25 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station10:05 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/28/2025 8:25:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/28/2025 10:05:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 40m
Cheapest Buses Sunday
What are the fastest trips from Cologne to Essen?
You can get to Essen from Cologne in just 0h 30m with a Carpool from BlaBlaCar. This is not the only option, and you can click on any of the offers below to compare it with the other modes of transportations.
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Deutsche Bahn1h 4m06:54 AMCologneEhrenfeld Train Station7:58 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Train from Deutsche Bahn goes from Ehrenfeld Train Station, Cologne (Germany) at 12/24/2025 6:54:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 7:58:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $13 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 4m
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Deutsche Bahn1h 4m07:54 PMCologneEhrenfeld Train Station8:58 PMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Train from Deutsche Bahn goes from Ehrenfeld Train Station, Cologne (Germany) at 12/24/2025 7:54:00 PM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 8:58:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $13 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 4m
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Deutsche Bahn1h 11m07:54 AMCologneEhrenfeld Train Station9:05 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Train from Deutsche Bahn goes from Ehrenfeld Train Station, Cologne (Germany) at 12/24/2025 7:54:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 9:05:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $13 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 11m
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Deutsche Bahn1h 14m05:29 AMCologneEhrenfeld Train Station6:43 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Train from Deutsche Bahn goes from Ehrenfeld Train Station, Cologne (Germany) at 12/24/2025 5:29:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 6:43:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $13 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 14m
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FlixBus1h 40m08:25 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station10:05 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/24/2025 8:25:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 10:05:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $8 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 40m
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FlixBus1h 40m04:45 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station6:25 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/24/2025 4:45:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 6:25:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 40m
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FlixBus1h 55m08:40 PMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station10:35 PMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/24/2025 8:40:00 PM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 10:35:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $8 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 55m
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FlixBus2h 0m05:10 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station7:10 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/24/2025 5:10:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/24/2025 7:10:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 2h 0m
Fastest Trains Wednesday
Fastest Buses Wednesday
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BlaBlaCar0h 30m010:00 PMDusseldorf Airport10:30 PMEssen0EconomyA Car from BlaBlaCar goes from , Dusseldorf Airport (Germany) at 12/26/2025 10:00:00 PM to , Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/26/2025 10:30:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $5 per person are available. Travel duration is 0h 30m
Fastest Carpool Friday
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FlixBus1h 40m04:45 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station6:25 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/28/2025 4:45:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/28/2025 6:25:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 40m
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FlixBus1h 40m08:25 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station10:05 AMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/28/2025 8:25:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/28/2025 10:05:00 AM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 40m
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FlixBus1h 55m03:45 PMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station5:40 PMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/28/2025 3:45:00 PM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/28/2025 5:40:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $9 per person are available. Travel duration is 1h 55m
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FlixBus2h 0m010:50 AMCologne/Bonn AirportCologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station12:50 PMEssenCentral Station0EconomyA Bus from FlixBus goes from Cologne/Bonn Airport - Bus Station, Cologne/Bonn Airport (Germany) at 12/28/2025 10:50:00 AM to Central Station, Essen (Germany) arriving at 12/28/2025 12:50:00 PM. 50 Economy ticket for $8 per person are available. Travel duration is 2h 0m
Fastest Buses Sunday
Here you will find all operators and timetables for a
Bus from Cologne to Essen
What are the most popular stations in Cologne and Essen?
In Cologne, you will usually depart from Central Station, Messe/Deutz Train Station or Central Bus Station, while in Essen you will be arriving at Central Station, Freiheit Bus Stop or Hafenstr. Bus Stop, but there are many more stops to explore in both locations.
How do I decide? Some tips and tricks from our experience
Are you having trouble deciding on how to get to Essen from Cologne? With 5 connections between 1 Bus, Train and Carpool operators, it can be difficult to find the one ride that will make you happy. But we have some tips that can help you make the best informed decision. First of all, the best trip is always the one that meets all your needs, so make a list of all the things that you want from this journey and look for something that will satisfy all of them. Here we will go through some of the factors mostly commonly taken into consideration.
Look for the lowest price
Ticket price is usually the main concern: even if you can afford to pay more, why do it if there are cheaper options? Saving on the trip means that you can spend more on the vacation itself! Between Cologne and Essen, you can pay as low as $5 with a Carpool from BlaBlaCar.Travel duration
Time is also an important factor. An earlier departure may allow you to see a beautiful sunset or relax before an important event. And remember, time is money, so paying more for a shorter trip may be well worth it. For longer distances, flights are without doubt the best options, but be mindful of airport times and possible delays: a high-speed train may end up cheaper and faster! Here the quicker option is definitely the Carpool from BlaBlaCar: you will get to Essen in just 0h 30m.Comfort makes all the difference
You should always take into account what your personal travelling preferences are. Is one hand luggage enough, or are you trasporting more? Would you like to have a snack during the journey? Can you relax in a busy compartment, or do you need space for yourself? Even among the same mode of transportation, different companies will offer you varying levels of comfort and amenities. The main operators connecting Cologne and Essen are FlixBus, Deutsche Bahn and BlaBlaCar, but be sure to check what they have to offer!Save money with deals, and always compare
One last tip? Even if you live in Cologne and Essen is your only destination, it may be wise to check the offers from and to nearby cities or, if you are flyng, nearby airports. Check the trips from Huerth or to Gelsenkirchen, and look at flights from Dusseldorf Airport, and landing at Dusseldorf Airport. Comparing different routes may allow you to find deals or promotions you were not aware of. Consider also signing up to CheckMyBus to see even more exclusive promotions!Which companies offer a trip from Cologne to Essen?
The most popular companies between Cologne and Essen, are FlixBus, Deutsche Bahn and BlaBlaCar. Be sure to check their seat class offers and the amenities that they provide.
Bus companies: FlixBus
Train companies: Deutsche Bahn
All you need to know when you travel from Cologne to Essen
Check all information on comfort and services on all modes of transports from Cologne to Essen. See which seat classes are available, and what amenities are other advantages offered by the operators on your journey.
FAQs about the trip from Cologne to Essen
How can I reach Essen from Cologne?
Every day, there are on average 5 connections between Bus, Train and Carpool, with which you can get to Essen from Cologne.
How far is Essen from Cologne?
The distance between Cologne and Essen is 35.9 miles.
What is the most ecofriendly mode of transport between Cologne and Essen?
Trains and buses are by far the greenest options, with trains surpassing buses on longer routes. Planes will always be the worst polluters, especially in shorter flights, were the emissions from the takeoff and landing are less offset by the distance.
On this particular route, a bus will emit, per person, a total of 2 kgs of CO2, a train 2 kgs, a car 10 kgs, and a flight 14 kgs.
What is the cheapest mode of transport from Cologne to Essen?
You can get to Essen with just $5 by taking a Carpool from BlaBlaCar.
What is the fastest way to get from Cologne to Essen?
While a plane is travelling fastest boarding and transfer to airport consumes a lot of time. Usually, high speed trains are better than flights if pure train travel time is below 4 hours. For this particular route, you can get to Essen in just 0h 30m with a Carpool from BlaBlaCar.
More routes to Cologne and to Essen
Looking for more options? Here you can see the most popular routes to Cologne and to Essen. Simply click on a connection, and you’ll find all the details about the route!
- Trips to Cologne
- Amsterdam to Cologne
- Berlin to Cologne
- Brussels to Cologne
- Dortmund to Cologne
- Dresden to Cologne
- Dusseldorf to Cologne
- Eindhoven to Cologne
- Hamburg to Cologne
- Hanover to Cologne
- Klagenfurt to Cologne
- Leipzig to Cologne
- Lübeck to Cologne
- Munich to Cologne
- Saarbruecken to Cologne
- Stuttgart to Cologne
- Vienna to Cologne
- Warsaw to Cologne
- Wiesbaden to Cologne
- Trips to Essen
- Amsterdam to Essen
- Berlin to Essen
- Brussels to Essen
- Cologne/Bonn Airport to Essen
- Dresden to Essen
- Dusseldorf to Essen
- Frankfurt am Main to Essen
- Hamburg to Essen
- Karlsruhe to Essen
- Kołobrzeg to Essen
- Liege to Essen
- Lodz to Essen
- Munich to Essen
- Nuremberg to Essen
- Oldenburg to Essen
- Paderborn to Essen
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Essen
- Paris to Essen
- Rotterdam to Essen
- Szczecin to Essen
- The Hague to Essen
- Vienna to Essen
- Warsaw to Essen
