The distance between Berlin and Essen is around 494km (307 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly and then take the train which takes around 2h 25m.
We've found 6 different ways to get from Berlin to Essen by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.
👋 Also check out Essen → Berlin if you're planning a return trip.
Fly from Berlin Brandenburg (BER) to Dusseldorf (DUS) then take the train to Essen Hbf.
Multiple operators
2 similiar routes
We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.
Take the train to Essen Hbf.
Take the bus to Essen Hbf.
There are several options for getting from Berlin to Essen by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €29 ($29) and will take around 7hrs. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 2h 25m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €125 ($125).
The distance between Berlin and Essen is around 494km (307 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 452km (281 miles)
It takes around 3h 50m to get from Berlin and Essen by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 4h 40m to drive there.
The quickest way to get from Berlin to Essen is to fly and then take the train which takes around 2h 25m and will set you back approx €125 ($125).
The cheapest way to travel between Berlin and Essen, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €29 ($29) for a standard one-way ticket.
Yes there is a train service that runs between Berlin and Essen. It typically takes around 3h 50m and departs hourly.
Yes there is a direct train service that runs between Berlin and Essen with no changeovers required. The train runs hourly and takes 3h 50m.
Deutsche Bahn and FlixTrain run train services between Berlin and Essen. Trains depart hourly and will take around 3h 50m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.
Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Berlin and Essen. It typically takes around 7hrs and departs every 20 mins.
Yes there is a direct bus service that runs between Berlin and Essen with no changeovers required. The bus runs every 20 mins and takes 7hrs.
FlixBus and EuroClub run regular bus services between Berlin and Essen. Buses run every 20 mins and take around 7hrs on average but will vary depending on you book with.
It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Berlin to Essen. We recommend that you fly from Berlin Brandenburg (BER) to Dusseldorf (DUS) then take the train to Essen Hbf. instead which will take 2h 25m.
The closest major airport to Essen is Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) (DUS) which is approximately 26km (16 miles) from Essen. Dortmund Airport (DTM) (DTM) and Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) (CGN) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.
Yes it is possible to drive from Berlin and Essen. The distance is around 529km (329 miles) by road and it will take around 4h 40m in normal traffic conditons.
If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Berlin to Essen is to take the train which takes, on average, 3h 50m and will usually cost around €100 ($100).
Transport option | Duration | Cost | Frequency | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Plane and Train + 2 similar | 2h 25m | €125($125) | every 15 mins | 552km (343 miles) |
Fly to Cologne Bonn (CGN), Train | 3h 35m | €130($130) | hourly | 611km (379 miles) |
Train and Plane | 3h 45m | €215($215) | hourly | 713km (443 miles) |
Train | 3h 50m | €100($100) | hourly | 494km (307 miles) |
Bus | 7hrs | €29($29) | 4 times a day | 528km (328 miles) |
Drive | 4h 40m | €88($88) | on demand | 529km (329 miles) |
VRR
Abellio
EuroClub
The following major airports near Essen offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Germany and internationally.