How to travel from Erfurt to Karlsruhe, Germany

The distance between Erfurt and Karlsruhe is around 389km (242 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to drive which takes around 3h 15m.

6 routes found

We've found 6 different ways to get from Erfurt to Karlsruhe by train, bus and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out KarlsruheErfurt if you're planning a return trip.

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Train

Take the train to Mannheim Hbf and then to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof.

  • Duration3h 20m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    €110($110)

3 similiar routes

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

💰 Cheapest
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bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Frankfurt central train station and then to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof Süd.

  • Duration5hrs
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    €18($18)
🚀 Fastest
3
car
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Drive

Drive to Karlsruhe.

  • Duration3h 15m
  • Distance389km (242 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Erfurt and Karlsruhe

There are several options for getting from Erfurt to Karlsruhe by train, bus and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €18 ($18) and will take around 5hrs. If you need to get there more quickly, you can drive and arrive in approximately 3h 15m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €52 ($52).

The distance between Erfurt and Karlsruhe is around 389km (242 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 288km (179 miles)

It takes around 3h 20m to get from Erfurt and Karlsruhe by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 3h 15m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Erfurt to Karlsruhe is to drive which takes around 3h 15m and will set you back approx €52 ($52).

The cheapest way to travel between Erfurt and Karlsruhe, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €18 ($18) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Erfurt and Karlsruhe. It typically takes around 3h 20m and departs hourly.

Yes there is a direct train service that runs between Erfurt and Karlsruhe with no changeovers required. The train runs once a week and takes 4h 25m.

Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Bahn Regional, Deutsche Bahn Eurocity, TGV inOui, Deutsche Bahn Intercity, Dutch Railways, Süwex, Go Ahead BW, Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart (VVS) and Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH run train services between Erfurt and Karlsruhe. Trains depart hourly and will take around 3h 20m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Erfurt and Karlsruhe. It typically takes around 5hrs and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Erfurt to Karlsruhe. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Frankfurt central train station. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 5hrs.

FlixBus, FlixBus-de and Union Ivkoni run regular bus services between Erfurt and Karlsruhe. Buses run once daily and take around 5hrs on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Erfurt to Karlsruhe. We recommend that you take the train to Mannheim Hbf and then to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof. instead which will take 3h 20m.

The closest major airport to Karlsruhe is Baden-Airpark (FKB) (FKB) which is approximately 34km (21 miles) from Karlsruhe. Frankfurt Airport (FRA) (FRA) and Frankfurt - Hahn Airport (HHN) (HHN) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Erfurt and Karlsruhe. The distance is around 389km (242 miles) by road and it will take around 3h 15m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Erfurt to Karlsruhe is to take the train which takes, on average, 3h 20m and will usually cost around €110 ($110).

How do I get from Erfurt to Karlsruhe

Compare travel optionsbetween Erfurt and Karlsruhe

Transport options from Erfurt to Karlsruhe
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train + 3 similar
3h 20m
€110($110)
hourly392km (244 miles)
Train via Frankfurt(Main)Hbf3h 25m
€105($105)
hourly393km (244 miles)
Train to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof4h 25m
€95($95)
once a week392km (243 miles)
Train via Würzburg Hbf5h 45m
€45($45)
once daily398km (248 miles)
Bus
5hrs
€18($18)
once daily406km (253 miles)
Drive
3h 15m
€52($52)
on demand389km (242 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Erfurt and Karlsruhe

Train operators

Bus companies

Airports near Karlsruhe

The following major airports near Karlsruhe offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Germany and internationally.

FKB
Baden-Airpark (FKB)
Domestic Airport
Distance
34km (21 miles) from Karlsruhe
FRA
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
International Airport
Distance
117km (72 miles) from Karlsruhe
HHN
Frankfurt - Hahn Airport (HHN)
International Airport
Distance
133km (83 miles) from Karlsruhe