How to travel from Essen to Berlin, Germany

The distance between Essen and Berlin is around 494km (307 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 2h 25m.

6 routes found

We've found 6 different ways to get from Essen to Berlin 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 BerlinEssen if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
+
plane
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Duesseldorf Flughafen then fly from Dusseldorf (DUS) to Berlin Brandenburg (BER).

  • Duration2h 25m
  • Flight time1h 15m
  • Typical cost
    €125($125)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2 similiar routes

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

2
train
+

Train

Take the train to Berlin Hauptbahnhof.

  • Duration3h 40m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    €100($100)
Operated byDeutsche Bahn+ 1 others
💰 Cheapest
3
bus
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Bus

Take the bus to S Südkreuz Bhf.

  • Duration7h 35m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    €32($32)
4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Berlin Hbf.

  • Duration4h 35m
  • Distance526km (327 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Essen and Berlin

There are several options for getting from Essen to Berlin by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €32 ($32) and will take around 7h 35m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 2h 25m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €125 ($125).

The distance between Essen and Berlin is around 494km (307 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 452km (281 miles)

It takes around 3h 40m to get from Essen and Berlin by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 4h 35m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Essen to Berlin is to take the train and then fly which takes around 2h 25m and will set you back approx €125 ($125).

The cheapest way to travel between Essen and Berlin, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €32 ($32) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Essen and Berlin. It typically takes around 3h 40m and departs hourly.

Yes there is a direct train service that runs between Essen and Berlin with no changeovers required. The train runs hourly and takes 3h 40m.

Deutsche Bahn and FlixTrain run train services between Essen and Berlin. Trains depart hourly and will take around 3h 40m, 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 Essen and Berlin. It typically takes around 7h 35m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Essen to Berlin. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in S Südkreuz Bhf. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 7h 35m.

FlixBus run regular bus services between Essen and Berlin. Buses run once daily and take around 7h 35m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Essen to Berlin. We recommend that you take the train to Duesseldorf Flughafen then fly from Dusseldorf (DUS) to Berlin Brandenburg (BER). instead which will take 2h 25m.

The closest major airport to Berlin is Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) (BER) which is approximately 18km (11 miles) from Berlin. Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) (LEJ) and Dresden Airport (DRS) (DRS) 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 Essen and Berlin. The distance is around 526km (327 miles) by road and it will take around 4h 35m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Essen to Berlin is to take the train which takes, on average, 3h 40m and will usually cost around €100 ($100).

How do I get from Essen to Berlin

Compare travel optionsbetween Essen and Berlin

Transport options from Essen to Berlin
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane + 2 similar
2h 25m
€125($125)
every 20 mins552km (343 miles)
Train to Köln Deutz Messe/Deutz Bf, Fly2h 55m
€130($130)
hourly602km (374 miles)
Train to Frankfurt, Fly3h 35m
€265($265)
hourly714km (443 miles)
Train
3h 40m
€100($100)
hourly494km (307 miles)
Bus
7h 35m
€32($32)
once daily546km (339 miles)
Drive
4h 35m
€87($87)
on demand526km (327 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Essen and Berlin

Airports near Berlin

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

BER
Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)
International Airport
Distance
18km (11 miles) from Berlin
LEJ
Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ)
International Airport
Distance
146km (91 miles) from Berlin
DRS
Dresden Airport (DRS)
International Airport
Distance
157km (98 miles) from Berlin