How to travel from Zurich to Cologne, Germany

The distance between Zurich and Cologne is around 572km (356 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train which takes around 4h 60m.

4 routes found

We've found 4 different ways to get from Zurich to Cologne 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 CologneZurich if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
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train
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Train

Take the train to Basel Sbb and then to Siegburg Bf.

  • Duration4h 60m
  • Departsevery 4 hours
  • Typical cost
    €135($135)

1 similiar route

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

💰 Cheapest
2
bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Leverkusen Wiesdorf Mitte Bf.

  • Duration9h 50m
  • Departstwice daily
  • Typical cost
    €35($35)
3
car
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Drive

Drive to Cologne.

  • Duration4h 60m
  • Distance572km (356 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Zurich and Cologne

There are several options for getting from Zurich to Cologne by train, bus and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €35 ($35) and will take around 9h 50m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and arrive in approximately 4h 60m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €135 ($135).

The distance between Zurich and Cologne is around 572km (356 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 413km (256 miles)

It takes around 4h 60m to get from Zurich and Cologne by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 4h 60m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Zurich to Cologne is to take the train which takes around 4h 60m and will set you back approx €135 ($135).

The cheapest way to travel between Zurich and Cologne, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €35 ($35) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Zurich and Cologne. It typically takes around 4h 60m and departs every 4 hours.

Yes there is a direct train service that runs between Zurich and Cologne with no changeovers required. The train runs twice daily and takes 6h 5m.

Deutsche Bahn, Swiss Railways, SBB GmbH and TGV inOui run train services between Zurich and Cologne. Trains depart every 4 hours and will take around 4h 60m, 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 Zurich and Cologne. It typically takes around 9h 50m and departs twice daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Zurich to Cologne. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Leverkusen Wiesdorf Mitte Bf. These services run twice daily and will take a minimum of 9h 50m.

FlixBus run regular bus services between Zurich and Cologne. Buses run twice daily and take around 9h 50m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Zurich to Cologne. We recommend that you take the train to Basel Sbb and then to Siegburg Bf. instead which will take 4h 60m.

The closest major airport to Cologne is Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) (CGN) which is approximately 13km (8 miles) from Cologne. Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) (DUS) and Dortmund Airport (DTM) (DTM) 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 Zurich and Cologne. The distance is around 572km (356 miles) by road and it will take around 4h 60m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Zurich to Cologne is to take the train which takes, on average, 4h 60m and will usually cost around €135 ($135).

How do I get from Zurich to Cologne

Compare travel optionsbetween Zurich and Cologne

Transport options from Zurich to Cologne
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train + 1 similar
4h 60m
€135($135)
every 4 hours577km (358 miles)
Train to Koeln Hbf6h 5m
€330($330)
every 20 mins592km (368 miles)
Bus
9h 50m
€35($35)
twice daily659km (410 miles)
Drive
4h 60m
€115($115)
on demand572km (356 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Zurich and Cologne

Train operators

Airports near Cologne

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

CGN
Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)
International Airport
Distance
13km (8 miles) from Cologne
DUS
Düsseldorf Airport (DUS)
International Airport
Distance
40km (25 miles) from Cologne
DTM
Dortmund Airport (DTM)
International Airport
Distance
79km (49 miles) from Cologne