- Must visit
Museum Ludwig
Major modern and contemporary art museum known for its Picasso collection, Pop Art, and works by leading 20th-century artists beside the cathedral.
Cheapest price
$45
Average price
$49
Fastest journey
9 h
Average duration
9 h 24 m
Buses per day
8
Distance
479 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Berlin to Cologne is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Berlin to Cologne will cost around $49 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $45.
Of the 8 buses that leave Berlin for Cologne on Wed, May 27, 8 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Wed, May 27 the direct buses cover the 479 km distance in an average of 9 h 24 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 9 h .
On Wed, May 27 the slowest buses will take 9 h 40 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
FlixBus
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FlixBus
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FlixBus
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FlixBus
FlixBusOmio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Berlin to Cologne among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $29. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 1h 31m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.4kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $29, and a flight costs an average of $87.
Distance: 297 miles (479 km)
| Bus | Most popular Train | Flight | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
$50 Average price Cheapest | $61 Average price | $301 Average price | $107 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
7h 41m Average total duration 7h 11m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 7h 6m Average total duration 6h 36m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 31m Average total duration Fastest 1h 31m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* | 6h 43m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.5 - 1.2kg CO2 emissions | 0.1 - 0.4kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 1.4 - 2.9kg CO2 emissions | - CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular airline | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
This is compared to other travel options from Berlin to Cologne:
A bus is $11 (€9) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Berlin to Cologne costing on average $61 (€49).
A bus is $251 (€202) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Berlin to Cologne costing on average $301 (€243).
Other travel options to Cologne take longer:
Train takes on average 6h 36m.
Bus takes on average 7h 11m.
Tickets start at around $50 (€40) compared to roughly $107 (€86) in fuel and tolls — a saving of about $57 (€46). The journey takes 7h 11m versus 6h 43m by car, so you'll arrive a bit later, but you can use the time productively rather than spending it behind the wheel. No parking to sort, no fuel stops, and most coaches have Wi-Fi and power outlets.
Direct services are operated by FlixBus, BlaBlaCar.
Driving is worth considering if you're on a tight schedule, travelling as a group (where fuel costs split several ways), or want the flexibility to stop along the way.
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:10AM | Arrival Time 06:10AM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $44 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:40AM | Arrival Time 06:10AM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 01:30AM | Arrival Time 07:20AM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $62 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 02:05AM | Arrival Time 01:20PM | Duration 11h15 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $40 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 02:40AM | Arrival Time 01:20PM | Duration 10h40 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $40 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 03:20AM | Arrival Time 01:05PM | Duration 9h45 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 03:40AM | Arrival Time 01:05PM | Duration 9h25 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:30AM | Arrival Time 11:20AM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:40AM | Arrival Time 11:20AM | Duration 5h40 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $43 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:10AM | Arrival Time 11:40AM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $35 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:00AM | Arrival Time 02:20PM | Duration 6h20 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $36 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:00AM | Arrival Time 03:00PM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Mon, Thu | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:40AM | Arrival Time 03:20PM | Duration 5h40 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $45 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:00AM | Arrival Time 04:00PM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:30AM | Arrival Time 03:30PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $59 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:40AM | Arrival Time 04:10PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 10:45AM | Arrival Time 08:20PM | Duration 9h35 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 11:00AM | Arrival Time 04:40PM | Duration 5h40 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $44 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:20AM | Arrival Time 08:20PM | Duration 9h00 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:00PM | Arrival Time 05:30PM | Duration 5h30 | Departure days Mon, Wed | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 12:30PM | Arrival Time 06:10PM | Duration 5h40 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $55 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 01:30PM | Arrival Time 06:30PM | Duration 5h00 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $46 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 02:00PM | Arrival Time 07:50PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Mon, Wed | Cheapest price $25 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:00PM | Arrival Time 08:10PM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Mon, Fri | Cheapest price $37 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:00PM | Arrival Time 10:10PM | Duration 6h10 | Departure days Wed, Sun | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:30PM | Arrival Time 11:20PM | Duration 6h50 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 04:50PM | Arrival Time 10:30PM | Duration 5h40 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $47 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:00PM | Arrival Time 12:00AM | Duration 6h00 | Departure days Fri, Sun | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 07:00PM | Arrival Time 12:50AM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $36 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:20PM | Arrival Time 02:10AM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $53 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:00PM | Arrival Time 02:10AM | Duration 5h10 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 10:15PM | Arrival Time 08:20AM | Duration 10h05 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 10:40PM | Arrival Time 08:20AM | Duration 9h40 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:00PM | Arrival Time 08:20AM | Duration 9h20 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $33 |
The table below shows live departures for Berlin to Cologne buses for tomorrow, Wednesday, May 27. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FlixBus | 2:05 AM Berlin, Bahnhof Südkreuz | 11h15 | 1:20 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 2:40 AM Berlin, Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB) | 10h40 | 1:20 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 3:20 AM Berlin, Bahnhof Südkreuz | 9h45 | 1:05 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 3:40 AM Berlin, Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB) | 9h25 | 1:05 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 10:45 AM Berlin, Bahnhof Südkreuz | 9h35 | 8:20 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 11:20 AM Berlin, Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB) | 9h00 | 8:20 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 10:40 PM Berlin, Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB) | 9h40 | 8:20 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 11:00 PM Berlin, Kronprinzessinnenweg (Wannsee) | 9h20 | 8:20 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare train, bus, and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.

Buses from Berlin to Cologne run on average 8 times per day, taking around 7h 11m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $29 (€24) but you can travel from only $22 (€18) by train.
There are 8 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 00:10, the last at 23:55. The fastest bus covers the 297 miles (479 km) distance in 9h 0m.
Distance 297 miles (479 km) |
Average bus duration 7h 11m |
Cheapest ticket price $29 (€24) |
Buses per day 8 |
Direct buses 8 |
Fastest bus 9h 0m |
First bus 12:10 AM |
Last bus 11:55 PM |
Cheapest Month Sep |
Cheapest Day Tue |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Mon |
Least Busy Day Sun |
Best time to book 35 days |
Discover the best of Cologne — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Cologne trip today.
Major modern and contemporary art museum known for its Picasso collection, Pop Art, and works by leading 20th-century artists beside the cathedral.
One of Germany’s important fine art museums, with medieval painting, Baroque masters, and strong 19th-century holdings in the city center.
Key archaeological museum for Cologne’s Roman heritage. The main building has been under redevelopment, but the collection remains a city highlight.
Popular riverside promenade and steps on the Deutz side, famous for one of the best panoramic views of Cologne Cathedral and the skyline.
Historic Old Town square lined with traditional façades and lively public space, ideal for soaking up Cologne’s central atmosphere.
Large central square in the Old Town, often used for events and a convenient base for exploring nearby historic streets and the riverfront.
Cologne’s iconic pale ale, traditionally served in small Stangen glasses. It is central to the city’s brewing culture and best enjoyed in a classic brauhaus.
A classic Cologne dish of mashed potatoes and apple sauce, often served with black pudding and fried onions. The sweet-savory combination is a Rhineland favorite.
Despite the name, this is not chicken but a rye roll with Gouda cheese, butter, mustard, and onions. It is a traditional brauhaus snack served with Kölsch.
A respected fine-dining restaurant offering creative modern cuisine and tasting menus, representing Cologne’s upscale food scene.
Historic brewery tavern with its own Kölsch, appreciated for authentic Cologne food, old-world atmosphere, and communal wooden tables.
A long-established, casual local favorite especially known for large schnitzels and hearty Rhineland comfort food in a friendly atmosphere.
Moderate for Germany: museums and transit are reasonable, while hotels and dining in central areas cost more.
Service is usually included, but rounding up or leaving 5-10% is customary in restaurants. Round up in taxis. Small tips are appreciated for hotel staff.
Official public transport app
Köln ZOB, Cologne -> Köln Hauptbahnhof, Cologne
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Berlin to Cologne by bus. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest bus, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Cologne, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Here are some other resources that might have the information you need