- 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
$46
Average price
$48
Fastest journey
8 h 55 m
Average duration
9 h 5 m
Buses per day
3
Distance
173 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Brussels Airport to Cologne is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Brussels Airport to Cologne will cost around $48 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $46.
Of the 3 buses that leave Brussels Airport for Cologne on Tue, Jun 02, 3 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Tue, Jun 02 the direct buses cover the 173 km distance in an average of 9 h 5 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 8 h 55 m .
On Tue, Jun 02 the slowest buses will take 9 h 10 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.






Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Brussels Airport to Cologne among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $27. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 2h 7m. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $27, and a flight costs an average of $374.
Distance: 107 miles (173 km)
| Bus | Most popular Train | Flight | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
$45 Average price Cheapest | $102 Average price | $561 Average price | $40 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
5h 5m Average total duration 4h 35m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 2h 37m Average total duration Fastest 2h 7m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 8h 28m Average total duration 5h 28m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* | 2h 35m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
This is compared to other travel options from Brussels Airport to Cologne:
A bus is $57 (€46) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Brussels Airport to Cologne costing on average $102 (€82).
A bus is $516 (€416) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Brussels Airport to Cologne costing on average $561 (€452).
Other travel options to Cologne take longer:
Bus takes on average 4h 35m.
Flight takes on average 5h 28m.
You'll arrive about -2h 0m sooner (4h 35m by bus vs 2h 35m by car) and save roughly $-4.19 (€-3.38) compared to fuel and tolls ($45 (€36) vs $40 (€33)). You also skip the drive itself — no traffic stress, no parking, and you can use the time to work, nap, or catch up on a series with the onboard Wi-Fi.
Direct coaches are operated by BlaBlaCar.
Driving is still worth considering if you're travelling with bulky luggage, need flexibility on departure times, or plan to stop along the way.
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 12:45AM | Arrival Time 08:30AM | Duration 7h45 | Departure days Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 02:15AM | Arrival Time 11:20AM | Duration 9h05 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Thu | Cheapest price $43 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 02:30AM | Arrival Time 10:30AM | Duration 8h00 | Departure days Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 03:15AM | Arrival Time 12:20PM | Duration 9h05 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Thu | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 04:15AM | Arrival Time 01:25PM | Duration 9h10 | Departure days Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $37 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 08:00AM | Arrival Time 10:20AM | Duration 2h20 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $29 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 09:00AM | Arrival Time 11:10AM | Duration 2h10 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 09:45AM | Arrival Time 04:50PM | Duration 7h05 | Departure days Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 10:00AM | Arrival Time 12:40PM | Duration 2h40 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 10:15AM | Arrival Time 08:40PM | Duration 10h25 | Departure days Mon, Thu | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:15AM | Arrival Time 09:05PM | Duration 9h50 | Departure days Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $44 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:50AM | Arrival Time 09:25PM | Duration 9h35 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:55AM | Arrival Time 09:20PM | Duration 9h25 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $36 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 01:30PM | Arrival Time 03:40PM | Duration 2h10 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $15 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 01:55PM | Arrival Time 09:40PM | Duration 7h45 | Departure days Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $41 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 02:00PM | Arrival Time 04:30PM | Duration 2h30 | Departure days Sat | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 02:30PM | Arrival Time 04:30PM | Duration 2h00 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $24 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 03:10PM | Arrival Time 05:20PM | Duration 2h10 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 04:05PM | Arrival Time 01:00AM | Duration 8h55 | Departure days Tue, Thu | Cheapest price $39 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 04:15PM | Arrival Time 09:20PM | Duration 5h05 | Departure days Mon, Thu | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 05:20PM | Arrival Time 07:30PM | Duration 2h10 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $17 |
Operator BlaBlaCar | Departure Time 06:30PM | Arrival Time 08:40PM | Duration 2h10 | Departure days Wed | Cheapest price $25 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 06:35PM | Arrival Time 02:00AM | Duration 7h25 | Departure days Mon | Cheapest price $50 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 07:35PM | Arrival Time 03:00AM | Duration 7h25 | Departure days Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $36 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 09:20PM | Arrival Time 10:40AM | Duration 13h20 | Departure days Thu | Cheapest price $40 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 10:45PM | Arrival Time 06:30AM | Duration 7h45 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $74 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:45PM | Arrival Time 07:30AM | Duration 7h45 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $38 |
The table below shows live departures for Brussels Airport to Cologne buses for today, Monday, June 1. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 10:15 AM Brussels Airport | 10h25 | 8:40 PM Cologne | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 11:50 AM Brussels Airport | 9h35 | 9:25 PM Cologne | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 4:15 PM Brussels Airport | 5h05 | 9:20 PM Cologne | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 6:35 PM Brussels Airport | 7h25 | 2:00 AM Cologne | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 10:45 PM Brussels Airport | 7h45 | 6:30 AM Cologne | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 11:45 PM Brussels Airport | 7h45 | 7:30 AM Cologne | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Tuesday, June 2 | |||||
![]() | 2:15 AM Brussels Airport | 9h10 | 11:25 AM Cologne | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 3:15 AM Brussels Airport | 9h10 | 12:25 PM Cologne | 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 Brussels Airport to Cologne run on average 6 times per day, taking around 4h 35m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $27 (€22) but you can travel from only $25 (€20) by train.
There are 2 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 00:30, the last at 23:45. The fastest bus covers the 107 miles (173 km) distance in 5h 5m.
Distance 107 miles (173 km) |
Average bus duration 4h 35m |
Cheapest ticket price $27 (€22) |
Buses per day 6 |
Direct buses 2 |
Fastest bus 5h 5m |
First bus 12:30 AM |
Last bus 11:45 PM |
Cheapest Month Jun |
Cheapest Day Tue |
High Season Apr - Jun |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Wed |
Least Busy Day Mon |
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 Brussels Airport 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