Cheapest
Average
The best way to find a cheap train ticket from Cologne to Paris is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
This is the last train of the day.
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Fastest Journey
5 h 2 m
Average
5 h 10 m
Trains per day
2
Distance
403 km
It's difficult to get from Cologne to Paris without transferring at least once.
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Distance | 249 miles (402 km) | |
Average train duration | 3 h 22 min | |
Average train ticket price | $155 (€140) | |
Train frequency | 4 a day | |
Direct train | Yes, there are 4 direct trains a day | |
Train providers | Thalys, Deutsche Bahn with connection or Deutsche Bahn |
Trains from Cologne to Paris cover the 249 miles (402 km) long journey taking on average 3 h 22 min with our travel partners like Thalys, Deutsche Bahn with connection or Deutsche Bahn. Normally, there are 4 trains operating per day, including direct services available. While the average ticket price for this journey costs around $155 (€140), you can find the cheapest train ticket for as low as $125 (€113). Travelers depart most frequently from Köln Hbf and arrive in Paris Gare du Nord.
Deutsche Bahn and Thalys trains will get you between Cologne and Paris from $125 (€113). With over 1000 travel companies on Omio, you can find the best train times and tickets for your trip.
Thalys is a French-Belgian high-speed train company that connects the main capital cities. For your next train to Paris from Cologne with Thalys, you can choose from these different ticket fares: Standard Mini, Standard, Comfort and Premium.
Cologne to Paris train information with Thalys:
Train services offer convenient means of traveling from Cologne to Paris. About 50 trains ply the Cologne-Paris route, with some making direct connections while others require transfers along the way. The two cities lie about 250 miles apart, and it can take anywhere from three and a half hours to nine hours to cover the entire journey depending on the provider and the number of transfers. Trains are provided by Germany's main rail company Deutsche Bahn and highspeed Thalys trains with services spread throughout the day.
There are daily train departures from Cologne to Paris, with an average of 22 trains operating between the two cities. However, the frequency of connections varies depending on the day of the week. Thursday registers the highest number of trips at 22, while some Fridays may have as low as eight trains from Cologne to Paris. The earliest train leaves Cologne at around 3:30 a.m. with the last train departing in the early evening.
On average, a train from Cologne to Paris takes four hours 53 minutes to cover the whole journey. However, there are instances when the trip lasts three hours 24 minutes when traveling direct onboard a high-speed Thalys train. The journey time between the two cities varies depending on whether the route is direct or requires transfers, and the time spent at each transfer station.
Departure train station: Trains from Cologne to Paris use Cologne Central Station as the main departure point. The station is around one mile (one and a half km) from the city center. Passengers can easily access the city center by bus or a tram in under ten minutes. The station boasts a modern building with luggage handling facilities, parking and eateries.
Arrival train station: Paris Gare du Nord is the arrival station and is located about four miles (six km) from the city center. Travelers can use the metro to connect the two points. The Paris Gare du Nord features an array of facilities and services such as waiting zones, ticket vending machines, phone cabins, money exchange outlets and coffee shops.
There are two companies which provide services from a train from Cologne to Paris: Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Thalys. DB, which is the main railway company of the Federal Republic of Germany, offers commuter train services from Cologne to Paris and makes one or two stopovers in Frankfurt and Mannheim. It has more departures than Thalys, and sometimes has cheaper tickets than Thalys. On the other hand, Thalys provides fast connections between the two cities, with its 8:45 a.m. departure being the fastest. Most Thalys services are direct.
Traveling via Deutsche Bahn entails transfers in Mannheim or Frankfurt. On most occasions, passengers may make between two and four transfers before arriving in Paris. These changes result in cheaper tickets. Deutsche Bahn offers at least one departure per hour, rising to two during peak travel times. On average, the journey takes just shy of five hours.
Thalys mostly offers direct train connections between Cologne and Paris. A direct trip may last as little as three hours 21 minutes, and tickets for non-stop connections are more expensive. Thalys trains depart every two to three hours throughout the day starting in the morning, ending in the early evening.
Whether passengers travel on a Deutsche Bahn or Thalys, they can expect to experience sheer luxury in a spacious and relaxing environment. The availability of a first-class coach on DB gives travelers numerous privileges from the departure point up to the destination. The comfortable seats offer more legroom, wider aisles and more space for luggage storage. Similarly, a first-class ticket for Thalys train from Cologne to Paris offers exclusive benefits such as onboard meals and wider seats. But for comfort at an economical price, second-class tickets come in handy. The DB policy allows dogs on board. Smaller dogs attract no charges, but passengers will have to obtain a ticket for bigger dogs. Thalys only allows guide and service dogs on board. Both DB and Thalys allow bikes as long as they are foldable or can be disassembled. The trains have boarding aids like automatic ramps and hoists for use by people with disabilities. It is advised the less abled passengers contact the company in advance to organize any extra assistance.
One way of saving money when traveling by train from Cologne to Paris is to book tickets in advance. Be flexible with connections, and if possible, avoid traveling during rush hours. Lastly, booking slow trains that involve multiple transfers helps passengers make some savings if they are traveling on a budget.
When departing from Cologne, you have various train station options to start your route from including Köln Hbf, Köln/Bonn Flughafen and Köln Messe/Deutz. When arriving in Paris, you can end your route in train stations like Paris Gare du Nord, Paris Gare de Lyon and Paris Gare de l'Est.
Passengers board the train most frequently from Köln Hbf, which is located around 1.6 miles (2.5 km) away from the city centre, and they get off the train at Paris Gare du Nord, located 2.8 miles (4.5 km) away from the city centre.
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