4.9
4.6Travel optionsfrom Cologne to Berlin
How to get from Cologne to Berlin by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Cologne to Berlin is by taking a flight because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
LH1973 · LH2206Cheapest
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The Journey from Cologne to Berlin
Traveling from Cologne to Berlin across Germany can all be conveniently done by train, plane, or bus, depending on budget and available time. A direct route between the two cities measures 480 kilometers, and takes around an hour by plane. Journeys by rail and road will take around four and eight hours respectively. The quickest routes of both go north-west via Dortmund and Hanover on the way to Berlin.
Buses from Cologne to Berlin
Buses leave Leverkusen-Mitte bus station in Cologne more than a dozen times per day for the capital, and with several providers offering services, prices are competitive and usually lower than going by plane or train. Journey times traveling from Cologne direct to Berlin are around eight hours, with the final stop in Berlin city center dependent on the provider.
Trains from Cologne to Berlin
Traveling from Cologne to Berlin on Germany’s regional train service or Intercity Express (ICE) usually takes around four hours and 20 minutes from Cologne's central station to Berlin Hauptbanhof, and there are trains departing at least every hour until mid-evening.
Flights from Cologne to Berlin
Traveling from Cologne to Berlin offers the shortest journey time and most direct route, with several providers offering flights several times per day. Flights take just over an hour from Cologne Bonn Airport to both Berlin Tegel and Berlin Schönefeld airports and just a short onward journey to the city's center. Flight prices are commonly higher when booking at short notice, but flights can be found with budget airlines such as Ryanair and Eurowings going to both Berlin airports that compete with or even beat the cost of many rail and bus tickets.
How to get from Cologne to Berlin
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FAQs: Travel from Cologne to Berlin
Travel to Berlin easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Cologne to Berlin.
You can get from Cologne to Berlin 3 different ways: bus, train or flight.
The cheapest way to go to Berlin from Cologne is by taking a train, which costs on average $20 (€18).
This is compared to other ways of getting from Cologne to Berlin:
Taking a train costs $1 (€1) less than taking a bus, which costs on average $20 (€18) for the same trip.
A train is $80 (€72) less than a flight for this journey with tickets for a flight from Cologne to Berlin costing on average $100 (€90).
The quickest way to travel to Berlin from Cologne is by flight, which takes on average 1 h 10 min compared to other travel options that take longer:
Getting to Berlin by bus takes 8 h 30 min on average.
Taking a train requires on average 4 h 31 min of travel time.
The distance from Cologne to Berlin is approximately 296 miles (478 km).
The average frequency per day from Cologne to Berlin is:
- 11 buses per day.
- Around 8 flights per day.
- Around 12 trains per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Cologne and Berlin as scheduled services by bus, train or flight can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Cologne to Berlin:
- Flights mostly depart from Cologne Bonn Airport and arrive in Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
- Trains from Cologne to Berlin most often leave from Cologne Hbf and arrive in Berlin Hbf.
Omio works with many trusted partners that can help you travel the best way from Cologne to Berlin:
- You can go to Berlin from Cologne by bus with FlixBus or Wupsi. You'll see cheap bus tickets for $20 (€18) with FlixBus from Cologne to Berlin on Omio.
- You can take a flight from Cologne to Berlin with Eurowings, Smartwings, Air Mercury, Lufthansa Cityline (2), Air Baltic or Lufthansa. Cheap tickets can be found for $55 (€50) with Smartwings from Cologne to Berlin.
- You can take a train from Cologne to Berlin with Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain or Österreichische Bundesbahnen. Cheap tickets can be found for $20 (€18) with Deutsche Bahn from Cologne to Berlin.
Yes, there are direct services available from Cologne to Berlin with the following travel companies:
- 9 direct buses per day with FlixBus.
- Direct flight available with Eurowings 3 direct flights per day.
- 8 direct trains per day with Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain or Österreichische Bundesbahnen.
Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to Berlin as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets to Berlin from Cologne.
Travelling from Cologne to Berlin: related information
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