4.9
4.6
Travel Information
Compare bus and train for Cologne to Gelsenkirchen
Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the bus, with an average ticket price of €7 For those with little time, consider booking a train, which has an average total journey time of 1h 32m. If you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint, the train is your best option, with estimated CO2 emissions of 0.0 - 0.1kg. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €7, while a train costs an average of €27.
Distance: 40 miles (65 km)
Compare train with
Most popular Train | Bus | Driving |
|---|---|---|
€27 Average price | €7 Average price Cheapest | €12 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
1h 32m Average total duration Fastest 1h 2m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 2h 26m Average total duration 1h 56m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 1h 12m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.0 - 0.1kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 0.1 - 0.2kg CO2 emissions | - CO2 emissions |
 Most popular train company |  Most popular bus company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
Compare ways to travel from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen
Compare the available ways to get from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen, with the key details around price, speed, convenience, and direct service.
This is compared to other travel options from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen:
A bus is €21 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen costing on average €27.
Other travel options to Gelsenkirchen take longer:
Bus takes on average 2h 26m.
You'll arrive about 10m sooner (1h 2m by train vs 1h 12m by car). Tickets start at around €27 compared to roughly €12 in fuel and tolls — so you're paying a bit more, but getting hours of your day back, a city-centre arrival, and the freedom to work or relax instead of drive.
Driving makes more sense if you're travelling as a group (where fuel costs split several ways), want to stop along the way, or need a car once you arrive.
Travel optionsfrom Cologne to Gelsenkirchen
How to get from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
5:00 PM 1h45 Cologne 6:45 PM Gelsenkirchen €4 1 One-way 0 transfers
Cheapest
5:00 PM 1h45 Cologne 6:45 PM Gelsenkirchen €4 1 One-way 0 transfers
Fastest
5:00 PM 1h45 Cologne 6:45 PM Gelsenkirchen €4 1 One-way 0 transfers
Other options
4:00 PM 1h45 Cologne 5:45 PM Gelsenkirchen €5 1 One-way 0 transfers4:50 PM 1h55 Cologne 6:45 PM Gelsenkirchen €5 1 One-way 0 transfers
Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights
Compare bus and train 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.
More than 1,000 travel companies trust us to sell their tickets all in one place.
FAQs: Travel from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen
Travel to Gelsenkirchen 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 Gelsenkirchen.
This is compared to other travel options from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen:
A bus is €21 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen costing on average €27.
Other travel options to Gelsenkirchen take longer:
Bus takes on average 2h 26m.
- Around 9 trains per day.
- Around 2 buses per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Cologne and Gelsenkirchen as scheduled services by bus and train can vary by season or day of the week.
- Trains mostly depart from Cologne Hbf and arrive in Gelsenkirchen Hbf.
- Buses mostly depart from Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) and arrive in Essen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof).
- Travel with Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain to go to Gelsenkirchen by train.
- Travel with BlaBlaCar Bus, FlixBus to go to Gelsenkirchen by bus.
- 6 direct trains per day with Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain.
- 2 direct buses per day with BlaBlaCar Bus, FlixBus.
Travelling from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen: related information
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need
Travel to popular destinations by train, bus or flight
The Omio App Makes Travel Planning Easy
We’ll get you where you want to go. From live train updates to mobile tickets, our innovative app is the ideal way to plan and keep track of your travel.
