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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 €31.
Distance: 40 miles (65 km)
Compare train with
Most popular Train | Bus | Driving |
|---|---|---|
€31 Average price | €7 Average price Cheapest | €12 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
1h 32m Average total duration Fastest 1h 2m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 2h 31m Average total duration 2h 1m 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 |
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 Cologne to Gelsenkirchen:
A bus is €24 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen costing on average €31.
Other travel options to Gelsenkirchen take longer:
Bus takes on average 2h 31m.
You'll arrive about 10m sooner (1h 2m by train vs 1h 12m by car). Tickets start at around €31 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.
504286:00 PM1h45Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)7:45 PMEssen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof)€41One-way0 transfers
Cheapest
- 504286:00 PM1h45Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)7:45 PMEssen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof)€41One-way0 transfers
Fastest
ICE 25201:11 PM0h52Cologne Hbf2:03 PMGelsenkirchen Hbf€181One-way0 transfers
Other options
FlixTrain4:14 PM0h57Cologne Hbf5:11 PMGelsenkirchen Hbf€61One-way0 transfers- FlixTrain8:14 AM0h59Cologne Hbf9:13 AMGelsenkirchen Hbf€61One-way0 transfers
- FlixTrain12:14 PM0h59Cologne Hbf1:13 PMGelsenkirchen Hbf€61One-way0 transfers
- 504486:40 AM2h00Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)8:40 AMEssen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof)€41One-way0 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
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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 €6 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen costing on average €10.
Other travel options to Gelsenkirchen take longer:
Bus takes on average 2h 2m.
- Around 10 buses per day.
- Around 8 trains 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 BlaBlaCar Bus, FlixBus to go to Gelsenkirchen by bus.
- Travel with Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain to go to Gelsenkirchen by train.
- 10 direct buses per day with BlaBlaCar Bus, FlixBus.
- 3 direct trains per day with Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain.
Travelling from Cologne to Gelsenkirchen: related information
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