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4.6
Travel Information
Compare train, bus, and flight for Cologne to Leipzig
Omio recommends booking the flight as it is the most popular option from Cologne to Leipzig among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the bus, with an average ticket price of €34 For those with little time, consider booking a flight, which has an average total journey time of 5h 5m. If you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint, the train is your best option, with estimated CO2 emissions of 0.1 - 0.3kg. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €34, while a flight costs an average of €480.
Distance: 236 miles (381 km)
Compare flight with
Most popular Flight | Train | Bus | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
€480 Average price | €100 Average price | €34 Average price Cheapest | €69 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
5h 5m Average total duration Fastest 3h 5m Onboard + 2h 0m Additional time* | 5h 32m Average total duration 5h 2m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 8h 40m Average total duration 8h 10m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 5h 27m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
- CO2 emissions | 0.1 - 0.3kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 0.4 - 0.9kg CO2 emissions | - CO2 emissions |
 Most popular airline |  Most popular train company |  Most popular bus company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | 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 Leipzig:
A bus is €66 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cologne to Leipzig costing on average €100.
A bus is €446 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Cologne to Leipzig costing on average €480.
Other travel options to Leipzig take longer:
Train takes on average 5h 32m.
Bus takes on average 8h 40m.
You'll arrive about 25m sooner (5h 2m by train vs 5h 27m by car). Tickets start at around €100 compared to roughly €69 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 Leipzig
How to get from Cologne to Leipzig by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Cologne to Leipzig is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
- FlixBus · FlixBus6:35 PM10h50Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)5:25 AMLeipzig, Hbf€401One-way1 transfer
Cheapest
- FlixBus · FlixBus6:35 PM10h50Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)5:25 AMLeipzig, Hbf€401One-way1 transfer
Fastest
- ICE 625 · ICE 838 · ICE 50611:45 AM4h19Cologne Messe/Deutz4:04 PMLeipzig Hbf€1061One-way2 transfers
Other options
FlixTrain · FlixTrain12:14 PM8h58Cologne Hbf9:12 PMLeipzig Hbf€471One-way1 transfer- ICE 619 · ICE 698 · ICE 80612:26 AM6h43Cologne Messe/Deutz7:09 AMLeipzig Hbf€601One-way2 transfers
- ICE 823+
24367+ICE 590 · S38:34 PM6h48Cologne Messe/Deutz3:22 AMLeipzig Hbf€621One-way3 transfers
- FlixTrain+FlixBus8:14 AM9h06Cologne Hbf5:20 PMLeipzig, Hbf€461One-way1 transfer
- FlixBus · FlixBus4:50 AM9h45Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)2:35 PMLeipzig, Hbf€471One-way1 transfer
- FlixTrain+FlixBus9:01 AM10h49Cologne Hbf7:50 PMLeipzig, Hbf€601One-way1 transfer
LH5350+LH121 · LH1585:40 PM5h35Cologne Bonn Airport11:15 PMLeipzig/Halle Airport€5121One-way2 transfers
LH1977+LH109 · LH1561:05 PM4h55Cologne Bonn Airport6:00 PMLeipzig/Halle Airport€5641One-way2 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 Leipzig
Travel to Leipzig 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 Leipzig.
This is compared to other travel options from Cologne to Leipzig:
A bus is €66 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cologne to Leipzig costing on average €100.
A bus is €446 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Cologne to Leipzig costing on average €480.
Other travel options to Leipzig take longer:
Train takes on average 5h 32m.
Bus takes on average 8h 40m.
- Around 9 trains per day.
- Around 3 buses per day.
- Around 2 flights per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Cologne and Leipzig as scheduled services by train, bus, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.
- Flights mostly depart from Cologne Bonn Airport and arrive in Leipzig/Halle Airport.
- Trains mostly depart from Cologne Hbf and arrive in Leipzig Hbf.
- Buses mostly depart from Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) and arrive in Leipzig, Hbf.
- Travel with Eurowings, Lufthansa Cityline, Lufthansa, Air Baltic, Lufthansa City Airlines to go to Leipzig by flight.
- Travel with FlixBus to go to Leipzig by bus.
- Travel with Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain to go to Leipzig by train.
- 2 direct buses per day with FlixBus.
- 1 direct trains per day with FlixTrain.
Travelling from Cologne to Leipzig: related information
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