How to travel from Cologne to Zurich

Sun, May 03
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Travel by train, bus, flight with
Deutsche Bahn
Eurowings
FlixBus
BlaBlaCar
ÖBB | Euro City (EC)
1,000+ more
Deutsche Bahn
Eurowings
FlixBus
BlaBlaCar
ÖBB | Euro City (EC)
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare train, bus, and flight for Cologne to Zurich

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Cologne to Zurich among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $33. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 1h 20m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.4kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $33, and a flight costs an average of $75.

Distance: 256 miles (413 km)

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Flight
Bus

$165

Average price

$243

Average price

$62

Average price

Cheapest

7h 32m

Average total duration

7h 2m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

4h 20m

Average total duration

Fastest

1h 20m

Onboard

+

3h 0m

Additional time*

8h 52m

Average total duration

8h 22m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

0.1 - 0.4kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

1.2 - 2.5kg

CO2 emissions

0.4 - 1.0kg

CO2 emissions

Deutsche Bahn

Most popular train company

Eurowings

Most popular airline

FlixBus

Most popular bus company

Direct Options

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

Travel options
from Cologne to Zurich

How to get from Cologne to Zurich by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

bus

The best way to travel from Cologne to Zurich is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    11:05 PM9h35
    Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
    8:40 AMKloten, Zürich Flughafen (Bahnhof)
    $751One-way
    0 transfers

Cheapest

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    11:05 PM9h35
    Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
    8:40 AMKloten, Zürich Flughafen (Bahnhof)
    $751One-way
    0 transfers

Fastest

  • EurowingsEW766
    6:40 PM1h05
    Cologne Bonn Airport
    7:45 PMZurich Airport
    $2841One-way
    0 transfers

Other options

  • ÖBB | InterCityIC 1940+ÖBB | ICEICE 279+ÖBB | InterCityIC 775
    8:53 AM6h07
    Cologne Hbf
    3:00 PMZurich HB
    $3011One-way
    2 transfers
  • ÖBB | InterCityIC 2013+ÖBB | ICEICE 371+ÖBB | InterCityIC 779
    10:53 AM6h07
    Cologne Hbf
    5:00 PMZurich HB
    $3011One-way
    2 transfers
  • ÖBB | ICEICE 1225 · ICE 1255+ÖBB | Euro City (EC)EC 5+ÖBBIR 2077
    9:53 AM6h56
    Cologne Hbf
    4:49 PMZurich HB
    $3011One-way
    3 transfers
  • BlaBlaCar Bus52120 · 4740
    3:35 PM13h50
    Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)
    5:25 AMZürich, Sihlquai Bus Terminal (Carparkplatz Sihlquai)
    $1871One-way
    1 transfer
  • BlaBlaCar Bus50429 · 7991
    11:55 AM20h50
    Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)
    8:45 AMKloten, Zürich Flughafen (Bahnhof)
    $2601One-way
    1 transfer
  • EurowingsEW764
    4:15 PM1h10
    Cologne Bonn Airport
    5:25 PMZurich Airport
    $3171One-way
    0 transfers
  • EurowingsLX4429
    6:40 PM1h05
    Cologne Bonn Airport
    7:45 PMZurich Airport
    $5631One-way
    0 transfers
  • EurowingsLX4427
    4:15 PM1h10
    Cologne Bonn Airport
    5:25 PMZurich Airport
    $6481One-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 train, bus, and flight 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.

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How to get from Cologne to Zürich

The Best Way According to our Users

Whether it is for business or leisure, in order to travel from Cologne to Zürich, 76,19% of our customers choose the train as their preferred mode of transportation. By traveling by train on this route, you can enjoy the comfort of spacious seats, spectacular views—and in some cases free Wi-Fi—in both second and first class. Our customers have decided that the train is the best way to get from Cologne to Zürich and have chosen to enjoy this fast, safe and efficient way to arrive at their destination. Taking the train also avoids long lines or potential expenses for transfers to/from the station—especially since most main railway stations are located in the city center. Train companies in Europe vary from country to country, but most of them offer high-speed train routes, therefore when you add up at the end-to-end journey time, the train is often also the fastest way to get to your destination.

Search on Omio to find cheap tickets from Cologne to Zürich. It’s easy to find the most attractive prices and choose your preferred route for your journey. Book on web or app, and travel with your mobile ticket —without the stress of printing your ticket.

More than 1,000 travel companies trust us to sell their tickets all in one place.

Trenitalia
Easyjet
Deutsche Bahn
SNCF

FAQs: Travel from Cologne to Zurich

Travel to Zurich 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 Zurich.

FAQs
There are 3 options to travel between Cologne and Zurich including taking a train, bus, and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Cologne to Zurich is a bus with an average price of $33 (€26).

This is compared to other travel options from Cologne to Zurich:

A bus is $35 (€28) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cologne to Zurich costing on average $68 (€54).

A bus is $42 (€34) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Cologne to Zurich costing on average $75 (€60).

The fastest way to travel from Cologne to Zurich is by flight with an average journey time of 1h 0m.

Other travel options to Zurich take longer:

Train takes on average 4h 55m.

Bus takes on average 9h 35m.

The distance from Cologne to Zurich is approximately 256 miles (413 km).
The average frequency per day from Cologne to Zurich is:
  • Around 13 trains per day.
  • Around 7 flights per day.
  • Around 3 buses per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Cologne and Zurich as scheduled services by train, bus, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Cologne to Zurich:
  • Flights mostly depart from Cologne Bonn Airport and arrive in Zurich Airport.
  • Trains mostly depart from Cologne Hbf and arrive in Zurich HB.
  • Buses mostly depart from Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) and arrive in Zürich, Sihlquai Bus Terminal (Carparkplatz Sihlquai).
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Cologne to Zurich, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with FlixBus, BlaBlaCar, BlaBlaCar Bus to go to Zurich by bus.
  • Travel with Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB | Euro City (EC), ÖBB | ICE, ÖBB | Nightjet, ÖBB | InterCity to go to Zurich by train.
  • Travel with Eurowings, Smartwings, Tuifly, Lufthansa, Helvetic Airways to go to Zurich by flight.
Yes, there are direct services available from Cologne to Zurich with the following travel companies:
  • 1 direct buses per day with BlaBlaCar.
  • 0 direct trains per day with Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB | Nightjet.
  • 3 direct flights per day with Eurowings, Smartwings.
Omio customers who travel from Cologne to Zurich often also extend their vacation to go to Paris, Milan, Munich, Vienna, Lucerne. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Zurich and these popular destinations at a great price.
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