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4.6
Travel Information
Compare train, bus, and flight for Frankfurt am Main to Essen
Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Frankfurt am Main to Essen among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price, take the bus, with an average ticket price of €29 For those with little time, consider booking a train, which has an average total journey time of 3h 9m. If you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint, the train is your best option, with estimated CO2 emissions of 0.1 - 0.2kg. Average ticket prices depend on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €29, while a flight costs an average of €237.
Distance: 118 miles (190 km)
Compare train with
Most popular Train | Bus | Flight | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
€75 Average price | €29 Average price Cheapest | €237 Average price | €36 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
3h 9m Average total duration Fastest 2h 39m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 6h 30m Average total duration 6h 0m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 3h 31m Average total duration 1h 31m Onboard + 2h 0m Additional time* | 2h 59m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.1 - 0.2kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 0.2 - 0.5kg CO2 emissions | 0.6 - 1.1kg CO2 emissions | - CO2 emissions |
 Most popular train company |  Most popular bus company |  Most popular airline | 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.
Compare ways to travel from Frankfurt am Main to Essen
Compare the available ways to get from Frankfurt am Main to Essen, with the key details around price, speed, convenience, and direct service.
This is compared to other travel options from Frankfurt am Main to Essen:
A bus is €47 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Frankfurt am Main to Essen costing on average €75.
A bus is €209 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Frankfurt am Main to Essen costing on average €237.
Other travel options to Essen take longer:
Flight takes on average 3h 31m.
Bus takes on average 6h 30m.
You'll arrive about 20m sooner (2h 39m by train vs 2h 59m by car). Tickets start at around €75 compared to roughly €36 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 Frankfurt am Main to Essen
How to get from Frankfurt am Main to Essen by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Frankfurt am Main to Essen is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
- FlixBus6:30 AM4h20Frankfurt, Stuttgarter Straße (Fermomnibusbahnhof)10:50 AMEssen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof)€231One-way0 transfers
Cheapest
- FlixBus6:30 AM4h20Frankfurt, Stuttgarter Straße (Fermomnibusbahnhof)10:50 AMEssen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof)€231One-way0 transfers
Fastest
- LH765:15 PM0h45Frankfurt am Main Airport6:00 PMDusseldorf Airport€1141One-way0 transfers
Other options
- 29544 · IC 1649 · 26837 · 280856:24 PM4h52Frankfurt (Main) Hbf11:16 PMEssen Hbf€511One-way3 transfers
- Bus RE34+
15112+
3132512:20 PM4h07Frankfurt (Main) Hbf4:27 PMEssen Hbf€511One-way2 transfers - Bus RE34+31321+1511010:20 AM4h07Frankfurt (Main) Hbf2:27 PMEssen Hbf€511One-way2 transfers
- FlixBus7:10 PM4h45Frankfurt am Main, Flughafen Frankfurt (Terminal 1 - Busparkplatz P36)11:55 PMEssen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof)€251One-way0 transfers
- FlixBus2:30 AM3h55Frankfurt, Stuttgarter Straße (Fermomnibusbahnhof)6:25 AMEssen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof)€271One-way0 transfers
- FlixBus7:30 PM4h10Frankfurt am Main, Flughafen Frankfurt (Terminal 1 - Busparkplatz P36)11:40 PMEssen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof)€281One-way0 transfers
- LH728:50 AM0h45Frankfurt am Main Airport9:35 AMDusseldorf Airport€1241One-way0 transfers
- LH741:00 PM0h45Frankfurt am Main Airport1:45 PMDusseldorf Airport€1341One-way0 transfers
- LH789:30 PM0h45Frankfurt am Main Airport10:15 PMDusseldorf Airport€1491One-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 Frankfurt am Main to Essen
Travel to Essen 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 Frankfurt am Main to Essen.
This is compared to other travel options from Frankfurt am Main to Essen:
A bus is €47 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Frankfurt am Main to Essen costing on average €75.
A bus is €209 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Frankfurt am Main to Essen costing on average €237.
Other travel options to Essen take longer:
Flight takes on average 3h 31m.
Bus takes on average 6h 30m.
- Around 13 buses per day.
- Around 9 trains per day.
- Around 5 flights per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Frankfurt am Main and Essen as scheduled services by train, bus, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.
- Flights mostly depart from Frankfurt am Main Airport and arrive in Dusseldorf Airport.
- Trains mostly depart from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and arrive in Essen Hbf.
- Buses mostly depart from Frankfurt, Stuttgarter Straße (Fermomnibusbahnhof) and arrive in Essen, Freiheit (Hauptbahnhof).
- Travel with Deutsche Bahn, Hessische Landesbahn, FlixTrain to go to Essen by train.
- Travel with FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus to go to Essen by bus.
- Travel with Lufthansa, Lufthansa City Airlines, Lufthansa Cityline, CitizenPlane, Condor Flugdienst, Eurowings, Air Dolomiti, Air Baltic, Lot Polish Airlines, British Airways to go to Essen by flight.
- 2 direct trains per day with Deutsche Bahn.
- 11 direct buses per day with FlixBus.
- 4 direct flights per day with Lufthansa, Lufthansa City Airlines, Lufthansa Cityline, Air Dolomiti.
Travelling from Frankfurt am Main to Essen: related information
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