How to travel from Rotterdam to Cologne

Wed, Mar 11
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Deutsche Bahn
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Deutsche Bahn
FlixBus
VIAS Rail GmbH
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1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare bus, train, and flight for Rotterdam to Cologne

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Rotterdam to Cologne among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $13. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 3h 15m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.2kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $13, and a train costs an average of $26.

Distance: 126 miles (204 km)

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus

$75

Average price

$24

Average price

Cheapest

3h 45m

Average total duration

Fastest

3h 15m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

5h 36m

Average total duration

5h 6m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

0.1 - 0.2kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

0.2 - 0.5kg

CO2 emissions

Deutsche Bahn

Most popular train company

FlixBus

Most popular bus company

Direct Options

Direct Options

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

Travel options
from Rotterdam to Cologne

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

Our recommendation

bus

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

Regiojet(Amsterdam -> Prague)
03:15PM4h25
Rotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
07:40PMKöln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)
$191One-way
0 transfers

Cheapest

Regiojet(Amsterdam -> Prague)
03:15PM4h25
Rotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
07:40PMKöln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)
$191One-way
0 transfers

Fastest

Deutsche BahnIC 2827 · ICE 225
08:20AM2h58
Rotterdam Centraal
11:18AMCologne Hbf
$1091One-way
1 transfer

Other options

Deutsche BahnIC 1131 · IC 3529 · 20077 · 10621
09:15AM3h20
Rotterdam Centraal
12:35PMCologne Hbf
$941One-way
3 transfers
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
07:10AM7h35
Rotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
02:45PMKöln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
$411One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
05:20AM5h50
Rotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
11:10AMKöln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
$401One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
06:05AM7h20
Rotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
01:25PMKöln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
$411One-way
1 transfer

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, train, 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 Rotterdam to Cologne

The Best Way According to our Users

Whether it is for business or leisure, in order to travel from Rotterdam to Cologne, 81,40% 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 Rotterdam to Cologne 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 Rotterdam to Cologne. 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 Rotterdam to Cologne

Travel to Cologne 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 Rotterdam to Cologne.

FAQs
There are 3 options to travel between Rotterdam and Cologne including taking a bus, train, and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Rotterdam to Cologne is a bus with an average price of $13 (€10).

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

A bus is $13 (€11) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Rotterdam to Cologne costing on average $26 (€21).

A bus is $519 (€418) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Rotterdam to Cologne costing on average $532 (€429).

The fastest way to travel from Rotterdam to Cologne is by train with an average journey time of 2h 58m.

Other travel options to Cologne take longer:

Bus takes on average 4h 25m.

Flight takes on average 5h 35m.

The distance from Rotterdam to Cologne is approximately 126 miles (204 km).
The average frequency per day from Rotterdam to Cologne is:
  • Around 9 buses per day.
  • Around 6 trains per day.

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

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Rotterdam to Cologne:
  • Trains mostly depart from Rotterdam Centraal and arrive in Cologne Hbf.
  • Buses mostly depart from Rotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station) and arrive in Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen).
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Rotterdam to Cologne, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with Deutsche Bahn, VIAS Rail GmbH to go to Cologne by train.
  • Travel with FlixBus, Ourbus, BlaBlaCar Bus, Union Ivkoni - Unibus to go to Cologne by bus.
Yes, there is a direct route available from Rotterdam to Cologne:
  • 5 direct buses per day with FlixBus, Ourbus.
Omio customers who travel from Rotterdam to Cologne often also extend their vacation to go to Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, London. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Cologne and these popular destinations at a great price.

Travelling from Rotterdam to Cologne: related information

Here are some other resources that might have the information you need

HomeTravelTravel to GermanyTravel to CologneHow to travel from Rotterdam to Cologne

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