How to travel from Zurich to Cologne

Thu, Mar 05
+ Add return
Travel by train, bus, flight with
Deutsche Bahn
Eurowings
BlaBlaCar
FlixBus
Smartwings
1,000+ more
Deutsche Bahn
Eurowings
BlaBlaCar
FlixBus
Smartwings
1,000+ more
QR-Code
Scan to get our free app
Use our app to get live travel updates and book mobile tickets for trains, buses, flights, and ferries.
App Store
rate4.9
42K ratings
Google Play
rate4.6
136K reviews

Travel Information

Compare train, bus, and flight for Zurich to Cologne

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Zurich to Cologne 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 21m. 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 $95.

Distance: 256 miles (413 km)

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Flight
Bus

$168

Average price

$241

Average price

$62

Average price

Cheapest

7h 4m

Average total duration

6h 34m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

4h 21m

Average total duration

Fastest

1h 21m

Onboard

+

3h 0m

Additional time*

8h 27m

Average total duration

7h 57m

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

BlaBlaCar

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 Zurich to Cologne

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

Our recommendation

bus

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

FlixBusFlixBus
09:25PM9h20
Kloten, Zürich Flughafen (Bahnhof)
06:45AMKöln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
$401One-way
0 transfers

Cheapest

FlixBusFlixBus
09:25PM9h20
Kloten, Zürich Flughafen (Bahnhof)
06:45AMKöln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
$401One-way
0 transfers

Fastest

Eurowings EW763
08:30AM1h05
Zurich Airport
09:35AMCologne Bonn Airport
$3721One-way
0 transfers

Other options

Deutsche BahnIC 60402
09:59PM7h58
Zurich HB
05:57AMCologne Hbf
$741One-way
0 transfers
Deutsche BahnIC 782 · ICE 100
05:59PM5h11
Zurich HB
11:10PMCologne Hbf
$941One-way
1 transfer
Deutsche BahnICE 272 · ICE 510
06:59PM5h21
Zurich HB
12:20AMCologne Hbf
$941One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
05:25PM11h15
Kloten, Zürich Flughafen (Bahnhof)
04:40AMKöln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
$531One-way
1 transfer
Eurowings EW8761 · EW11
09:05AM8h35
Zurich Airport
05:40PMCologne Bonn Airport
$1981One-way
1 transfer
Eurowings EW769
08:10PM1h05
Zurich Airport
09:15PMCologne Bonn Airport
$3721One-way
0 transfers
Eurowings EW8761 · EW7
09:05AM7h35
Zurich Airport
04:40PMCologne Bonn Airport
$4711One-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 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.

Thu
Mar 05
Fri
Mar 06
Sat
Mar 07
Sun
Mar 08
Mon
Mar 09
Tue
Mar 10
Wed
Mar 11
Thu
Mar 12
Fri
Mar 13
Sat
Mar 14
Sun
Mar 15
Mon
Mar 16
Tue
Mar 17
Wed
Mar 18
Thu
Mar 19
Fri
Mar 20
Sat
Mar 21
Sun
Mar 22
Mon
Mar 23
Tue
Mar 24
Wed
Mar 25

How to get from Zürich to Cologne

The Best Way According to our Users

Whether it is for business or leisure, in order to travel from Zürich to Cologne, 71,72% 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 Zürich 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 Zürich 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 Zurich 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 Zurich to Cologne.

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

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

A bus is $31 (€25) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Zurich to Cologne costing on average $64 (€51).

A bus is $63 (€51) less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Zurich to Cologne costing on average $95 (€77).

The fastest way to travel from Zurich to Cologne is by flight with an average journey time of 1h 5m.

Other travel options to Cologne take longer:

Train takes on average 4h 55m.

Bus takes on average 9h 20m.

The distance from Zurich to Cologne is approximately 256 miles (413 km).
The average frequency per day from Zurich to Cologne is:
  • Around 12 trains per day.
  • Around 7 flights per day.
  • Around 4 buses per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Zurich and Cologne 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 Zurich to Cologne:
  • Flights mostly depart from Zurich Airport and arrive in Cologne Bonn Airport.
  • Trains mostly depart from Zurich HB and arrive in Cologne Hbf.
  • Buses mostly depart from Kloten, Zürich Flughafen (Bahnhof) and arrive in Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen).
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Zurich to Cologne, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with BlaBlaCar, FlixBus to go to Cologne by bus.
  • Travel with Eurowings , Smartwings, TUIfly, Lufthansa, Edelweiss Air to go to Cologne by flight.
  • Travel with Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB Nightjet, ÖBB | ICE, ÖBB | Euro City (EC), ÖBB | InterCity, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS) to go to Cologne by train.
Yes, there are direct services available from Zurich to Cologne with the following travel companies:
  • 1 direct buses per day with BlaBlaCar.
  • 3 direct flights per day with Eurowings , Smartwings.
  • 1 direct trains per day with Deutsche Bahn.
Omio customers who travel from Zurich 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.
HomeTravelTravel to GermanyTravel to CologneHow to travel from Zurich to Cologne

The Omio App Makes Travel Planning Easy

We’ll get you where you want to go. From live train updates to mobile tickets, our innovative app is the ideal way to plan and keep track of your travel.

ios-badge
android-badge
Hand With Phone