How far is Essen from Cologne?

The distance between the two cities is 36 miles (57 km).

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Essen to Cologne?

Most of the buses traveling from Essen to Cologne leave from Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit and arrive at Cologne/Bonn Airport. These are the main departure and arrival locations on this route, there are other pick-up and drop-off locations that could make it easier for you to reach your destination.

What are the best sights and things to do in Cologne?

Once in Cologne, you can start exploring the city and discover its surroundings. The top sights and things to do are Historic Town Hall, Roman Praetorium, Cologne Opera, Köln Triangle Panorama and Volksgarten.

Bus Essen to Cologne from $5 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Essen to Cologne on November 17
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	9:55am	Essen	1h 45m	11:40am	Cologne/Bonn Airport	Cheapest
Bus	10:15pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	1h 40m	11:55pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	Fastest
Bus	9:00pm	Essen	1h 45m	10:45pm	Cologne/Bonn Airport	No tags
Bus	6:10am	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	1h 55m	8:05am	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	No tags
Bus	6:15am	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	1h 45m	8:00am	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	No tags

Next departures for Essen to Cologne on November 20
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
	Bus	9:00pm	Essen	1h 45m	10:45pm	Cologne/Bonn Airport	CheapestFastest

Next departures for Essen to Cologne on November 21
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	9:55am	Essen	1h 45m	11:40am	Cologne/Bonn Airport	Cheapest
Bus	8:30pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	1h 40m	10:10pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	Fastest
Bus	9:00pm	Essen	1h 45m	10:45pm	Cologne/Bonn Airport	No tags
Bus	6:10am	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	1h 55m	8:05am	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	No tags
Bus	6:15am	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	1h 45m	8:00am	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Yesterday at 7:29 PM CET.

Compare 3 ways to go from Essen to Cologne

We recommend carpooling

Among the sustainable travel choices, the carpool stands out as the good way to reach Cologne. The journey takes about 50 minutes and with fares starting at just $3, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

3carpool per day

50mAverage Duration

37 milesDistance

2kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions
Bus	Average Price$6 - $26	Average Duration1h 45m	CO₂ emissions 2kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$9 - $82	Average Duration56m	CO₂ emissions 1kg CO₂e
Carpool	Average Price$3 - $9	Average Duration50m	CO₂ emissions 2kg CO₂e

Compare bus companies

FlixBus

3.5/511,328 reviews

Staff4.1

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi2.7

Flixbus is a European bus operator that offers intercity and bus travel in over 38 countries. Known for their easy-to-spot lime green buses and for offering affordable transportation between cities in Europe and the Americas, Flixbus is a good option for those looking for an affordable, reliable bus company. In their buses, you'll find free WiFi, bathrooms, and power outlets. You can also pay extra to choose your seat and get extra legroom, or even buy a snack or drink onboard directly from the driver. You can reschedule your ticket for a small fee, which varies from $1 to $5, depending on how close you are to the departure date.

Flixbus Essen Cologne recent customer reviews

My flight was @ 14:20 and I saw 10: 50 to cologne airport, but after buying it I changed to 22:50. I wasted my money yesterday, I never use flix bus yesterday anymore

Ehichioya Austine E.

June 25, 2025

BlaBlaCar Bus

3.5/511,128 reviews

Staff4.4

Timeliness3.6

Cleanliness4.3

Wifi2.6

DE bus companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, Sindbad

Where are the popular stops in Essen and Cologne?

Stops in Essen

A - Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit

B - HBF

C - Essen Hbf

D - Essen Bushaltestelle

E - Hachestraße

Stops in Cologne

A - Cologne/Bonn Airport

B - Hbf

C - Gummersbacher Str.

D - Riehl Zoo

E - Leverkusen Mitte

F - Rhein Energie Stadion

Frequently asked questions about traveling from Essen to Cologne by bus

How far is Essen from Cologne?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Essen to Cologne?
What are the best sights and things to do in Cologne?

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

11/14

$6

11/15

$6

Today

$5

11/17

$5

11/18

$5

11/19

$5

11/20

$5

11/21

$5

The cheapest trip from Essen to Cologne was searched and found on Nov 19, 2025 with a price of $5

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from Essen to Cologne, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $5 to $9 for a bus ticket from Essen to Cologne based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $5 which is on 2025-11-19.