Cologne Hotels

Cologne, Germany - Getting Around

Cologne/Bonn Airport

Cologne shares its airport with Bonn. Cologne/Bonn Airport (Flughafen Köln/Bonn) is located 17 kilometres south east of the city centre. It is the sixth largest airport in Germany. British Airways, British Midland and DUO fly there from the UK.

S-Bahn trains run from the airport railway station, located between Terminals 1 and 2, to Cologne’s main railway station, the Hautbahnhof, which is located in the city centre, immediately below the Cathedral. Bus #170 also runs five times an hour throughout most of the day from the airport to the bus station at rear exit of the Hautbahnhof. The bus’s route takes it via the other rail station, Bahnhof Deutz, next to the trade fair site, so it’s also easy to catch if you’re staying at one of the trade fair hotels. The journey time is around 20 minutes.

Taxis are available at the taxi rank outside Terminals 1 and 2. A taxi will take about 15 minutes and cost approximately € 25.00.

Düsseldorf Airport

Düsseldorf Airport Station is located at the eastern end of the airport complex. The SkyTrain, a fully automated cable railway, can take you there directly from the terminal. Over 350 trains, including regional, express, intercity and high-speed InterCity Express (ICE) trains, stop daily at the station. Cologne is approximately 50 kilometres south. The cheapest option is to take a direct R-Bahn (regional) train to Cologne’s main train station, the Haupbahnhof. From here it is easy to catch a Euro or InterCity express train to Bahnhof Deutz station right next to the “Messe”. A single ticket costs €8.50.

General Transport

Cologne’s public transport system – the VRS network – is shared with Bonn and uses a mixture of buses and trams. The trams become part of the U-Bahn (underground) in and around the city centre. Tickets can be purchased inside the subway stations at counters or at ticket machines, which you will find inside the buses or trams. Before your first ride you have to validate your ticket, because there are no conductors present.

Single ticket prices are high, so it makes more sense to invest in a multi-journey pass. A one-day pass costs €5.30 for a single traveller and €7.50 for up to five people travelling together. There’s also a three-day pass for single travellers costing €13.50.

Like many European cities these days, Cologne has also introduced an integrated tourist card, called the Köln WelcomeCard. This offers unlimited travel on all public transport, plus entrance to all the municipally owned museums, as well as reduced fares for Rhine cruises and other attractions. Like the travel pass, it seems to come in one- and three-day versions. A one-day card costs €9 for individuals and €18 for families or up to three adults. A three-day card costs €19 for individuals and €38 for families or up to three adults. The WelcomeCard can be purchased at the tourist office. Alternatively, the €10.20 MuseumPass will get you into all the municipally-owned collections, including any temporary exhibitions, on two successive days.

During trade fairs, Euro and InterCity express trains provide a frequent service between the main Hautbahnhof station and the Bahnhof Deutz station right next to the “Messe”. It’s only a short walk from this station to the Rhineside Halls, or you can take the KölnMesse-Express, which runs between the station and the exhibition on fair days, with a journey time of 20 minutes.