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There are 9 ways to get from Paris to Cologne by train, bus, night bus, rideshare, car or plane

Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner.

Recommended option

Train  •  3h 20m

  1. Take the train from Paris Nord to Koeln Hbf Thalys

Cheapest option

Bus  •  7h 15m

  1. Take the bus from Paris to Köln Flughafen Köln/Bonn Flughafen Terminal 2 N1320 / ...

7 alternative options

Train via Brussels  •  4h 11m

  1. Take the train from Paris Nord to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi Thalys
  2. Take the train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Koeln Hbf Ice / ...

Night bus  •  8h 29m

  1. Take the night bus from Paris to Leverkusen Wiesdorf Mitte Bf N79

Rideshare  •  5h 47m

  1. Take the rideshare from Paris to Cologne 484.6 km

Drive  •  4h 22m

  1. Drive from Paris Gallieni to Cologne 479.4 km

Fly Paris Charles de Gaulle to Dusseldorf, train  •  5h 6m

  1. Fly from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Dusseldorf (DUS) CDG - DUS
  2. Take the train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Koeln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12

Fly Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn  •  6h 47m

  1. Fly from Paris Orly (ORY) to Cologne Bonn (CGN) ORY - CGN

Fly Paris Charles de Gaulle to Frankfurt, train  •  4h 55m

  1. Fly from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Frankfurt (FRA) CDG - FRA
  2. Take the train from Frankfurt to Köln Deutz Messe/Deutz Bf

Paris to Cologne by train

34 Weekly Trains
3h 20m Average Duration
€110 Cheapest Price
See schedules

Questions & Answers

The most affordable way to get from Paris to Cologne is to bus, which costs €20 - €50 and takes 7h 15m.

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The quickest way to get from Paris to Cologne is to train which costs €110 - €230 and takes 3h 20m.

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Yes, there is a direct train departing from Paris Nord and arriving at Koeln Hbf. Services depart five times a day, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 3h 20m.

More details

The distance between Paris and Cologne is 402 km. The road distance is 479.4 km.

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The best way to get from Paris to Cologne without a car is to train which takes 3h 20m and costs €110 - €230.

More details

The train from Paris Nord to Koeln Hbf takes 3h 20m including transfers and departs five times a day.

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Paris to Cologne train services, operated by Thalys, depart from Paris Nord station.

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The best way to get from Paris to Cologne is to train which takes 3h 20m and costs €110 - €230. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €20 - €50 and takes 7h 15m, you could also fly, which costs €85 - €460 and takes 6h 47m.

Mode details

The quickest flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Dusseldorf Airport is the direct flight which takes 1h 15m.

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Paris to Cologne train services, operated by Thalys, arrive at Koeln Hbf station.

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Map of how to get from Paris to Cologne.
Launch map view
  • Distance: 402.1 km
  • Duration: 3h 20m

What companies run services between Paris, France and Cologne, Germany?

Thalys operates a train from Paris Nord to Koeln Hbf 5 times a day. Tickets cost €110 - €230 and the journey takes 3h 20m. Alternatively, FlixBus operates a bus from Paris to Köln Flughafen Köln/Bonn Flughafen Terminal 2 5 times a day. Tickets cost €26 - €35 and the journey takes 6h 55m. Blablabus also services this route 4 times a day.

Airlines
Lufthansa
Website
lufthansa.com
Flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Dusseldorf via Frankfurt
Ave. Duration
3h 20m
When
Monday to Saturday
Estimated price
€130 - €750
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Munich
Ave. Duration
7h 25m
When
Every day
Estimated price
€200 - €900
Flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Frankfurt
Ave. Duration
1h 13m
When
Every day
Estimated price
€90 - €700
Eurowings
Website
eurowings.com
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Milan Malpensa
Ave. Duration
3h 55m
When
Monday
Estimated price
€100 - €400
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Nice
Ave. Duration
4h 20m
When
Monday to Friday
Estimated price
€110 - €430
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Palma Mallorca
Ave. Duration
5h 6m
When
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Estimated price
€140 - €500
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Barcelona
Ave. Duration
5h 20m
When
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Estimated price
€120 - €470
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Naples
Ave. Duration
5h 35m
When
Tuesday and Thursday
Estimated price
€80 - €420
Air France
Website
airfrance.com
Flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Dusseldorf
Ave. Duration
1h 16m
When
Every day
Estimated price
€95 - €600
Flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Frankfurt
Ave. Duration
1h 25m
When
Every day
Estimated price
€85 - €600
KLM
Website
klm.com
Flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Dusseldorf via Amsterdam Schiphol
Ave. Duration
3h 20m
When
Every day
Estimated price
€120 - €750
Flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Frankfurt via Amsterdam Schiphol
Ave. Duration
3h 17m
When
Every day
Estimated price
€150 - €900
Ryanair
Website
ryanair.com
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Barcelona
Ave. Duration
5h 15m
When
Monday to Friday
Estimated price
€35 - €240
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Palma Mallorca
Ave. Duration
5h 30m
When
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday
Estimated price
€40 - €260
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via Porto
Ave. Duration
5h 30m
When
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Estimated price
€45 - €290
easyJet
Website
easyjet.com
Flights from Paris Orly to Cologne Bonn via London Gatwick
Ave. Duration
5h 25m
When
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Estimated price
€80 - €420
Brussels Airlines
Website
brusselsairlines.com
Flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Frankfurt via Brussels
Ave. Duration
2h 55m
When
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Estimated price
€90 - €700
Train operators
Thalys
Phone
+32 70 66 77 88
Website
thalys.com
Train from Paris Nord to Koeln Hbf
Ave. Duration
3h 20m
Frequency
5 times a day
Estimated price
€110 - €230
Website
Thalys
Standard
€110 - €150
Comfort
€120 - €160
Premium
€160 - €230
Train from Paris Nord to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
Ave. Duration
1h 22m
Frequency
Hourly
Estimated price
€75 - €160
Website
Thalys
Standard
€75 - €110
Comfort
€90 - €120
Premium
€110 - €160
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Koeln Hbf
Ave. Duration
1h 48m
Frequency
5 times a day
Estimated price
€65 - €130
Website
Thalys
Standard
€65 - €90
Comfort
€75 - €100
Premium
€90 - €130
Deutsche Bahn Intercity-Express

German rail company Deutsche Bahn is known for its efficient and comfortable service. It offers many different types of rail transportation, including ICE or Intercity-Express for high-speed services between major cities and regions, IC (InterCity) for long-distance trains, RE (Regional Express) trains that connect regions and cities, and the S-Bahn rapid transit service. There are two main tickets on offer: the Flexpreis that has full flexibility, and the Sparpreis which is the cheaper, advanced fare (bookings usually open 6 months in advance for domestic tickets).

Contact Details
Phone
+49 0180 6 99 66 33
Website
bahn.com
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Koeln Hbf
Ave. Duration
1h 50m
Frequency
Every 4 hours
Estimated price
€40 - €60
Website
Deutsche Bahn
Train from Frankfurt to Köln Deutz Messe/Deutz Bf
Ave. Duration
51 min
Frequency
Hourly
Estimated price
€35 - €50
Website
Deutsche Bahn
National Express
Phone
0221 13 999 444
Website
nationalexpress.de
Train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Koeln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12
Ave. Duration
59 min
Frequency
Every 20 minutes
Estimated price
€11 - €14
Website
National Express Rail
ABELLIO Rail
Phone
0800 2235546
Website
abellio.de
Train from Düsseldorf Flughafen to Köln Messe/Deutz
Ave. Duration
35 min
Frequency
5 times a day
Website
ABELLIO Rail
Abellio
Phone
0800 223 5546
Website
abellio.de
Train from Duesseldorf Flughafen to Koeln Messe/Deutz
Ave. Duration
35 min
Frequency
4 times a week
Website
Abellio
TRI Train Rental GmbH
Phone
+49 9126 288825
Website
train-rental.com
Train from D-Flughafen Bf to Köln Deutz Messe/Deutz Bf
Ave. Duration
37 min
Frequency
Twice a week
Website
TRI Train Rental GmbH
Bus operators
FlixBus

One of Europe’s leading bus companies, Flixbus serves 2000+ destinations in 29 countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and Croatia and into Scandinavia and eastern Europe, as well as some US cities. Coaches have toilets, free WiFi and power outlets, plus snacks and drinks for purchase on board. Flixbus is a good choice for the budget-conscious traveller; purchase tickets in advance for the cheapest fares (note: there is no option to reserve a seat in advance).

Rome2rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
Phone
+49 30 300 137 300
Email
service@flixbus.com
Website
flixbus.de
Bus from Paris to Köln Flughafen Köln/Bonn Flughafen Terminal 2
Ave. Duration
6h 55m
Frequency
5 times a day
Estimated price
€26 - €35
Website
flixbus.co.uk
Night bus from Paris to Leverkusen Wiesdorf Mitte Bf
Ave. Duration
8h 10m
Frequency
Twice daily
Estimated price
€27 - €35
Website
flixbus.co.uk
Frequently asked questions
Is there Wi-Fi on FlixBus?
Yes - FlixBus offers free Wi-Fi
Are there power outlets on FlixBus?
Yes
Does FlixBus offer meals or snacks?
Yes - snacks and drinks may be purchased from the driver. Please note, this is not available on all services.
For more information, please visit this page
Blablabus

As the bus subsidiary of French railway SNCF, Ouibus offers eco-friendly coaches serving 35 French cities and 10 European cities at affordable fares. Ouibus journeys are safe and comfortable, with the four-star coaches offering power outlets, restrooms and WiFi. All Ouibus stations are located close to town centres for easy access to public transport. Getting on one of the 130 daily journeys is easy - electronic travel documents include your ticket and a personalised mini-guide with handy information.

Contact Details
Phone
+33 1 71 53 01 80
Website
blablacar.fr
Bus from Paris City Centre - Bercy Seine to Cologne - Airport
Ave. Duration
8h 10m
Frequency
4 times a day
Estimated price
€17 - €21
Website
Blablabus
Other operators
BlaBlaCar

Blablacar is a popular ridesharing platform with 70 million users over 22 (mostly European) countries. The basic idea is that you carpool with locals who are already planning to drive your route and have space in their car. With some flexibility, you’ll get to your destination often faster and cheaper than other means. On the website or app, enter your departure and arrival points and your date of travel, sift through the profiles of drivers who’ve posted pre-planned drives and find one whose timing and preferences match yours. Request to join the ride, wait to be accepted, and pay your share of the set price.

Rome2rio's guide to BlaBlaCar
Contact Details
Website
blablacar.com
Rideshare from Paris to Cologne
Ave. Duration
5h 47m
Frequency
Twice daily
Estimated price
€34
Book at
blablacar.co.uk

Want to know more about travelling around Germany

Rome2rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.

More Questions & Answers

Yes, the driving distance between Paris to Cologne is 479 km. It takes approximately 4h 22m to drive from Paris to Cologne.

Get driving directions

Eurowings, Lufthansa, KLM and Air France offer flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Dusseldorf Airport.

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Book your Paris to Cologne train tickets online with Omio.

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There are 1011+ hotels available in Cologne. Prices start at €100 per night.

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Check out Blablacar's carpooling service for rideshare options between Paris and Cologne. A great option if you don't have a driver's licence or want to avoid public transport.

Read Rome2rio's guide to Blablacar

The best way to get from Paris to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is to train which takes 34 min and costs €5 - €8.

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