Getting to Cologne

Those planning to visit Cologne are spoilt for choice as to how to get there. The most popular and convenient means is by air, as both Köln-Bonn International and Düsseldorf International airports serve the city. The autobahn road network is well developed, making driving by private or hired car a very viable option. The roads also provide excellent conditions for coach services from all over Europe.

Train transportation is so good, that you can jump on the Eurostar in London in the early afternoon and be in Cologne in time for dinner. From the UK, Cologne can be reached through a number of routes to Germany via France, Belgium, Holland and Denmark.

By car

Cologne is linked to the rest of Germany by the autobahn network, and is a 400km, three-hour drive from the UK via Calais. Cologne is a major autobahn hub encircled by the immense Kölner Ring, with entrances from the A1, A3, A4, A57, A555 and A559 from all over Germany. The city’s connected north and south by the A3 autobahn and east and west by the A4.

By rail

Cologne is served primarily by its major central train station, Köln Hauptbahnhof. There’s no direct rail link between the UK and Cologne, but high-speed Eurostar trains link London with Brussels in 2 hours 20 minutes. From Brussels, high-speed Thalys and German Inter-City Express (ICE) trains run to the Hauptbahnhof, in about the same time.

In the UK, Eurostar can be contacted on 08705 186 186; http://www.eurostar.com. Deutsche Bahn, the German state railway, runs from London and Ashford in Kent to Cologne, with the journey from London taking approximately six hours. Contact the Deutsche Bahn UK booking centre on 08702 43 53 63.

By bus

If you don’t mind the long, scenic route, Eurolines, the overseas wing of National Express, runs daily coach services run from London Victoria to Cologne in a direct city-to-city journey that takes 12 to 13 hours. The trip is bearable, as Eurolines use modern coaches with comfortable reclining seats, large picture windows, washroom facilities and adequate room to stretch the legs for the duration of the haul. From the UK, call 08705 143 219 or 08705 808 080; http://www.nationalexpress.com/eurolines

By air

Several airlines fly direct from the UK to Cologne, which is served by Köln-Bonn International Airport, midway between Cologne and Bonn, and Düsseldorf International Airport. Arriving at Köln-Bonn makes for a better choice, as it’s approximately 17km south of central Cologne, compared to Düsseldorf International that’s 55km to the north of Cologne.

By ferry

From the UK, Cologne can be reached directly or through a number of indirect routes to Germany via France, Belgium, Holland and Denmark. P&O Ferries offer Dover to Calais, Hull to Rotterdam, and Hull to Zeebrugge services; Hoverspeed goes from Dover to Calais and from Dover to Ostend; whilst Stena Line services run from Harwich to the Hook of Holland.

P&O sails from Dover to Calais in around 75 minutes, five times daily throughout the year, and Cologne is around 400km the rest of the way by road. The total journey from the UK to Cologne can take anything between 2 hours 30 minutes to about four hours, depending on the point of UK departure and the mainland Europe destination.

Cologne airport

The Köln-Bonn Konrad Adenauer International Airport lies halfway between Cologne and Bonn, and has connecting flights to many transatlantic and European cities, as well as ongoing flights to regional destinations. It connects to 87 airports, mainly in Europe, and with a few in North Africa and the Middle East.

Terminal 2 opened in autumn 2000, and is modern, huge, and bright - an allusion to the cosmopolitan outlook that’s said to be one of the city’s characteristics. It's easy to find your way around the airport, which is well appointed with the type and variety of facilities such as ATMs, banks and restaurants that you’d expect from a contemporary airport. Phone: +49 220 3 40 40 19

Cologne airport transportation

Once arriving at the airport, reaching the city centre is easy, especially with so many readily available means of transportation. Directions and access to the airport bus, taxi rank and car rental pool is good, due to a clear and well laid out sign system. Trains run regularly between the airport and the Hauptbahnhof central train station in the heart of the city; the airport bus number 170 leaves for the same destination every 20 minutes; a taxi ride from the 24-hour airport taxi service takes you to the city centre 17km away in about 20 minutes.