Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN) is located 15 km away from the city of Cologne and 23 km away from Bonn. The airport is excellently connected to central Cologne by various means of transportation. Here you will find detailed information on how to get from Cologne Airport to the city center (and vice versa).
Information about Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN)
Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN) consists of two passenger terminals located next to each other. Terminal 1 (T1) is the oldest terminal, which is used by flag carriers and low-cost airlines of Germany and Austria. Terminal 2 (T2) is more modern and is used by European low-cost airlines and airlines offering long-haul flights. Both terminals offer various usual airport services such as shops, bars and restaurants, travel agencies, and conference centers.
Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN) was born as a military base of the Luftwaffe in 1913 and was developed after World War II by the British aviation. Although numerous growth works were carried out in the 60s and 70s, the most important works took place in the late 90s and in 2004, the year in which the flights of low-cost and intercontinental companies began to increase.
Flights to Cologne
Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN) is an international airport welcoming around 13 million passengers per year. If you are one of them and have a plan to fly to Cologne, find flight timetables and best flight ticket offers on Trip.com, as this is the website we are normally using for booking flights at a really attractive price.
Getting from Cologne Airport to City Center
Here you will find detailed information on how to get to the center of Cologne from the airport (and vice versa). For getting from Cologne-Bonn Airport to the city, you can use trains, buses, taxis, private transfers, or rented cars.
Train from Cologne Airport to City Center
The fastest way to reach Cologne city center from the airport is by train. The Köln / Bonn Flughafen train station is located in the center of the passenger terminal. There are several train lines that can bring you from this airport station to either Cologne or Bonn city center.
Trains from Airport to Cologne City Center (Hauptbahnhof):
- S13 and S19 (goes to Cologne and Düren)
- RE6 (goes to Mindem and Düsseldorf)
- RE8 (goes to Mönchengladbach Hbf)
- ICE express train line (operating intercity)
Train from Airport to Bonn:
- RE8 (goes to Koblenz Hbf)
Train line RE8 does not go directly to Bonn Train Station, so you have to get off at Bonn-Beuel Station and change to bus No. 62 going in the direction of Quirinusplatz (approx. 5 minutes on foot), and you will reach the city center in 7 minutes.
Find the details of the trains running between Cologne-Bonn Airport and Cologne city center.
S-Bahn Trains
The easiest way to reach the city center from Cologne-Bonn Airport is taking S-Bahn train S13 or S19. When taking one of these trains, you will reach the city center in just 14 minutes. S-Bahn trains run from the airport to Cologne city center every 20 minutes on Monday-Friday and every 30 minutes on Saturday and Sunday.
The price of a single trip train ticket is 3.80 EUR, as you need a public transport ticket to travel with S-Bahn. These tickets cannot be bought online like the Cologne Card, so you should buy them at the train station while at the airport. The ticket is valid for 90 minutes, and that’s more than enough for reaching the city center. If you are planning to use public transport in Cologne more intensively, you can buy a single 24-hour ticket for 9.20 EUR or the 24-hour ticket suitable for up to five persons for 18.60 EUR.
Airport - Cologne City Center S-Bahn Train Route: Cologne-Bonn Airport - Fransfurterstrasse - Trimbornstrasse - Messe / Deutz - City Center Train Station - Hansaring - Ehrenfeld - Müngersdorf / Technology Park - Lövenich - Frechen - Königsdorf – Horrem
Regional Express (RE) Trains
You can also use Regional Express trains to get from Cologne Airport to the city center. These trains are faster than S-Bahn trains. Travel time from the airport to the city center is 11 minutes. However, the trains only go to the city center two times an hour.
The price of the journey from the airport to Cologne's city center by RE train is also 3.80 EUR. Train tickets can be purchased at the airport train station.
Tip: You can check train departure times according to your planned arrival time at the airport. You have to enter the place of departure (Köln/Bonn Flughafen) and the place of arrival (Cologne Hbf or Bonn Hbf) to see the train timetable. Be noted that you can see the departure times of both express RE trains and S-Bahn trains. S-Bahn and Regional Express (RE) trains depart from the airport railway station, which is located between Terminals 1 and 2.
Intercity Express (ICE) Trains
ICE trains running in the direction of Cologne from other German cities such as Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen, Bochum, Dortmund, Hannover, and Berlin also stop at the airport. It is possible to get to Cologne city center by taking one of these trains. You can reach the city center in 10 minutes by ICE trains. However, ICE train ticket prices are much higher and can be about 8 EUR. The Cologne Card cannot be used on ICE trains as well.
Bus from Cologne Airport to City Center
Another way to get from Cologne-Bonn Airport to Cologne city center is taking a bus. Unfortunately, there are no direct shuttle buses from the airport to the city center because they have been canceled after the trains started operating between Cologne Airport and the city center.
You will find few bus options at the airport, and only one of them is going to Cologne’s Porz Markt district, where connections to other bus and train lines are available. Other buses depart from Cologne-Bonn Airport to Bonn and several other cities in Germany.
Bus No. 161: Airport - Porz Markt
Bus No. 161 runs between Cologne Airport and Porz Markt district on the outskirts of Cologne. Buses depart every 30 - 60 minutes between 05:30 and 24:00 daily. Travel time from the airport to Porz Markt is about 15 minutes. After reaching the last stop on the Bus No. 161 route, you can transfer to the city center by another bus or train.
A one-way bus ticket costs 3.80 EUR per person and can be bought from the driver on the bus.
Bus SB60: Airport - Bonn
Airport Express Bus SB60 runs from Cologne-Bonn Airport to Bonn Central Train Station. Buses depart from the bus stops found at the airport’s Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The journey takes about 30 minutes.
The Bus SB60 ticket costs 10.50 EUR per person per way. The fee for children (6-14 years old) is 5.00 EUR. You can buy a ticket at ticket machines at both terminals, bus stops, or directly from the bus driver.
SB60 Bus Route: Terminal 1 - Terminal 2 - Innenministerium - Beethovenhalle & SWB - Brüdergasse - Bonn Market - Hauptbahnhof (Train Station)
Intercity Buses
It is also possible to go by bus directly from Cologne Airport to other cities in Germany such as Frankfurt, Aachen, Düsseldorf, Munich, and Berlin. Many local bus companies come to Cologne Airport to pick up passengers. Bus companies serving the routes from the airport to other German cities include Regiojet, Flixbus, Eurolines, and Mango Tours.
Bus tickets can be purchased online on the websites of the relevant bus companies before traveling.
Taxi from Cologne Airport to City Center
Cologne Airport Taxi is a convenient solution for traveling from the airport to the city center. You can comfortably reach your hotel without dragging yourself up and down in public transport. If you will be arriving late at night and won’t have pre-booked transportation or will not want to drive by yourself, taking a taxi might be your only choice for getting into the city.
All of the official taxis at Cologne Airport are run by Taxi Rulf Köln. The official airport taxis are available at the exits of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 and provide transportation services 24/7.
The airport taxi fare for a ride from Cologne-Bonn Airport to the center of Cologne should be around 25-27 EUR, from the airport to the Bonn city center, around 35-40 EUR. The journey time to Cologne is approximately 15-20 minutes and to Bonn about 20-25 minutes.
Private Cologne Airport Transfer
The most comfortable way to get from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to anywhere in Cologne is a private transfer, offering door-to-door service. You can choose the most suitable time, and the driver will be waiting for you at the airport. Your driver will track your flight so that no matter whether your flight arrives early, late, or on time, the driver will be there to greet you on arrival and will take you to your destination.
The difference between taking a taxi and traveling by a private transfer is that the private transfer is pre-booked for a fixed price, and you don’t need to worry about being overcharged. If you are traveling in a large group or with extra luggage, booking transportation prior to arrival is recommended as you will get a vehicle that suits your needs the best.
Travel by Rented Car
Car rental at Cologne Airport is very efficient. Renting a car gives you much more freedom to visit the city and its surrounding areas. At Cologne airport, you will find the main international car rental companies, including Avis, Europcar, Hertz, and Sixt, offering a wide choice of car models and optional services. It is advisable to book a car online before departure, as you can check and compare prices, terms and conditions, and types of vehicles. This way, you will save both time and money on arrival at the airport. The offices of all car rental companies are located in Terminal 2 and serve 24/7.
KölnCard (Cologne Card) for Transportation
We’ve mentioned the Cologne Card above several times, and you might wonder about it. The Cologne Card is a tourist card that lets you travel around the city for 24 or 48 hours with free access to public transport and discounts of up to 50% for Cologne tourist attractions and museums, restaurants, guided tours, and shopping.
If you are planning to stay in Cologne for a few days and use public transportation for exploring the area, you should buy the Cologne Card. The card also includes traveling on buses and trains to and from the airport!
There are 4 types of Cologne Card available, each of them valid for 1 person or a group of up to 5 persons.
Hotels near Cologne-Bonn Airport
Booking a hotel near Cologne-Bonn Airport is recommended for those who have a flight arriving late at night or leaving early in the morning. Close to the A59 motorway, on the streets surrounding the airport, you will find many hotels. Some of them are even offering a free shuttle service to and from the airport.
Some of the best-rated hotels near Cologne Bonn Airport:
Leonardo Hotel Köln Bonn Airport
If you are looking for a hotel in Cologne city, don’t miss the selection of the best hotels in the city center. Best rated hotels in different price ranges can be found in the list of Best Hotels in Cologne.