Next available departures

Next departures from Dresden to Cologne on 17 August
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Flixbus + Flixtrain	12:15	Dresden central station (Bayrische Straße)	9h 55m	22:10	Hbf	Cheapest
	07:22	Dresden Hbf	5h 52m	13:14	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	Fastest
Flixbus + Flixtrain	08:15	Dresden central station (Bayrische Straße)	9h 30m	17:45	Hbf	No tags
	07:22	Dresden Hbf	5h 52m	13:14	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + DB Regio NRW	07:22	Dresden Hbf	7h 57m	15:19	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + National Express	12:53	Dresden Hbf	8h 7m	21:00	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
DB Regio Südost + Deutsche Bahn + National Express	21:12	Dresden Hbf	8h 42m	05:54	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
Flixbus + Flixtrain	11:55	Neustadt	10h 15m	22:10	Hbf	No tags

Next departures from Dresden to Cologne on 18 August
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Flixbus + Flixtrain	12:15	Dresden central station (Bayrische Straße)	9h 55m	22:10	Hbf	Cheapest
	07:22	Dresden Hbf	5h 52m	13:14	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	Fastest
Flixbus + Flixtrain	03:15	Dresden central station (Bayrische Straße)	10h 26m	13:41	Hbf	No tags
	06:11	Dresden Hbf	6h 3m	12:14	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + SÜWEX + National Express	06:11	Dresden Hbf	8h 22m	14:33	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + DB Regio NRW	06:53	Dresden Hbf	8h 6m	14:59	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
DB Regio Südost + Deutsche Bahn + National Express	21:12	Dresden Hbf	8h 42m	05:54	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
Flixbus + Flixtrain	03:30	Neustadt	10h 11m	13:41	Hbf	No tags

Next departures from Dresden to Cologne on 21 August
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	06:53	Dresden Central Station	6h 48m	13:41	Hbf	Cheapest
	08:44	Dresden Hbf	5h 30m	14:14	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	Fastest
Flixbus + Flixtrain	04:15	Dresden central station (Bayrische Straße)	9h 26m	13:41	Hbf	No tags
	07:00	Dresden Neustadt Station	6h 41m	13:41	Hbf	No tags
	06:11	Dresden Hbf	6h 3m	12:14	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + DB Regio NRW	07:22	Dresden Hbf	6h 1m	13:23	Hbf	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + National Express	12:53	Dresden Hbf	6h 41m	19:34	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
DB Regio Südost + Deutsche Bahn + National Express	21:12	Dresden Hbf	8h 42m	05:54	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags

Next departures from Dresden to Cologne on 22 August
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	06:53	Dresden Central Station	7h 3m	13:56	Hbf	Cheapest
	13:22	Dresden Hbf	5h 52m	19:14	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	Fastest
Flixbus + Flixtrain	04:15	Dresden central station (Bayrische Straße)	9h 41m	13:56	Hbf	No tags
	07:00	Dresden Neustadt Station	6h 56m	13:56	Hbf	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + DB Regio NRW	06:11	Dresden Hbf	6h 8m	12:19	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
	06:11	Dresden Hbf	6h 18m	12:29	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + National Express	12:53	Dresden Hbf	6h 41m	19:34	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
Flixbus + Flixtrain	12:15	Dresden central station (Bayrische Straße)	9h 33m	21:48	Hbf	No tags

Next departures from Dresden to Cologne on 24 August
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	06:53	Dresden Central Station	7h 3m	13:56	Hbf	Cheapest
	13:22	Dresden Hbf	5h 52m	19:14	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	Fastest
Flixbus + Flixtrain	04:15	Dresden central station (Bayrische Straße)	9h 41m	13:56	Hbf	No tags
	07:00	Dresden Neustadt Station	6h 56m	13:56	Hbf	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + DB Regio NRW	06:11	Dresden Hbf	6h 8m	12:19	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
	06:11	Dresden Hbf	6h 18m	12:29	Köln Messe/Deutz Gl.11-12 Train Station	No tags
Deutsche Bahn + National Express	12:53	Dresden Hbf	6h 41m	19:34	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags
DB Regio Südost + Deutsche Bahn + National Express	21:12	Dresden Hbf	8h 42m	05:54	Cologne Messe/Deutz	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Yesterday at 19:32 CEST.

Compare 2 ways to travel from Dresden to Cologne

We recommend taking the train

Among the sustainable travel choices, the Train stands out as a good way to reach Cologne. The journey takes about 6 hours 58 minutes and with fares starting at just ZAR 161, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

39train per day

6h 58mAverage duration

294 milesDistance

11kgCO₂ emissions

	Average price	Average duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average priceZAR 492 - ZAR 2,536	Average duration9h 10m	CO₂ emissions 12kg CO₂e
Train	Average priceZAR 161 - ZAR 5,502	Average duration6h 58m	CO₂ emissions 11kg CO₂e

Where are the popular train stations and stops in Dresden and Cologne?

Dresden

A
Neustadt
Hansastraße 4, 01097 Dresden, Germany
Visit page

Cologne

A
Hbf
Bahnsteig Gleis 2 + 3, 50667 Köln, Germany
Visit page
B
Cologne/Bonn Airport
Visit page
C
Köln-Blumenberg
Köln-Blumenberg, 50765 Köln, Germany
D
Köln-Dellbrück
Dellbrück, Diepeschrather Str., 51069 Köln, Germany
E
Köln-Holweide
Köln-Holweide, 51067 Köln, Germany
F
Köln Volkhovener Weg
Volkhovener Weg, 50767 Köln, Germany

Train Companies

Deutsche Bahn

3.9/511 reviews

Staff4.0

Timeliness3.1

Cleanliness3.5

Wi‑Fi2.8

FlixTrain

3.0/537 reviews

Staff4.4

Timeliness2.6

Cleanliness3.4

Wi‑Fi1.8

Deutsche Bahn ICE

3.6/518 reviews

Staff3.0

Timeliness2.1

Cleanliness5.0

Wi‑Fi2.5

DE train companies: Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain, RegioJet, Deutsche Bahn ICE, NS Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Swiss Federal Railways, Slovak Rail

Frequently asked questions about travelling from Dresden to Cologne by train

Please note that timetables, routes, or operator details shown here may be updated or vary at the time of your journey.

How much does a train ticket cost from Dresden to Cologne?
The cheapest train tickets from Dresden to Cologne start from ZAR 161. The average price for this train route is around ZAR 1,658. Busbud recommends booking your tickets in advance for the best chance of getting the lowest possible price.
How long is the train journey from Dresden to Cologne?
The average train journey time from Dresden to Cologne is 6h 58m, covering a distance of 294 miles. The fastest train gets you there in 5h 30m and is operated by Deutsche Bahn.
Which train operators serve the Dresden to Cologne route?
Several major train operators run on this route with 39 trains available per day, including services from Deutsche Bahn, FlixTrain, Deutsche Bahn ICE.
What are the earliest and latest departure times for the train from Dresden to Cologne?
The earliest train from Dresden to Cologne departs at 05:29. And the latest train departs at 23:12.
Which is the best train operator from Dresden to Cologne?
According to Busbud customers, the highest-rated train operator on this route is Deutsche Bahn, with an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars based on 11 reviews.
Which train operator has the best Wi-Fi from Dresden to Cologne?
According to reviews on Busbud, the train operator Deutsche Bahn has the highest Wi-Fi rating with a score of 2.8.
Which train operator has the most punctual service from Dresden to Cologne?
According to Busbud traveller reviews, the most punctual train operator on this route is Deutsche Bahn, with a punctuality rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars.
Which train operator has the cleanest trains from Dresden to Cologne?
According to Busbud traveller reviews, the train operator with the cleanest trains on this route is Deutsche Bahn ICE, with a cleanliness rating of 5.0 out of 5 stars.

Find cheapest prices for trains

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

Best price found

15/08

ZAR 1,967

16/08

ZAR 2,634

Today

ZAR 585

18/08

ZAR 1,023

19/08

No data

20/08

ZAR 548

21/08

ZAR 570

22/08

ZAR 668

The cheapest trip from Dresden to Cologne was searched and found on 20 Aug 2026 with a price of ZAR 548

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

You can expect to pay from ZAR 548 to ZAR 5,011 for a train ticket from Dresden to Cologne based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at ZAR 548, which is on 2026-08-20.

Usually Deutsche Bahn will charge you higher prices for tickets closer to the departure date. To find the best prices, you should be flexible on your date of travel.