What is the distance between Cologne and Essen?

The distance separating Cologne and Essen is 36 miles (57 km).

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Cologne to Essen?

If you're headed to Essen from Cologne, chances are that your bus will leave from Cologne/Bonn Airport and arrive at Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit. These are the main departure and arrival locations on this route, there are other pick-up and drop-off locations that could make it easier for you to reach your destination.

Bus Cologne to Essen from $5 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Cologne to Essen on November 21
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	5:50pm	Cologne/Bonn Airport	1h 55m	7:45pm	Essen	Cheapest
Bus	10:30pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	1h 25m	11:55pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	Fastest
Bus	3:45pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	1h 55m	5:40pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	No tags
Bus	5:30pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	2h 20m	7:50pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	No tags
Bus	5:45pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	2h 15m	8:00pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	No tags

Next departures for Cologne to Essen on November 22
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
	Bus	5:50pm	Cologne/Bonn Airport	1h 55m	7:45pm	Essen	CheapestFastest
	Bus	6:40am	Cologne/Bonn Airport	2h	8:40am	Essen	No tags

Next departures for Cologne to Essen on November 25
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	5:50pm	Cologne/Bonn Airport	1h 55m	7:45pm	Essen	Cheapest
Bus	10:30pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	1h 25m	11:55pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	Fastest
Bus	4:45am	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	1h 40m	6:25am	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	No tags
Bus	5:10am	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	2h	7:10am	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	No tags
Bus	5:30pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	2h 20m	7:50pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 9:30 AM CET.

Compare 3 ways to go from Cologne to Essen

We recommend carpooling

Among the sustainable travel choices, the carpool stands out as the good way to reach Essen. The journey takes about 50 minutes and with fares starting at just $4, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

5carpool per day

50mAverage Duration

37 milesDistance

2kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions
Bus	Average Price$6 - $28	Average Duration1h 55m	CO₂ emissions 2kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$9 - $80	Average Duration55m	CO₂ emissions 1kg CO₂e
Carpool	Average Price$4 - $15	Average Duration50m	CO₂ emissions 2kg CO₂e

Where are the popular stops in Cologne and Essen?

Stops in Cologne

A
Cologne/Bonn Airport
Visit page
B
Hbf
Bahnsteig Gleis 2 + 3, 50667 Köln, Germany
Visit page
C
Gummersbacher Str.
Gummersbacher Str. 31, 50679 Köln, Germany
Visit page
D
Riehl Zoo
Riehler Str. 168, 50735 Köln, Germany
E
Leverkusen Mitte
Heinrich-von-Stephan-Straße, 51373 Leverkusen
F
Rhein Energie Stadion
Cologne,, Germany

Stops in Essen

A
Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit
Freiheit 5A, 45127 Essen, Germany
Visit page
B
HBF
Am Hauptbahnhof 27, 45127 Essen, Germany
Visit page
C
Essen Hbf
Freiheit 4, 45127 Essen, Germany
Visit page
D
Essen Bushaltestelle
Essen, Germany
E
Hachestraße
Hachestraße 63, 45127 Essen, Germany

Compare bus companies

FlixBus

3.5/511,390 reviews

Staff4.2

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi2.7

Flixbus is a European bus operator that offers intercity and bus travel in over 38 countries. Known for their easy-to-spot lime green buses and for offering affordable transportation between cities in Europe and the Americas, Flixbus is a good option for those looking for an affordable, reliable bus company. In their buses, you'll find free WiFi, bathrooms, and power outlets. You can also pay extra to choose your seat and get extra legroom, or even buy a snack or drink onboard directly from the driver. You can reschedule your ticket for a small fee, which varies from $1 to $5, depending on how close you are to the departure date.

BlaBlaCar Bus

3.5/511,143 reviews

Staff4.4

Timeliness3.6

Cleanliness4.3

Wifi2.6

DE bus companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, Sindbad

Frequently asked questions about traveling from Cologne to Essen by bus

What is the distance between Cologne and Essen?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Cologne to Essen?

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

11/19

$6

11/20

$5

Today

$6

11/22

$5

11/23

$5

11/24

$5

11/25

$5

11/26

$5

The cheapest trip from Cologne to Essen was searched and found on Nov 20, 2025 with a price of $5

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

You can expect to pay from $5 to $8 for a bus ticket from Cologne to Essen based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $5 which is on 2025-11-22.

Usually FlixBus 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.