Is there a way to reach Essen from Frankfurt am Main without a car?

You can travel between these two cities by bus or train. The two options are practical and sustainable ways to reach Essen. You can also use carpool services and share a car ride with other travelers.

How long does it take to get to Essen from Frankfurt am Main by bus?

The average travel time from Frankfurt am Main to Essen is about 4h 45m, but you can get there in as little as 3h 55m with the fastest bus. This is the time it takes to travel the 118 miles (189 km) that separate the two cities.

What is the distance between Frankfurt am Main and Essen?

The distance between the two cities is 118 miles (189 km).

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Frankfurt am Main to Essen?

If you're headed to Essen from Frankfurt am Main, chances are that your bus will depart from Frankfurt Airport and arrive at Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit. These are the most popular pick-up and drop-off locations on this route, but you can find others that could fit better into your travel plans.

What is the most affordable way to travel from Frankfurt am Main to Essen?

You can save a lot of money on your trip from Frankfurt am Main to Essen by choosing to travel by bus. The lowest price for the bus on this route is $7.

What is the ticket price for the bus trip from Frankfurt am Main to Essen?

The average bus ticket price from Frankfurt am Main to Essen is $31. In the past 30 days, prices have fluctuated between $7 and $179, so it's best to compare them to make sure you get the best deal.

Bus Frankfurt am Main to Essen from $14 | Compare & Save up to 60%

TodayJun 15

from $108

TomorrowJun 16

TueJun 17

from $19

WedJun 18

ThuJun 19

from $140

FriJun 20

from $121

SatJun 21

from $22

SunJun 22

Next departures to Essen

One passenger / one way

This trip is recommended because it is: Cheapest
Departure time: June 17 at 7:25pm
Departure city: Frankfurt am Main
Departure location: FRA Frankfurt airport
Arrival time: June 17 at 11:55pm
Destination city: Essen
Destination location: Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit
Operated by: Flixbus
Vehicle: BusDuration: 4h 30m
This trip is recommended because it is: Fastest
Departure time: June 17 at 2:30am
Departure city: Frankfurt am Main
Departure location: Frankfurt Hbf
Arrival time: June 17 at 6:25am
Destination city: Essen
Destination location: Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit
Operated by: Flixbus
Vehicle: BusDuration: 3h 55m
Departure time: June 17 at 2:30am
Departure city: Frankfurt am Main
Departure location: Frankfurt Hbf
Arrival time: June 17 at 6:25am
Destination city: Essen
Destination location: Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit
Operated by: Flixbus
Vehicle: BusDuration: 3h 55m
Departure time: June 17 at 2:30am
Departure city: Frankfurt am Main
Departure location: Frankfurt Hbf
Arrival time: June 17 at 7:52am
Destination city: Essen
Destination location: HBF
Operated by: Flixbus + Flixtrain
Flixbus + Flixtrain
Vehicle: BusDuration: 5h 22m
Departure time: June 17 at 3:10am
Departure city: Frankfurt am Main
Departure location: Frankfurt Hbf
Arrival time: June 17 at 7:25am
Destination city: Essen
Destination location: Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit
Operated by: Flixbus
Vehicle: BusDuration: 4h 15m

Accepted payments

Compare 3 ways to go from Frankfurt am Main to Essen.

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions
Bus	Average Price$7 - $179	Average Duration4h 45m	CO₂ emissions 5kg CO₂e5 out of 5 stars	CheapestMost eco-friendly
Train	Average Price$19 - $228	Average Duration2h 23m	CO₂ emissions 5kg CO₂e5 out of 5 stars	Fastest
Carpool	Average Price$9 - $37	Average Duration2h 30m	CO₂ emissions 8kg CO₂e4 out of 5 stars

Busbud recommends carpooling from Frankfurt am Main to Essen

Among the sustainable travel choices, the carpool stands out as the good way to reach Essen. The journey takes about 2 hours 30 minutes and with fares starting at just $9, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

25.166666666666664carpool per day

2h 30mAverage Duration

$9Cheapest ticket

8kgCO₂ emissions

Bus Frankfurt am Main to Essen: Trip Overview

Average ticket price$31

Average bus trip duration4h 45m

Number of daily buses4

Earliest bus departure12:25am

Distance118 miles (189 km)

Latest bus departure10:55pm

Compare bus companies

FlixBus

3.5/59,051 reviews

Staff4.1

Timeliness4

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

3.5/510,344 reviews

Staff4.4

Timeliness3.6

Cleanliness4.3

Wifi2.5

DE bus companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, Sindbad, MarinoBus, Infobus, RegioJet, Ecolines

Frankfurt am Main to Essen Bus

With Busbud, comparing and booking tickets for a bus from Frankfurt am Main to Essen is a breeze. Browse through an extensive selection of bus fares and bus schedules to find the best deals.

We make it our job to connect you with the most dependable bus companies that cover bus service from Frankfurt am Main to Essen.

Discover how much the bus trip from Frankfurt am Main to Essen will cost you. Use our filters and sorting features to find the cheapest bus tickets or luxury buses.

Where are the popular stops in Frankfurt am Main and Essen?

Stops in Frankfurt am Main

A - Frankfurt Airport

B - Hbf

C - Südbahnhof

D - Frankfurt Onibus

E - Braubachstraße 41

F - Flughafen Hahn Airport (HHN)

Stops in Essen

A - Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit

B - HBF

C - Essen Hbf

D - Essen Bushaltestelle

E - Hachestraße

Frequently asked questions for your trip Frankfurt am Main - Essen

Is there a way to reach Essen from Frankfurt am Main without a car?
How long does it take to get to Essen from Frankfurt am Main by bus?
What is the distance between Frankfurt am Main and Essen?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Frankfurt am Main to Essen?
What is the most affordable way to travel from Frankfurt am Main to Essen?
What is the ticket price for the bus trip from Frankfurt am Main 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

06/13

$119

06/14

$22

Today

$101

06/16

No data

06/17

$16

06/18

No data

06/19

$131

06/20

$113

The cheapest trip from Frankfurt am Main to Essen was searched and found on Jun 17, 2025 with a price of $16

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

You can expect to pay from $16 to $137 for a bus ticket from Frankfurt am Main to Essen based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $16 which is on 2025-06-17.

About Bus Travel

Bus Travel Tips

Meet and talk to locals at the bus stations while traveling from Frankfurt am Main to Essen.There is no better way to get inside travel information while exploring a new city than to go straight to its people.

From miles long of beauteous natural landscapes to impressive man-crafted sights, you're bound to be in for a visual treat on your bus trip from Frankfurt am Main to Essen.

Buses have one of the smallest carbon footprints of motorized transport modes. A bus going from Frankfurt am Main to Essen will emit less CO2 than a car or an airplane.

Tune out to the fine sounds of your best music playlist on your bus trip from Frankfurt am Main to Essen while indulging in miles on end of beautiful scenic views.

Did you know?

The Superbus, created by a Dutch engineer is the world's fastest bus with 250 km/h. Too bad it's only a prototype for now.

The bus driver with the longest career in the world drove more than 2,000,000 miles and is a happy World Record holder.

It takes 27 hours to go by bus from Lima to Cusco, one of the craziest bus trips on the world. This route is used daily by locals and backpackers.

Will you be returning to Frankfurt am Main by bus?

Bus from Frankfurt am Main to Essen

You can also go to Essen by train

Train from Frankfurt am Main to Essen

Top traveled bus routes

Why choose Busbud?

The Best Way To Book Bus and Train Tickets

Busbud helps you easily search, compare and book intercity bus tickets on a worldwide scale with our comprehensive list of bus routes and schedules. Use Busbud to book your trip online, in your own language and currency, wherever you are. Busbud prides itself on its worldwide partnerships. We make it possible for you to buy tickets with its large network of trustworthy bus partners like Greyhound, Eurolines, ALSA, OUIBUS (BlaBlaBus), National Express and many others.

Bus Tickets from Frankfurt am Main to Essen

One passenger / one way

Next departures to Essen

One passenger / one way

One passenger / one way

One passenger / one way

One passenger / one way

Compare 3 ways to go from Frankfurt am Main to Essen.

Bus Frankfurt am Main to Essen: Trip Overview

Compare bus companies

Frankfurt am Main to Essen Bus

Where are the popular stops in Frankfurt am Main and Essen?

Frequently asked questions for your trip Frankfurt am Main - Essen

Is there a way to reach Essen from Frankfurt am Main without a car?

How long does it take to get to Essen from Frankfurt am Main by bus?

What is the distance between Frankfurt am Main and Essen?

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Frankfurt am Main to Essen?

What is the most affordable way to travel from Frankfurt am Main to Essen?

What is the ticket price for the bus trip from Frankfurt am Main to Essen?

Find cheapest prices for buses

About Bus Travel

Bus Travel Tips

Did you know?

Will you be returning to Frankfurt am Main by bus?

You can also go to Essen by train

Top traveled bus routes

Why choose Busbud?

The Best Way To Book Bus and Train Tickets

People from around the world trust Busbud

Popular Buses Connecting Frankfurt am Main

Buses Leaving from Frankfurt am Main

Buses Going to Frankfurt am Main

Popular Buses Connecting Essen

Buses Leaving from Essen

Buses Going to Essen

Popular routes in this country

Popular airport transfers