The cheapest and fastest buses from Cologne to Budapest
Cheapest price
€65
Average price
€78
Fastest journey
15 h 20 m
Average duration
17 h 4 m
Buses per day
26
Distance
956 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Cologne to Budapest is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Cologne to Budapest will cost around €78 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only €65.
Of the 26 buses that leave Cologne for Budapest on Mon, May 18, 3 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Mon, May 18 the direct buses cover the 956 km distance in an average of 17 h 4 m but if you time it right, some buses will get you there in just 15 h 20 m .
On Mon, May 18 the slowest buses will take 17 h 56 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
(Amsterdam -> Prague) · (Prague -> Budapest)7:40 PM20h35Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)4:15 PMBudapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás€651One-way1 transfer
(Amsterdam -> Prague) · (Prague -> Budapest)7:40 PM20h55Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)4:35 PMBudapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar€651One-way1 transfer
FlixBus · FlixBus11:35 PM21h20Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)8:55 PMBudapest, Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér€671One-way1 transfer
FlixBus · FlixBus11:35 PM18h15Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)5:50 PMBudapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás€701One-way1 transfer
FlixBus · FlixBus11:35 PM18h35Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)6:10 PMBudapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar€701One-way1 transfer
FlixBus1:50 PM15h20Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)5:10 AMBudapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar€851One-way0 transfers
FlixBus · FlixBus12:55 PM17h15Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)6:10 AMBudapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás€731One-way1 transfer
FlixBus3:50 PM17h15Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)9:05 AMBudapest, Krisztina körút / Kosciuszkó Tádé utca€731One-way0 transfers
FlixBus3:50 PM17h35Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)9:25 AMBudapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar€731One-way0 transfers
FlixTrain+
FlixBus12:14 PM17h56Cologne Hbf6:10 AMBudapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás€721One-way1 transfer
Travel Information
Compare train, bus, and flight for Cologne to Budapest
Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Cologne to Budapest among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €50. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 1h 58m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.3 - 0.9kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €50, and a flight costs an average of €83.
Distance: 956 km
Compare bus with
| Bus | Most popular Train | Flight |
|---|---|---|
€74 Average price Cheapest | €156 Average price | €427 Average price |
16h 52m Average total duration 16h 22m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 13h 10m Average total duration 12h 40m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 58m Average total duration Fastest 1h 58m Onboard + 3h 0m Additional time* |
1.0 - 2.4kg CO2 emissions | 0.3 - 0.9kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 2.9 - 5.7kg CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular bus company | ![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular airline |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
Live departures
Cologne to Budapest bus times
The table below shows live departures for Cologne to Budapest buses for today, Sunday, May 17. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FlixBus · FlixBus | 11:35 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 18h35 | 6:10 PM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 11:35 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 21h20 | 8:55 PM Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 11:35 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 18h15 | 5:50 PM Budapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás | 1 transfer | |
| Monday, May 18 | |||||
FlixBus · FlixBus | 2:20 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 19h25 | 9:45 PM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 2:20 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 18h35 | 8:55 PM Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 3:10 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 19h35 | 10:45 PM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 3:10 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 20h40 | 11:50 PM Budapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 8:35 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 19h45 | 4:20 AM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus · FlixBus | 10:35 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 22h05 | 8:40 AM Budapest, Keleti Vasútállomás (Kerepesi út) | 2 transfers | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 11:20 AM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 20h10 | 7:30 AM Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér | 1 transfer | |
FlixTrain+ FlixBus | 12:14 PM Cologne Hbf | 23h01 | 11:15 AM Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér | 1 transfer | |
FlixTrain+ FlixBus | 12:14 PM Cologne Hbf | 17h56 | 6:10 AM Budapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás | 1 transfer | |
FlixTrain+ FlixBus | 12:14 PM Cologne Hbf | 18h11 | 6:25 AM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 12:55 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 17h15 | 6:10 AM Budapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus | 1:50 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 15h20 | 5:10 AM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus | 3:50 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 17h35 | 9:25 AM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 3:50 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 19h25 | 11:15 AM Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 3:50 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 18h25 | 10:15 AM Budapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus | 3:50 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 17h15 | 9:05 AM Budapest, Krisztina körút / Kosciuszkó Tádé utca | 0 transfersDirect | |
FlixTrain+ FlixBus | 4:14 PM Cologne Hbf | 18h36 | 10:50 AM Budapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás | 1 transfer | |
FlixTrain+ FlixBus · FlixBus | 4:14 PM Cologne Hbf | 23h21 | 3:35 PM Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér | 2 transfers | |
FlixTrain+ FlixBus | 4:14 PM Cologne Hbf | 18h56 | 11:10 AM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 5:55 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 21h05 | 3:00 PM Budapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás | 1 transfer | |
(Amsterdam -> Prague) · (Prague -> Budapest) | 7:40 PM Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2) | 20h35 | 4:15 PM Budapest, Kelenföld Vasútállomás | 1 transfer | |
(Amsterdam -> Prague) · (Prague -> Budapest) | 7:40 PM Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2) | 20h55 | 4:35 PM Budapest, Népliget Autóbusz-Pályaudvar | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 9:00 PM Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) | 21h45 | 6:45 PM Budapest, Liszt Ferenc Nemzetközi Repülőtér | 1 transfer | |
This is the last bus of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare prices and tickets Cologne to Budapest by train, bus, or flight
Compare train, bus, and flight prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
May 18
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Why should you book Cologne to Budapest buses with Omio?
Why book with Omio vs FlixBus?
- Designed for International Travelers: Omio is in your language including 24/7 customer service and offers multiple payment options, including PayPal, credit cards, and bank transfer, in your preferred currency.
- Compare all your options: Omio allows you to compare FlixBus with all available travel options, which are train, bus and flight to ensure you get the best deal for traveling from Cologne to Budapest.
Why book with Omio over Wanderu or Trainline?
- Multiple modes of transport: Omio allows you to compare travel options including train, bus and flight to find the ideal travel option from Cologne to Budapest.
Journey information
Overview: Bus from Cologne to Budapest
Buses from Cologne to Budapest run on average 21 times per day, taking around 16h 22m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at €50 if you book in advance.
There are 1 buses per day. The earliest bus runs at 00:45, the last at 23:55. The fastest bus covers the 956 km distance in 17h 15m.
Distance 956 km |
Average bus duration 16h 22m |
Cheapest ticket price €50 |
Buses per day 21 |
Direct buses 1 |
Fastest bus 17h 15m |
First bus 12:45 AM |
Last bus 11:55 PM |
Cheapest Month Jul |
Cheapest Day Mon |
High Season Oct - Dec |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Sun |
Least Busy Day Sat |
Best time to book 70 days |
Bus providers: FlixBus from Cologne to BudapestYou can travel by bus between Cologne to Budapest with FlixBus for as low as €50. When you search for schedules and tickets, Omio will show you the best journey
FlixBus
FAQs: Bus from Cologne to Budapest
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Cologne to Budapest by bus. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest bus, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Budapest, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

- FlixBus
- Assistance
- Priority boarding
- Wheelchair-accessible buses.
- FlixBus
- You can cancel your ticket up to 15 minutes before departure and receive a voucher for future travel. Refund requests for delays over 120 minutes are possible.
- FlixBus
- One carry-on bag up to 7kg (42x30x18 cm) and one checked bag up to 20kg (80x50x30 cm).
- FlixBus
- Additional luggage can be purchased for a fee.
- FlixBus
- Small pets in carriers allowed
- guide dogs travel for free.
popular bus stations
Popular bus stations from Cologne to Budapest
- Free Wi-Fi
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- 00:00-23:59
- Free Wi-Fi
- Available outside Terminal 2 arrivals area.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- Bus: SB60 Train: S13, S19
- 05:30-22:00
- Free Wi-Fi
- Cafeteria Népliget (in the station)
- Gulyás Tér (0.5 km)
- Pesti Burger (0.7 km).
- Available outside the main entrance.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available near the entrance.
- Bus: 103, 254E, 901, 918 Metro: M3
- 06:00-22:00
- Free Wi-Fi
- Cafeteria Kelenföld (in the station)
- Bistro Budapest (0.5 km)
- Café Central (0.7 km).
- Available outside the main entrance.
- Elevators, ramps
- Available in the station.
- Bus: 7, 103, 114, 213, 214 Metro: M4 Train: Suburban Railway
Most popular bus connections from Cologne
More options for your journey from Cologne to Budapest
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