How to travel from Cologne to Rotterdam

Fri, Jun 19
+ Add return
Travel by train, bus with
Deutsche Bahn
FlixBus
VIAS Rail GmbH
Union Ivkoni International
Union Ivkoni
1,000+ more
Deutsche Bahn
FlixBus
VIAS Rail GmbH
Union Ivkoni International
Union Ivkoni
1,000+ more
QR-Code
Scan to get our free app
Use our app to get live travel updates and book mobile tickets for trains, buses, flights, and ferries.
App Store
rate4.9
42K ratings
Google Play
rate4.6
136K reviews

Travel Information

Compare train and bus for Cologne to Rotterdam

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Cologne to Rotterdam among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €12. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 3h 48m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.2kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €12, and a train costs an average of €21.

Distance: 204 km

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus

€62

Average price

€19

Average price

Cheapest

4h 18m

Average total duration

Fastest

3h 48m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

5h 23m

Average total duration

4h 53m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

0.1 - 0.2kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

0.2 - 0.5kg

CO2 emissions

Deutsche Bahn

Most popular train company

FlixBus

Most popular bus company

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

Travel options
from Cologne to Rotterdam

How to get from Cologne to Rotterdam by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

bus

The best way to travel from Cologne to Rotterdam is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

  • RegioJet a.s.(Prague -> Amsterdam)
    8:05 AM4h10
    Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)
    12:15 PMRotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
    151One-way
    0 transfers

Cheapest

  • RegioJet a.s.(Prague -> Amsterdam)
    8:05 AM4h10
    Köln, Köln Bonn Flughafen (Terminal 2)
    12:15 PMRotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
    151One-way
    0 transfers

Fastest

  • Deutsche BahnICE 222 · IC 2824
    6:49 AM2h51
    Cologne Hbf
    9:40 AMRotterdam Centraal
    601One-way
    1 transfer

Other options

  • Deutsche BahnIC 60402 · IC 2022
    5:47 AM3h38
    Cologne Hbf
    9:25 AMRotterdam Centraal
    401One-way
    1 transfer
  • Deutsche BahnICE 206 · ICE 242 · IC 2028
    7:11 AM3h44
    Cologne Hbf
    10:55 AMRotterdam Centraal
    441One-way
    2 transfers
  • Deutsche Bahn10612 · 20074 · IC 3548 · IC 1146
    11:25 AM3h19
    Cologne Hbf
    2:44 PMRotterdam Centraal
    521One-way
    3 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    12:45 PM6h05
    Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen)
    6:50 PMRotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
    211One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus+FlixTrainFlixTrain
    4:14 PM4h41
    Cologne Hbf
    8:55 PMRotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
    241One-way
    1 transfer
  • FlixBusFlixBus+FlixTrainFlixTrain
    12:14 PM6h36
    Cologne Hbf
    6:50 PMRotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station)
    241One-way
    1 transfer

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

Compare prices and tickets Prices for trains, buses and flights

Compare train and bus 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.

Fri
Jun 19
Sat
Jun 20
Sun
Jun 21
Mon
Jun 22
Tue
Jun 23
Wed
Jun 24
Thu
Jun 25
Fri
Jun 26
Sat
Jun 27
Sun
Jun 28
Mon
Jun 29
Tue
Jun 30
Wed
Jul 01
Thu
Jul 02
Fri
Jul 03
Sat
Jul 04
Sun
Jul 05
Mon
Jul 06
Tue
Jul 07
Wed
Jul 08
Thu
Jul 09

More than 1,000 travel companies trust us to sell their tickets all in one place.

Trenitalia
Easyjet
Deutsche Bahn
SNCF

FAQs: Travel from Cologne to Rotterdam

Travel to Rotterdam easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Cologne to Rotterdam.

FAQs
There are 2 options to travel between Cologne and Rotterdam including taking a train and bus.
The cheapest way to travel from Cologne to Rotterdam is a bus with an average price of €19.

This is compared to other travel options from Cologne to Rotterdam:

A bus is €44 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cologne to Rotterdam costing on average €62.

The fastest way to travel from Cologne to Rotterdam is by train with an average journey time of 3h 48m.

Other travel options to Rotterdam take longer:

Bus takes on average 4h 53m.

The Cologne to Rotterdam distance is approximately 204 km.
The average frequency per day from Cologne to Rotterdam is:
  • Around 10 buses per day.
  • Around 8 trains per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Cologne and Rotterdam as scheduled services by train and bus can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Cologne to Rotterdam:
  • Trains mostly depart from Cologne Hbf and arrive in Rotterdam Centraal.
  • Buses mostly depart from Köln, Kennedystraße (Köln Bonn Flughafen) and arrive in Rotterdam, Conradstraat (Centraal Station).
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Cologne to Rotterdam, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with Deutsche Bahn, VIAS Rail GmbH, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) to go to Rotterdam by train.
  • Travel with FlixBus, Union Ivkoni International, Union Ivkoni to go to Rotterdam by bus.
Yes, there are direct services available from Cologne to Rotterdam with the following travel companies:
  • 0 direct trains per day with Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS).
  • 5 direct buses per day with FlixBus, Union Ivkoni International, Union Ivkoni.
Omio customers who travel from Cologne to Rotterdam often also extend their vacation to go to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Berlin. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Rotterdam and these popular destinations at a great price.

Travelling from Cologne to Rotterdam: related information

Here are some other resources that might have the information you need

HomeTravelTravel to RotterdamHow to travel from Cologne to Rotterdam

The Omio App Makes Travel Planning Easy

We’ll get you where you want to go. From live train updates to mobile tickets, our innovative app is the ideal way to plan and keep track of your travel.

ios-badge
android-badge
Hand With Phone