There are 12 ways to get from Leipzig to Cologne by train, bus, rideshare, plane, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train via Frankfurt am Main
best- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Erfurt Hbftrain 28 / ...
- Take the train from Erfurt Hbf to Frankfurttrain 12 / ...
- Take the train from Frankfurt to Köln Messe/Deutz Bftrain 41 / ...
4h 49m€86–169Rideshare
cheapest- Take the rideshare from Leipzig to Cologne462.3 km
5h 58m€22–26Bus
- Take the bus from Leipzig central train station to Leverkusenbus 264 / ...
8h 22m€40–65Fly Leipzig-Halle Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Fly from Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane LEJ - DUS
5h 25m€139–345Train
- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Köln Hbftrain 51 / ...
5h 41m€95–180Train #2
- Take the train from Halle(Saale)Hbf to Kassel-Wilhelmshoehetrain Re
- Take the train from Kassel-Wilhelmshoehe to Kamentrain Re
- Take the train from Kamen to Koeln Hbftrain Re
9h 4mDrive 461.8 km
- Drive from Leipzig to Colognecar 461.8 km
4h 42m€83–120Train to Berlin Brandenburg Airport, fly to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Berlin Suedkreuztrain
- Fly from Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)plane BER - CGN
4h 7m€93–291Train to Dresden Airport, fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Dresden Bahnhof Neustadttrain
- Fly from Dresden Airport (DRS) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane DRS - DUS
4h 42m€136–414Fly Leipzig-Halle Airport to Frankfurt, train
- Fly from Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ) to Frankfurt (FRA)plane LEJ - FRA
- Take the train from Frankfurt to Köln Messe/Deutz Bftrain
3h 54m€124–207Train to Berlin Brandenburg Airport, fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Berlin Suedkreuztrain
- Fly from Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane BER - DUS
4h 36m€102–343Train to Dresden Airport, fly to Frankfurt, train
- Take the train from Leipzig Hbf to Dresden Bahnhof Neustadttrain
- Fly from Dresden Airport (DRS) to Frankfurt (FRA)plane DRS - FRA
- Take the train from Frankfurt to Köln Messe/Deutz Bftrain
5h 21m€166–376
Leipzig to Cologne by train
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Leipzig to Cologne is to rideshare which costs €22 - €26 and takes 5h 58m.
The fastest way to get from Leipzig to Cologne is to fly and train which takes 3h 54m and costs €120 - €210.
No, there is no direct bus from Leipzig station to Cologne. However, there are services departing from Leipzig central train station and arriving at Köln Heumarkt via Wiesdorf Leverkusen Mitte Bf. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 8h 22m.
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Leipzig Hbf and arriving at Köln Hbf. Services depart every four hours, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 5h 41m.
The distance between Leipzig and Cologne is 550 km. The road distance is 461.8 km.
The best way to get from Leipzig to Cologne without a car is to train via Frankfurt am Main which takes 4h 49m and costs €85 - €170.
It takes approximately 4h 49m to get from Leipzig to Cologne, including transfers.
Leipzig to Cologne bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Leipzig central train station.
Leipzig to Cologne train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from Leipzig Hbf station.
The best way to get from Leipzig to Cologne is to train via Frankfurt am Main which takes 4h 49m and costs €85 - €170. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €40 - €65 and takes 8h 22m, you could also fly, which costs €130 - €350 and takes 5h 25m.
What companies run services between Leipzig, Germany and Cologne, Germany?
You can take a train from Leipzig Hbf to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf via Erfurt Hbf and Frankfurt in around 4h 49m. Alternatively, FlixBus operates a bus from Leipzig central train station to Leverkusen once daily. Tickets cost €40–65 and the journey takes 7h 20m.
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–220
Flights from Dresden Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- €90–290
Flights from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €75–240
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Leipzig-Halle Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €260–320
Flights from Dresden Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 51m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–430
Flights from Dresden Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- €80–470
Flights from Leipzig-Halle Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €45–340
Flights from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €90–340
Flights from Dresden Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €50–350
- Website
- lufthansa-city.com
Flights from Dresden Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- €65–430
Flights from Dresden Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Munich
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- €80–470
Flights from Leipzig-Halle Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €45–340
Flights from Dresden Airport to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- €50–350
- Website
- austrian.com
Flights from Leipzig-Halle Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Vienna
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- When
- Monday and Tuesday
- Estimated price
- €130–550
- Website
- condor.com
Flights from Leipzig-Halle Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Palma Mallorca
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- €170–800
- Website
- tui.com
Flights from Leipzig-Halle Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Palma Mallorca
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €170–800
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Erfurt Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 38 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €18–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Erfurt Hbf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €40–80
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Frankfurt to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €28–55
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 41m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €95–180
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Berlin Suedkreuz
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 7m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €25–50
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €18–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Frankfurt to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €26–50
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Berlin Suedkreuz
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 7m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €25–50
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €18–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Frankfurt to Köln Messe/Deutz Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €26–50
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +43 (0) 5 1717
- Website
- ÖBB EuroCity
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Erfurt Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €30
- Website
- ÖBB EuroCity
- Website
- ÖBB EuroCity
- Website
- LEO Express
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Erfurt Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 27m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Schedules at
- LEO Express
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 26m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Schedules at
- LEO Express
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 26m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Schedules at
- LEO Express
- Phone
- +49 30 21300130
- [email protected]
- Website
- Abellio GmbH
Train from Halle(Saale)Hbf to Kassel-Wilhelmshoehe
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €30–45
- Schedules at
- Abellio GmbH
- Phone
- +49 221 13 999 444
- Website
- National Express
Train from Kassel-Wilhelmshoehe to Kamen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 4m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Schedules at
- National Express
Train from Kamen to Koeln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 59m
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Schedules at
- National Express
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Berlin Suedkreuz
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- €12–19
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Berlin Suedkreuz
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- €12–19
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 27m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Leipzig Hbf to Dresden Bahnhof Neustadt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 27m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Leipzig central train station to Leverkusen
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €40–65
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +3 318 576 2228
- Website
- BlaBlaCar
Rideshare from Leipzig to Cologne
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 58m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €22–26
- Schedules at
- BlaBlaCar
Want to know more about travelling around Germany
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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Booking & Getting There
Leipzig to Cologne bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Leverkusen station.
Leipzig to Cologne train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Erfurt Hbf station.
Yes, the driving distance between Leipzig to Cologne is 462 km. It takes approximately 4h 42m to drive from Leipzig to Cologne.
Book your Leipzig to Cologne train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Leipzig to Cologne bus tickets online with Omio.
There are 1822+ hotels available in Cologne.
Check out Blablacar's carpooling service for rideshare options between Leipzig and Cologne. A great option if you don't have a driver's licence or want to avoid public transport.































