What is the distance between Cologne and Essen?

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

What are the departure and arrival locations for buses traveling from Cologne to Essen?

Buses traveling this route start their trip at Cologne/Bonn Airport, in Cologne, and end it at Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit, in Essen.

Bus Cologne to Essen from $7 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Cologne to Essen on November 20
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	8:35pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	1h 35m	10:10pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	Fastest
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
Bus	8:40pm	Flughafen Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN)	1h 55m	10:35pm	Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit	No tags

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	6:40am	Cologne/Bonn Airport	2h	8:40am	Essen	No tags
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

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	6:40am	Cologne/Bonn Airport	2h	8:40am	Essen	Cheapest
	Bus	5:50pm	Cologne/Bonn Airport	1h 55m	7:45pm	Essen	Fastest

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 12:55 PM CET.

Compare 3 ways to go from Cologne to Essen

We recommend carpooling

Among the sustainable travel choices, the carpool stands out as a good way to reach Essen. The journey takes about 50 minutes, and with fares starting at just $6, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

5carpool per day

50mAverage Duration

59 kmDistance

2kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions
Bus	Average Price$8 - $39	Average Duration1h 55m	CO₂ emissions 2kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$13 - $116	Average Duration55m	CO₂ emissions 1kg CO₂e
Carpool	Average Price$6 - $21	Average Duration50m	CO₂ emissions 2kg CO₂e

Compare bus companies

FlixBus

3.5/511,380 reviews

Staff4.2

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi2.7

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

Where are the popular stops in Cologne and Essen?

Stops in Cologne

A - Cologne/Bonn Airport

B - Hbf

C - Gummersbacher Str.

D - Riehl Zoo

E - Leverkusen Mitte

F - Rhein Energie Stadion

Stops in Essen

A - Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit

B - HBF

C - Essen Hbf

D - Essen Bushaltestelle

E - Hachestraße

Frequently asked questions about travelling from Cologne to Essen by bus

What is the distance between Cologne and Essen?
The distance between Cologne and Essen is around 57 km (36 miles).
What are the departure and arrival locations for buses traveling from Cologne to Essen?
Buses traveling this route start their trip at Cologne/Bonn Airport, in Cologne, and end it at Essen Hauptbahnhof Freiheit, in Essen.

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

11-18

$7

11-19

$9

Today

$7

11-21

$7

11-22

$7

11-23

$7

11-24

$7

11-25

$7

The cheapest trip from Cologne to Essen was searched and found on Nov 20, 2025 with a price of $7

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 $7 to $12 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 $7 which is on 2025-11-21.