How to get from Cologne to Frankfurt
On Routavio you can compare the ways from Cologne to Frankfurt by price and travel time.
- 153 km as the crow flies
- Fastest: train, 1h 06m
- 126 bus departures a day with FlixBus
Compare the train, bus and flight options. Then check them for your own date.
At a glance
Fastest
1h 06m
direct
Train
€17
Cheapest
1h 50m
direct
Bus
€9
Calculated by Routavio, refreshed 19 Oct 2026
Start with the whole journey.
We compared the ways to travel from Cologne to Frankfurt. The most useful door-to-door route takes 1h 50m by bus with no transfer. The two cities are about 153 km apart in a straight line. The price and operators below come from a real route search.
The lowest we recorded in the last 14 days was €7, on Sat, Oct 17.
153 km
Which way suits you?
| Transport | Observed fare | Duration and scope | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train | €27Omio catalogue, Oct 20 | 1h 06mdirect | See Train details |
| Bus | €9Omio catalogue, Oct 20 | 1h 50mdirect | See Bus details |
- Train€27Omio catalogue, Oct 201h 06m · directSee Train details
- Bus€9Omio catalogue, Oct 201h 50m · directSee Bus details
These figures were observed on different days. This table is not a live price ranking for your date.
Cologne to Frankfurt: cheapest or fastest?
All from the same recent search. Pick a tab: the legs, the timing and the difference from the others all change with it.
- 1Cologne → Frankfurtbus
BlaBlaCar Bus·1h 50m
The best balance of price and time we found on this route.
Which date should you go?
The amounts on each day are fares seen earlier, not live offers. A day with no figure is one we have not priced, not one without a service.
Departures from Cologne to Frankfurt
FlixBus runs 126 scheduled departures a day, the first at 00:00 and the last at 23:35.
| Operator | Departures a day | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|
| FlixBusbus | 126 | 00:00 | 23:35 |
| Deutsche Bahntrain | 40 | 03:21 | 13:53 |
| BlaBlaCar Busbus | 1 | 22:20 | 22:20 |
| DB ICEtrain | 1 | — | — |
All departuresFlixBus
- 00:00
- 00:20
- 01:10
- 01:20
- 02:10
- 02:20
- 03:10
- 03:50
- 04:50
- 06:15
- 06:35
- 07:15
- 07:35
- 08:15
- 08:35
- 08:40
- 08:45
- 09:05
- 09:20
- 09:35
- 09:40
- 09:45
- 09:55
- 10:20
- 10:35
- 10:40
- 10:55
- 11:05
- 11:20
- 11:25
- 11:35
- 11:50
- 11:55
- 12:05
- 12:25
- 12:40
- 13:40
- 13:50
- 13:55
- 14:15
- 14:40
- 14:50
- 14:55
- 15:00
- 15:15
- 15:50
- 15:55
- 16:00
- 16:55
- 17:00
- 17:10
- 17:35
- 17:55
- 18:10
- 18:35
- 18:55
- 19:00
- 19:10
- 19:15
- 19:30
- 19:35
- 20:00
- 20:05
- 20:15
- 20:20
- 20:50
- 20:55
- 21:00
- 21:15
- 21:20
- 21:35
- 21:50
- 22:35
- 22:50
- 23:35
All departuresDeutsche Bahn
- 03:21
- 04:28
- 05:20
- 05:25
- 05:48
- 05:53
- 06:27
- 06:45
- 06:54
- 07:30
- 07:33
- 07:45
- 07:53
- 07:54
- 08:19
- 08:29
- 08:45
- 08:54
- 09:18
- 09:31
- 09:45
- 09:53
- 09:54
- 09:58
- 10:19
- 10:29
- 10:45
- 10:54
- 11:18
- 11:45
- 11:53
- 11:54
- 12:18
- 12:29
- 12:45
- 12:54
- 13:18
- 13:30
- 13:45
- 13:53
All departuresBlaBlaCar Bus
- 22:20
Departure times come from operator timetables and are local time at the origin. Where a row shows no times, the frequency is the operator's own and the timetable is not published to us. Times can change on holidays and at short notice; confirm with the operator before you travel.
Departure and arrival
Ticket prices on this route
What each way of travelling costs, as the operator publishes it. These describe the route rather than a date you pick, and they refresh once a day. Booking opens at our partner Omio.
Omio last refreshed these on Tue, Oct 20
Operators seen on these journeys
On this route you travel with BlaBlaCar Bus, Deutsche Bahn; Routavio does not add a booking fee.
How the trip from Cologne to Frankfurt works
Start with a BlaBlaCar Bus bus from Cologne to Frankfurt, about 1h 50m. In total it's roughly €9 over 1h 50m, direct, no transfers.
Cologne to Frankfurt: common questions
How long does it take to get from Cologne to Frankfurt?
The most useful route takes about 1h 50m by bus, with no transfer.
When is the first bus from Cologne to Frankfurt?
The first bus with FlixBus leaves at 00:00 and the last at 23:35, from Cologne Airport CGN, according to the published timetable.
How many bus departures a day are there from Cologne to Frankfurt?
126 a day with FlixBus, between 00:00 and 23:35.
Which station does the bus from Cologne to Frankfurt leave from?
Cologne Airport CGN with FlixBus, according to the published timetable.
When is the first train from Cologne to Frankfurt?
The first train with Deutsche Bahn leaves at 03:21 and the last at 13:53, according to the published timetable.
How many train departures a day are there from Cologne to Frankfurt?
40 a day with Deutsche Bahn, between 03:21 and 13:53.
How far is Frankfurt from Cologne?
About 153 km in a straight line. The real route on the ground or in the air is longer.
How much does Cologne to Frankfurt cost?
On the upcoming dates we checked, the cheapest fare ranged from €7 to €10. Run a live search for your own date to see today's price.
Which operators run Cologne to Frankfurt?
On this route you travel with BlaBlaCar Bus, Deutsche Bahn.
Can you get from Cologne to Frankfurt without flying?
Yes. A ground route by train takes about 44m.
What is the cheapest way to get from Cologne to Frankfurt?
Usually a flexible date, or leaving from a nearby airport. A live search puts every option for your dates side by side.
Can I book directly?
Yes. Routavio sends you straight to the operator or an independent third-party provider. We never add a booking fee. The final fare and availability are confirmed by that provider.
Other ways people search Cologne to Frankfurt
- how to get from Cologne to Frankfurt
- Cologne to Frankfurt travel time
- Cologne to Frankfurt distance
- cheapest way from Cologne to Frankfurt
- Cologne to Frankfurt by bus
Sources and method
Routes are calculated by Routavio's multimodal engine from operator timetables and flight data. Durations come from timetables, and prices are the most recent observation, not a guarantee.
Operators: BlaBlaCar Bus
Route calculated: 19 Oct 2026