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Köln / Cologne / Koeln to München / Munich by train
How to take the rail journey from Cologne/Köln to Munich/München
Taking a train from Cologne/Köln to Munich/München is very straightforward but there is an unusually high number of options for taking a direct train, and in summary they are:
1: the most frequent service of high speed ICE trains, which happen to depart from Köln Messe/Deutz station.
2. faster 'Sprinter' ICE services which also depart from Köln Messe/Deutz station
2: other ICE trains which depart from the city's main central rail station, Köln hbf.
3. taking a more scenic, but slower route.
4. Travelling in a bed or a bunk on a Nightjet train
5. Travelling through the night on an ICE train
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Routes
Option 1: taking an ICE train from Koln Messe/Deutz station
Journey Summary
4hr 20 min - 4hr 35 min (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Munchen Hbf
All trains also call at: Nurnberg Hbf
These trains are following ICE route 41 which is designed to allow the fastest journeys from Essen and Dusseldorf to München/Munich.
Calling at Koln Hbf station would require a reversal and add around 15 mins to the journey time, so these trains call at Koln Messe/Deutz station instead of the main city center station.
They take a route which is much longer than following a straight line, because they also make use of the high speed route between Nurnberg and Munchen.
So despite the extra distance travelled they're also typically the fastest option for a Koln to Munchen journey by train.
up to 16 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
A choice of stations:
There are two high speed routes taken by ICE trains that travel between Koln/Cologne and Munchen/Munich:
(1) These trains, which travel via Nurnberg and Frankfurt (usually) and depart from Koln Messe/Deutz station.
(2) Other trains which travel via Stuttgart (usually) and depart from Koln Hbf.
Despite the fact that these trains from Koln Messe/Deutz station don’t depart from the city’s main station (hauptbahhof/hbf); they can be a good option for a train journey from Koln/Cologne to Munchen/Munich for these reasons:
- They’re more frequent (1 x train per hour during the day) than those trains from Koln Hbf.
- In even hours (usually) they’re the only trains from Koln/Cologne to Munchen/Munich.
- It’s a straightforward, one station journey, by local S-Bahn trains from Koln Hbf to Koln Messe/Deutz (the connection at Koln Messe/Deutz is down a staircase) or a 10 – 20 min walk from Koln Hbf.
- Many areas of central Koln/Cologne, including some of the Christmas markets, are on U-Bahn (Metro) lines to Koln Messe/Deutz that don’t call at Koln Hbf.
- They’re (generally) 15 mins faster than the trains from Koln Hbf.
- They can be cheaper than the trains from Koln Hbf (the most heavily discounted tickets tend to sell out faster on the trains from Koln Hbf).
Finding tickets:
If you want to include these trains from Koln Messe/Deutz when looking up schedules or ticket prices, then enter ‘COLOGNE’ into the ‘From’ box.
You can then compare these journeys with the other options
What you will also see is a multitude of options, which involve taking more than one train from Cologne to Munich and making connections
These direct trains have
- 0 in the changes column
- ICE (and only ICE) in the Product column
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
Reservations:
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservation is included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Reservations are strongly recommended; these trains link more major German cities than any other ICE train, so they’re invariably busy.
Finding a spare seat for the complete Koln to Munchen train journey is not guaranteed, particularly after midday on Fridays and Sundays.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB | from €19.90 | |
| Happyrail | from €19.90 | |
| SaveATrain | from €19.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains reverse direction on departure from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf.
This is a journey of seven distinct phases:
- Until Siegburg/Bonn the first part of the journey is on a conventional railway.
- On departure from Siegburg/Bonn comes the part of the journey with a wow factor, when the train spends around 40 minutes racing along the rollercoaster that is the high speed line to Frankfurt Flughafen, at more than 280 km/h.
Option 2: taking the faster 'Sprinter' services
Journey Summary
3hr 53min
Daily
Travel Information
These trains will typically depart Koln Messe/Deutz at 06:27 (not Sat/Sun) and 16:27 daily.
Final Destination: Munchen Hbf
The trains also call at: Nurnberg Hbf
Monday to Friday: 2 x trains per day
Sat/Sun: 1 x train per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date - usually
Though what's unusual about these 'Sprinter' services is that if you book more than around 4 months ahead, you may see 'no special deals' available' on the DB website; with prices more than €100.
However, for journeys less than around 4 months ahead, you should find the €27.90 fee on some departures.
Reservations:
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservation is included, but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Finding Tickets:
When making an online booking, if you want to target these 'Sprinter' services, target the usual departure times of at 06:27 (not Sat/Sun) and 16:27; these trains aren't typically more expensive than the slower, regular ICE trains (when you don't see 'no special deals' listed against a departure).
On the DB booking site look for journeys that have
0 in the Chg. column
ICE (and only ICE) in the Products column.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB | from €27.90 | |
| Saveatrain | from €27.90 | |
| Omio | from €27.90 | |
| Happyrail | from €27.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains take a similar route to the other ICE trains which head to Munchen from Koln via Nurnberg, but aside from their fewer station calls, what makes them faster is that they don't divert off the direct route to call at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf; hence they don't reverse during the journey.
This is a journey of seven distinct phases:
- Until Siegburg/Bonn the first part of the journey is on a conventional railway.
- On departure from Siegburg/Bonn comes the part of the journey with a wow factor, when the train spends around 40 minutes racing along the rollercoaster that is the high speed line to Frankfurt Flughafen, at more than 280 km/h.
Option 3: taking an ICE train from Koln Hbf
Journey Summary
4hr 35 min (approx) from Koln Hbf
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Munchen Hbf
**All trains (**after 07:55) also call at: Stuttgart,; Ulm and Augsburg
Most trains (after 07:55) also call at: [Munchen-Passing]https://goo.gl/maps/qrw52ng6L4r7NG5S8)
Some of the departures on this route via Stuttgart are by the new ICE 4 trains.
6 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
A choice of stations:
Note that these trains depart from Koln Hbf, which is the main city center station in Koln.
There are two routes* taken by ICE trains that travel between Koln/Cologne and Munchen/Munich:
(1) These trains, which travel via Stuttgart (usually) and depart from Koln Hbf.
(2) Other, [**more frequent trains which travel via Nurnberg and Frankfurt (usually) and depart from Koln Messe/Deutz.
Those trains from Koln Messe/Deutz can also be cheaper.
Koln Messe/Deutz station is located on the opposite bank of The Rhine to the city centre (and from Koln Hbf).
Finding tickets:
If you specifically want to take these trains from Koln Hbf, then when looking up schedules or ticket prices, enter ‘Köln Hbf’ into the ‘From’ box; cut and paste that text, you'll need the special character over the 'o' when looking up this specific journey.
Do that, then on DB (the German national railways website) most of the journeys you will see involve making connections; many of these options will involve making connections into the ICE trains from Koln Messe/Deutz.
These direct trains from Koln Hbf have:
0 in the changes column
ICE (and only ICE) in the Product column
Though if you enter ‘COLOGNE’ into the ‘From’ box when looking up schedules or ticket price, you will also see the direct trains from Koln Messe/Deutz.
Reservations:
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservation is included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Reservations are strongly recommended, this a very popular route
Finding a spare seat for the complete Koln to Munchen train journey is not guaranteed, particularly after midday on Fridays and Sundays.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB | from €17.90 | |
| Trainline | from €17.90 | |
| SaveATrain | from €17.90 | |
| Happyrail | from €17.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains reverse direction on departure from Stuttgart.
This is a journey of five distinct phases:
- Until Siegburg/Bonn the first part of the journey is on a conventional railway.
- On departure from Siegburg/Bonn comes the part of the journey with a wow factor, when the train spends around 40 minutes racing along the rollercoaster that is the high speed line to Frankfurt Flughafen, at more than 280 km/h.
Option 4: the more scenic route
Journey Summary
5hr 53min - 6hr 9min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination:
The ICE train - Munchen
The EC train - Klagenfurt
The EC train is the faster of the two services, it travels via Stuttgart, but the ICE train travels via Nurnberg.
It is scheduled to arrive in Munchen/Munich only 9 mins after the arrival of the ICE train.
These trains can cheaper than the much faster high speed services, but the primary criteria for choosing these trains is the views of the The Rhine Gorge,
1 x ICE train per day
1 x EC train
Tickets
If you're making a once in a lifetime journey from Koln to Munchen by train, this is a more scenic option than taking the much faster ICE trains.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
Finding tickets:
When looking for tickets from Köln on DB Bahn type ‘K‘ or COLOGNE into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
Check that you’re looking at booking info for these direct which are usually scheduled to depart from Koln at around 07:53 (the ICE train) and 08:18 the IC (EC) train.
RESERVATIONS:
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservation is included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Opting to reserve is particularly recommended on this comparatively lengthy journey.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB | from €17.90 | |
| Trainline | from €17.90 |
On this journey
Journey Features
Good to Know
The EC train reverses direction in Stuttgart and the ICE train reverses direction in Frankfurt (Main)
Sit on the left on the train (when facing the direction of travel), the train will initially head north before looping around the city to reach the west bank of the River Rhine.
You can then see the stunning views of the Upper Rhine Valley between Koblenz and Bingen.
Option 5: overnight on an ICE train
Journey Summary
7hr 33min (usually)
Nightly
Travel Information
The first of the daytime ICE trainsfrom Koln/Cologne is usually scheduled to arrive in Munchen/Munich at 10:27.
This overnight ICE train is usually scheduled to arrive at 06:03.
It is a faster option for an overnight train journey Koln/Colognet to Munchen/Munich, than the alternative Nightjet train; it is scheduled to arrive in Munchen/Munich more than an hour ahead of the Nightjet - and it is also usually scheduled to depart from Koln/Cologne 15 mins after the Nightjet.
But unlike the Nightjet train it doesn't convey sleeping cabins or couchettes.
It is the same type of ICE train that's used on those daytime services, so only seats are available on this overnight train ride.
Final Destination: Munchen
The train also calls at: Seigburg/Bonn
1 x train per night
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservation is included, but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
If you will be travelling with a valid on Eurail or InterRail pass you can just hop on to this train.
This train usually departs from Koln Hbf at 22:30
It can be cheaper than the OBB Nightjet train (option 5) - though when comparing prices, note that the initial price shown for NJ train will be for the ordinary seats and not the couchette berths or sleeping cabins.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB | from €27.90 | |
| Trainline | from €27.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
It is (much) slower than the daytime ICE trains because it makes more station calls - it is 21 stops from Cologne to Munich if you take this train.
Option 6: overnight on the Nightjet sleeper train
Journey Summary
8hr 55min (approx)
Nightly
Travel Information
Final Destination: Innsbruck
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Köln Hbf at 22:16 and arrive in Munchen Hbf at 07:11 so it's more than an hour slower than the alternative overnight ICE train.
However, it is the only option if you want to travel overnight between the two cities in bunk in a couchette, or a bed in a sleeping cabin.
That overnight ICE train is no different to the ICE trains used for the daytime journeys.
Though if you're prepared to make the overnight journey from Koln/Cologne to Munich/Munchen in a seat, you may as well take that ICE train.
If you will be travelling overnight with a rail pass, you also won't have to reserve if you take that ICE train.
1 x train per night
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open:
6 months ahead of the travel date on OBB
3 months ahead of the travel date on DB
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Köln Hbf around 22:15, so target that departure time when looking up this journey.
The choice of accommodation - summary:
- Compartment Seats (Sitzwagen)
- Couchettes (Liegewagen); 4 berths AND 6 berths
- Standard sleeping cars (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
- Deluxe sleeping cars with showers (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
Click the train details for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:
The first price you will see on the OBB ticketing site will be for the compartment seats.
Travelling with a rail pass:
Rail pass users must reserve before boarding this train.
However, these rail pass reservations can NO longer be booked online the DB website, but you can now book rail pass reservations without paying booking fees on the OBB website (OBB operates these trains).
Though the process for doing so isn't particularly obvious, hence this step-by-step guide.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| OBB | * | |
| DB Bahn | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
The coaches heading to Innsbruck via Munchen will be joined to another part of the train, which will be heading to Wien.
If you see a train heading to Wien on the departure screens then the info will also apply if you are travelling to Innsbruck.
Don't be concerned about boarding the wrong part of the train, your reservations will be in coaches that will be heading to Munchen.
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