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How to take the rail journey from Cologne/Köln to Salzburg
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Köln / Cologne / Koeln to Salzburg by train
There are four optimum routings to choose from when taking a journey by train from Cologne/Köln to Salzburg.
- Boarding the only direct daytime train
- The fastest option, but it involves departing from Koln Messe/Deutz station
- Departing from Koln Hbf and also making a connection between trains in Frankfurt.
- Taking a sleeper train to Munich and connecting there for a morning train on to Salzburg.
- Taking the overnight high speed train and connecting in Munich
Routes you can take to go from Köln / Cologne / Koeln to Salzburg
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
Choose one of the following options:
Looking for connections?
Route Information
Option 1: the direct train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
7 hr 41min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x train per day
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
DB Bahn Guide
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
A key feature of DB website worth keeping mind is that it offers 1st class ticket purchasers complimentary seat reservations on journeys both within and to/from Germany.
Seat reservations for daytime in both 1st and 2nd class can also be booked separately from tickets.
OBB Guide
OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.
It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.
OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Klagenfurt
The train also calls at: Munchen and Prien am Chiemsee
This one direct train of the day to Salzburg is usually scheduled to depart from Koln hbf, the main city centre station at around 08:15.
The alternative journey options:
Because this train follows the twisting route through the Rhine Valley, it is quicker to head south from Koln/Cologne on a high speed train and then make a connection in order to reach Salzburg.
SMTJ has singled out the two least stressful options if you want to do this.
(1) If the early departure time of this direct train doesn't suit, you can set off in the early afternoon and make a connection between trains in Frankfurt (Main).
(2) Or if you want to get to Salzburg in the fastest time you can travel via Munchen/Munich.
Though this means taking trains from Koln-Messe/Deutz station, instead of Koln Hbf.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
From the timetable change on December 10th, the ICE 4 trains will take over from the EC train.
The train will reverse direction on departure from Stuttgart Hbf and Munchen Hbf.
Journey description:
Sit on the left on the train when facing the direction of travel, this may seem the wrong way round, but the train will initially head north on departure and then loop around the city before heading south on the river bank.
After Bonn there are some fabulous views of the Upper Rhine Valley from the LEFT of the train, when facing the direction of travel; if the train takes its usual route along the west bank, but if its switched to the east bank, the railway line is still right by the river.
The best of the views occur when the trains travel through The Rhine Gorge between Koblenz and Bingen.
The journey is a delight, you can't miss the endless parade of boats travelling up and down the river and look out for the multitude of castles perched on top of the hills.
As the video clips and images show, this is a journey which can be worth taking for the sake of making the trip, even if the weather isn't absolutely perfect.
Then after Mainz the train will cross the river; this video was taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction.
The journey also has other scenic highlights, particularly between Stuttgart and Ulm - from the left of the train.
The train will reverse direction on departure from Stuttgart Hbf AND Munchen Hbf.
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Tickets
This one direct train of the day to Salzburg is usually scheduled to depart from Koln hbf, the main city centre station at around 08:15.
However, due to the length of the journey, this train departure is particularly susceptible to cancellation or alteration due to works on the line, hence the different departure times.
If you can't see a journey with no changes on your travel date it means that this direct train is not running that day, so you will need to choose from one of the alternative journey options.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.
A choice of tickets
Four types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
Two types of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis Europa tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in Köln city centre and Köln Hbf.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on IC / EC trains.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus tickets.
When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.
Booking on the DB website
When looking for tickets from Köln Hbf on the DB website type ‘K‘ or 'COLOGNE' into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
You can find this direct train more easily by making a proactive selection of 'Direct Trains Only'.
To see all the combinations of trains and journey options, some of which may be cheaper, take off the 'fastest connections' default.
Route Information
Via stations: Frankfurt (Main) Hbf
Option 2: connecting in Munich
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
7hr 32 min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x optimum connection per day
Change trains in: ** Frankfurt (Main)**
Purchase Tickets
DB Guide
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:
- For journeys by the express trains, EC. IC and ICE trains an adult (on German railways an adult is a person aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 6 - 14 with them at no additional charge.
- Tickets need to be booked for children aged 0 - 5, but there is no charge for them.
- Those aged 65 and over can take journeys at a discounted rate.
- Dogs, which are too large to be placed in pet carriers, require tickets which cost 50% of the adult rate.
When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).
DB Guide
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:
- For journeys by the express trains, EC. IC and ICE trains an adult (on German railways an adult is a person aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 6 - 14 with them at no additional charge.
- Tickets need to be booked for children aged 0 - 5, but there is no charge for them.
- Those aged 65 and over can take journeys at a discounted rate.
- Dogs, which are too large to be placed in pet carriers, require tickets which cost 50% of the adult rate.
When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).
Travel Information
If the early departure time of the one direct train of the day doesn't suit AND you want to depart from the city's main station, Koln Hbf, SMTJ has singled out this routing.
A train from Koln hbf, which usually departs at 12:27, has an easily timed connection in Frankfurt (Main) hbf, with more than 50 mins to change trains.
Though the faster option for a train journey from Koln to Salzburg involves departing from the city's other main station - Koln-Messe/Deutz.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Köln/Cologne Hbf and Frankfurt (Main) HbfYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Frankfurt (Main) or Munchen
These trains travel at more than 270 k/mh Germany's fastest high speed line between Siegburg/Bonn and Frankfurt Flughafen.
If you have never travelled between Koln/Cologne and Frankfurt by train before, you have a choice between;
(1) experiencing the G-force on Germany's fastest train journey - this is a high speed line that most definitely has the wow factor,
OR (2) taking the alternative longer route via Koblenz* with its stunning views of The Rhine Valley; it's Germany's most scenic journey taken by express trains.
Train 2
Between Frankfurt (Main) Hbf and Salzburg HbfYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Good to Know
Final Destination: Klagenfurt
The train also calls at: Munchen and Prien am Chiemsee
The train will reverse direction on departure from Stuttgart Hbf AND Munchen Hbf.
This is a pleasant rather than stunningly beautiful journey, the most scenic part of the train ride comes between Stuttgart and Ulm.
Tickets
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date.
Look for the journey option which typically involves departing from Koln Hbf at around 12:27.
Though alternative connections, particularly those which involve more than one change of train, can be cheaper.
A choice of tickets
Four types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
Two types of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis Europa tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in Köln city centre and Köln Hbf.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on the ICE train and on the train between Munchen and Salzburg - take note if you will be using a rail pass.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus tickets.
On this journey which involves two trains on which seat reservations are available, the fees cover all trains - if reservations are added when initially booking.
When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.
Though if you opt to add reservations later you will have pay the fees per train.
Booking on the DB website
When looking for tickets from Köln Hbf on the DB website type ‘K‘ or 'COLOGNE' into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
Route Information
Via stations: München Hbf/Munich main station
Option 3: the fastest journey
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
6hr 14min - 6hr 24min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
up to 4 x optimum connections per day
Change trains in: Munchen/Munich
Purchase Tickets
DB Bahn Guide
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
A key feature of DB website worth keeping mind is that it offers 1st class ticket purchasers complimentary seat reservations on journeys both within and to/from Germany.
Seat reservations for daytime in both 1st and 2nd class can also be booked separately from tickets.
Travel Information
Look up a Koln/Cologne to Salzburg journey on DB and you will see a multitude of journey options, in addition to the daily direct train between the two cities.
We have singled out these alternative journey options, because they:
- are faster
- have a fairly easily timed connection* of around 25 mins at Munchen Hbf
- connect into a Railjet on from Munchen to Salzburg (the top ranked train on this route).
*If the train arrives in Munchen/Munich too late to make this connection, tickets can be used on the next train to depart.
The negative is that this routing leaves from Koln Messe/Deutz station and not from the city's main station Koln Hauptbahnhof.
Though if you do want to depart from Koln Hauptbahnhof there is also an alternative to taking the direct train.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Köln Messe/Deutz and München Hbf/Munich main stationYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Munchen Hbf
Journey description:
These trains now take either a route via Nurnberg, or they take a route via Stuttgart.
The route via Nurnberg
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.
The route via Stuttgart
This is a journey of six 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.
- Between the station at Frankfurt Flughafen (airport) and Mannheim the train will be back on conventional tracks.
- On departure from Mannheim the train will then travel on the high speed line to Stuttgart,
- After departure from Stuttgart Hbf where the train will reverse direction, the train will divert off the older route at Plochingen station and will then travel through Wendlingen, after passing through there it will travel at more than 250 km/h for around 23 minutes on the brand new high speed line as far as Ulm Hbf.
6 After Ulm the train will be one again travelling on a conventional railway
Train 2
Between München Hbf/Munich main station and Salzburg HbfYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Budapest or Wien
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.
A choice of tickets
Four types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
Two types of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis Europa tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in Köln city centre and Köln Hbf.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on the ICE trains and on the Railjet trains between Munchen and Salzburg.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus tickets.
On this journey which involves two trains on which seat reservations are available, the fees cover all trains - if reservations are added when initially booking.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans, you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.
Though if you opt to add reservations later you will have pay the fees per train..
Booking on the DB website
When looking for tickets from Köln Hbf on the DB website type ‘K‘ or 'COLOGNE' into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
Route Information
Via stations: München Hbf/Munich main station
Option 4: spend most of the journey on a sleeper train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
from 10hr 30min apprix
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x optimum connection per night
Purchase Tickets
OBB Guide
OBB is the national rail operator and its booking service offers journeys by express trains within Austria, as well as international journeys which don't involve making a connection outside of Austria.
It pays off to book online, as the discounted 'Sparscheine' tickets are only ever made available on the website, and when making international journeys to and from Austria, these Sparscheine tickets tend to be cheaper.
OBB can offer particularly good value for money when travelling with children on international rail journeys, but something to watch out for when travelling between Austria and Germany on daytime trains, is that reservations are an optional extra; but if you book 1st class tickets with the Germany railways website DB, the reservations are complimentary.
OBB often takes a unique approach to its booking path, but a key thing to keep in mind is that the first price you will see for any journey is that of a Second Class seat.
The costs of upgrading to first class, a reservation, or a sleeping cabin etc, is then added to this price.
Travel Information
There is typically a night train, which conveys sleeping cabins and couchettes, that departs Koln Hbf shortly before 22:30 and is scheduled to arrive into Munich around 07:00.
There are usually a 2 or 3 x trains per hour on from Munich to Salzburg, so if a delay to the Nightjet train causes the booked connection to be missed, tickets will be valid on the subsequent onward departure - though any reservations will need to be reissued at the Reisezentrum / travel desk.
If the Nightjet train is on schedule and the 20 min connection is made, the arrival time into Innsbruck will be shortly before 09:00.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Köln/Cologne Hbf and München Hbf/Munich main stationYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Innsbruck
Train 2
Between München Hbf/Munich main station and Salzburg HbfYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
As can be seen multiple trains are used on this route, but if the train from Koln is on time, the connecting train will be a Railjet.
Tickets
OBB operates the Nightjet trains, so booking on its website is recommended.
Route Information
Via stations: München Hbf/Munich main station
Option 5 - the faster overnight journey
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
8hr 3min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x connection per night
Purchase Tickets
Travel Information
There is an overnight ICE train on to München / Munich which is typically scheduled to arrive there around 06:00am.
If you will be happy with the idea of travelling through the night in a seat, the positives of travelling by it are that is typically a cheaper option than taking the Nightjet train; and it's a faster journey
If the ICE train is on schedule and the 20 min connection is made, the arrival time into Innsbruck will be shortly before 08:00 and the departure time from Koln / Cologne will typically be shortly before midnight.
There are usually a 2 or 3 x trains per hour on from Munich to Salzburg, so if a delay to the ICE train causes the booked connection to be missed, tickets will be valid on the subsequent onward departure - though any reservations will need to be reissued at the Reisezentrum / travel desk.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Köln Messe/Deutz and München Hbf/Munich main stationYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Journey description:
These trains now take either a route via Nurnberg, or they take a route via Stuttgart.
The route via Nurnberg
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.
The route via Stuttgart
This is a journey of six 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.
- Between the station at Frankfurt Flughafen (airport) and Mannheim the train will be back on conventional tracks.
- On departure from Mannheim the train will then travel on the high speed line to Stuttgart,
- After departure from Stuttgart Hbf where the train will reverse direction, the train will divert off the older route at Plochingen station and will then travel through Wendlingen, after passing through there it will travel at more than 250 km/h for around 23 minutes on the brand new high speed line as far as Ulm Hbf.
6 After Ulm the train will be one again travelling on a conventional railway
Train 2
Between München Hbf/Munich main station and Salzburg HbfYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
As can be seen multiple trains are used on this route, but if the train from Koln is on time, the connecting train will be a Railjet.
Tickets
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date.
Look for the journey option which typically involves departing from Koln Hbf at around 23:55.
A choice of tickets
Four types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
Two types of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis Europa tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in Köln city centre and Köln Hbf.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on the ICE train and on the train between Munchen and Salzburg - take note if you will be using a rail pass.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus tickets.
On this journey which involves two trains on which seat reservations are available, the fees cover all trains - if reservations are added when initially booking.d.
When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.
Though if you opt to add reservations later you will have pay the fees per train.
Booking on the DB website
When looking for tickets from Köln Hbf on the DB website type ‘K‘ or 'COLOGNE' into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.
See if there’s a unique journey guide for your trip, featuring info on the trains, tickets & stations.
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- Roma / Rome
- Torino / Turin
- Venezia / Venice / Venedig
- Verona
- Netherlands by train
- Amsterdam
- Norway by train
- Oslo
- Poland by train
- Warszawa / Warsaw
- Portugal by train
- Lisboa / Lisbon
- Porto
- Spain by train
- Barcelona
- Madrid
- Sweden by train
- Stockholm
- Switzerland by train
- Basel / Bâle
- Bern
- Genève / Geneva
- Zürich / Zurich
- No Matching Cities
- List is empty.
- No Matching Cities
- List is empty.
This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.
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