There are three optimum routings to choose from when taking a a journey by train from Cologne/Köln to Salzburg.
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 08:18.
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.
1 x train per day
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
When looking for tickets from Köln on DB type ‘K or COLOGNE‘ into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
When making an online booking, check that you’re looking at booking info for the direct EC train, which is usually scheduled to depart at 08:18; so target that time when looking up this journey.
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 long journey.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
DB Bahn | from €35.90 | |
OBB | from €36 | |
Trainline | from €36 |
The train will reverse direction on departure from Stuttgart Hbf and Munchen Hbf.
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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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.
1 x optimum connection per day
Change trains in: ** Frankfurt (Main)**
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date.
On the DB, German national railways, ticket booking website look for the journey which;
Though alternative connections, particularly those which involve more than one change of train, can be cheaper.
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservatios are included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
DB | * | |
DB | * |
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.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.
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 this alternative journey option as it's;
fastest
has a fairly easilly timed connection* of around 25 mins at Munchen Hbf
connects 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.
up to 4 x optimum connections per day
Change trains in: Munchen/Munich
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
On DB look for the journeys which have '1' in the chg. column and 'ICE, RJ' in the Products column.
Connections 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.
Use the earlier/later buttons to search for the cheapest ticket prices.
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservations are included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
DB Bahn | from €29.90 |
Final Destination: Munchen Hbf
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:
The route via Stuttgart
This is a journey of six distinct phases
Final Destination: Budapest or Wien
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.
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.