Related Content
How to travel from München / Munich to Köln / Cologne by train
Share this journey with a friend...
München / Munich to Köln / Cologne / Koeln by train
There are multiple options for travelling from München/Munich to Köln/Cologne by train during the day and overnight
During the day ICE trains take two different routes from München/Munich to Köln/Cologne.
(1) The more frequent services (and a new fastest 'Sprinter' service) take a route via Nurnberg and Frankfurt - But they don't arrive at the main station in Köln/Cologne as their route takes them through a station named Köln Messe/Deutz.
(2) Other ICE trains from München/Munich take a route via Stuttgart and do arrive at the main station, Köln hbf.
So check the location of your final destination in Köln/Cologne and use the station info below, to see which route will suit you better.
Köln Messe/Deutz is further from the city centre, but if your ultimate destination is located along the U-Bahn (metro) routes; 1, 3, 4 or 9 then connections are available to these lines at Messe/Deutz.
While U-Bahn lines 5, 16 and 18 have stations linked to Köln hbf.
If your final destination is
- within walking distance of Köln hbf and you won't be travelling with luggage etc
- you can find a cheaper price for train Messe/Deutz; or if the arrival times of those trains suit you better,
then take the trains heading to Messe-Deutz.
You can then hop on a local S-Bahn train at Messe-Deutz (if you book to Koln hbf) - and can be at the main station less than 10 minutes after you have stepped off the train at Messe/Deutz.
However, if you will be heading to a location near Koln hbf and
- do have luggage etc
- will bemaking an onward connection in that station
do target the direct ICE trains to Koln hbf.
That's because the interchange between the ICE and S-Bahn trains at Messe/Deutz involves walking up a staircase.
When travelling overnight you will arrive at Koln hbf - but can choose between
- travelling in a bed or bunk on the Nightjet train
- travelling on the same ICE trains as used for the daytime services.
Routes you can take to go from München / Munich to Köln / Cologne / Koeln
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: ICE trains to the main station in Koln/Cologne
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
4hr 35 min (approx)
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x train every other hour
Is the journey from Munich / München to Cologne / Köln direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is this journey scenic?
It isn't exceptional - though the train will travel on a high-speed line:
- north of UIm
- between Stuttgart and Mannheim
- between Frankfurt Flughfaen and Siegburg/Bonn
What other tourist locations are along this route from Munich / München to Köln / Cologne?
Augsburg, Ulm and Stuttgart
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Köln Hbf from München Hbf on this journey option?
After 10:30
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Cologne ?
Köln Hbf is conveniently located in the city centre - See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighborhood.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from München Hbf to Köln Hbf?
Before 19:30 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Munich / München?
Frequent local (S-Bahn) trains travel from stations in the city centre - and multiple tram and metro lines are also available.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighbourhood.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access guides to how rail tickets are managed in Germany, plus step-by-step guides on how to make a booking.
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains?
It can be up to 6 months ahead of the travel date; though the booking period will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sunday in December; and when looking up summer travel in March to May.
What are the child ticket terms for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains?
Adults (aged 15 and over) purchasing discounted 'Sparschiene' tickets for travel in either First or Second class, can take up to four children (aged 14 and under) at no additional cost.
Does the ticket for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains include assigned seats?
Only when booking the most expensive types of ticket = Flexpreise tickets for travel in 1st class.
So they are not included when booking tickets for travel in 2nd class, or any other type of ticket valid for travel in 1st class
They are available, so they can be added for an additional cost, when booking those types of ticket.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains?
No they are available, but are not mandatory - Though they are recommended for this route, particularly at
- business hours,
- Fridays after midday
- Saturdays before midday
- Sundays after midday
See the rail pass guide for details of the booking options.
Is catering available on the Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car and a restaurant car.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about German rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Germany
Purchase Tickets
Exclusive for New Customers: Receive a 10% discount by using the code 24NOV on any purchase with a maximum total price of £100, until 28 November 2024 (11:59 pm CET). Limit one coupon per qualifying booking. Cannot be combined, transferred or exchanged.
Omio Guide
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
- it offers prices in multiple currencies
- it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
- when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
Other Ticket Providers
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.
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.
Save A Train Guide
Happy rail Guide
Happy Rail is a Netherlands rail ticket agency which sells tickets for both national and international journeys within a range of countries including Belgium France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland.
HappyRail doesn't charge booking fees in the conventional sense, but if you're not Dutch you can expect to pay additional transaction fees, which will be added to the total cost.
That's because the most common form of online payment used in The Netherlands is 'iDEAL' and HappyRail doesn't charge a transaction fee for 'iDEAL' payments, but only Dutch residents can sign up to 'iDEAL'.
Other forms of payment include Visa debit cards will incur a fee.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Hamburg or Dortmund
These trains also call at: Munchen-Passing (the trains on the alternative route don't call at this station)
These trains, which travel via Stuttgart, arrive at Koln Hbf, the city's main station
During the day they usually depart from Munich/Munchen every other hour - in the odd hours.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Most of the departures on this route are now by the new ICE 4 trains, if you want to take a non-folding bicycle on a journey from Munchen to Koln, you need to target these trains.
Journey description:
This is a journey of six distinct phases
- Until Stuttgart the train will travel on a conventional railway and the most scenic part of this journey occurs to the north of Ulm, when the railway threads through some narrow valleys; these don't use the new section of high-speed line that's now open north of Ulm.
- The train will reverse direction on departure from Stuttgart and head on to the high speed line.
- For around 25 minutes the train will travel at more than 250 km/h until the outskirts of Mannheim.
- Between Mannheim and Frankfurt Flughafen the railway travels through a string of commuter towns.
- On departure from Frankfurt Flughafen 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 Siegburg/Bonn, at more than 280 km/h.
- After Siegburg/Bonn the final part of the journey is on a conventional railway.
Please support ShowMeTheJourney
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 go here to say thank you.
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 and Super Sparpreis
Two types of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus
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 and Flexpreis Plus 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 tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis 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 tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
When travelling to and from the major cities, the Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in the city centres of Munich / Cologne and the stations where the trains depart and arrive.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on ICE trains for journeys within Germany - 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.
When a journey involves two or more trains on which seat reservations are available, the fees when first booking, cover all trains.
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.
Though despite seats being automatically assigned when booking these three types of ticket - and these tickets being valid on any departure, you will need to pay to re-book the reservations, if you subsequently decide to travel on an alternative train.
So because you won't save by booking these types of tickets in advance, it can be a good idea to wait until you are sure when you will want to travel.
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.
1st Class tickets
No matter what type of ticket booked, if you choose to travel 1st class, you will have access to the same seating areas on the train, ICE trains do not have Business or Executive lounges.
Though only those who have booked 1st class Flexpreis or Flexpreis Plus tickets can access the DB Lounges at the major stations.
Booking on the DB website
If you want to take THESE trains to Koln Hbf, then when looking up schedules or ticket prices enter ‘Köln Hbf’ into the ‘To’ box.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so if you can be flexible with your departure time use the 'best prices' tool - at the top right on the list of journey options.
Do that, then on DB Bahn most of the journeys you will see involve making connections, (many of these options will be reaching Koln Hbf from the trains that only call at Koln Messe/Deutz).
If you enter ‘COLOGNE’ into the ‘To’ box when looking up schedules or ticket prices -you will also see the direct trains to Koln Messe/Deutz.
Route Information
Option 2: by ICE train to the alternative station in Koln/Cologne
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
4hr 20 min - 4hr 35 min (approx)
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 or 2 x trains per hour
(even hours have 2 x departures)
Is the journey from Munich / München to Cologne / direct?
Yes, there is no need to make a connection when taking this route.
Is this journey scenic?
It isn't exceptional - though the train will travel on a high-speed line:
-between Ingolstadt and Nurnberg
- between Frankfurt Flughfaen and Siegburg/Bonn
What other tourist locations are along this route from Munich / München to Köln / Cologne?
Nurnberg and Wurzburg
When is the usual approximate earliest arrival at Köln Messe/Deutz from München Hbf on this journey option?
- Around 09:15 on Monday to Saturday
- Before 11:15 on Sunday
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to travel on from the station in Cologne ?
Köln Messe/Deuz is located on the opposite bank of the River Rhine to the city centre, but it is connected to it by the U-Bahn - See the Station Guide above for more info.
When is the usual approximate latest departure from München Hbf to Köln Hbf?
After 18:45 daily
Source = European Rail Timetable
How easy is it to get to the station in Munich / München?
Frequent local (S-Bahn) trains travel from stations in the city centre - and multiple tram and metro lines are also available.
See the Station Guide above for more info, plus easy access to multiple options for booking somewhere to stay in its neighbourhood.
Are tickets cheaper if booked in advance for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains?
Yes, and they can be purchased from a choice of booking agents - see below.
Click on the 'Good to know info' to access guides to how rail tickets are managed in Germany, plus step-by-step guides on how to make a booking.
How soon ahead of travel are tickets typically placed on sale for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains?
It can be up to 6 months ahead of the travel date; though the booking period will be typically be shorter when looking up journeys for travel after the second Sunday in December; and when looking up summer travel in March to May.
What are the child ticket terms for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains?
Adults (aged 15 and over) purchasing discounted 'Sparschiene' tickets for travel in either First or Second class, can take up to four children (aged 14 and under) at no additional cost.
Does the ticket for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains include assigned seats?
Only when booking the most expensive types of ticket = Flexpreise tickets for travel in 1st class.
So they are not included when booking tickets for travel in 2nd class, or any other type of ticket valid for travel in 1st class
They are available, so they can be added for an additional cost, when booking those types of ticket.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information for insights on how to board the train.
Do rail pass users need to book reservations for these Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains?
No they are available, but are not mandatory - Though they are recommended for this route, particularly at
- business hours,
- Fridays after midday
- Saturdays before midday
- Sundays after midday
See the rail pass guide for details of the booking options.
Is catering available on the Munich / München to Köln / Cologne trains on this journey option?
Yes, there is a bar/bistro car and a restaurant car.
See the Train Guide in the Journey Information.
What else is good to know about German rail travel?
Check out the guide to travelling by train in Germany
Purchase Tickets
Exclusive for New Customers: Receive a 10% discount by using the code 24NOV on any purchase with a maximum total price of £100, until 28 November 2024 (11:59 pm CET). Limit one coupon per qualifying booking. Cannot be combined, transferred or exchanged.
Omio Guide
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
- it offers prices in multiple currencies
- it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
- when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
Other Ticket Providers
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).
Save A Train Guide
Happy rail Guide
Happy Rail is a Netherlands rail ticket agency which sells tickets for both national and international journeys within a range of countries including Belgium France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland.
HappyRail doesn't charge booking fees in the conventional sense, but if you're not Dutch you can expect to pay additional transaction fees, which will be added to the total cost.
That's because the most common form of online payment used in The Netherlands is 'iDEAL' and HappyRail doesn't charge a transaction fee for 'iDEAL' payments, but only Dutch residents can sign up to 'iDEAL'.
Other forms of payment include Visa debit cards will incur a fee.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Essen Or Dortmund
Now that the newest German high-speed line has been opened between Ulm and Wendlingen additional trains are now available between München / Munich and Köln / Cologne.
In effect trains which had taken a Köln Messe/Deutz - Frankfurt Airport ↔ Stuttgart route have had their journeys extended from/to München.
The trains on this route operate every other hour, so when combined with the long-standing hourly service of trains that travel on a route through Nurnberg and Wurzburg, that depart in even hours - there are now typically two trains departing München Hbf for Köln Messe/Deutz station.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Despite the fact that these trains don’t call at Koln's main station (the hauptbahhof/hbf), they can be a good option for journeys by train from Munchen/Munich to Koln/Cologne.
For these reasons:
- They’re now much more frequent than the trains to Koln Hbf
- It’s a straightforward, one station hop by local S-Bhan trains from Koln Messe/Deutz to Koln Hbf (though the connection isn't step-free), or a 10 – 20 min walk.
- Many areas of central Koln/Cologne, including some of the Christmas markets, are on U-Bahn (Metro) lines from Koln Messe/Deutz that don’t call at Koln Hbf.
- They’re (generally) 15 - 20 mins faster than the trains to Koln Hbf; the trains which use the new high speed line north of Ulm are around 5 mins than the standard trains on the route via Stuttgart.
- They can be cheaper than the trains to Koln Hbf (the most heavily discounted tickets tend to sell out faster on the trains to Koln 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 nine distinct phases
- Until Ingolstadt the train will be travelling on a conventional railway through a series of commuter towns.
- In Ingolstadt station the train will move on to the high speed line and travel at more than 275 k/mh for around 40 minutes until it reaches the outskirts of Nurnberg
- Between Nurnberg and Wurzburg the train will be back on conventional tracks
- On departure from Wurzburg the train will be on the high speed line for less than 15 minutes, but there are some nice views as the train crosses some long viaducts; in particular look out for when the train will burst out of a tunnel and then immediately cross the River Main.
- Between there and Aschaffenburg comes the slowest, but most scenic part of the trip when the railway winds through some valleys.
- From there to Frankfurt the railway passes through a series of towns.
- The train will reverse direction on departure from Frankfurt (Main) and then wind its way to the station at Frankfurt (Flughafen).
- On departure from there 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 Siegburg/Bonn, at more than 280 km/h.
- After Siegburg/Bonn the final part of the journey is on a conventional railway.
The route via Stuttgart
This is a journey of seven distinct phases
- Until Ulm the train will be travelling on a conventional railway.
- On departure from Ulm station the train will use the brand new high-speed line as far as Wendlingen, the train will travel at more than 250 km/h for around 23 minutes.
- Between Wendlingen and Stuttgart the train will be back on conventional tracks; it will rejoin the older Ulm to Stuttgart railway at Plochingen
- The train will reverse direction on departure from Stuttgart Hbf and then travel on the high speed line to Mannheim
- Between Mannheim and the station at Frankfurt Flughafen (airport) the train will be back on conventional tracks.
- On departure from there 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 Siegburg/Bonn, at more than 280 km/h.
- After Siegburg/Bonn the final part of the journey is on a conventional railway.
Tickets
How tickets can be booked and used corresponds to the Option 1 journey.
If you want to include these trains to Koln Messe/Deutz AND the alternative trains to Koln Hbf (when looking up schedules or ticket prices on the DB website, then enter ‘COLOGNE’ into the ‘To’ box.
Whether you enter 'Cologne' or Koln Hbf in the ‘To’ box, what you will also see is a multitude of options that involve taking more than one train from Munich to Cologne and making connections.
Route Information
Option 3: taking a faster 'Sprinter' services to the alternative station in Koln/Cologne
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
3hr 51min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
Monday to Friday: 2 x trains per day
Sat/Sun: 1 x train per day
Purchase Tickets
Exclusive for New Customers: Receive a 10% discount by using the code 24NOV on any purchase with a maximum total price of £100, until 28 November 2024 (11:59 pm CET). Limit one coupon per qualifying booking. Cannot be combined, transferred or exchanged.
Omio Guide
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
- it offers prices in multiple currencies
- it usually offers price comparison with other modes of travel including flights and buses
- when visiting Europe, you can book journeys in multiple countries in one transaction.
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
Other Ticket Providers
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).
Save A Train Guide
Happy rail Guide
Happy Rail is a Netherlands rail ticket agency which sells tickets for both national and international journeys within a range of countries including Belgium France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland.
HappyRail doesn't charge booking fees in the conventional sense, but if you're not Dutch you can expect to pay additional transaction fees, which will be added to the total cost.
That's because the most common form of online payment used in The Netherlands is 'iDEAL' and HappyRail doesn't charge a transaction fee for 'iDEAL' payments, but only Dutch residents can sign up to 'iDEAL'.
Other forms of payment include Visa debit cards will incur a fee.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Dusseldorf hbf
The departure times from Munchen hbf are 05:34 (not Sat/Sun) and 17:35 daily
These timings are due to these services being primarily aimed at business travelers, but anyone can use them; InterRail and Eurail pass users can board them without the need to pay any additional fees.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains take a similar route to the other ICE trains which head to Koln from Munchen 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.
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 nine distinct phases
- Until Ingolstadt the train will be travelling on a conventional railway through a series of commuter towns.
- In Ingolstadt station the train will move on to the high speed line and travel at more than 275 k/mh for around 40 minutes until it reaches the outskirts of Nurnberg
- Between Nurnberg and Wurzburg the train will be back on conventional tracks
- On departure from Wurzburg the train will be on the high speed line for less than 15 minutes, but there are some nice views as the train crosses some long viaducts; in particular look out for when the train will burst out of a tunnel and then immediately cross the River Main.
- Between there and Aschaffenburg comes the slowest, but most scenic part of the trip when the railway winds through some valleys.
- From there to Frankfurt the railway passes through a series of towns.
- The train will reverse direction on departure from Frankfurt (Main) and then wind its way to the station at Frankfurt (Flughafen).
- On departure from there 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 Siegburg/Bonn, at more than 280 km/h.
- After Siegburg/Bonn the final part of the journey is on a conventional railway.
The route via Stuttgart
This is a journey of seven distinct phases
- Until Ulm the train will be travelling on a conventional railway.
- On departure from Ulm station the train will use the brand new high-speed line as far as Wendlingen, the train will travel at more than 250 km/h for around 23 minutes.
- Between Wendlingen and Stuttgart the train will be back on conventional tracks; it will rejoin the older Ulm to Stuttgart railway at Plochingen
- The train will reverse direction on departure from Stuttgart Hbf and then travel on the high speed line to Mannheim
- Between Mannheim and the station at Frankfurt Flughafen (airport) the train will be back on conventional tracks.
- On departure from there 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 Siegburg/Bonn, at more than 280 km/h.
- After Siegburg/Bonn the final part of the journey is on a conventional railway.
Tickets
How tickets can be booked and used corresponds to the Option 1 journey.
When making an online booking, if you want to target these 'Sprinter' services, target the usual departure times of at 05:34 (not Sat/Sun) and 17:35 daily; 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).
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 of more than €100.
However, for journeys less than around 4 months ahead, you should find the €27.90 fee on some departures.
Route Information
Option 4: through the night on an ICE train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
7hr 5min (approx)
Frequency
Nightly
Travel Info
1 x train per night
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.
Travel Information
Final Destination: Dortmund (or Koln)
The train also calls at: Munchen-Passing and Seigburg/Bonn
If the timings of the daytime ICE trains from Munich to Cologne don't meet your requirements an option is to travel overnight on this departure.
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Munchen Hbf nightly shortly after midnight and is scheduled to arrive in Koln/Cologne at 07:05.
It is (much) slower than the daytime trains because it makes more station calls; it is 21 stops from Munich to Cologne if you take this train.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
This is an ordinary daytime ICE train that happens to run overnight.
It does not have any couchette sleeping berths or sleeping cabins.
But if you would rather travel in a bed or a bunk on an overnight train journey from Munchen to Koln, then you'll pleased to know that you can take the Nightjet train instead.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date - usually
This train typically departs from Munchen Hbf shortly after midnight.
If you're happy to only have access to seats on a overnight journey from Munchen/Munich to Koln/Cologne, it is usually cheaper than travelling by the alternative Nightjet train
Though when comparing prices note that the initial price shown for Nightjet train will be for the ordinary seat; and not for places in its couchette berths or sleeping cabins.
Route Information
Option 5: Travel overnight in sleeping cabins and couchettes
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
8hr 1min
Frequency
Nightly
Travel Info
1 x train 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.
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
Final Destination: Amsterdam or Dusseldorf
This train is usually scheduled to depart from Munchen Hbf at around 22:50 and arrive in Köln shortly before 07:00
The train typically arrives in Köln Hbf, but when works on the line impact on its normal route, it arrives at Köln Messe/Deutz station.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
If you want to travel in a bunk in a couchette or a bed in a sleeping cabin, then this train is the only option for making an overnight train journey from Munich to Cologne.
If you'd be happy to travel in a seat on a overnight Munchen/Munich to Koln/Cologne train journey, then a faster and usually cheaper alternative is to take the nightly ICE train.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 3 months ahead of the travel date
Despite the trains on this route travelling between two German cities and not through Austria, these trains are provided by Austria's national rail operator, OBB.
The train will have commenced its journey in Innsbruck.
Look for train which is usually scheduled to depart from Munchen Hbf at 22:50.
The train conveys:
- 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 button below* for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:
Rail pass users must reserve before boarding these trains and these reservations can be booked on the OBB website
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.
- Austria by train
- Innsbruck
- Salzburg
- Wien / Vienna
- Belgium by train
- Bruxelles / Brussels
- Czechia by train
- Praha / Prague / Prag
- Denmark by train
- København / Copenhagen
- France by train
- Lille
- Lyon
- Marseille
- Paris
- Germany by train
- Berlin
- Frankfurt (Main) / Francfort sur le Main
- Hamburg
- Köln / Cologne / Koeln
- München / Munich
- Great Britain by train
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- London
- Manchester
- Hungary by train
- Budapest
- Italy by train
- Bologna
- Firenze / Florence
- Milano / Milan / Mailand
- 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.
TOP