Cheapest
Average
The best way to find a cheap fare is to book your ticket as far in advance as you can and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
This is the last train of the day.
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Fastest Journey
3 h 20 m
Average
4 h 50 m
Trains per day
18
Distance
403 km
Of the 18 trains that leave Paris for Cologne every day 2 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
Distance | 249 miles (402 km) | |
Average train duration | 3 h 20 min | |
Average train ticket price | £116 (€131) | |
Train frequency | 1 a day | |
Direct train | Yes, there is 1 direct train a day | |
Train providers | Thalys, Deutsche Bahn with connection or Deutsche Bahn |
Trains from Paris to Cologne cover the 249 miles (402 km) long journey taking on average 3 h 20 min with our travel partners like Thalys, Deutsche Bahn with connection or Deutsche Bahn. Normally, there is 1 train operating per day, including direct services available. While the average ticket price for this trip costs around £116, you can find the cheapest train ticket for as low as £73. Travellers depart most frequently from Paris Gare de Lyon and arrive in Köln Hbf.
For as little as £73 you can travel by train from Paris to Cologne with Thalys and Deutsche Bahn. Omio will show you the best deals, timetables and tickets available for this trip.
Deutsche Bahn (DB) is the main operator of train services in Germany, making on average 40, 000 journeys per day. A special feature of Deutsche Bahn is its wide range of ticket types, savings offers including Super Saver, Saver, and Flexible fares and discount cards like the Bahncard 25, 50 and 100, which you can also use for your train from Paris to Cologne. DB uses different types of trains such as the ICE (Intercity Express), IC (Intercity), EC (Eurocity), IRE (Interregio-Express), RE (Regional Express) and RB (Regionalbahn) on its routes, which differ in terms of comfort and the time required to travel. For example, while toilets are standard amenities, services like an onboard restaurant or free WiFi are only available on certain trains.
Thalys is a French-Belgian high-speed train company that connects the main capital cities. For your next train to Cologne from Paris with Thalys, you can choose from these different ticket fares: Standard Mini, Standard, Comfort and Premium.
Book your Thalys Paris to Cologne train with Omio and enjoy a smooth and relaxing journey! Check Thalys up-to-date train timetables for the ideal departure and arrival times, compare the fastest Paris to Cologne routes as well as the amenities offered in the class fare you choose and buy the most affordable Thalys train tickets online that fit your budget. The distance from Paris to Cologne is 249 miles (402 km), and the best price for a one-way Paris - Cologne Thalys train ticket starts at £112 if you book in advance. If you would rather search for your Thalys ticket in the Omio app, you can quickly see if it's a mobile ticket so that you can go paperless when travelling by train. Waiting in a queue at the train station to purchase your train ticket will become yesterday's news. So, book your train tickets online quickly and easily and enjoy your trip with Thalys!
Thalys from Paris to Cologne train information:
Two providers operate trains to Cologne from Paris with over a dozen daily departures seven days a week. There are four direct trains a day with journey times of around 3.5 hours. Other services involve transfers in German cities and travel times of up to 7 hours. Departures start in the early morning and continue until early evening. Trains leave from either Paris Gare de l'Est or Gare du Nord and arrive at Cologne Hbf.
Trains from Paris to Cologne are operated by either the French-Belgian high-speed train provider Thalys or by the German national rail carrier Deutsche Bahn (DB). Both train types are comfortable with luggage space, power outlets, wifi and onboard catering.
The journey time of trains to Cologne from Paris varies according to the route taken and the waiting times at transfer stations. Direct services take approximately 3.5 hours while connecting routes take from four to seven hours. Transfers are made at Mannheim Hbf, Karlsruhe Hbf or Frankfurt Main Hbf.
There are around 14 departures a day on routes from Paris to Cologne. Sunday services are slightly reduced with the first train departing later in the morning. On weekdays and Saturdays, departures start at around 6:30 a.m. and continue until early evening.
Departure station:Trains on routes from Paris to Cologne depart from either Paris Gare de l'Est or Paris Gare du Nord. Both are large stations with good transport links to Paris by Metro and local buses. Facilities at both stations include car parking, taxi ranks, wifi, toilets, left luggage storage, shops, cafes and restaurants.
Arrival station:All trains to Cologne from Paris arrive at Cologne Hbf which is located in the heart of the city. Cologne's main historic and tourist attractions are within easy walking distance of the station. Transport links include taxis, S-Bahn trains and local buses. The station has left luggage lockers, ATMs, toilets, shops, food kiosks, cafes and restaurants.
The Thalys is a high-speed railroad company in France connecting the France to the rest of Europe and beyond. Perfect for multi-city train journeys in Europe.
When planning trips to Thalys destinations, consider checking back for offers on train tickets. Speak to the Customer Care team at the Omio help centre for cancellations or changes to your ticket from Antwerp to Cologne.
Travel between Paris, France and Cologne, Germany by train is: Partially open.
International entry status: Entry is partially open for citizens and permanent residents of France
Conditions of entry:
When travelling in Germany, you must follow these COVID-19 safety rules:
The information above was last checked on 18/05/2022. This can change before your date of travel so please review the latest COVID-19 travel safety regulations for your train to Cologne from Paris before travelling.
The current restriction level for your return trip by train from Cologne to Paris is: Partially open
Reentry to France is allowed for: Entry is partially open for citizens and permanent residents of Germany
What are the entry requirements?
The government of France has imposed these measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
Last verified on 18/05/2022. We do our best to keep this information up to date, but regulations can change so please double check the latest COVID-19 travel safety regulations ahead of your Cologne to Paris train here.
When departing from Paris, you have various train station options to start your trip from including Paris Gare de Lyon, Paris Gare du Nord and Paris Gare de l'Est. When arriving in Cologne, you can end your trip in train stations like Köln Hbf, Köln Messe/Deutz and Köln/Bonn Flughafen.
Omio customers book a train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Köln Hbf most frequently for this route.
Passengers board their train most frequently from Paris Gare de Lyon and travel around 1.9 miles (3.1 km) from the city centre to this train station.
Passengers travelling this route most often arrive at Köln Hbf and need to travel approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from the train station to the city centre in Cologne.
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