In detail: by train by plane by car
External links Deutsche Bahn (trains) Cologne/Bonn airport Cologne public transport
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Getting to Cologne by plane
Yes, there is an airport here at Cologne. ;) And its international airport code is "CGN".
Because of its vicinity to both Cologne and the former capital Bonn, it's called "Konrad Adenauer Airport Koeln-Bonn" or short "Koeln/Bonn Airport".
For flights within Germany or Europe:
The Cologne airport is Germany's largest base for "cheap rate" flights
within the European Community. Various low-fare air carriers offer
flights to/from Cologne for almost every country of the EU (Spain,
Italy, France, UK, Czech Republic, Scandinavia, Russia...). Where these
low-fare carriers are not available, there's also of course the good ol'
Lufthansa
that will get you to Cologne (for a much higher price of course...).
A list of all airlines serving Cologne airport is available from the airport website, but here's some names and links for low-fare carriers that fly Cologne:
![Cologne/Bonn airport](images/airport_logo.png)
Because of its vicinity to both Cologne and the former capital Bonn, it's called "Konrad Adenauer Airport Koeln-Bonn" or short "Koeln/Bonn Airport".
For flights within Germany or Europe:
![Cologne/Bonn airport airfield at night](images/airport_night.png)
A list of all airlines serving Cologne airport is available from the airport website, but here's some names and links for low-fare carriers that fly Cologne:
For overseas flights:
AFAIK, Continental will have a daily direct connection between New York (Newark) and Cologne, starting on 11th of May 2006. As of the time of this writing, there's no other direct flights from/to the US, Canada, South America, Africa (except Egypt and Morocco), or Asia... but there's other airports that are suitable for getting to Cologne of course:
AFAIK, Continental will have a daily direct connection between New York (Newark) and Cologne, starting on 11th of May 2006. As of the time of this writing, there's no other direct flights from/to the US, Canada, South America, Africa (except Egypt and Morocco), or Asia... but there's other airports that are suitable for getting to Cologne of course:
- via Düsseldorf Airport (code "DUS")
This is only about 50 Kilometers from Cologne which equals a 40-minute ride by car or a 1-hour-trip by train (more or less, depending on connections).
At the time of this writing, there's direct flights to Düsseldorf from e.g. Chicago. - via Frankfurt Airport (code "FRA")
Germany's largest Airport with direct flights to almost every major city on the globe. This is some 200 Kilometers from Cologne. Below the airport you'll have direct access to the german high-speed-train "I.C.E." that gets you to Cologne central station in about 50 minutes. - via other airports
If you don't mind stops, you might check if you can get a connection to Cologne airport via London (UK), Amsterdam (the Netherlands) or Luxemburg also...
If you consider flying in with Ryanair be aware that what they call "Frankfurt-Hahn" or "Düsseldorf-Weeze" is a very, very misleading naming. Either of these airports will make you have to travel one hour (!) before arriving in the town that the airport is called like...
Once arrived at Cologne/Bonn airport
Take a taxi if you like: This will take you to the youth hostels
doorstep in about 25 minutes and will cost you about 40 Euro or more.
To be honest, I recommend the trains unless you share the taxi ride
among multiple persons.
I was unable to find any information about the bus shuttle that
once existed. It might have become obsolete in the meanwhile with the
construction of the new underground train station at the airport. The
standard buses of Colognes public transport service are available but
they're a waste of time (at least for the airport connection)!
![Outside Terminal 2](images/airport_terminal2.png)
![Outside Terminal 1](images/airport_small.png)
S-Bahn / public transport
At the airport, walk to the underground train station. Follow either
the signs "Trains" and the symbols figured in the left picture. This
will take you either to the underground stations Terminal 1 entrance
or terminal 2 entrance. Before entering the tracks, get a ticket from
one of the ticket machines at the entrance to the station (there's no
ticket machines in the S-Bahn trains or on the track itself).
![airport: signs leading to the train station](images/airport_bahnsign.png)
![airport: ticket machine](images/vrs_airp.png)
![airport: access to the s-bahn track](images/airport_tracksign.png)
Frankfurter Strasse - Trimbornstrasse - Deutz/Messe (trade fair) - Hauptbahnhof (central station)
![Staircase from track level to main level](images/hbftrack.png)
If you access the trams via the main entry inside the Central Station building, you'll get different trams only and have to change lines, making this a detour of more than 15 minutes. So the important part is to find the right exit:
The ticket you have bought at the airports railway station is also valid for tram rides all across Cologne - which means also for your ride to the Youth Hostel. So no need to buy a new ticket! (If ever you need to buy one anyway: There's ticket machines in the middle part of each tram wagon.)
![Click to see full-size picture in new window foto: U-signs](images/usigns_th.png)
![Click to see full-size picture in new window foto: subway entrance](images/breslhbf_th.png)
.
![Click to see full-size picture in new window foto: subway line 19](images/linie19_th.png)
Be careful: In the late night hours and up to 4 am, there might be a different line starting here as well - the "E"-line - which takes a different route and can't be used to go to the Youth Hostel! Also during night time service, line 19 might only go to Reichenspergerplatz. In this case, change there onto line 18 (terminus Thielenbruch) for the remaining 2 stations until the Youth Hostel.
.
![Click to see full-size picture in new window foto: walk from station to YH](images/kvb2jh_th.png)
Here, proceed to the traffic light at the front of the station and cross the street that is to the right of the station. After crossing the street, turn left and cross another street again with a traffic light. Now the the youth hostel is some 200 meters in front of you on the right side (also see indicated way on the foto). If all goes well, we will have attached lots of signs that lead you to the YH...
.