More cities in one trip from Cologne
Cologne (Germany) is a great base for seeing several cities in one trip: direct low-cost flights arrive from 40 airports, and FlixBus links it directly to 8 cities within about five hours. 3 of them are in another country (Netherlands, Belgium, France). The most searched are Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Brussels; the quickest to reach is Dortmund, about 1 h 15 min away. Below you'll find two ready-made loops, with nights split and travel times.
Updated on 17 September 2026
- 8 nearby cities by bus
- 40 airports with direct flights
- 4 countries
Nearby cities by bus from Cologne
Cities with a direct FlixBus or FlixTrain connection, most searched first. The time shown is the fastest direct ride we found on a typical day: times are approximate, so check schedules and prices on the FlixBus website.
| City | Distance | Approx. time | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam · Netherlands | 218 km | 3 h 40 min | Bus |
| Frankfurt · Germany | 152 km | 2 h | Bus |
| Brussels · Belgium | 183 km | 3 h 40 min | Bus |
| Hanover · Germany | 250 km | 3 h 25 min | Train |
| Strasbourg · France | 269 km | 5 h | Bus |
| Rotterdam · Netherlands | 201 km | 4 h 55 min | Bus |
| Dortmund · Germany | 74 km | 1 h 15 min | Bus |
| Karlsruhe · Germany | 240 km | 4 h 20 min | Bus |
Loop trips from Cologne
Land in Cologne, get around by bus and come back here for your return flight. The nights are just a suggestion, and the loop works the other way round too.
Cologne → Amsterdam → Brussels → Cologne
- 5 nights in total: 2 nights in Cologne, 2 nights in Amsterdam, 1 night in Brussels
- About 10 h of travel in total, over three legs.
| Leg | Approx. time |
|---|---|
| Cologne → Amsterdam | 3 h 40 min |
| Amsterdam → Brussels | 2 h 40 min |
| Brussels → Cologne | 3 h 40 min |
Cologne → Frankfurt → Strasbourg → Cologne
- 5 nights in total: 2 nights in Cologne, 2 nights in Frankfurt, 1 night in Strasbourg
- About 10 h 55 min of travel in total, over three legs.
| Leg | Approx. time |
|---|---|
| Cologne → Frankfurt | 2 h |
| Frankfurt → Strasbourg | 3 h 55 min |
| Strasbourg → Cologne | 5 h |
Bus and flight are separate tickets: on the day of your flight, leave at least three hours between the bus arriving and the flight leaving.
Direct low-cost flights to Cologne
Airports with direct flights to Cologne, by country. Some routes are seasonal only.
United Kingdom 2
Albania 1
Austria 1
Bosnia & Herzegovina 1
Bulgaria 1
Croatia 1
Cyprus 1
Latvia 1
Lithuania 1
Macedonia del Nord 1
Malta 1
Moldavia 1
Montenegro 1
Romania 1
Sweden 1
FAQ
Which cities can you reach by bus from Cologne?
With a direct FlixBus or FlixTrain connection: Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Brussels, Hanover, Strasbourg, Rotterdam, Dortmund and Karlsruhe. Times are approximate, so check schedules and prices on the FlixBus website.
How long is the bus from Cologne to Amsterdam?
About 3 h 40 min on the fastest direct ride we found, over 218 km. Check schedules and prices on the FlixBus website.
How many nights do you need for a multi-city loop from Cologne?
For Cologne, Amsterdam and Brussels, about 5 nights is enough (2 nights in Cologne, 2 nights in Amsterdam, 1 night in Brussels), with about 10 h of travel in total.
Which airports have direct low-cost flights to Cologne?
From 40 airports in 21 countries, including London, Bucharest and Barcelona. With a FlyDown watch you get an alert when a flight to Cologne is cheap.