You can get to Cologne by plane, train or bus. Cologne/Bonn International Airport is located 15 km from the city. From Moscow, direct and connecting flights are organized, from St. Petersburg – only flights with transfers. Buses, trains and taxis run from the airport to the center. Check topschoolsintheusa to learn more about Germany.
There are no direct trains, you can get from Moscow with transfers in Berlin or Paris, from St. Petersburg – through Warsaw. Railway lines link Cologne with most German cities, including Bonn, Düsseldorf, Berlin and Munich. You can also get from Europe to Cologne by bus: regular flights depart from Paris, Prague, Warsaw and other points.
Transportation
Cologne’s buses and subways (above-ground S-Bahn and underground U-Bahn) are operated by the Rhein-Sieg (VRS).
Metrotram and city trains
The main public transport in Cologne is rail. The city is served by U-Bahn high-speed trams and S-Bahn ground trains. Most of the lines diverge radially from the center to the outskirts, and in the center the tracks are mainly laid underground, and on the periphery ground stations are more common. {{Subtlety|The most unusual transport in the city is the Wolters Bimmelbahn tourist mini-engines. They follow from the square near the Cologne Cathedral in two directions: to the Chocolate Museum (Schoko-Express) and to the zoo (Zoo-Express). Prices on the page are for July 2022.
Buses
Bus routes duplicate and complement the Cologne rail network. Opening hours – 4:30-0:00, traffic interval 20 minutes. The most popular routes continue to run at night, but the frequency increases to an hour. All stops are equipped with electronic displays indicating the time of arrival of the next bus. A single transport ticket in Cologne costs 3.40 EUR. For travelers, it is more profitable to buy a KolnCard Cologne guest card, with which you can travel on any type of transport for 24 or 48 hours.
River transport
To admire Cologne from the water, take a sightseeing tour of the Rhine. Ferries leave regularly from several city piers.
Bicycles
The bicycle is the Germans’ favorite means of transportation. Two-wheelers can be rented from the Radstation (Website in English) at the train station. 7 hours of skiing cost from 7 EUR, per day you will need to pay from 14 EUR.
Rent a Car
Only drivers with strong nerves can drive around Cologne in a rented car – the traffic is dense here. Be that as it may, it’s better not to drive into the city center: most of the streets are open only for residents, that is, of course, no one will forbid driving along them, but “catching” a fine after that is as easy as two times two. Cameras recognize “foreign” numbers: only those who live on them can park or drive along some streets.
Budget, Global Drive, InterRent, Thrifty, Buchbinder and other rental offices are open in Cologne. Parking a car will cost a pretty penny, so it’s better to look for large hotels on the outskirts of the city, where there are free parking lots for customers, and get to the center by public transport.
Communication and Wi-Fi
The most popular mobile operators in Cologne are O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone, E-Plus. The average cost of a local SIM card is from 10 EUR, you can buy it in many shops and supermarkets.
Public telephones located throughout are suitable for both domestic and international calls. Payment is accepted in cash, bank cards or special Telefonkarte phone cards. The latter are sold at newsstands and post offices.
The most expensive tariff is valid on weekdays from 8:00 to 12:00, the cheapest is to call from 18:00 to 8:00 and on weekends.
Cologne has plenty of Wi-Fi access points: Internet connection is available at the airport, at the train and bus stations, almost throughout the Old Town and in several areas on the east coast of the Rhine. To connect to the network for free in hotel lobbies, cafes and restaurants, you just need to ask the staff for an access card.
KolnCard
The KolnCard Tourist Card has been created so that visitors to Cologne can enjoy complete freedom of movement around the city and substantial discounts on popular attractions. Its holders are entitled to free travel on all types of public transport. Most well-known museums reduce entry prices by up to 50%: the list of partners includes the Perfume Museum, the Chocolate Museum, the Ludwig Museum and a number of other institutions. Discounts are also offered by shopping centers, restaurants, theaters, the zoo – in other words, almost all objects of interest to travelers.
The cost of KolnCard is 9 EUR for 24 hours and 18 EUR for 48 hours. There are also group cards for 5 people for 19 and 38 EUR respectively. You can buy KolnCard at travel agencies, hotels and on the official website.
