Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
When making an online booking, check that you’re looking at info for the direct trains.
When looking for tickets to Köln Hbf on DB Bahn type ‘K‘ into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
On the DB Bahn booking site look for journeys that have 0 in the Chg. column
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Use the earlier/later buttons to search for the cheapest ticket prices.
A step-by-step guide to booking train tickets (and reservations) on the DB (German national railways) website is available HERE.
There's also a guide to booking with an independent ticket agent.
If you're new to booking tickets for train journeys in Germany, we also recommend taking a look at our guide to German train tickets - it should help you save time and money and confusion.
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Seat reservations:
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservation is included - but they're optional when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Opting to reserve is particularly recommended - this is one of Germany's busiest rail services.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
DB | from €17.90 | |
Omio | from €17.90 (in £s) | |
SaveATrain | from €17.90 | |
Happyrail | from €17.90 | |
Happyrail | from €19.90 |
Departing from Hamburg:
Most of these trains commence their journeys at Hamburg-Altona station and they all call at Hamburg-Dammtor before they arrive at Hamburg Hbf.
Final Destination: Stuttgart or Nurnberg (or destinations in Switzerland)
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Arriving in Koln/Cologne:
Some trains from Hamburg now arrive at Koln Messe/Deutz station, instead of the main station in the city - Koln Hbf.
Avoid these trains unless your final destination in the city is on east bank of The Rhine.
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The DB trains:
Despite there being no high speed lines between Hamburg and Koln/Cologne, some trains between the two cities are ICE trains - either ICE 1 or ICE T trains.
Some trains in the timetable are also EC trains heading to Switzerland - so you may find yourself on a Swiss and not a German IC train.
The lack of a high speed line means that it doesn't matter which train you take in terms of journey time.
Though what does matter slightly is which of the two routes between Dortmund and Koln that these trains take.
Trains that travel via Wuppertal are slightly faster than those which travel via Essen, but the time difference is marginal - so it's not worth targeting the trains that travel via Wuppertal.
Whether a train travels via Wuppertal or Essen also makes no difference to the ticket price.
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The alternative service of Flix trains:
Flix trains now compete with DB's trains on the Hamburg to Koln route.
They are usually scheduled to depart from Hamburg Hbf at:
08:49 on Mon-Thurs and Saturday
12:49 on Sundays only
16:49 on Mon, Weds, Fri and Sun.
More info and tickets are available on the Flix Trains website.
Rail passes cannot be used on those trains.
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