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Köln / Cologne / Koeln to Hamburg by train
How to take the rail journey from Cologne/Köln to Hamburg
Despite being one of Germany's busiest railway routes, there is no high speed line between Cologne/Köln and Hamburg, this part of country is so densely populated that it would send constructions costs into the stratosphere.
Though ICE trains are increasingly being switched to this route, as they have a more comfortable ambience than the IC trains and they also convey restaurant cars.
Up to three of the ICE trains also now offer an accelerated schedule with fewer station calls (except on Saturdays).
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Routes
From Köln/Cologne Hbf to Hamburg Hbf
Journey Summary
3hr 45min - 4hr 5mins (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Hamburg-Altona (or Kiel or Lubeck or Westerland)
Most trains also call at: Bremen
All of these trains will call at two stations adjacent to Hamburg city centre; Hamburg Hbf and Hamburg Dammtor**
So it can be worthwhile working out which of these stations in the city, will suit your needs best, before making the journey.
The different trains and routes:
Despite there being no high speed lines between Koln/Cologne and Hamburg, some trains between the two cities are ICE trains.
Some trains in the timetable are also EC trains and not IC trains, these trains will have commenced their journeys in Switzerland, so you may find yourself on a Swiss and not a German IC train.
The trains between Koln/Cologne and Hamburg also take one of two routes:
- via Dusseldorf and Essen, or
- via Wuppertal.
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.
1 or 2 x trains per hour
Most hours only have one departure
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
When looking for tickets from Köln Hbf on DB Bahn type ‘K' or 'COLOGNE‘ into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
Check that you’re looking at info for the direct trains.
On the DB Bahn booking site look for journeys that have 0 in the Chg. column
Use the earlier/later buttons to search for the cheapest ticket prices.
Seat reservations:
Reservations are highly recommended for this journey, book a 1st class ticket and your seat will be assigned, but not if you book 2nd class or will be travelling with a rail pass
This is one of Germany's busiest rail services.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB Bahn | from €17.90 | |
| Trainline | from €17.90 | |
| Happyrail | from €17.90 | |
| SaveATrain | from €17.90 | |
| Omio | from €17.90 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
On Mondays to Fridays and Sundays, there are usually three ICE departures which supplement the hourly schedule and are faster because they are non-stop from Essen or Munster to Hamburg; these are the trains with journey times of around 3hr 45 mins.
They typically depart Köln hbf at 10:04; 12:04 and 16:06 except on Saturdays.
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