Cologne Central Station

Have you booked an affordable B&B Hotel in Cologne for your city trip and are traveling by train? B&B Hotels will give you the best overview of Cologne's main train station so that you can quickly find your way around and take advantage of all the benefits of the former “Centralbahnhof”.

By the way: Did you know that Cologne Central Station is one of Deutsche Bahn's busiest long-distance train stations with around 320,000 travelers a day?

Next stop - Cologne Central Station

It could hardly be more central... Cologne Central Station is located in the heart of Cologne city center, directly opposite the famous Cologne Cathedral - the most visited World Heritage Site in North Rhine-Westphalia. You can marvel at the imposing building from the tracks. Of course, it's better to visit it on site, but first let's take a closer look at DB's main station at Trankgasse 11.

The most important station in NRW is served by the international trains Eurostar, ICE and ÖBB, Flixtrain and Nightjet and is a key German rail hub. Daily direct trains such as the Cologne-Bonn line connect it not only with the immediate surroundings and all major German cities. Many trains also take passengers to the neighboring countries of Belgium, France, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland. One train line even connects Cologne directly with London St. Pancras International.

Once you arrive at the station building, you have a connection to the Cologne light rail system via the two subway stations Dom/Hauptbahnhof and Breslauer Platz/Hauptbahnhof operated by Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (KVB), which together with the S-Bahn are part of the Rhein-Sieg Transport Association (VRS). Various KVB bus lines also serve the city center - use them for a city tour! You can get to the station forecourt directly via the stairs (also by elevator) and thus to Cologne Cathedral and the Domplatte.

Arrival, departure and trade fair

If you have booked your B&B Hotel in Cologne city center, you will see that the connection to the main station is very practical. The through station is clearly laid out, has 11 tracks and is amply equipped with large display boards and signs. If you want to visit the sights or museums in the old town, take the exit to the east to the station forecourt. At the Breslauer Platz exit, you have a connection to local transport that will take you to Cologne Zoo or even as far as Bergisch-Gladbach.

But trade fair visitors who have booked their room at the B&B Hotel Köln-Messe can also get to their destination in just a few moments: From Cologne main station, simply take a direct regional train to Köln Messe/Deutz station (on the other side of the Rhine). From the south-eastern exit, the train takes a tight curve onto the Hohenzollern Bridge over the Rhine. The journey time is only 2 minutes. The congress center on the right bank of the Rhine is then only a few minutes' walk from the station.

Practical tip: If you are traveling to Cologne by ICE, your train ticket for Cologne main station is valid throughout the Cologne metropolitan area, including to Cologne Deutz. However, Eurostar tickets for Cologne Hbf are only valid as far as this station. You will therefore need to buy an additional ticket for the onward journey.

Shopping and eating at Cologne Central Station

Want to buy a sandwich before you leave or arrive hungry? No problem at Cologne Central Station. Almost 20 restaurants, from well-known burger chains to Asian cuisine and popular cafés, are located inside the station building and are waiting to satisfy your appetite. There are also almost ten bakeries - including for vegetarians! - which also offer a tempting range of products.

If you are looking for something a little more unusual, there are other well-known stores and health food stores offering food and everything to do with health and care. And if the waiting times are a little longer, there are plenty of stores, boutiques and press and booksellers to shorten your stay.

Various services at Cologne main station

Whether changing money or hiring a car - the main station combines many practical services in one central location. Cyclists in particular enjoy the numerous bicycle parking spaces and the bicycle parking garage at the station. Now you no longer need to take your old bike to the station - you can park your modern racing bike safely in the designated area and board the train with peace of mind.

In the station building, you can use the free Deutsche Bahn Wi-Fi, toilets and the DB Lounge. If you are arriving by car rather than by bike or cab, you can pay to park at the cathedral. A total of 520 parking spaces are available.