Cheapest€10.07
- FlixBus FB706006:502h 10m09:00ZOBEssen Freiheit
Door to door 2h 54mCO2 3.8 kgChanges 0Changeable for a fee
Travelling from Bielefeld to Essen costs €10.07 at the cheapest and takes 1h 46m door to door at the fastest, across 2 modes and 12 operators. The route covers 141 km. Cheapest is by Coach, fastest is by Train.
At a glance
- Distance
- 141 km
- Fastest
- 1h 46m
- Average
- 2h 19m
- Services per day
- 36
- Cheapest
- €10.07
- CO2 per passenger
- 4.2 kg
Every way to make this journey
Journey times below are door to door, so they include getting to the terminal and away from it at the other end. Fares are the cheapest we currently sell on 28 September 2026.
| Mode | Door to door | Moving | At the ends | From | CO2 | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train | 1h 46m | 1h 2m | 44m | €19.04 | 4.7 kg | 18 |
| Coach | 2h 40m | 1h 56m | 44m | €10.08 | 3.8 kg | 18 |
- 1h 46mFastest, by Train
- €10.08Cheapest, by Coach
- 3.8 kgLowest CO2, by Coach
- 141 kmDistance travelled
The cheapest and the fastest on 28 September 2026
Two journeys we can sell today, with the service number each operator files them under.
Fastest€20.69
- DB Fernverkehr DB342611:271h 2m12:29Bielefeld HbfEssen Hauptbahnhof
Door to door 1h 46mCO2 4.7 kgChanges 0Refundable
Today's real departures
Live from the operators' own published timetables, through the open transit feeds they publish. Times and services are real. Fares are modelled until our booking connectors are live.
| Operator | Service | Departs | Arrives | Takes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB Fernverkehr AG1 changes | ICE 954 | 08:21 | 09:45 | 1h 24m |
| Eurobahn2 changes | RB69 (89974) | 08:27 | 10:21 | 1h 54m |
| DB Fernverkehr AG1 changes | IC 2044 | 08:56 | 10:29 | 1h 33m |
| DB Fernverkehr AG1 changes | ICE 644 | 09:27 | 10:45 | 1h 18m |
| DB Fernverkehr AG1 changes | ICE 652 | 09:33 | 11:27 | 1h 54m |
| Eurobahn1 changes | RB69 (89976) | 09:37 | 11:29 | 1h 52m |
Prices over the next three weeks
Live from our own engine, refreshed on every request. The cheapest days for each way of travelling are marked.
| Cheapest fare by mode and day for Bielefeld to Essen | Fri11 Sept | Sat12 Sept | Sun13 Sept | Mon14 Sept | Tue15 Sept | Wed16 Sept | Thu17 Sept | Fri18 Sept | Sat19 Sept | Sun20 Sept | Mon21 Sept | Tue22 Sept | Wed23 Sept | Thu24 Sept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | €18.33 | €17.23 | €16.13 | €11.73 | €11.73 | €12.28 | €15.58 | €12.28 | €12.28 | €11.18 | €10.63 | €10.08 | €10.63 | €12.28 |
| Train | €41.04 | €36.09 | €34.44 | €25.09 | €23.44 | €25.09 | €31.69 | €23.44 | €25.64 | €22.89 | €20.14 | €19.04 | €20.69 | €27.29 |
Cheapest day: 2026-09-28 · €10.07
That is the travelling done. What happens after you walk out into Essen is not something we sell.
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When to book Bielefeld to Essen
The same search run across the whole booking window, so the shape of the curve is visible rather than described.
- €10.0790 days
- €10.0760 days
- €10.0745 days
- €10.0730 days
- €10.6321 days
- €12.2814 days
- €15.587 days
- €16.133 days
- €18.331 days
- Cheapest lead time
- Fares bottom out around 90 days ahead, at €10.07.
- How much it moves
- The gap between the cheapest and dearest lead time is 82 percent. The dearest point is €18.33, 1 days out.
- What that means
- Today sits inside the cheap window, which closes about 90 days before departure. Waiting from here has usually cost money on this corridor rather than saved it.
Book now Fares on this route are lowest around 30 days ahead. You are inside that window.
Which departure day costs least
Median cheapest fare for each weekday, taken across the next three weeks of real prices.
- €11.18Sun
- €10.63Mon
- €10.08Tue
- €10.63Wed
- €12.28Thu
- €12.28Fri
- €12.28Sat
How the fare moves month by month
The same journey priced on the fifteenth of each of the next six months.
- €11.73Sept
- €10.07Oct
- €10.07Nov
- €10.07Dec
- €10.07Jan
- €10.07Feb
The route
What the journey actually looks like
Direct or connecting, how far the route really runs, and what happens when a connection is missed.
- How far it really runs
- The route covers 141 km against 123 km in a straight line, a detour of 15 percent. Track and road geometry account for the difference.
- First and last departure
- The first service of the day leaves Bielefeld at 06:09 and the last at 17:35, across 18 departures. The return direction keeps its own timetable, so the times back are not these times reversed.
Where you leave from and where you arrive
The stations, airports and ports each mode on this corridor actually uses.
Bielefeld
Rail
- Bielefeld Hbf
- Bielefeld-Senne station
- Bielefeld Central Station
Coach
- ZOB
- Milse
Essen
Rail
- Essen Hauptbahnhof
- Essen Hbf
- Essen-Steele Süd
Coach
- Essen Freiheit
- Essen Hbf
Ferry
- Fahrgastschiffanleger Nordsternpark
- Fahrgastschiffanleger Zweigertbrücke
Who runs this route
Speed, flexibility and what is on board. Nothing here is a rating, because we have not earned one.
| Operator | From | Fastest | Typical speed | Flexibility | On board |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 BlaBlaCar | €10.07 | 2h 39m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power sockets, Toilets, Wi-Fi |
 bodo Verkehrsverbund | €10.07 | 2h 39m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power sockets, Toilets, Wi-Fi |
 DB Fernverkehr | €17.94 | 1h 46m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power sockets, Wi-Fi |
 European Sleeper | €17.94 | 1h 46m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power sockets, Sleeper berths, Wi-Fi |
 FlixBus | €10.07 | 2h 39m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power sockets, Toilets, Wi-Fi |
| FlixTrain | €18.49 | 1h 46m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power sockets, Wi-Fi |
 Nmbs/sncb | €16.84 | 1h 46m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power sockets, Wi-Fi |
 NVBW | €10.07 | 2h 39m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power sockets, Toilets, Wi-Fi |
 SBB | €17.39 | 1h 46m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power sockets, Wi-Fi |
 SNCF | €19.04 | 1h 46m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power sockets, Wi-Fi |
 Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr | €10.07 | 2h 39m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power sockets, Toilets, Wi-Fi |
 VPE | €10.08 | 2h 39m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power sockets, Toilets, Wi-Fi |
Show all 12 operatorsShow fewer operators
What the fare is made of
Every part of the total, so the number at checkout is the number here.
| Part | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Operator fare | €5.99 | 59% |
| Taxes | €0.60 | 6% |
| Supplier fees | €1.49 | 15% |
| Our service fee | €1.99 | 20% |
| Total you pay | €10.07 | 100% |
A day in Essen carrying a suitcase is a shorter day than it needs to be. We do not store bags.
Left luggage near Essen Hauptbahnhof
Priced by the bag and by the day, booked before you get there, and insured while it sits.
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Questions about Bielefeld to Essen
The questions people actually ask about this journey, answered from the same prices and times the page above is built on rather than written once and left to go stale.
How long does it take to get from Bielefeld to Essen?
The fastest journey from Bielefeld to Essen takes 1h 46m door to door, of which 1h 2m is spent moving, on the Train. Most services take around 2h 19m, because that average includes slower stopping services and journeys with a connection. Times include reaching the terminal and leaving it at the far end.
How much does it cost to travel from Bielefeld to Essen?
The cheapest fare from Bielefeld to Essen is €10.07, checked on 28 September 2026. A typical fare across the next three weeks is €20.14. Both figures are the total for one passenger, including taxes, supplier fees and our service fee, so nothing is added at checkout.
What is the cheapest way to get from Bielefeld to Essen?
The cheapest way from Bielefeld to Essen is by Coach, at €10.08 for one passenger on 28 September 2026. That journey takes 2h 40m door to door. Cheaper is rarely faster on this corridor, and the comparison table on this page shows what each mode costs against what it saves.
What is the fastest way to get from Bielefeld to Essen?
The fastest way from Bielefeld to Essen is by Train, at 1h 46m door to door. Only 1h 2m of that is spent moving; the remaining 44m is reaching the terminal and leaving it at the far end. The cheapest fare on that mode is €19.04.
When should I book Bielefeld to Essen?
Fares from Bielefeld to Essen bottom out around 90 days before departure, at €10.07. Across the whole booking window the gap between the cheapest and the dearest lead time is 82 percent, measured on 28 September 2026. Booking inside the last week has consistently cost more on this corridor.
Which day of the week is cheapest for Bielefeld to Essen?
Tuesday is the cheapest day to depart from Bielefeld to Essen, at €10.08. That is the median of 21 priced departure days across the next three weeks, checked on 28 September 2026. Shifting a departure by one day is usually worth more than shifting the booking by one week.
Which month is cheapest for Bielefeld to Essen?
October is the cheapest of the next 6 months to travel from Bielefeld to Essen, at €10.07 for one passenger. Each month is priced on its fifteenth, so the comparison is like for like rather than a mix of weekends and midweek departures.
Who runs services from Bielefeld to Essen?
12 operators sell services from Bielefeld to Essen across 2 modes: BlaBlaCar, bodo Verkehrsverbund, DB Fernverkehr, European Sleeper, FlixBus, FlixTrain. Journey times, fares and fare conditions differ between them, and the operator table on this page compares all of them on speed, flexibility and what is provided on board.
Is there a direct service from Bielefeld to Essen?
Every service we sell from Bielefeld to Essen is direct, with around 36 departures a day and a fastest journey of 1h 46m door to door. No connection is needed, so there is no missed connection risk to plan around on this corridor.
How much CO2 does the journey from Bielefeld to Essen produce?
Travelling from Bielefeld to Essen by Coach produces about 3.8 kg of CO2 per passenger, the lowest of any mode on this corridor. The same journey by Train produces about 4.7 kg, roughly 1 times as much for one passenger.
Which station or terminal do services from Bielefeld to Essen use?
Services from Bielefeld to Essen by Train leave from Bielefeld Hbf and arrive at Essen Hauptbahnhof. Allow about 44m in total for reaching the departure terminal and leaving the arrival one, which is already included in every door to door time on this page.
Can I change or refund a ticket from Bielefeld to Essen?
12 of the 12 operators we sell from Bielefeld to Essen allow a change or a refund. A change on a changeable fare costs €5.00. The operator table on this page names which is which, and the condition is shown again before you pay.
Where these numbers come from
Derived from service area No carrier record names this exact pair. The operators listed publish a service area covering both places at a distance their mode plausibly carries people, which is evidence that the corridor is served and not evidence of a specific service. Pages state which, because presenting the two as the same thing would be dishonest.
Schedules, seat counts and fares are generated by our own model until the supplier contracts are signed. Places, coordinates, operators, which operator serves which pair, and every distance are real. We would rather say that on every page than let a modelled number pass for a filed one.
Defined in full at Door to door, Fares, The booking window, Carbon, Distances
- On this page
- Every figure above was computed for Bielefeld to Essen on 10 September 2026: 141 km of route against 123 km in a straight line, 36 services a day, 12 operators, a cheapest fare of €10.07, and 1h 46m door to door on the fastest mode. The return direction is computed separately and its numbers are not these numbers.
Being on the water gives Essen a set of days out that do not start at a station. We do not sell those either.
Anything to book in Essen before you go?
Day trips that leave Essen in the morning and cover a good part of Germany by evening.
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Other ways to make this journey
Arriving in Essen
Leaving Essen
- 83Places you can leave for
- 13Countries
- 20Operators
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