Cheapest€13.93
- BlaBlaCar BB458706:313h 20m09:51Koln Breslauer PlatzRotterdam Centraal
Door to door 4h 4mCO2 6.3 kgChanges 0Changeable for a fee
Traveling from Cologne to Rotterdam costs €13.93 at the cheapest and takes 2h 23m door to door at the fastest, across 2 modes and 4 operators. The route covers 234 km. Cheapest is by Coach, fastest is by Train.
At a glance
- Distance
- 234 km
- Fastest
- 2h 23m
- Average
- 2h 55m
- Services per day
- 12
- Cheapest
- €13.93
- CO2 per passenger
- 7.4 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 September 30, 2026.
| Mode | Door to door | Moving | At the ends | From | CO2 | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train | 2h 23m | 1h 39m | 44m | €31.69 | 7.7 kg | 10 |
| Coach | 4h 1m | 3h 17m | 44m | €15.03 | 6.3 kg | 2 |
- 2h 23mFastest, by Train
- €15.03Cheapest, by Coach
- 6.3 kgLowest CO2, by Coach
- 234 kmDistance traveled
The cheapest and the fastest on September 30, 2026
Two journeys we can sell today, with the service number each operator files them under.
Fastest€32.79
- DB Fernverkehr DB261714:051h 39m15:44Koln HauptbahnhofRotterdam Centraal
Door to door 2h 23mCO2 7.7 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 modeled until our booking connectors are live.
No live timetable for this trip yet.
Live from the operators' own published timetables, through the open transit feeds they publish. Times and services are real. Fares are modeled until our booking connectors are live.
Prices over the next three weeks
Live from our own engine, refreshed on every request. The cheapest days for each way of traveling are marked.
| Cheapest fare by mode and day for Cologne to Rotterdam | FriSep 11 | SatSep 12 | SunSep 13 | MonSep 14 | TueSep 15 | WedSep 16 | ThuSep 17 | FriSep 18 | SatSep 19 | SunSep 20 | MonSep 21 | TueSep 22 | WedSep 23 | ThuSep 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | €37.58 | €30.43 | €31.53 | €17.78 | €17.23 | €23.28 | €27.68 | €18.33 | €23.28 | €16.68 | €15.03 | €18.88 | €16.68 | €21.63 |
| Train | €71.84 | €63.04 | €59.19 | €41.59 | €38.29 | €40.49 | €50.94 | €37.19 | €41.59 | €36.64 | €31.69 | €32.24 | €34.44 | €47.64 |
Cheapest day: 2026-09-30 · €13.93
The bus gets you into Rotterdam. It does not get you a bed, and neither do we.
Looking for somewhere to stay in Rotterdam?
The search opens on Rotterdam with your nights already filled in, so it is one step to a real price.
Search Rotterdam on Booking.comOr compare on Expedia
Partner links. We do not sell accommodation. We earn a commission when a booking completes, and it never changes what you pay.
When to book Cologne to Rotterdam
The same search run across the whole booking window, so the shape of the curve is visible rather than described.
- €16.6890 days
- €10.6360 days
- €12.2845 days
- €15.5830 days
- €16.1321 days
- €21.6314 days
- €27.687 days
- €31.533 days
- €37.581 days
- Cheapest lead time
- Fares bottom out around 60 days ahead, at €10.63.
- How much it moves
- The gap between the cheapest and most expensive lead time is 254 percent. The most expensive point is €37.58, 1 days out.
- What that means
- Today sits inside the cheap window, which closes about 60 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 60 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.
- €16.68Sun
- €15.03Mon
- €17.23Tue
- €16.68Wed
- €21.63Thu
- €18.33Fri
- €23.28Sat
How the fare moves month by month
The same journey priced on the fifteenth of each of the next six months.
- €17.23Sep
- €13.38Oct
- €13.38Nov
- €14.48Dec
- €12.83Jan
- €13.38Feb
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.
- Direct or connecting
- 67% of the services we sell on this corridor run through without a change. The remaining 33% involve one connection.
- How far it really runs
- The route covers 234 km against 204 km in a straight line, a detour of 15 percent. Track and road geometry account for the difference.
- Where the change is
- Connections are made at Eindhoven, Tilburg, Krefeld, Mönchengladbach. The gap between arriving and leaving is 45 minutes, of which about 5 is walking.
- If the connection is missed
- The tightest connection we sell here has a 20 percent chance of not being made on the timetable alone. Part of this journey is a self transfer between separate tickets, so leave more time than the minimum and expect to check in again.
- First and last departure
- The first service of the day leaves Cologne at 06:03 and the last at 14:45, across 10 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.
Köln
Rail
- Koln Hauptbahnhof
- Köln Hbf
- Köln-Lövenich
Bus
- Koln Breslauer Platz
- Wahn S-Bahn
Air
- CGN
Ferry
- Weiß - Zündorf
- Zündorf - Weiß
Rotterdam
Rail
- Rotterdam Centraal
- Rotterdam Feijenoord
- Rotterdam Kleiweg Station
Bus
- Rotterdam Centraal
- Rotterdam Noord
Air
- RTM
Ferry
- Rotterdam Europoort
- Rotterdam, Erasmusbrug
The fare from RTM into Rotterdam is the one price on this trip we cannot show you, because it is not ours.
Getting from RTM into Rotterdam?
Settled in advance, so the ride into Rotterdam costs what it said it would rather than what the cab stand says.
Book a ride from RTM with Welcome PickupsOr check Daytrip
Partner links. We do not operate transfers. We earn a commission on a booking, and the fare is the same as going direct.
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 | €13.93 | 3h 51m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power outlets, Restrooms, Wi-Fi |
 DB Fernverkehr | €30.59 | 2h 23m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power outlets, Wi-Fi |
| Eurostar | €26.19 | 2h 23m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power outlets, Wi-Fi |
 Eurostar International | €27.84 | 2h 23m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power outlets, Wi-Fi |
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 | €9.50 | 68% |
| Taxes | €0.95 | 7% |
| Supplier fees | €1.49 | 11% |
| Our service fee | €1.99 | 14% |
| Total you pay | €13.93 | 100% |
A day in Rotterdam hauling a suitcase is a shorter day than it needs to be. We do not store bags.
Where to leave your bags in Rotterdam
Priced by the bag and by the day, booked before you get there, and insured while it sits.
Check Rotterdam on StasherOr try Bounce
Partner links. We do not run these networks. We earn a commission on a booking, and the price is the same as going direct.
Questions about Cologne to Rotterdam
The questions people actually ask about this trip, 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 Cologne to Rotterdam?
The fastest journey from Cologne to Rotterdam takes 2h 23m door to door, of which 1h 39m is spent moving, on the Train. Most services take around 2h 55m, 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 Cologne to Rotterdam?
The cheapest fare from Cologne to Rotterdam is €13.93, checked on September 30, 2026. A typical fare across the next three weeks is €40.14. 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 Cologne to Rotterdam?
The cheapest way from Cologne to Rotterdam is by Coach, at €15.03 for one passenger on September 30, 2026. That journey takes 4h 1m 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 Cologne to Rotterdam?
The fastest way from Cologne to Rotterdam is by Train, at 2h 23m door to door. Only 1h 39m 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 €31.69.
When should I book Cologne to Rotterdam?
Fares from Cologne to Rotterdam bottom out around 60 days before departure, at €10.63. Across the whole booking window the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive lead time is 254 percent, measured on September 30, 2026. Booking inside the last week has consistently cost more on this corridor.
Which day of the week is cheapest for Cologne to Rotterdam?
Monday is the cheapest day to depart from Cologne to Rotterdam, at €15.03. That is the median of 21 priced departure days across the next three weeks, checked on September 30, 2026. Shifting a departure by one day is usually worth more than shifting the booking by one week.
Which month is cheapest for Cologne to Rotterdam?
January is the cheapest of the next 6 months to travel from Cologne to Rotterdam, at €12.83 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 service from Cologne to Rotterdam?
4 operators sell services from Cologne to Rotterdam across 2 modes: BlaBlaCar, DB Fernverkehr, Eurostar, Eurostar International. 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 Cologne to Rotterdam?
67 percent of the services we sell from Cologne to Rotterdam are direct. The rest connect at Eindhoven, Tilburg, Krefeld, Mönchengladbach, with about 45 minutes between the two services. Both legs are sold on one booking, so a missed connection is rebooked at no charge.
How much CO2 does the journey from Cologne to Rotterdam produce?
Traveling from Cologne to Rotterdam by Coach produces about 6.3 kg of CO2 per passenger, the lowest of any mode on this corridor. The same journey by Train produces about 7.7 kg, roughly 1 times as much for one passenger.
Which station or terminal do services from Cologne to Rotterdam use?
Services from Cologne to Rotterdam by Train leave from Koln Hauptbahnhof and arrive at Rotterdam Centraal. 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 Cologne to Rotterdam?
4 of the 4 operators we sell from Cologne to Rotterdam 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 modeled 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 Cologne to Rotterdam on September 10, 2026: 234 km of route against 204 km in a straight line, 12 services a day, 4 operators, a cheapest fare of €13.93, and 2h 23m door to door on the fastest mode. The return direction is computed separately and its numbers are not these numbers.
The bus is the simple part. What you do once you are in Rotterdam is somebody else's catalog.
Anything to book in Rotterdam before you go?
Day trips that leave Rotterdam in the morning and cover a good part of Netherlands by evening.
See Rotterdam on GetYourGuideOr browse Viator
Partner links. We do not sell tours or tickets. We earn a commission on a booking, and it never changes the price.
Other ways to make this journey
Arriving in Rotterdam
Leaving Rotterdam
- 157Places you can leave for
- 17Countries
- 26Operators
Plan a trip from here
Ask Ori for the same corridor under a different constraint, or for a longer trip that starts on it.