Is Cologne worth a day trip?

Yes, as a short day: 6.2 hours in Cologne, £218 for the whole day, 14 min into town each way. Enough for the centre and one paid sight; pick one, not three.

How long do you actually get in Cologne?

About 6.2 hours in Cologne. Landing to take-off is 9 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Cologne airport into town?

S-Bahn S19, 14 min, €4. A day ticket on local transport is VRS 24-hour ticket €9.60.

What does a day in Cologne cost, not counting the flight?

About £46 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 16:36. That allows 14 min to get back to the airport and 120 min there, including 30 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 18:50 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 20 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 30 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 6.2 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Cologne.
From London Gatwick, back by 19:05.

Germany·Sun 6 Dec · 6.2 hours in the city

£218

the whole day

6.2 hours

in the city

19:05

back in London Gatwick

Time in the city

6.2 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

15km

to the centreFrom Cologne centre (CGN)

Daylight

8.2 hours

08:17 to 16:27Sunrise 08:17, sunset 16:27

First EU trip since 2025? Allow 25 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

07:30
Leave London Gatwick
Jet2, direct
10:24
In the city
Lands 09:50, 20min immigration, 14min from the airport
16:36
Leave the city
14min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration
19:05
Back in London Gatwick
Flies 18:50 with Eurowings

Leave London GatwickJet2, direct07:30
Land in Cologne1h 20min09:50
In the city20min immigration, 14min from the airport10:24
Leave the city14min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration16:36
Fly homeEurowings, 1h 20min18:50
Back in London Gatwick19:05

How we'd do it

Open up the maps to see full detail.

10:2675 min there

8 min walk

11:4915 min there

5 min walk

12:0920 min there

15 min walk

12:4430 min there

11 min walk

13:2575 min there

16 min walk

14:5690 min there

about 4 min walk

16:36Back to the airport

S-Bahn S19 · 14 min

AirportFlight 18:50

Typical weather for this date

7°C

average high

2°C

average low

8 in 10

years it rained

This date is too far out to forecast. These are Cologne's actual figures for the same date across the last 10 years.

Christmas markets in Cologne

Markt der Herzen (Cathedral)16 Nov - 23 Dec 2026
Open on Sun 6 Dec, 11:00 to 21:00.
Works as a day trip
You're in Cologne 10:24 to 16:36 and the market is open from 11:00. All of that is in daylight.
Open: Every day, Sun-Wed 11:00-21:00, Thu-Fri 11:00-22:00, Sat 10:00-22:00
Closed by 24 Dec (last day 23 Dec)
Where: By Cologne Cathedral
Photo: Franz Gerd Frank, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heinzels Wintermärchen (Heumarkt)23 Nov 2026 - 10 Jan 2027
Open on Sun 6 Dec, 11:00 to 22:00.
Works as a day trip
You're in Cologne 10:24 to 16:36 and the market is open from 11:00. All of that is in daylight.
Open: Every day, 11:00-22:00 daily (31 Dec-10 Jan until 21:00)
Closed on 24 Dec
Where: Heumarkt and Alter Markt
Photo: Corradox, CC BY-SA 4.0

Things to do in CologneShow

Chocolate Museum CologneTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Bubble Planet CologneTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Cologne Zoo & AquariumTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Farina Fragrance MuseumTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Cologne · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in CologneShow

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Day Trip Flight Details

How we'd do it

Open up the maps to see full detail.

10:2675 min there

8 min walk

11:4915 min there

5 min walk

12:0920 min there

15 min walk

12:4430 min there

11 min walk

13:2575 min there

16 min walk

14:5690 min there

about 4 min walk

16:36Back to the airport

S-Bahn S19 · 14 min

AirportFlight 18:50

What a day in Cologne costs

Flights and on-the-ground spend, per person.

£218/ all in, per person

S-Bahn to city centre and back£6

Local transport£8

Lunch£13

Dinner£19

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Cologne Cathedral tower and treasury£10 (€12)

Cologne Cathedral tower climb£7 (€8)

Museum Ludwig£12 (€13.50)

Chocolate Museum£15 (€17.50)

Roemisch-Germanisches Museum£5 (€6)

Opening days vary, so check before you go.

Flora and Botanical Garden, Alter Markt and the Altstadt, Hohenzollern Bridge, Rheinboulevard in DeutzFree

On the ground£46

Return flight from£172

Google Flights price. Checked 29 hours ago.

Getting to Gatwickfrom free

All in, per person£218

Out with Jet2, back with Eurowings. Two separate tickets. Book both before you go.

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 15 Oct, 04:50. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

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Half the price, kept for good, for the first 1,000 members.

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Built by Josh and Samar

£19 today for your first year, then £19 a year for as long as you stay.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Gatwick

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-offFree
Long Stay car park: free for 0-2 hours, with a free shuttle bus (10-12 min) to the terminal. Source

Train

From London (Gatwick Express, Victoria)Price not published30 min
Source
From London (Southern / Thameslink, Victoria / London Bridge / St Pancras)Price not published30-45 min
Source

Coach

National Express from LondonPrice not published
Source

Taxi

From London£100-£160 one way~30 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £10
Drop-off zone: £10 for 10 min, then £1/extra minute up to 20 min, maximum daily charge £30, maximum stay 30 min, payable by midnight the next day. Source
Short Stay£70
"12-24 hours" walk-up (roll-up) rate. Source
Premium Short Stay£87.50
"12-24 hours" walk-up rate. Source
Long Stay£38
"2-24 hours" band (first 2 hours free). Source

More parking

Mid StayNo same-day price
Source
Valet ParkingNo same-day price
Source
Premium Parking / Robotic Parking (South Terminal only)No same-day price
Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Cophall Parking£4.21
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 10-15 min. Source
Airparks Park & Ride£4.24
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 10-12 min. Source
APH Park & Ride£4.36
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 15 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

Ask about Cologne

Your hours, your budget, what you like. Answered from real costs and tips from people who have been.

Tips from day trippers

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Day trip to Cologne.
From London Gatwick, back by 19:05.

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Cologne Christmas Market Day Trip: 10 Hours, Every Market, One Day

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Cologne Christmas Market Day Trip: 10 Hours, Every Market, One Day

Day trip to Cologne.From London Gatwick, back by 19:05.

Become a founder

Day Trip Flight Details

Become a founder

Related reading

Cologne Christmas Market Day Trip: 10 Hours, Every Market, One Day

Related reading

Cologne Christmas Market Day Trip: 10 Hours, Every Market, One Day

Day trip to Cologne.
From London Gatwick, back by 19:05.