Is Cologne worth a day trip?

Yes: 8.7 hours in Cologne, £89 for the whole day, 14 min into town each way. Enough for the main sights and a proper lunch without rushing.

How long do you actually get in Cologne?

About 8.7 hours in Cologne. Landing to take-off is 11.5 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 18:31. 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 20:45 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 8.7 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Cologne.
From London Stansted, back by 21:05.

Germany·Mon 9 Nov · 8.7 hours in the city

£89

the whole day

8.7 hours

in the city

21:05

back in London Stansted

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

8.7 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

15km

to the centreFrom Cologne centre (CGN)

Daylight

9.3 hours

07:35 to 16:56Sunrise 07:35, sunset 16:56

First EU trip since 2025? Allow 25 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

07:00
Leave London Stansted
Ryanair, direct
09:49
In the city
Lands 09:15, 20min immigration, 14min from the airport
18:31
Leave the city
14min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration
21:05
Back in London Stansted
Flies 20:45

Leave London StanstedRyanair, direct07:00
Land in Cologne1h 15min09:15
In the city20min immigration, 14min from the airport09:49
Leave the city14min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration18:31
Fly home1h 15min20:45
Back in London Stansted21:05

Typical weather for this date

11°C

average high

6°C

average low

6 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.

Cologne’s Christmas markets open 16 Nov

Also on in Cologne

Coming up in Cologne: Cologne carnival season opening (Sessionseröffnung, 11.11.), 11 Nov

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

What a day in Cologne costs

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

£89/ 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)

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

On the ground£46

Return flight from£43

Google Flights price. Checked 12 hours ago.

Getting to Stanstedfrom free

All in, per person£89

Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 7 Oct, 16:31. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Stansted

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

Free

Free drop-off at the Mid Stay car parkFree
Free shuttle bus to the terminal. Source

Train

From London (Liverpool Street, Stansted Express)£9.90 each way48 min
Advance single. First train 03:40, last train 23:21 Source

Coach

National Express from London£10.50 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Runs round the clock. Source

Taxi

From London£90-£130 one way~42 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £55-£85.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-off, Short Stay car parkfrom £13
Up to 30 min £13, up to 1 hr £21. Source

More parking

Short StayNo same-day price
From £74.99 (7-day stay). Source
Meet & GreetNo same-day price
From £79 (8-day stay). Source
Mid StayNo same-day price
From £64.99 (8-day stay). Source
Long StayNo same-day price
From £59.99 (8-day stay). Source
JetParksNo same-day price
From £58.99 (8-day stay). Source

Parking nearby

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

Maple Parking Park & Ride£107.99
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 5 min. Source
I Love Park & Ride£124
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 5 min. Source
APH Park and Ride£144
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 5 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.
Ryanair airport check-in. £55 per person, per flight, if you don't check in online. Without a paid seat, online check-in opens 24 hours before and closes 2 hours before. Ryanair, fees
Ryanair bags. One small bag (40 x 30 x 20 cm) under the seat is free. A 10kg cabin bag (55 x 40 x 20 cm) needs Priority & 2 Cabin Bags, £12.49 to £36 when booked. An oversize bag at the gate is refused or put in the hold for £70 to £75. Ryanair, fees

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Comments on CologneShow

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Day trip to Cologne.From London Stansted, back by 21:05.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Cologne.
From London Stansted, back by 21:05.