Is Cologne worth a day trip?

Yes: 10 hours in Cologne, £147 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 10 hours in Cologne. Landing to take-off is 12.8 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 20:56. 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 23:10 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 10 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Cologne.
From Manchester, back by 23:45.

Germany·Wed 21 Oct · 10.0 hours in the city

£147

the whole day

10.0 hours

in the city

23:45

back in Manchester

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

10.0 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

15km

to the centreFrom Cologne centre (CGN)

Daylight

10.5 hours

08:02 to 18:30Sunrise 08:02, sunset 18:30

First EU trip since 2025? Allow 25 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

07:45
Leave Manchester
Ryanair, direct
10:54
In the city
Lands 10:20, 20min immigration, 14min from the airport
20:56
Leave the city
14min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration
23:45
Back in Manchester
Flies 23:10

Leave ManchesterRyanair, direct07:45
Land in Cologne1h 35min10:20
In the city20min immigration, 14min from the airport10:54
Leave the city14min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration20:56
Fly home1h 35min23:10
Back in Manchester23:45

Weather while you are there

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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.

£147/ 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£101

Google Flights price. Checked 2 hours ago.

Getting to Manchesterfrom free

All in, per person£147

Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 8 Oct, 21:50. 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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First 1,000 members

Become a founder

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

£19a year, locked for life

Day Trips is live.

Try it for 14 days. Full refund if it's not for you.

Built by Josh and Samar

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Manchester

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

Free

Free drop-off areaFree
24/7 shuttle bus to the terminals. Source

Train

From Manchester Piccadilly£2.90 each way13-20 min
Advance single. last train 01:34 Source
From Leeds£6.90 each way83-96 min
Advance single Source
From Liverpool (Lime Street)£3.60 each way46-73 min
Advance single. First train 05:00, last train 00:18 Source

Coach

National Express from Manchester / Leeds / Liverpool£5.90 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Runs round the clock. Source

Taxi

From Manchester city centre£25-£35 one way~10 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £15-£25.
From Leeds£90-£120 one way~45 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £60-£90.
From Liverpool£75-£100 one way~35 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £50-£75.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-off, Terminal 2from £5.50
5 min £5.50, 10 min £6.50, up to 30 min £25. Source

More parking

Short StayNo same-day price
From £65 (4-day stay). Source
JetParksNo same-day price
From £54.99 (8-day stay). Source
Mid StayNo same-day price
From £79 (8-day stay). Source
Drop & GoNo same-day price
From £69.99 (8-day stay). Source
Meet & GreetNo same-day price
From £85.99 (8-day stay). Source
Multi StoreyNo same-day price
From £65 (4-day stay). Source

Parking nearby

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

Maple Parking Park & Ride (5.8 mi from airport)£49.99
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 15-20 min. Source
APH Park & Ride (2.7 mi from airport)£69.95
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 7-15 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.
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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No one has been yet, as far as we know. If you have, tell the next person what made the day.

Day trip to Cologne.From Manchester, back by 23:45.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Cologne.
From Manchester, back by 23:45.