Cologne Stadtbahn

Cologne is one of the largest city in Germany.
Cologne metro is not a common metro system but a light rail and rapid transit system network with
some sections running underground in the city center (it’s an underground tram system) classified as a Stadtbahn.

This is a system that includes many elements such as trams, metros, trains between cities (Cologne-Bonn)…
As a part of the public transport system, Cologne also has a public network of Buses.
It not only covers Cologne City but some other sourronding cities.

Cologne Stadtbahn is connected to Bonn Stadtbahn (lines 16 -18 ). This whole system integrating Colonge and Bonn Stadtbahn
is known as Stadtbahn Rhein-Sieg.

  • Known as: Stadtbahn
  • Lines: 11
  • Stations: 216
  • Passengers/day: more than 550K
  • Website
  • Opening: October 11, 1968
  • Operator: Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe
  • Length: 194.8kms

Cologne Stadtbahn Lines and Stations

Cologne Stadtbahn has 194,8 kms of tracks, 11 lines and 216 stations. It’s use by more than 500.000 people everyday. Trains circulate
at aprox 25km/h.

  • Line 1: It’s 24.9 km long. Goes from Weiden West to Bensberg through Junkersdorf, Neumarkt, Bf Deutz, Kalk Post, Kalk Kapelle, Brück, Refrath.
  • Line 3: 20.1 km of tracks. Goes from Mengenich to Thielenbruch through Bocklemünd, Bickendorf, Bf Ehrenfeld, Bf West, Neumarkt, Bf Deutz, Buchheim, Holweide.
  • Line 4: Length of the line is 21.5 km. Goes from Bocklemünd to Schlebusch through Bickendorf, Bf Ehrenfeld, Bf West, Neumarkt, Bf Deutz, Mülheim, Wiener Platz, Dünnwald.
  • Line 5: It’s 10.3 km long. Goes from Sparkasse Am Butzweilerhof to Heumarkt through Ossendorf, Neuehrenfeld, Bf West, Dom/Hbf, Rathaus.
  • Line 7: 25.5 kms of tracks. Goes from Frechen to Zündorf through Marsdorf, Braunsfeld, Neumarkt, Poll, Porz.
  • Line 9: Its length is 5.4 kms. Stations: Sülz, Universität, Bf Süd, Neumarkt, Bf Deutz, Kalk Post, Kalk Kapelle, Ostheim, Königsforst.
  • Line 12: It’s 16,5 kms long. Stations: Merkenich, Niehl, Ebertplatz, Hansaring, Ringe, Zollstock.
  • Line 13: 15.4 kms of tracks. Stations: Sülzgürtel, Aachener Str., Bf Ehrenfeld, Gürtel, Bf Mülheim, Buchheim, Holweide.
  • Line 15: 15.2 km long. Stations: Chorweiler, Longerich, Ebertplatz, Hansaring, Ringe, Ubierring.
  • Line 16: Total length: 44.4 kms. Stations: Niehl, Sebastianstraße, Dom/Hbf, Neumarkt, Ubierring, Sürth, Wesseling, Bonn Hbf, Bonn-Bad-Godesberg.
  • Line 18: 46.2 kms long. Stations: Thielenbruch, Buchheim, Bf Mülheim, Dom/Hbf, Neumarkt, Klettenberg, Brühl, Bonn Hbf.

Lines 16 and 18 are shared with Bonn Stadtbahn.

Schedule and Frecuency

This is 24×7 system. All lines are open 24 hours a day, every single day of the year.

From monday to friday, trains came every 5-10 minutes during 06:00 to 20:00 h. After 01:00 there is almost no service.
At 04.30 activity restarts again and there is a train every 15 minutes.
Saturday and sundays there is a night service with a train every hour. Because of some lines has overlapping stations
the services could be more frequent.

Technical map2

Fares and Tickets

Cologne’s Stadtbah, as almost any other transport system, has its own tarif zones.
All the information can be found at FahrgastCenter of the KVB.

  • Single ticket

    • EinzelTicket (single ticket): 1 to 2 tarif zones, costs €2, and you can carry with you a child under 12 years, free.
      Children up to 3 years old always have a free ticket. Older than this age, must pay €1. Excluding above case.

    • Kurzstrecke (short distance ticket): €1.20.
  • Stripes ticket

    • StreifenTicket (8 short trips): €6,80
  • 24-hour ticket

    • 24 StundenTicket: €5.30 tarif zones in the city area. Travel as much as you need during an entire day. The ticket is non transferable
  • 3-day ticket

    • 3 Tage Ticket: €13.50 tarif zones in the city area during 3 days. Be careful as the tickets expires at 03:00. The ticket is non transferable
  • Mini-group ticket

    • 5 people (no matter the age), could travel a whole day in any bus or train for €7.50 around the city area

Connection to the Airports

Cologne/Bonn airport (CGN) is about 15 min by S-Bahn to Cologne downtown. It’s 1 zone (1b) and the prize of the ticket is €2.70.
This single ticket (Einzelfahrten) are sold by ATM machines and cand also be used in trams.



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