Cologne Flights

In May 2008, I flew in and out of the Cologne Bonn Airport (aka Köln/Bonn Flughafen). Starting in May 2006, Continental Airlines has been providing daily direct flights to Cologne Bonn from Newark, New Jersey.

This airport is the ultimate in convenience. After leaving the plane, it was only a few steps to the German Customs checkpoint. Then, after clearing customs, it was only a few steps to the baggage claim. Most importantly, there is a train station directly in the airport -- where the S-Bahn train S13 makes the approximately 15-minute journey between Köln/Bonn Flughafen (airport) and Köln Hauptbahnhof (central train station) up to three times per hour. On my visit, the fare was 2.30 Euro.

We used the no-frills airline HLX (now TUIfly) to fly in from Manchester. They were building a train station at the airport plus another new terminal, so it was a bus ride up the motorway to either Koln or Bonn.

Before you leave the terminal drop in at the tourist info desk for a city map and the tourist card which gives you lots of discounts and free transportation throughout the region. It started at 9 euro per person for 24 hours.

It's only about 15 minutes by bus from the airport to central Koln and you'll be dropped off outside the huge city centre train station in the shadow of the cathedral.

NEWSFLASH: As of summer 2004, there is a train station at the airport offering direct services into Koln and around the country.

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The only inconvinience with this cheap flight I had is the time of returning, it was early in the morning and my three days staying was shorten. What a shame, I had bad weather conditions during my stay in Cologne, snow on friday and very cold on saturday. The day of my departure back home, however, has started with bright sun and, of course, it wasn't so cold.
My next action, with the same company, is Berlin in two weeks time and the price is equally so cheap.

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I hate flying, not exactly, it is more refered to loss of time before departings and on arivings. Not to mentioned those silly controlls which becoming more and more absurde. In the near future, I suppose so, they will ask us to enter in the plain completely naked. Oh, that would be fun!
Anyhow, I bought those cheap tickets in order to try weather it works or not. 50 € for return tickets, Zagreb-Cologne-Zagreb, isn't much. My only concerne was, am I going to seat inside the plain for such a price?

We booked a flight with Germanwings from Munich to Cologne-Bonn airport. Flight time was one hour and the price for 2 people, 97,70 Euros. Germanwings offers you during the flight snacks and drinks for ca. 1,50 - 4 Euros.

Cologne Bonn Airport "Konrad Adenauer" (CGN) was the main airport of Bonn at the times it was the capital of West Germany and Terminal 1 shows the joys of the cold war by its béton brut structure and prevailing grey colours.

Today CGN is Germanwings capital as well as hub for some other budget airlines that shows in new light and colorful Terminal 2 building.

This is also shown on their useful and colorful website that has the same pictograms you'll find all over the place - it's well organized, informative, colorful, well designed and definitely worth checking even if you have no intention to fly to CGN soon.

To be honest - the initial reason to visit Cologne wasn't the cathedral, nor the Kölsch beer nor the bridges over Rhine. The initial reason was Germanwings - the only company that offers international flights from Zagreb airport for less than 200 Eur. When I saw Germanwings started to fly to Zagreb I was intrigued.

They are a great company and only the thing that you pay for drinks and snacks makes you feel it's no-frills airline. (Food is not expensive btw - you can get a sandwich, drink and chocolate bar for 5 Eur only). The plane was rather new, some labels were still Lufthansa and they even had the screens that showed the position of the plane on route.

The flight from Zagreb to Cologne took 1,5 hours only and although getting an announced price of 19 Eur demands special skills getting a return ticket for as low as 30 Eur demands only early booking on the right date.

Cologne Airport is Germany's No. 1 no frill-airport nowadays. Carriers such as HLX, Germanwings, Air Berlin or Easyjet have chosen it as one of the main hubs in Germany.

The old airport (which is not really nice but then again.... I won't complain as long as flights stay cheap ;) has recently got a nice new terminal building and a train station finally. Now you can go to several places in ith Germany by ICE trains and to Cologne by S-Bahn. It takes approx. 20 mts from Cologne Hauptbahnhof or Deutz station (S 13 direction Troisdorf), trains leave every 10 minutes.

By car you get here easily from A 59 (exit Flughafen) which is close to Heumar Intersection of A3, A4 and A59.