Train wins by 1h13 door to door. Fastest train 2h31 (Amsterdam Centraal → Köln Hbf), ~8 direct trains/day. Checked 2026-11-01.
The comparison
| Fastest train | 2h31Amsterdam Centraal → Köln Hbf |
|---|---|
| Trains | ~8 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average 7.8/day)DB ICE (with NS International) |
| Flight | ~55 min AMS-DUS (no AMS-CGN nonstop in picktheflight data; KLM flies AMS-DUS). Airports add travel, check-in and security time. |
| Door to door | Train wins by 1h13 door to door |
| Points | DB BahnBonus: 1 reward point + 1 status point per EUR spent on DB tickets; national free trip from 750 points (2nd class, one-way; 750-2,000 depending on route/date/demand), international free trip from 1,750 points (2nd class one-way). |
pickthetrain.com door-to-door model (its own assumptions: 1h30 airport check-in/security, 20 min to exit, typical-for-distance flight time, public-transport access estimates): train wins by 1h13 (2h42 vs 3h55 via Düsseldorf).
Questions
Is the train faster than flying from Amsterdam to Cologne?
Train wins by 1h13 door to door. The fastest train takes 2h31 city centre to city centre; the flight is ~55 min AMS-DUS (no AMS-CGN nonstop in picktheflight data; KLM flies AMS-DUS). Airports add travel, check-in and security time..
How often do trains run from Amsterdam to Cologne?
~8 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average 7.8/day)
Can I earn or use points on this train?
DB BahnBonus: 1 reward point + 1 status point per EUR spent on DB tickets; national free trip from 750 points (2nd class, one-way; 750-2,000 depending on route/date/demand), international free trip from 1,750 points (2nd class one-way).
Sources: pickthetrain.com, bahn.de
Points or cash, or the train?
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