Cologne Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus 24 Hour Ticket

How the Cologne hop-on hop-off bus works

A hop-on hop-off bus is the easiest way to see Cologne in one day, because the main sights are spread between the Cathedral, the Old Town, the Rhine harbour and districts further out. With this Cologne sightseeing bus ticket you board at any stop, listen to the audio guide as you ride and step off wherever you want to see more.

The ticket is valid for 24 hours, so you can start in the morning and continue into the next day within the period. The audio guide gives about 90 minutes of commentary in several languages. The voucher shows the route map and the stops; timing notes on the booking panel show the hours the service runs.

Cologne Cathedral and the Old Town

Cologne Cathedral is the reason many people visit. Begun in 1248 and finished in 1880, its twin spires rise about 157 metres, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that holds the golden Shrine of the Three Kings. The Cologne Cathedral is a stop on the route, and the bus is a quick way to get there from the districts around the station.

Around it lie the Old Town lanes, Alter Markt and Heumarkt, with the Rhine promenade a few steps away. The Hohenzollern Bridge, the railway bridge beside the cathedral, is known for the thousands of padlocks left on its fence, and it is a favourite place for photographs.

The Rhine harbour, the Chocolate Museum and the zoo

Further along the river the route reaches the Rheinauhafen, the former harbour with its crane-shaped buildings, close to the Chocolate Museum. North of the centre it reaches Cologne Zoo, one of the oldest in Germany, which makes the bus useful for families as well as culture-lovers.

Museum and attraction entrances are not included, so add tickets for the cathedral tower, the museums or the zoo separately if you plan to go in. Stops can change, so check the map on your voucher for the current list and for the sights within walking distance of each stop.

Tickets, audio guide and the best time to ride

The audio guide is multilingual, and you choose your language on board. Children aged four to fourteen have their own ticket category, and younger children are counted as infants. The booking panel shows the price for each category before you pay.

The best time for a first loop is the morning, when the light is soft on the Rhine and the queues at the big sights are short. Ride a full circuit for orientation, then hop off where you want more time, and keep an eye on the last departure so you are not left waiting.