Cologne to Bologna bus: 4 a week, fastest 15h15

4 a weekfastest 15h15☾ 1 overnight busFlixBus🇩🇪 Germany → 🇮🇹 Italy

Direct buses · no change

CologneFrankfurtInnsbruckBolzanoTrentoVeronaBologna· 787 km as the crow flies

19:55 → 11:10⁺¹
FlixBus N537 ☾ Overnight
Cologne Airport CGN (Terminal 2) → Bologna (central bus station) · via Frankfurt, Innsbruck, Bolzano, Trento…
15h155 stops
Runs: Mon, Thu, Fri, SunBook on FlixBus ↗

Local times at each stop. Times from official open data: FlixBus (file of 11 Oct 2026). Checked Sun 18 Oct 2026; they cover 18 Oct to 14 Nov 2026. Timetables change, so check with the operator before you travel. Contains FlixBus timetable data (FlixMobility, transport.data.gouv.fr), ODbL 1.0. How we build this.

Bus, train or plane

☾ Overnight: leave 19:55, arrive 11:10

The plane is 11h37 quicker door to door, but the night bus spends your night on the road instead of a day.

Bus · fastest direct16h22

To Cologne Airport CGN (Terminal 2)39 min
At the stop before departure15 min
FlixBus N53715h15
From Bologna (central bus station)13 min

Plane · nonstop CGN to BLQ4h45

To Cologne Bonn (CGN)45 min
Check-in & security1h30
Flight CGN to BLQ1h45
Landing to exit20 min
From BLQ25 min

City centre to city centre. Getting to stops, stations and airports: typical public-transport times (estimates). Bus: be at the stop 15 min before. Plane: check-in and security 1h30 before, then getting out after landing; flight time typical for the distance.

Train instead?

No direct train from Cologne to Bologna in pickthetrain's timetables: the bus is the no-change way.

Where Cologne goes by direct train ↗

Flying instead?

2 airlines fly Cologne to Bologna nonstop. Book on the airline's own site:

EurowingsCGN→BLQ · DUS→BLQBook direct ↗
RyanairCGN→BLQBook direct ↗

Compare on picktheflight ↗

Quick answers

Is there a direct bus from Cologne to Bologna?

Yes. 4 a week on average, with FlixBus, no change of bus (18 Oct to 14 Nov 2026).

How long is the bus from Cologne to Bologna?

The fastest takes 15h15; the slowest 15h15, for 787 km as the crow flies.

Is there a night bus from Cologne to Bologna?

Yes: 1 overnight departure in the timetable, for example 19:55 arriving 11:10 the next morning.

Cologne ▸ Bologna

Direct buses · no change

Quick answers

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