The compact and pedestrian-friendly Altstadt, where you find the cathedral and most of the major attractions, is most easily explored on foot. The city also has an excellent bus, tram, U-Bahn (subway), and S-Bahn (light rail) system. A CityTicket, good for a single one-way fare within the inner city is 1.90€ for adults, 0.95€ for children. Purchase tickets from the automated machines (labeled Fahrscheine), from bus drivers, or at the stations. Be sure to validate your ticket before entering; validation machines are in stations and on buses. For information about public transportation, call VRS at tel. 01803/504-030 or visit www.kvb-koeln.de.

Taxi meters start at 3€ plus 1€ if you hail a taxi from the street; the fare rises 1.55€ to 1.70€ per kilometer thereafter, depending on time of day. To order a taxi, call Taxi-Ruf at tel. 0221/19410.


Visitor Information

For tourist information, go to the Köln Tourismus Office, Kardinal-Höffner-Platz 1 (tel. 0221/22130400; www.cologne-tourism.com), a few steps from the cathedral. The office has city maps, a room-rental service, and information on city attractions, including tours. It’s open Mon-Sat 9am to 8pm, Sun 10am-5pm.

Saving with a KölnCard

The money-saving KölnCard costs 9€ for 24 hours (18€ for 48 hr.) and enables you to travel throughout the city’s transportation network and get reduced-price entry to museums and other attractions. You can buy it at the tourist information center.

 

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.