What you should know before hiring a car in Cologne
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Distance from Cologne city centre |
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| 8 mi | ||
| 25 mi | ||
| 35 mi | ||
Car hires in Cologne: practical information
Where to rent a car in Cologne
Heading to Germany’s Rhine region? Cologne is the perfect place to start your trip. Once you book your flights to Cologne, take a little peek at what car hire offers are available. The airport is a great place to pick up your Cologne rental car. Head straight to the Arrivals lounge and choose from Avis, Europcar, Hertz or Sixt.
You can also pick up your Cologne car hire from the city centre. Avis is located on Clemensstrasse while Hertz has an office on Bismarckstrasse. At least with these two, it’s flexible whether you pick up or drop off at the airport or city centre.
Driving in Cologne: parking and other tips
You’d have to be brave to use your Cologne car hire for city sightseeing. It’s just simply not practical and is way too easy to miss your turn and end up in a tunnel or going over a bridge to the other side of the Rhine. Many streets in the city centre are also restricted to residents only.
It’s a good idea to book a hotel in Cologne with its own car park. Parking in the city centre can be near impossible on the street but also expensive if you use a car park. They charge upwards of €1.25 per hour.
Road trips from Cologne: what to do, what to see
Bonn
The former capital of West Germany is just a bit further south from Cologne. The two cities actually share an airport so it’s easy to reach with your Cologne rental car. As the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethovan, you can bet this city has a passion for culture. Don’t miss his birth house or the Bonn Kunstmuseum.
Brühl
Practically a suburb of Cologne, Brühl is home to the incredible Augustusburg Palace which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace is a major world of Balthasar Neuman and has a stunning rococo interior. The surrounding grounds are also worth exploring, where the Lodge of Falkenslust is located.
Zülpich
This small town southwest of Cologne dates all the way back to Roman times. Today it boasts a new museum that explores the topic of Roman baths and bathing culture. It’s also a great place to stop on your way to the forests in Germany’s Eifel region.
