CGN Airport: Cologne Bonn Airport at a Glance

CGN is the IATA code for Cologne Bonn Airport, the airport shared by the Rhineland cities of Cologne and Bonn in western Germany. When CGN appears on your booking or bag tag, this is where you land or take off. Its ICAO code is EDDK.

In German the airport is Flughafen Köln/Bonn, and you will often see the English spelling Koln Bonn airport on booking sites. Its full name adds "Konrad Adenauer", after the Cologne-born statesman who became West Germany's first post-war chancellor. Travellers searching for Cologne airport, Cologne Bonn airport or Cologne CGN all mean the same place.

Names and codes in one place

• Cologne Bonn Airport: the English name used by the airport.
• Flughafen Köln/Bonn "Konrad Adenauer": the German name.
• CGN: the IATA code on tickets and baggage tags.
• EDDK: the ICAO code used in aviation.

The airport runs around the clock under a permanent 24-hour operating permit, with noise rules for night flights. Alongside passengers, it is a major cargo base, and express carriers such as UPS and FedEx run hubs here. That is why you may notice large freighters on the aprons.

Where Is Cologne Bonn Airport?

Cologne Bonn Airport lies in the Porz district, on Cologne's south-eastern side. Sources put it about 12 to 15 km from central Cologne and roughly 16 to 20 km from Bonn, which makes it a practical choice for both cities. The postal address is Kennedystraße, 51147 Köln, which is also the address to enter in a sat nav.

The airport sits between two motorways, the A3 and the A59, and has its own motorway exit signposted "Flughafen". Being close to both cities and to the wider Rhine-Ruhr region means many travellers from Düsseldorf, the Ruhr and the Sieg valley also use it.

Cologne Bonn Airport Terminals and Facilities

CGN has two passenger terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, linked on the landside by a walkway. The railway station lies underneath, within easy walking distance of both.

Which terminal?

• Terminal 1 is home to the Lufthansa Group airlines, including Eurowings, Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines.
• Terminal 2 is used by Ryanair and a number of other carriers.

Always check your booking or the airport's departure board, because terminal assignments for smaller airlines can differ.

Security check

The central security checkpoint is in Terminal 1 and is equipped with CT scanners. Because the scanners read bag contents in 3D, laptops and liquids can stay in your hand luggage during screening, and the liquid allowance is larger than the familiar 100 ml rule, up to two litres in leak-proof containers. Open cups such as takeaway coffee cannot be screened, so finish your drink first.

Food, shopping and services

• Restaurants and cafés in both terminals, including a branch of the Cologne brewery restaurant Früh in Terminal 1, where you can try local Kölsch beer.
• Duty-free shops in the terminals, plus a supermarket in Terminal 1 for last-minute essentials.
• Lounges: a pay-in lounge called The Lounge is open to passengers regardless of airline.
• Money: cash machines are available in both terminals, and there is a currency exchange desk in Terminal 1.
• Health: a pharmacy and a dental practice operate in Terminal 1.
• Prayer room: a prayer room is located in Terminal 2.

Wi-Fi and staying connected

Free Wi-Fi covers the airport, so you can check your flight, message friends or stream while you wait without buying a data package.

Assistance for passengers with reduced mobility

The German Red Cross provides assistance at CGN on the airport's behalf. Request it through your airline or travel agent at least 48 hours before you travel so that staff can meet you on arrival or take you to the gate.

Parking

Multi-storey car parks P1, P2 and P3 sit close to the terminals, with further parking such as P-Nord for longer stays.

Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport: Airlines and Routes

More than 30 airlines fly from Cologne Bonn Airport. The route map is strongly focused on Europe and the Mediterranean, with many leisure routes to Spain, Portugal, Greece and Turkey alongside business routes within Germany.

• Eurowings uses CGN as a base, with flights to German cities and many European destinations.
• Ryanair flies to a wide range of European cities and holiday spots.
• Lufthansa connects Cologne with Munich, and Austrian Airlines with Vienna.
• Turkish Airlines flies to Istanbul, a useful connection point for long-haul travel.
• Corendon Airlines serves holiday destinations, mainly in Turkey.

For travellers coming from Southeast Asia, the usual approach is to fly into a major hub and connect onward to CGN, or to reach Cologne by train from a larger German airport. When comparing flights from Cologne Bonn Airport or flights to Cologne, look at total journey time as well as the number of stops.

Getting to Cologne and Bonn from CGN

Train

The airport has its own mainline railway station, Köln/Bonn Flughafen, directly below the terminals. S-Bahn line S19 and regional trains run to Cologne Central Station (Köln Hbf) in roughly 15 to 20 minutes, which puts you right next to Cologne Cathedral. High-speed ICE trains also stop here, linking the airport to the wider German rail network.

Bus

Express bus SB60 links the airport with Bonn's central station, the most direct public transport option to Bonn. Local bus 161 serves Cologne's Porz district. A long-distance coach station next to Terminal 2 has services from operators such as FlixBus to cities across Germany and Europe.

Taxi

Taxis wait in the taxi lanes in front of the terminals. The ride suits travellers with heavy bags or those heading to addresses away from the rail lines.

Car rental

Major rental companies have desks at the airport, and the motorway links make it easy to drive onward to the Rhine valley, the Eifel or the Bergisches Land.

Tips for Flying from Cologne Bonn Airport

• Check in online where your airline allows it, then use the self-service bag drop. Eurowings, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Ryanair offer this at CGN.
• Know your terminal before you arrive. The walk between terminals is short, but starting in the right one saves time.
• Arrive in good time. Check-in counters open at different times for each airline, so follow your airline's advice and allow extra time in school holidays.
• Pack power banks in hand luggage. They are not allowed in checked bags.
• Special baggage such as strollers or oversized items must go to a staffed counter rather than the self-service drop.

Exploring Cologne and Bonn

Cologne is known above all for its Gothic Cologne Cathedral, which towers over the central station, a few minutes' walk from where the airport train arrives. The Old Town along the Rhine is full of traditional brewhouses serving Kölsch, and the riverside promenade and bridges make for easy walks. Museums around the cathedral cover art, chocolate and Roman history.

Bonn, a short trip south, was West Germany's capital and is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven. The Beethoven House, the government quarter along the Rhine and the nearby Siebengebirge hills are all popular. From either city, the Rhine valley with its castles and vineyards is an easy day out.

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