There are 10 ways to get from Essen to Besançon by train (TGV), bus, car, plane, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train
best- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhoftrain 43
- Take the train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Strasbourg Bahnhoftrain 83 / ...
- Take the train from Strasbourg to Besancon-Franche Comte Tgvtrain Tgv
7h 43m€127–237Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Essen central train station to Dijonbus FlixBus N710
- Take the bus from Dijon to Besançonbus FlixBus N199 / ...
11h 20m€57–88Drive 573.1 km
- Drive from Essen to Besançoncar 573.1 km
6h 19m€91–131Fly Düsseldorf International Airport to Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport, train
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS)plane DUS - LYS
- Take the train from Lyon Part Dieu to Besancon Viottetrain
8h 22m€152–342Train, bus
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Basel SBBtrain 43
- Take the bus from Basel SBB to Besançonbus FlixBus N199
8h 38m€118–223Train, bus via Cologne
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Koeln-Ehrenfeldtrain Re
- Take the train from Köln-Ehrenfeld to Basel SBBtrain
- Take the bus from Basel SBB to Besançonbus
12h 40mTrain to Frankfurt, fly to Basel, train
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Frankfurttrain
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Basel (BSL)plane FRA - BSL
- Take the train from Mulhouse Ville to Besancon-Franche Comte Tgvtrain
7h 8m€196–432Fly Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport, train
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane DUS - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Mulhousetrain
- Take the train from Mulhouse Ville to Besancon-Franche Comte Tgvtrain
8h 4m€148–344Train to Cologne Bonn Airport, fly to Zurich Airport, train
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Koeln/Bonn Flughafentrain
- Fly from Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane CGN - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Mulhousetrain
- Take the train from Mulhouse Ville to Besancon-Franche Comte Tgvtrain
9h 11m€156–335Fly Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport, train
- Fly from Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) to Geneva International Airport (GVA)plane DUS - GVA
- Take the train from Genève-Aéroport to Lausannetrain
- Take the train from Lausanne to Frasnetrain
- Take the train from Frasne to Mouchardtrain
- Take the train from Mouchard to Besancon Viottetrain
9h 38m€161–377
Essen to Besançon by train
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Essen to Besançon is to bus which costs €55 - €90 and takes 11h 20m.
The fastest way to get from Essen to Besançon is to drive which takes 6h 19m and costs €90 - €140.
No, there is no direct bus from Essen station to Besançon. However, there are services departing from Essen central train station and arriving at Besançon via Dijon. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 11h 20m.
No, there is no direct train from Essen to Besançon. However, there are services departing from Essen Hbf and arriving at Besancon Viotte via Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof, Strasbourg and Besancon-Franche Comte Tgv. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 7h 43m.
The distance between Essen and Besançon is 705 km. The road distance is 573.1 km.
The best way to get from Essen to Besançon without a car is to train which takes 7h 43m and costs €120 - €240.
It takes approximately 7h 43m to get from Essen to Besançon, including transfers.
Essen to Besançon bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Essen central train station.
Essen to Besançon train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from Essen Hbf station.
The best way to get from Essen to Besançon is to train which takes 7h 43m and costs €120 - €240. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €55 - €90 and takes 11h 20m.
What companies run services between Essen, Germany and Besançon, France?
You can take a train from Essen Hbf to Besancon Viotte via Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof, Strasbourg Bahnhof, Strasbourg, and Besancon-Franche Comte Tgv in around 7h 43m. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Essen central train station to Besançon via Dijon in around 11h 20m.
- Website
- swiss.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Basel
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €80–190
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €70–260
Flights from Cologne Bonn Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €70–180
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- €90–260
Flights from Düsseldorf International Airport to Geneva International Airport via Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €90–260
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Essen Hbf to Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 59m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- €65–140
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Strasbourg Bahnhof
- Ave. Duration
- 43 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €15–30
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Essen Hbf to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 48m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €100–210
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Essen Hbf to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 46m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €45–90
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Essen Hbf to Koeln/Bonn Flughafen
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €19–40
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Essen central train station to Dijon
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 55m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €50–80
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Dijon to Besançon
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- €7–12
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Basel SBB to Besançon
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €13–21
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Basel SBB to Besançon
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €13–21
- Website
- Flixbus
Want to know more about travelling around France
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
5 delightfully under-the-radar French towns you need to visit
Read the travel guide
Heading to Europe? Read this before you buy a Eurail Pass
Read the travel guide
Train travel in France: A guide to SNCF
Read the travel guide
Booking & Getting There
Essen to Besançon bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Dijon station.
Essen to Besançon train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof station.
Yes, the driving distance between Essen to Besançon is 573 km. It takes approximately 6h 19m to drive from Essen to Besançon.
Book your Essen to Besançon train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Essen to Besançon bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
There are 509+ hotels available in Besançon.









