There are 5 ways to get from Essen to Leuven by train (Eurostar), bus, car, 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 via Liège
best- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Liège, Guillemins Bftrain Tha
- Take the train from Liège-Guillemins to Louvaintrain Ic / ...
2h 47m€45–151Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Essen central train station to Brussels-North train stationbus N380 / ...
- Take the bus from Brussel Noord opstaphalte to Leuven Wijnpersbus R81 / ...
4h 50m€21–32Drive 200 km
- Drive from Essen to Leuvencar 200 km
2h 16m€31–45Train
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbftrain 43 / ...
- Take the train from Köln Hbf to Leuventrain 79
3h 28m€36–215Train via Kerkrade
- Take the train from Essen Hbf to Herzogenrath, Bftrain
- Take the train from Herzogenrath to Liège-Guilleminstrain S43 / ...
- Take the train from Liège-Guillemins to Louvaintrain Ic / ...
4h 18m€43–166
Essen to Leuven by train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Essen to Leuven is to bus which costs €20 - €35 and takes 4h 50m.
The fastest way to get from Essen to Leuven is to drive which takes 2h 16m and costs €30 - €45.
No, there is no direct bus from Essen station to Leuven. However, there are services departing from Essen central train station and arriving at Leuven Wijnpers via Brussel Noord opstaphalte. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4h 50m.
No, there is no direct train from Essen to Leuven. However, there are services departing from Essen Hbf and arriving at Louvain via Liège-Guillemins. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2h 47m.
The distance between Essen and Leuven is 270 km. The road distance is 200 km.
The best way to get from Essen to Leuven without a car is to train via Liège which takes 2h 47m and costs €45 - €160.
It takes approximately 2h 47m to get from Essen to Leuven, including transfers.
Essen to Leuven bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Essen central train station.
Essen to Leuven train services, operated by Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF), depart from Essen Hbf station.
The best way to get from Essen to Leuven is to train via Liège which takes 2h 47m and costs €45 - €160. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €20 - €35 and takes 4h 50m.
What companies run services between Essen, Germany and Leuven, Belgium?
You can take a train from Essen Hbf to Louvain via Liège-Guillemins in around 2h 47m. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Essen central train station to Leuven Wijnpers via Brussels-North train station and Brussel Noord opstaphalte in around 4h 50m.
- Phone
- +33 1 84 94 36 35
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
Train from Essen Hbf to Liège, Guillemins Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 5m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €30–70
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €13–28
- Website
- Oui.SNCF
- Phone
- +44 (0)3432 186 186
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Essen Hbf to Liège, Guillemins Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €55–100
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €23–40
- Website
- Eurostar
- Phone
- +32 70 79 79 79
- Website
- Belgian Railways
Train from Liège-Guillemins to Louvain
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €12–25
- Website
- Belgian Railways
Train from Herzogenrath to Liège-Guillemins
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–23
- Website
- Belgian Railways
Train from Liège-Guillemins to Louvain
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €12–25
- Website
- Belgian Railways
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Liège-Guillemins to Louvain
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €12–55
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €15–65
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Köln Hbf to Leuven
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- €30–150
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Essen Hbf to Herzogenrath, Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 22m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- €20–90
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Liège-Guillemins to Louvain
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €12–55
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +49 221 13 999 444
- Website
- National Express
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Schedules at
- National Express
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Train from Essen Hbf to Köln Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- €6–9
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Essen Hbf to Herzogenrath, Bf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 53m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €27–50
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
- Phone
- 0800-0232 545
- Website
- Arriva NL
Train from Herzogenrath to Liège-Guillemins
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 19m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–17
- Website
- Arriva NL
- Second Class Single
- €11–17
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Essen central train station to Brussels-North train station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €17–29
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +32 70 22 02 00
- Website
- De Lijn
Bus from Brussel Noord opstaphalte to Leuven Wijnpers
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 7m
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- €3
- Website
- De Lijn
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More Questions & Answers
Essen to Leuven bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Brussels-North train station.
Essen to Leuven train services, operated by Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF), arrive at Liège, Guillemins Bf station.
Yes, the driving distance between Essen to Leuven is 200 km. It takes approximately 2h 16m to drive from Essen to Leuven.
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