There are 11 ways to get from Reading to Essen by train (Eurostar), bus, car, car train, train, plane, or car ferry
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 London
best- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Take the train from London St Pancras Intl to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Miditrain Eil
- Take the train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Essen Hbftrain
7h 35m€270–485Train to London Gatwick Airport, fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
cheapest- Take the train from Reading to Gatwick Airporttrain
- Fly from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane LGW - DUS
5h 34m€88–356Bus
- Take the bus from Reading RailAir to Heathrow Terminal 2bus Ra1
- Take the bus from London Victoria to Essen central train stationbus N380 / ...
15h 27m€90–129Drive, Eurotunnel
- Drive from Reading to Folkestonecar
- Take the cartrain from Folkestone to Calais-Fréthuncartrain
- Drive from Calais-Fréthun to Essencar
6h 32m€237–281Train to London Heathrow Airport, fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Take the train from Reading to Hayes And Harlington Stationtrain
- Fly from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane LHR - DUS
4h 53m€93–321Train
- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Take the train from London St. Pancras Int. to Brussel-Zuidtrain
- Take the train from Bruxelles Midi to Essen Hbftrain Tha
8h 7m€175–340Drive, car ferry
- Drive from Reading to Port of Dovercar
- Take the carferry from Port of Dover to Calaiscarferry
- Drive from Calais to Essencar
7h 41m€125–235Train to Birmingham Airport, fly to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Take the train from Reading to Birmingham Internationaltrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS)plane BHX - DUS
5h 22m€129–309Train to London Gatwick Airport, fly to Cologne Bonn Airport, train
- Take the train from Reading to Gatwick Airporttrain
- Fly from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)plane LGW - CGN
- Take the train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbftrain
6h 17m€99–293Train to London Stansted Airport, fly to Cologne Bonn Airport, train
- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Fly from London Stansted Airport (STN) to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)plane STN - CGN
- Take the train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbftrain
6h 22m€90–403Train to London City Airport, fly to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, train
- Take the train from Reading to London Paddingtontrain
- Fly from London City Airport (LCY) to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)plane LCY - AMS
- Take the train from Schiphol Airport Train Station to Arnhem Centraaltrain
- Take the train from Arnhem Centraal to Oberhausen Hbftrain
7h 3m€170–501
Reading to Essen by train and subway
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Reading to Essen is to bus which costs €90 - €130 and takes 15h 27m.
The fastest way to get from Reading to Essen is to train and fly which takes 4h 53m and costs €90 - €330.
No, there is no direct bus from Reading to Essen station. However, there are services departing from Reading RailAir and arriving at Essen central train station via Heathrow Central Bus Station and London Victoria. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 15h 27m.
No, there is no direct train from Reading to Essen. However, there are services departing from Reading and arriving at Essen Hbf via Paddington, London St Pancras Intl and Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 7h 35m.
The distance between Reading and Essen is 735 km.
The best way to get from Reading to Essen without a car is to train via London which takes 7h 35m and costs €270 - €490.
It takes approximately 7h 35m to get from Reading to Essen, including transfers.
Reading to Essen bus services, operated by RailAir, depart from Reading RailAir station.
Reading to Essen train services, operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), depart from Reading station.
The best way to get from Reading to Essen is to train via London which takes 7h 35m and costs €270 - €490. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs €90 - €130 and takes 15h 27m.
What companies run services between Reading, England and Essen, Germany?
You can take a train from Reading to Essen Hbf via London Paddington, Paddington, King's Cross St. Pancras station, London St Pancras Intl, and Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi in around 7h 35m. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Reading RailAir to Essen central train station via Heathrow Terminal 2, Heathrow Central Bus Station, London Victoria Coach Station Arrivals, and London Victoria in around 15h 27m.
- Website
- klm.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €45–310
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €40–270
Flights from London City Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €55–400
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from London Stansted Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €40–220
- Website
- britishairways.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–250
Flights from London City Airport to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €110–280
- Website
- eurowings.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–230
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €70–200
Flights from London Gatwick Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €65–180
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–230
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €120–550
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- €150–490
- Website
- airfrance.com
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport via Paris Charles de Gaulle
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €50–330
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from London Gatwick Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €55–310
- Website
- jet2.com
Flights from London Gatwick Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- €75–150
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from London Stansted Airport to Cologne Bonn Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- €40–220
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 7000 125
- [email protected]
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 27 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- €17–35
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Reading to Hayes And Harlington Station
- Ave. Duration
- 29 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €12–23
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 27 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- €17–35
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Reading to Gatwick Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €26–50
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Reading to Gatwick Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €26–50
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 27 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- €17–35
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 27 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- €17–35
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
- Phone
- 0343 222 1234
- Website
- Elizabeth Line (TfL)
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €30–65
- Website
- Elizabeth Line (TfL)
Train from Reading to Hayes And Harlington Station
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €22–45
- Website
- Elizabeth Line (TfL)
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €30–65
- Website
- Elizabeth Line (TfL)
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €30–65
- Website
- Elizabeth Line (TfL)
Train from Reading to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €30–65
- Website
- Elizabeth Line (TfL)
- Phone
- +44 (0)3432 186 186
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from London St Pancras Intl to Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 1m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €140–230
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Brussel-Zuid / Bruxelles-Midi to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 53m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €110–190
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Bruxelles Midi to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €110–190
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €30–55
- Website
- Eurostar
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €30–55
- Website
- Eurostar
- Phone
- +44 (0) 8443 35 35 35
- [email protected]
- Website
- LeShuttle
Car train from Folkestone to Calais-Fréthun
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €140
- Website
- LeShuttle
- Standard fare
- €140
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
Train from London St. Pancras Int. to Brussel-Zuid
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 1m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €40–80
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
Train from Schiphol Airport Train Station to Arnhem Centraal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €11–22
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
Train from Arnhem Centraal to Oberhausen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €10–20
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
- Phone
- +44 3447 369 123
- [email protected]
- Website
- Cross Country
Train from Reading to Birmingham International
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 24m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €45–70
- Website
- Cross Country
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €14–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €14–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Arnhem Centraal to Oberhausen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €15–35
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +49 221 13 999 444
- Website
- National Express
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Schedules at
- National Express
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Schedules at
- National Express
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €6–10
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
Train from Koeln Hbf to Essen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €6–10
- Website
- FlixTrain GmbH
- Phone
- +49 6078 966930
- [email protected]
- Website
- VIAS Rail GmbH
Train from Arnhem Centraal to Oberhausen Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 22m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €31
- Schedules at
- VIAS Rail GmbH
- Phone
- +44 345 646 0707
- Website
- RailAir
Bus from Reading RailAir to Heathrow Terminal 2
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- €30–40
- Website
- RailAir
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from London Victoria to Essen central train station
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 15m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- €55–85
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +353 818 300 400
- [email protected]
- Website
- Irish Ferries
Car ferry from Port of Dover to Calais
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €30–90
- Website
- Irish Ferries
Want to know more about travelling around Germany
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Booking & Getting There
Reading to Essen bus services, operated by RailAir, arrive at Heathrow Terminal 2 station.
Essen is 1h ahead of Reading. It is currently 7:48 PM in Reading and 8:48 PM in Essen.
Reading to Essen train services, operated by Great Western Railway (GWR), arrive at London Paddington station.
Book your Reading to Essen train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Reading to Essen bus tickets online with Omio.
There are 2790+ hotels available in Essen.

















































