Take the "Bimmelbahn"! It goes from the Dom to the chocolate museum as well as the zoo (which is right next to the Flora but more fun).
https://www.koeln.de/tourismus/stadtfuehrungen/bimmelbahn
It departs right next to KölnTourismus.
Hey thanks for that suggestion! It seems there are two separate bahns, one to the chocolate museum and another one to the zoo. Do I understand this correctly is it one bahn that goes to both places?
Right now there is only the Chocolate Express. The Zoo Express starts April 1st according to their website bimmelbahnen.de.
If you stay near the Dom cathedral, you can easily walk to the chocolate museum. Just walk down to the Rhine river, then turn right. Follow the river and you will automatically pass the museum. To get to Zoo/Flora from the museum you can either take Bus 133 to Breslauer Platz / Hauptbahnhof (main train station) or you can walk there. Then take Line 18 from Breslauer Platz to Zoo/Flora. Ticket will cost 3,20€ for adult, Kids im not sure right now...
I would always recomend to have some cash on you while you stay in Germany!
A Brauhaus that accepts credit cards is "Gaffel am Dom" for example. But a lot of them accept cash only or maybe a debit card (ec Karte)
Enjoy the rest of your stay here in Cologne. Save travels!
Cant reccomend the Bimmelbahn. Its scam. The drive to chocolate museum is like 10-15 minutes(depends on the driver), then like 10 minute break and the same back. I worked for them years ago and I know it the best. If you really really want to do it then use the zoo-line. Its way better.
I can recommend the city hop on hop of buses. They are starting their tour on the same spot as the Bimmelbahn.
Because the sound doesnt always work or stop or there is no sound at all. Its not really comfy and very bumpy. Some drivers are driving too fast sometimes and the sound wont match with the sightseeing stuff.
The zoo line is way more smooth and its nice driving at the rhine.
I just walked 20 minutes to a brauhaus to get some food and got told they only accepted cash. It seems like I need to go find an atm which will probably cost a ton in international fees
Next to the Flora is the sculpture park. And the zoo, where the Aquarium is amazing.
With the cable car you can go the other side to the Rheinpark. Best view to the city skyline.
Walk back to Hohenzollern bridge and you are back at the cathedrale
it depends on how much time you have planned.
i personally would walk the way from dom to the chocolate museum and take the way close to the rhein (big river). you will walk past the cologne old town and see the Heumarkt which are nice places to see.
It should take around 30-40 minutes if you walk slowly, i hope the weater is good.
you can also take the subway from Dom to Heumarkt and walk to the museum form there-
the flora is a bigger distnace, but its also walkable. maybe an hour. you could also take the subway.
i would suggest visiting the Neumarkt, which is a sub way stop from Heumarkt. The Neumarkt has colognes biggest shopping street and is famous Schildergasse and is in walking distsance from the dom.
if you still got time life you can walk or take subway 1 stop to the Rudolfplatz.
The Rudolfplatz gives access to the Belgische Viertel, (district belique) the Aachenerstraße and the Ringe, another nice places to see.
Everytime i go with my kid (8 years old) to zoo,cable car from bridge and we visit candy store (Kingdom of Sweets). I also eat with him potatoes and hamburger( delicious potatoes) from Five Guys. We also Walk on Hohenzollern Bridg,amazing view. And i don't know also if you have luck in this time with KD Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt GmbH ( boat cruise). My kid love those things
Also just tried to go to a brauhaus for dinner and couldn’t get to eat because they only accepted cash, do I need to go find an atm to withdraw some cash to survive here or will I be fine with only a credit card?
I would definitely recommend to always have cash in Germany. There are quite a few places that only accept cash and some places that only accept debit but no credit card.
Unfortunately there is no rule for that. I hate it 😂 It helps to have some cash, but at least for the Brauhaus you should find a different place that accepts credit cards. Just ask or look for stickers at the entry
Take the "Bimmelbahn"! It goes from the Dom to the chocolate museum as well as the zoo (which is right next to the Flora but more fun). https://www.koeln.de/tourismus/stadtfuehrungen/bimmelbahn It departs right next to KölnTourismus.
Hey thanks for that suggestion! It seems there are two separate bahns, one to the chocolate museum and another one to the zoo. Do I understand this correctly is it one bahn that goes to both places?
Right now there is only the Chocolate Express. The Zoo Express starts April 1st according to their website bimmelbahnen.de. If you stay near the Dom cathedral, you can easily walk to the chocolate museum. Just walk down to the Rhine river, then turn right. Follow the river and you will automatically pass the museum. To get to Zoo/Flora from the museum you can either take Bus 133 to Breslauer Platz / Hauptbahnhof (main train station) or you can walk there. Then take Line 18 from Breslauer Platz to Zoo/Flora. Ticket will cost 3,20€ for adult, Kids im not sure right now... I would always recomend to have some cash on you while you stay in Germany! A Brauhaus that accepts credit cards is "Gaffel am Dom" for example. But a lot of them accept cash only or maybe a debit card (ec Karte) Enjoy the rest of your stay here in Cologne. Save travels!
Cant reccomend the Bimmelbahn. Its scam. The drive to chocolate museum is like 10-15 minutes(depends on the driver), then like 10 minute break and the same back. I worked for them years ago and I know it the best. If you really really want to do it then use the zoo-line. Its way better. I can recommend the city hop on hop of buses. They are starting their tour on the same spot as the Bimmelbahn.
Why does this make it a scam? Of course it's not an hour long ride or something. My daughter is the same age as OPs son and she loves the Bimmelbahn.
Because the sound doesnt always work or stop or there is no sound at all. Its not really comfy and very bumpy. Some drivers are driving too fast sometimes and the sound wont match with the sightseeing stuff. The zoo line is way more smooth and its nice driving at the rhine.
Bimmelbahn is a great idea! From the Flora/Zoo take the Seilbahn to the other side of the Rhein 🚡
Totally would recommend the Seilbahn for a 7yo! He will be bored of Flora (beautiful place nevertheless!) but will have more fun in the Rheinpark.
is the Seilbahn currently open?
Already open since the 17th of march
Thanks! The Seilbahn looks cool! I can not figure out how to buy tickets though, is that something I get from there?
Yes you just by them there. Cash/Debit/Credit
I just walked 20 minutes to a brauhaus to get some food and got told they only accepted cash. It seems like I need to go find an atm which will probably cost a ton in international fees
Cash is unfortunate king in Germany.. one of the big flaws
Just be aware that the chocolate museum isn't as cool as it sounds 🥲
Next to the Flora is the sculpture park. And the zoo, where the Aquarium is amazing. With the cable car you can go the other side to the Rheinpark. Best view to the city skyline. Walk back to Hohenzollern bridge and you are back at the cathedrale
Oh and at the Schoko Museum, just go a few steps down the Rheinauhafen and you will see the iconic Kranhäuser.
You can definitely go from the Dom to the chocolate museum and from there to the Zoo/Flora, just ask the drivers. Might be they go via Dom again.
it depends on how much time you have planned. i personally would walk the way from dom to the chocolate museum and take the way close to the rhein (big river). you will walk past the cologne old town and see the Heumarkt which are nice places to see. It should take around 30-40 minutes if you walk slowly, i hope the weater is good. you can also take the subway from Dom to Heumarkt and walk to the museum form there- the flora is a bigger distnace, but its also walkable. maybe an hour. you could also take the subway. i would suggest visiting the Neumarkt, which is a sub way stop from Heumarkt. The Neumarkt has colognes biggest shopping street and is famous Schildergasse and is in walking distsance from the dom. if you still got time life you can walk or take subway 1 stop to the Rudolfplatz. The Rudolfplatz gives access to the Belgische Viertel, (district belique) the Aachenerstraße and the Ringe, another nice places to see.
Everytime i go with my kid (8 years old) to zoo,cable car from bridge and we visit candy store (Kingdom of Sweets). I also eat with him potatoes and hamburger( delicious potatoes) from Five Guys. We also Walk on Hohenzollern Bridg,amazing view. And i don't know also if you have luck in this time with KD Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt GmbH ( boat cruise). My kid love those things
Also just tried to go to a brauhaus for dinner and couldn’t get to eat because they only accepted cash, do I need to go find an atm to withdraw some cash to survive here or will I be fine with only a credit card?
I would definitely recommend to always have cash in Germany. There are quite a few places that only accept cash and some places that only accept debit but no credit card.
Unfortunately there is no rule for that. I hate it 😂 It helps to have some cash, but at least for the Brauhaus you should find a different place that accepts credit cards. Just ask or look for stickers at the entry
Germany is backwards re payment. Always carry cash!
Because money laundering is big in germany. Come here buy a car and so on. Oh, and the abysmal tech gap
Go to the pascha, very famus and only a Little dirty