Airport hub · CGN · Last reviewed 2 May 2026
Cologne Bonn Airport CGN: the complete layover guide
Two terminals side by side, two Priority Pass lounges, free wifi with no time limit, and a cathedral 15 minutes away by S Bahn. Cologne Bonn is one of the few German airports that never closes, and one of the easiest to use.
Layover verdict One of the most relaxed layovers in Germany. The airport is compact, both terminals share one landside walkway, and Köln Hbf is about 15 minutes away by S Bahn with Cologne Cathedral standing right outside the station exit, so anything over 4 hours buys you the city.
Best lounge play The Lounge in the Terminal 1 C pier takes Priority Pass and opens 05:00 to 22:00. A second Priority Pass lounge sits opposite gate D50 in the Terminal 2 non Schengen zone, so check which terminal and zone your flight uses before counting on either.
The one thing to know Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 share no airside link. Eurowings and most network carriers use Terminal 1, Ryanair uses Terminal 2, and any connection across the two means exiting, a few minutes of covered walkway, and a fresh security queue.
Quick facts
Cologne Bonn at a glance
| Terminals | 2, standing side by side: Terminal 1 (piers B and C, Eurowings and network carriers) and Terminal 2 (D gates, Ryanair and other low cost operators) |
| Airside transit between terminals | No. Each terminal runs its own security; switching means a landside walk of a few minutes along a covered walkway |
| Free wifi | Yes, on the AIRPORT FREE WIFI network, with no time limit and a simple one time registration |
| Sleep friendliness | Fair. Terminals stay open 24 hours and benches without armrests exist, but there are no rest zones and lights stay bright |
| Lounge count | 2: The Lounge in the Terminal 1 C pier and The Lounge in the Terminal 2 non Schengen area, both on Priority Pass |
| Nearest in terminal hotel | None inside the terminals. The Moxy Cologne Bonn Airport is a short walk from Terminal 1; the Leonardo Hotel is about 7 minutes on foot with a free shuttle |
Orientation
How Cologne Bonn airport works
Cologne Bonn Airport, officially named after Konrad Adenauer, sits in forest about 15 km southeast of Cologne city center, with Bonn a similar distance to the south. It is a Eurowings base, a busy Ryanair station, and one of Europe's biggest cargo hubs, with UPS and FedEx freighters keeping the runways busy through the night.
Passenger traffic splits across two terminals that stand next to each other. Terminal 1 is the older building, a central hall with piers B and C reaching out from it; Eurowings and most network carriers check in here. Terminal 2 opened in 2000, a rectangular glass and steel structure holding the D gates, and handles Ryanair plus a rotating cast of low cost and leisure operators. A covered landside walkway connects the two, and the walk takes a few minutes; allow 10 with bags. There is no airside link, so changing terminals always means a fresh trip through security.
What sets CGN apart in Germany is the clock. The airport holds a night flight permit with no end date, and the noise protection rules that frame it run to 2030, with the airport applying to extend them indefinitely. In practice, passenger flights depart and arrive through the night here, something Frankfurt and most other German airports forbid, and the terminals never close. The small hours holiday departures that other German cities cannot offer mostly live at CGN.
Getting into Cologne is fast and cheap. The S19 S Bahn leaves from the rail station under Terminal 1, reaches Köln Hbf in about 15 minutes, and runs every 20 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends and holidays. A single VRS ticket costs 3.50 euro from the machines or the DB and VRS apps. The payoff at the other end is unusually good: Cologne Cathedral stands directly outside the main station exit, so even a 4 hour layover can include one of Europe's great gothic buildings.
Bonn has no direct rail link from the airport. The Airport Express bus SB60 leaves from outside Terminal 1 and reaches Bonn Hbf in about 30 minutes, running every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 30 to 60 minutes on weekends.
Wifi is free and unlimited across both terminals on the AIRPORT FREE WIFI network. A one time registration page asks for a name and nothing more, with no SMS code and no data cap, which puts CGN ahead of plenty of larger airports.
Terminal by terminal
What each terminal gives you
Terminal 1, the Eurowings terminal
Terminal 1 is the main event. Eurowings bases aircraft here and most network carriers join it, so the building handles the bulk of CGN's passengers. The 1970s original gives you a central hall with piers B and C radiating from it, both fitted with jet bridges. Airside you get a duty free run, cafes and bakeries, and the better of the airport's two lounges: The Lounge in the C pier, open 05:00 to 22:00 daily, with Priority Pass access and a 4 hour maximum stay. The rail station sits below the terminal and the Moxy hotel stands a short walk from the doors, which makes Terminal 1 the right end of the airport to base yourself during a long wait, even if you eventually fly from Terminal 2.
Terminal 2, the low cost box
Terminal 2 is a glass rectangle from 2000 built around the D gates, and Ryanair dominates it. The front section handles Schengen departures, while non Schengen flights board from the rear part behind passport control, and that is where the second lounge hides, opposite gate D50. The Lounge in Terminal 2 runs 06:00 to 21:00 on weekdays with shorter weekend hours, listed around 06:00 to 20:00, takes Priority Pass, and sells entry at the door for 35 euro for up to 4 hours. The catch is obvious: fly Schengen from Terminal 2 and you cannot reach it. Food and shopping here are thinner than in Terminal 1, so eat before security or walk over to the bigger building first.
Getting between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2
Every transfer happens landside. The covered walkway between the buildings takes a few minutes on foot, and there is no airside corridor, so a connection that switches terminals means leaving your arrival terminal, walking across, and clearing security again from zero. Queues at CGN are usually manageable outside the early morning leisure wave, but give yourself at least 60 to 90 minutes for any cross terminal connection, more if you have checked bags to collect and drop again.
After dark
Overnight at CGN
The terminals stay open all night and staff tolerate sleepers with a ticket, so keep your boarding pass within reach because they do check. Comfort is another matter. There are no rest zones, capsule hotels or sleep pods, which leaves you working with benches without armrests and the odd sofa, under lights that never dim and announcements that never quite stop. Travelers report the buildings run cold at night; pack a layer.
The practical alternative is a bed. The Moxy Cologne Bonn Airport sits a short walk from Terminal 1, close enough to make a 05:00 check in painless, and the Leonardo Hotel is about 7 minutes away on foot with a free shuttle if you would rather ride. Landside, a handful of food and drink options run 24 hours in both terminals, along with ATMs and a petrol station shop, so an overnight wait never leaves you without coffee.
Your layover, planned
The CGN guides
Cologne Bonn layover guide, hour by hour
What 2, 4 and 8 hours actually buy you at CGN, including whether the cathedral run into the city is realistic. With a 15 minute S Bahn ride, it usually is.
Check lounge access for CGN
Cologne Bonn has two Priority Pass lounges, one in each terminal, and both sell entry at the door, so you do not need status or a business class ticket to use them. Compare your access options, prices and hours before you fly.
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FAQ
Cologne Bonn layover questions
Is Cologne Bonn Airport open 24 hours?
Yes. CGN holds a night flight permit with no end date, which makes it one of the very few German airports with departures and arrivals through the night. The terminals stay open around the clock, and a handful of food outlets, ATMs and a petrol station shop run 24 hours. Expect the airport to feel quiet but never closed in the small hours.
Can I sleep overnight at Cologne Bonn Airport?
You can stay in the terminals overnight, and staff may ask to see a ticket, so keep your boarding pass handy. There are no rest zones or sleep pods, but benches without armrests and a few sofas are scattered through both terminals. Lights stay bright and announcements continue, so bring an eye mask. For a real bed, the Moxy Cologne Bonn Airport is a short walk from Terminal 1.
Does Cologne Bonn Airport have a Priority Pass lounge?
Yes, two. The Lounge in the Terminal 1 C pier opens 05:00 to 22:00 with a 4 hour maximum stay. The Lounge in Terminal 2 sits opposite gate D50 in the non Schengen area after passport control and runs 06:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and about 06:00 to 20:00 on weekends. Both also sell entry at the door, 35 euro for up to 4 hours in Terminal 2.
How do I get from Cologne Bonn Airport to the city center?
Take the S19 S Bahn from the station under Terminal 1. It reaches Köln Hbf in about 15 minutes, runs every 20 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends, and a single VRS ticket costs 3.50 euro. The cathedral stands directly outside the main station exit, which makes a short city run realistic on a 4 hour layover.
Can I walk between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at CGN?
Yes. The terminals stand next to each other and are linked landside by a covered walkway, so the walk takes a few minutes; allow 10 with bags. There is no airside connection, so changing terminals always means passing security again, and each terminal runs its own check in and security.
Is there a hotel inside Cologne Bonn Airport?
Not inside the terminals. The closest beds are the Moxy Cologne Bonn Airport, a short walk from Terminal 1, and the Leonardo Hotel, about 7 minutes away on foot with a free shuttle. Both work well for the very early departures that CGN's night flight permit makes possible.
Nearby
Related airports
Dusseldorf Airport (DUS)
The biggest airport in North Rhine Westphalia and the long haul alternative, about an hour from Cologne by direct train. Bigger lounges, bigger queues.
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Germany's mega hub and the Lufthansa mothership, under an hour from Köln Hbf by high speed train. A different planet in scale; read the guide before any tight connection there.
Hanover Airport (HAJ)
Another midsize German airport with a similar low cost mix and its own S Bahn link into the city. Calm, quick, and easy to read.
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