The best way to get from Strasbourg to Colmar

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Many travellers to the Alsace Region in France make a trip from the capital Strasbourg to Colmar to visit one of the most picturesque towns known to man.

Not only is Colmar a beautiful place to look at, it is also a wine connoisseur’s playground and the food that is prepared to go with it is mouth-watering.

Why is Colmar unmissable?

Colmar is surrounded by some of the best vineyards in France. One of the most popular wines is the local Vin Alsace Gewurztraminer wine.

You can do a day trip on the Alsace Wine Route from Colmar. It is a great option and the best way to explore the vineyards.

Local producers are known for their artisan foods such as Alsatian Choucroute Garnie, Flamkusen, Chocolate and Ginger Bread are everywhere.

Many travellers come to see the district of the “Little Venice. It is one of the nicest neighbourhoods in Colmar and all of France for that matter. As you wander the colour filled streets you can hear the excitement from people visiting Colmar.

The merchants of the city lived and worked in this district, they called it home and what a beautiful home they made it.

houses on the canel in Strasbourg
La Petite France area of Strasbourg

The houses are of various bright and engaging colours, the house colours tell you what the inhabitants’ business was.

The blue houses are the fishmongers, the green ones the market gardeners, the white one’s the bakers, the yellow ones the cheese makers and the pink ones… the pink ones belong to the fancy ladies!

These colours helped shoppers identify where to do their Colmar shopping.

How to get from Strasbourg to Colmar

For many visiting Strasbourg France is the easiest way to access Colmar for a day trip or a longer stay. SCNF Trains from Paris terminate here, and flights from European destinations land at Strasbourg Airport.

You will find flights arriving from all corners of Europe, with direct services from 31 destinations such as Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Palermo, Athens, Brussels, Bucharest and London. Strasbourg Airport is 6.6 kilometres from the city centre.

Strasbourg to Colmar by organised tour

Some people much prefer the comfort and organisation of a tour. The easiness of getting on a bus with a tour guide, being told about the region, exploring nearby towns and being told when to get off the bus to see the sights.

As you see above, Get Your Guide offer a range of day tours from Strasbourg to Colmar and surrounds. These tours are ideal for people short on time looking to see a quick overview of all that’s available in the French Alsace Region. It’s recommend booking a tour departing from Strasbourg.

Strasbourg to Colmar by bus

Flix Bus who are the major bus line in Europe has a bus that stops in Colmar 6 times a day. The bus goes from Strasbourg to Colmar and beyond to destinations such as Zurich and Grenoble.

Eurolines France runs 6 buses a day between Strasbourg and Colmar making it easy to grab a Colmar ticket for the bus.

Both Flix bus and Eurolines have free Wi-Fi and toilets onboard. You will have a comfortable seat for your journey. The Strasbourg to Colmar bus is a brilliant way to see the Alsace countryside while relaxing and letting someone else do the driving.

How long is a bus trip to Colmar from Strasbourg?

The Colmar bus services from Strasbourg takes between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes. Flix bus and Eurolines depart from Strasbourg’s station at Place de l’Étoile and arrives at Colmar, Place de la Gare / Rue Georges Lasch.

The Colmar Bus stop is located about 1.24 km from the town centre, which is only a 15-minute walk.

How much is a bus ticket to Colmar from Strasbourg?

Bus ticket prices to Colmar from Strasbourg will depend on the type of ticket you purchase and the time that you plan to depart Strasbourg. If you are able to make your journey flexible this is a great way to be able to save money on your bus trip to Colmar.

Prices start at €3, when you buy tickets online.

From Strasbourg to Colmar by train

Grab a train ticket in Strasbourg and head to Colmar. The train from Strasbourg arrives at Colmar Train station. The station is located just on the edge of the old town tourism and shopping district, making it an easy walk into the centre of Colmar

Here are the directions from Colmar Train Station to Colmar Old Town:

You’ll start to see the charming streets, historic buildings, and landmarks that characterize Colmar’s Old Town as you walk along Avenue de la République.

train at the platform in France
Trains at a station in, France

You can walk from the Colmar train station to Little Venice Colmar in 10 minutes or at your own pace taking the beautiful town. A taxi will take you 2 to 3 minutes and cost you around 5-6 Euros.

How long does the Colmar from Strasbourg train take?

The 67-kilometre long train journey from Strasbourg to Colmar has a journey time of 30-35 minutes by train. Colmar train services leave Strasbourg Station (Gare de Strasbourg) which is the second-largest station in France.

If you’re coming from Germany Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland as well as other major cities in France to visit Colmar you will transit through Strasbourg Train Station to catch the Strasbourg to Colmar train

There is an average of 40 services a day between Strasbourg and Colmar both direct trains and with stops. The first train departs a little after 5 am, and the last train back to Strasbourg leaves just before midnight.

Train companies TER Trains, TGV Trains and TGV inOUI run trains on this line with the cheapest fares on the Strasbourg to Colmar train being around 5 euros.

Best places to stay in Colmar

In the beautiful city of Colmar you can see the Unterlinden Museum, Pfister house, la Petite Venise or eat a Tarte Flambée.

As with the vast majority of trains in Europe, there’s no need to check in for your French train ride. You can just walk into the station, scan the departure boards for the platform your train is leaving from.

Head to the platform, board the train and sit in your reserved or a free seat in the correct carriage class if your ticket is unreserved.

Best to have your tickets (or e-tickets) handy to show the conductor or inspector when asked


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How to get to Strasbourg Gare Centrale from the Strasbourg city centre:

From Strasbourg Gare Centrale Train Station you buy ticket from Strasbourg and catch a direct train to Colmar.

Strasbourg Gare Centrale is the main railway station for arrivals and departures in the city. It is located on the western part of Strasbourg, about 1 km away from the city centre.

Travel from Strasbourg on public transport, local trains & subway

Strasbourg Gare Centrale is connected to six tram lines A to F which travel through the city of Strasbourg. Public transport bus line 10 departs from Strasbourg Gare Centrale and drops you off in the city centre.

The taxi rank is next to the station’s southern entrance of Strasbourg’s Station provides easy access from the city centre and will cost around 10 – 15 euros. There is a shuttle train which runs between the Strasbourg airport and Strasbourg Gare Centrale railway station.

Gare colmar

How to buy train tickets from Strasbourg to Colmar

Nearly all trains in Europe can be booked through the country’s national railway site, for France, this is the SNCF. We always try and book our European trains using Omio, which makes everything easy and straight forward.

You often find the National Carrier’s website to be confusing and the language translations not quite right.

Omio has more than 800 trusted transport partners, including industry heavyweights Amtrak, Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, Trenitalia, Renfe, Via Rail Canada, Alsa, and Eurolines.

In general, the cheapest train tickets can easily be reserved a few months before you travel to help with your trip planning. Prices generally fluctuate between 5€ and 15€. For the budget traveller, the earlier you book the cheaper the ticket most times

Comparing all train times and prices between Strasbourg and Colmar is made simple by Omio’s fantastic booking service, which is totally secure with tickets booked in your home currency and language

Omio will send you a ticket confirmation and tickets that can be either printed out or shown via the mobile app for your European train journeys from Strasbourg to Colmar.

How to get to Colmar from Strasbourg by car

If you are arriving in Strasbourg by plane you can book and pick up a rental car at the airport for your journey to Colmar. This would be a brilliant way to see the areas that surround Colmar and Strasbourg.

The distance from Strasbourg to Colmar is 73.6 kilometres and the trip to Colmar takes will take you around 1 hour on the A35 Freeway.

The A35 is a toll-free road for cars and trucks. The A35 is a very busy freeway that connects Switzerland, France and Luxembourg through the Alsace region.

If you want a more leisurely drive you can use the back roads between Strasbourg and Colmar. This drive will take you through some of the most beautiful towns in France. The Alsace is well known for its fairytale villages. Our suggested back road map is below.


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Colmar Car Parking

There is plenty of car parking available in the Colmar City Centre. We recommend parking in the Place de la Mairie parking garage underneath the Monoprix grocery store.

Place de la Mairie is reasonably priced for the city centre parking location, with a WC for public use. A little out of the centre but in easy walking distance is the Parking Le Grillen. It is a free car and is 1.4-kilometre walk to the Little Venice Colmar area.

A little out of the centre but in easy walking distance is the Parking Le Grillen. It is a free car park and is 1.4 kilometres walk to the Little Venice Colmar area.

Rideshare and taxis to Colmar

New ways of travel such as Bla Bla Car are another option for travellers getting to Colmar from Strasbourg. Bla Bah Car gets a car full of people to split the costs of the trip.

What makes it different from Uber is that basically, you are catching a ride with a local who is going to your destination.

They are not just going there to drop you off. A journey to Colmar with Bla Bla Car can cost as little as 5 euro. Check Bla Bla Car at https://www.blablacar.co.uk/

Catching a Taxi is a very expensive option and should only be considered as the last resort. A taxi for the 73 kilometres journey will cost you 150 euro plus depending on traffic.

Best time to visit Colmar

It really will depend on what you want to see and get our of during your visit to Colmar.

Winter in Colmar

Many people flock to celebrate Christmas in Colmar. The Colmar Christmas market is world re-known for being one of the prettiest Christmas markets in the world. Even though the Colmar winter is cold you can still enjoy a magnificent meal at one of the Colmar restaurants or from one of the Christmas market stalls.

For many winter is the best time to visit Colmar for Christmas fun.

Spring in Colmar

There is nothing like wandering the streets of Colmar on a fresh spring day. There are flowers that decorate many of the streets in Colmar. You can also find a beautiful small square to sit in and have a glass of wine or a meal in the sun.

Autumn in Colmar

It is a season that is full of beauty in Colmar. The changing of the colours around the town will keep you wandering to explore Colmar thoroughly.

Summer in Colmar

Summer in Colmar is again one of the best times to visit Colmar. With all of the vines ripened and the views around are magnificent. But summer in Colmar can get hot as well. Make sure you are taking care and using the fine food to sit and get the most of your visit to Colmar.

We hope we have answered all of your how to get to Colmar questions and you are ready to book a day trip or a stay in this magnificent town. You will not be disappointed when you make the journey from Strasbourg to Colmar and see what a splendid town it is.

Colmar can be reached from major centres nearby. Travel to Colmar from Paris, Basel and Freiburg is very convenient. Colmar is a great day trip option from many nearby European cities.

We hope this article from us here at Wyld Family Travel has you inspired to visit France and the Alsace Region. There are so many things to do in and around Strasbourg and Colmar. For more amazing ideas on where to holiday in France click through to our France Destination Guide page for more brilliant inspiration.


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