How to Get to Colmar by Train, Plane and Car

The train is the natural way to reach Colmar. The town sits on the Strasbourg–Basel line, has direct TGVs from Paris, and even from the nearest airports the easiest public-transport route runs by rail, with a single change. You don't need a car for Colmar itself. It becomes useful once you start exploring the surrounding area: wine villages, vineyards, castles.

Colmar isn't fond of cars anyway. The old town is largely pedestrian, and from the station you simply walk in. That's where the visit really begins. If you want that walk to be about more than pretty façades, our audio guide to the old town gives you a ready-made route: 27 stops, about an hour and a half, no group and no meeting point.

Everything else about the town is in our complete guide to Colmar.

At a glance

From	How	Journey	Changes
Strasbourg	TER or TGV train	About 30 minutes, from €6	Direct trains from early morning to late evening
Paris	TGV from Gare de l'Est	About 2.5 hours	Direct trains available; some services change in Strasbourg
Basel	TER train	About 45 minutes	Direct
Basel-Mulhouse airport (EuroAirport)	Bus 11 to Saint-Louis, then train	Bus 11, then a direct TER	One
Strasbourg airport	Train to Strasbourg station, then train	Shuttle train to the station, then as from Strasbourg	One
By car	A35 motorway	Depends on where you start	—

By train

Colmar station sits on Alsace's main railway line. That makes the town easy to reach from several directions.

From Strasbourg. The easy one. Regional TER trains run from early morning to late evening, and some TGVs stop in Colmar too. On a journey this short you'll barely notice the difference: just take whichever suits your timing.

From Paris. Trains leave from Gare de l'Est. There are direct TGVs to Colmar; many other options involve a change in Strasbourg. It's worth looking for a direct one — the journey is easier without a change, especially with luggage.

From Basel. Direct TER trains run from Basel SBB via Mulhouse. Handy if you've flown into Basel or are coming from Switzerland.

From Lyon there are TGVs on the Rhine–Rhône line, including some direct services; the fastest take just over three hours.

Timetables and tickets — SNCF

By plane

Colmar-Houssen airport has no scheduled passenger flights. The two practical airports for a trip to Colmar are EuroAirport and Strasbourg-Entzheim.

Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (EuroAirport). The key thing to know: there's no train station at the airport.

• Take bus 11 to Saint-Louis station. Buy your ticket from the driver or by SMS.
• At Saint-Louis, change to a direct train to Colmar.
• Alternatively, bus 50 runs to Basel SBB station, with trains to Colmar from there (see above).

Strasbourg-Entzheim. A shuttle train runs from the airport to Strasbourg station — up to five an hour, about eight minutes. A covered walkway takes you to the platform. At Strasbourg station, change for Colmar.

By car

Colmar lies just off the A35, which runs north–south through Alsace. Getting here is easy. The trouble starts in town: the centre is largely pedestrian, and during the Christmas markets cars are kept out of the centre while the markets are open.

Where to leave the car, what it costs and what changes in December — see our guide to parking in Colmar.

From the station to the old town

The station is on the western edge of the centre. The old town is roughly a 15-minute walk away.

If you'd rather not walk, there's the free electric Cœur de Ville shuttle. It runs every 20 minutes, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm, and stops at the station; no ticket needed.

Luggage. If you're here for the day and don't want to drag your bags around, there are left-luggage options in town. Closest to the station is Vélodocteurs, 9 place de la Gare, which also rents bikes. The other two are La Conciergerie (10 rue de la Porte Neuve) and the Locker Center self-service lockers (8 rue de la Grenouillère).

Do you need a car once you're here?

Not for Colmar itself. The old town's main sights are easy to cover on foot, and parking there is more hassle than it's worth.

The surrounding area is another matter. Some villages are reachable by train or bus, and in December there are Christmas shuttles. But visiting several wine villages in a single day is harder without a car. More on that here:

• Christmas markets in the villages;
• villages near Colmar;
• the Alsace Wine Route.

Common mistakes

Looking for a train at Basel airport. There isn't a station. Take a bus first: 11 to Saint-Louis or 50 to Basel.

Heading to the wrong Paris station. Trains to Colmar leave from Gare de l'Est.

Driving into the old town. The centre is largely pedestrian, and during the Christmas markets cars are kept out while the markets are open. Park on the edge of the centre.

Dragging a suitcase over cobblestones all day. There's left-luggage right by the station.

FAQ

Continue exploring

• Complete guide to Colmar — everything to know before you go.
• Parking in Colmar — if you're driving after all.
• Where to stay in Colmar — by the station, in the centre or out of town.
• Colmar Christmas markets — if you're coming in December.
• All guides

Before you set off

Colmar is easy to reach without a car: a direct train from Strasbourg, Paris or Basel, or one change from EuroAirport or Strasbourg airport. Once you're there, the old town is easy to explore on foot. Station, fifteen minutes on foot, and you're in the old town.

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