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Cost to drive from Brussels to Cologne

Driving from Brussels to Cologne covers 212 km (132 miles) and takes about 2h 26min without stops. At the latest average price in each country along the way, the fuel for the trip costs about €30 in a typical petrol car — here's the full breakdown for petrol, diesel and electric.

BrusselsCologne
212 km (132 miles)2h 26min driving

Country by country: where the petrol money goes

The 15 L a typical petrol car burns on this drive, priced where it is burned.

Belgium141 km · 9.9 L at €1.99/L€19.60
Germany71 km · 5 L at €2.18/L€10.86
Fuel for the whole drive€30

Tolls and vignettes: no motorway vignette or toll for cars on this route.

Petrol, diesel or electric — priced for your car

Pick the kind of car you drive and whether you are coming back. Prices are the average across every country on the route.

Price this trip
1 person
Petrol€30.54
7 L/100km · 14.8 L
Diesel€29.59
6 L/100km · 12.7 L
Electriccheapest€12.84
18 kWh/100km · 38.2 kWh

Driving Brussels → Cologne in a family car, electric costs €17.71 less than petrol — 58% of the bill.

Fuel needed
14.8 L
petrol
Tank fills
0.3
55 L tank
Per km
€0.144
fuel only
Per person
€30.54
1 traveller
Driving time
2h 26m
one way
CO₂
34 kg
tailpipe

Brussels vs Cologne: which end is cheaper?

The two ends of this route are priced by different markets, so where you fill up changes what the drive costs.

€1.99/LPetrol€2.18/L
Brussels cheaper by €0.19 · €10.45 on a 55 L fill
€2.35/LDiesel€2.27/L
Cologne cheaper by €0.08 · €4.67 on a 55 L fill
€0.33/kWhElectricity€0.35/kWh
Brussels cheaper by €0.02 · €1.40 on a 70 kWh charge
Fill up in Brussels. The 14.8 L this 212-km drive needs costs €2.82 less bought there — about 9% off the fuel bill, before you have driven a metre differently.
Official averages, week of 2026-10-19. Electricity is a typical domestic rate; public rapid charging costs two to three times more.

What if fuel prices move?

Booking this drive for later in the year? Pump prices swing with crude, season and tax changes — here is the same 212 km in a typical petrol car at four price levels.

If prices fall 10%€27€-3
At today's prices€30—
If prices rise 10%€34+€3
If prices rise 25%€38+€8
Exact cost for your car

Your car's mpg, tank and fuel level — plus tolls, route options and the cheapest stops.

Plan this trip →

How this cost is calculated

We take the real driving route between Brussels and Cologne (212 km) from OpenStreetMap routing, work out how far it runs in each country, and price the fuel a typical car burns in each one at that place's latest published average. The petrol figure assumes 7 L/100km · 34 MPG; diesel and EV use 6 L/100km · 39 MPG and 18 kWh/100km. Your real cost depends on your car, traffic, driving style and the stations you pick — use the trip planner for your exact numbers, or check prices on the Belgium fuel prices page.

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Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to drive from Brussels to Cologne?

The drive is 212 km (132 miles) and takes about 2h 26min without stops. Fuel costs roughly €30.46 in an average petrol car, €29.54 in a diesel, and €12.85 in an electric car, using the latest average price in each country along the way.

Which country has the cheapest petrol between Brussels and Cologne?

Belgium, at €1.99/L on average, against €2.18/L in Germany. On this route the difference makes little change to the total.

How far is it from Brussels to Cologne in miles and km?

About 132 miles or 212 kilometres by road — roughly 2h 26min of driving.

Is it cheaper to fill up in Brussels or Cologne?

Petrol is cheaper in Belgium (€1.99/L) than in Germany (€2.18/L), so fill up before you leave.

How many times will I need to fill up between Brussels and Cologne?

None on the way. The drive needs about 14.8 L of petrol and a typical 55 L tank covers roughly 786 km, so one full tank at the start does the whole trip.

Is it cheaper to drive or fly from Brussels to Cologne?

On fuel alone the drive costs about €30 one way, and that cost splits across everyone in the car — with €8 each for four people, which is where driving usually wins. Against that, the drive takes 2h 26min without stops, and a fair comparison also counts tolls, parking, wear and any overnight stay.

What will this trip cost if fuel prices change?

At today's prices the petrol is about €30. A 10% rise takes it to €34, a 25% rise to €38, and a 10% fall to €27. Prices here refresh as each source publishes, so this page always reflects the latest figures.

How do I get the exact cost for my car?

Set the vehicle type on this page for an instant estimate, or open the FuelWide trip planner with your car's fuel economy, tank size and how full it is — it prices the drive state by state and suggests where refuelling is cheaper (state averages in the US, individual forecourt prices where a country publishes them).

Driving distance via OSRM / OpenStreetMap. Fuel prices are the latest published averages for each country on the route (sources named on each price page); efficiency and electricity rates are typical estimates, and tolls are not included unless listed above. Your figure will vary — use the planner for an exact result.