Is Cologne Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Cologne is generally a safe city for solo female travelers. There is a low crime rate and the residents are friendly and open-minded. Public transportation is safe and efficient, even during evenings. There are also plenty of open areas and popular sites to visit where there are always other people around. However, like any big city, there might be pickpocketing and it is advised to stay alert especially in crowded places and during famous events like the Carnaval. Always keep an eye on your belongings.

Safety rating

4.6 /5

Based on 6 experiences

4.5 /5

Based on research and crime data

Safety overview

Safety at night:Safe

Cologne is generally a safe city, even at night. As with any urban areas, it is advised to stay in well-lit and populated areas. There may be some areas where extra caution should be exercised, but crime rate is relatively low. Public transportation is reliable and secure too. Being mindful of your surroundings and personal belongings would further ensure your safety.

Public transportation: Safe

Public transportation in Cologne, is generally reliable and safe. The city has an efficient network of trams, buses and trains operated by KVB (Kölner Verkehrsbetriebe) that run regularly, even during the night. Security personnel are often visible and emergency protocols are robust. However, like anywhere, you should remain vigilant, especially late in the evening. Avoid empty compartments and always keep your belongings close.

Street harassment: Low

Cologne is generally considered a safe city for solo female travelers. Street harassment is not a widespread issue and instances of this are relatively low. It is heavily populated with a diverse mix of people, including many international students and tourists. Furthermore, most of the locals maintain a respectful demeanor. However, like everywhere, it's always advised to stay cautious and aware of your surroundings, especially during the night and in less crowded areas.

Petty crimes:Low

Cologne has an overall low risk for petty crimes such as pickpocketing and purse snatching. Main hotspots are the more touristy areas and public transportation where crimes of opportunity have a slightly higher chance of occurring. However, by remaining vigilant and keeping personal belongings secure, you can significantly reduce your risk.

Tap water:Very safe

In Cologne, the tap water is considered extremely safe to drink. The country upholds strict standards for water filtration and quality checks, resulting in excellent and reliable water directly from the tap. The quality and safety standards are so high that bottled water is often considered unnecessary.

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Travel experiences

Overall rating

4.3 /5

based on 6 experiences

Rating summary

Things to do

4.3/5

Safety

4.6/5

Food

4.3/5

Budget-friendly

2.8/5

Solo travel experience

Köln is a really beautiful place to visit, very safe for solo traveling in my experience and most Germans know at least a little English. There is a nearby city, Aachen, that's worth visiting as well.

Posted: November 2, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
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Group travel experience

I stayed at 25 Hours Hotel The Circle, was amazing! Definitely recommend visiting the cathedral Köln Dom - you can go to the top (we didn’t as we were there over new year and I misread the opening times for the tower oops) go see the kranhäuser along the river (crane houses) really cool buildings, Kölntriangle gives you stunning views across the city and if you walk over the Hohenzollern bridge to get there then you’ve ticked off another landmark too. Also worth mentioning that Köln isn’t too far from Bonn or Düsseldorf by train so worth visiting if you can to see a bit more.

Posted: October 27, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 4/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

Go to the Lindt chocolate museum in Cologne, and hop over to Bonn to visit Beethoven’s house! Definitely recommend popping into the Kölner Dom.

Posted: October 19, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 3/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

I had a great time visiting but the city was a lot less charming than I thought it would be (that's not to say parts of it aren't charming!). There are so many ugly, out of place infill buildings that I assume are the result of all the buildings lost in WWII. I can't help but wonder how much character was lost and what it would look like today had it not been bombed so heavily. It wasn't until I left and reflected on the visit that I appreciated the city more. I would definitely go back for the Kolsch though, a highlight of the visit!

Posted: August 31, 2022
Things to do: 4/5Food: 4/5Budget-friendly: 4/5Safety: 5/5
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Solo travel experience

The Cologne Cathedral is incredible and worth a visit. Stop at any of the open air markets/bar and have a Kolsch (traditional Cologne style beer). The Paulner Tavern is excellent for dinner. Get Schnitzel!!!! Enjoy it, Germany is the best.

Posted: June 21, 2022
Things to do: 5/5Food: 5/5Budget-friendly: 4/5Safety: 5/5
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Local experiences

I recommend the chocolate museum and the Dom (cathedral, must see). It's worth going in the treasury, even if it might seem a bit expensive when you're there. Definitely see the Hohenzollern bridge and riverside with the colorful houses. Then walk to Alter Markt (old market) and see the city hall building and the St Martin church. If you like art, I highly recommend the Ludwig museum.

Posted: November 27, 2022
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Meet locals in Cologne

Pau

Pau

Speaking

About Me

hiii I’m pau, 18 y/o and I really enjoy just being on the road (or better: on the train) visiting different cultures and landscapes. I am fascinated by different lifestyles and people, which is why I love the opportunity of this app to meet new people (safely!). I really enjoy creative stuff, music (playing instruments) and when it comes to sports, I love hiking and climbing. ok, so much about myself :)

Countries I’ve Visited

🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇸🇰 Slovakia, 🇵🇹 Portugal

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Lara

Lara

Speaking

About Me

Heyy my name is Lara and I am 21 years old. I study in cologne but am currently doing am Erasmussemester in Neapel. I love traveling, connecting with new people and new cultures and in general learning more about life :)

Countries I’ve Visited

🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇻🇦 Vatican City, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇪🇸 Spain

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Tilly

Tilly

Speaking

About Me

Hi, My name is Tilly and I'm interested in backpacking, architecture, animals, art, culture, cinema, fashion, events & social, food & cuisine, health, hiking, nightlife, photography, running, shopping, sightseeing, solo travel, sunbathing and swimming

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇹 Austria, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇨🇳 China, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇭🇰 Hong Kong, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇹🇳 Tunisia, 🇹🇷 Turkey, 🇻🇳 Vietnam

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Stay with locals in Cologne

Jasmin

Jasmin

Speaking

You can stay for:

3 days

About me

Hi 👋 I'm Jasmin, I'm born in Germany and I'm half Moroccan. I'm a registered nurse and currently I'm studying midwifery. I love to travel and meet new people, when it's possible I like to do internships in different countries. Last time I did a midwifery internship in Ghana and India. When I'm not focused on Midwifery stuff, I love to sing and play guitar/ukulele, draw something or meet friends to grab a coffee or drink a wine or a couple beer's (always depends on the person I'm with) I love to dance at the clubs until the sunrises, but I can also enjoy a Picknick in the park or meet with a friend for a Yoga class. You could call me a social chameleon. The most important thing for me, is to enjoy the day, no matter how. My friends would call me optimistic, almost always happy and the kind of person that is REALLY spontaneous.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇹 Austria, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇭 Ghana, 🇮🇳 India, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇮🇩 Indonesia

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Sasha

Sasha

Speaking

You can stay for:

1 day

About me

Ambiverted. Needs a lot of time to recharge after a fun conversation.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇪🇪 Estonia, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇳 India, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇸🇮 Slovenia, 🇦🇹 Austria

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Özge

Özge

Speaking

You can stay for:

1 day

About me

Hey everyone :) Im Özge, an easygoing girl who dreams way too much. I love to travel, meet new people and enjoy life as long as possible.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇨🇱 Chile, 🇫🇷 France, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇹🇷 Turkey, 🇺🇾 Uruguay, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇦🇱 Albania, 🇽🇰 Kosovo, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

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Upcoming visitors to Cologne

Laura

Laura

Speaking

About Me

Hi, I’m Laura and I’m a 26 yo Romanian living in Bucharest 😄 I work in the IT field and I’m a creative and open person. I’m into K-Pop, I love going out and taking walk. Been to therapy for 2 years already and it’s changed my life 🙌 My first solo travel experience was in university, I slept in a bunk bed in an 80-beds tent in Munich and we all ate sausages and drank bear by the fire in the evening while singing - 30 EUR well spent I’d say 😝 Planning my next trip to Germany - end of November-beginning of December ‘23, I’ll go Berlin-Köln-Leipzig-Berlin. Feel free to reach me out to talk and maybe we can plan something nice!

Countries I’ve Visited

🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇬🇮 Gibraltar

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Laura

Laura

Speaking

About Me

Hey, I'm Laura from Peru, Latinoamérica. I'm Power BI online instructor in Superprof. Also I'm a Christian. I want to make friends and travel the world in a budget!

Countries I’ve Visited

🇵🇪 Peru

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Safety in Germany