Lowest Prices
We find the cheapest bus & train tickets, so you can wander for less.
Best Travel Options
We partner with 500+ carriers to bring you the most bus & train options.
Quick & Easy Booking
Book trips quickly with a simple, hassle-free checkout – online & on our app.
Fast Customer Support
We don’t monkey around. We respond within minutes to help you out.
Journey Information
There are 7 intercity buses per day from Zurich to Karlsruhe. Traveling by bus from Zurich to Karlsruhe usually takes around 4 hours and 20 minutes, but the fastest FlixBus bus can make the trip in 3 hours and 40 minutes.
| Distance | 113 mi (182 km) |
| Shortest duration | 3h 40m |
| Cheapest price | €13.05 |
| Trips per day | 6 |
| Most frequent service | FlixBus |
| Bus lines | 1 |
What bus companies travel from Zurich to Karlsruhe?
There is one intercity bus company available to search and book on Wanderu that operates from Zurich to Karlsruhe. FlixBus connects the two cities by bus, it offers multiple scheduled buses per day for you to choose from.
| Bus | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| FlixBus | 7 | 4h 20m | €24.83 |
First launched in Germany in 2013, FlixBus has become one of the largest intercity bus companies in Europe. Its fleet travels through nearly every country in Europe, including the U.K. FlixBus operates an average of 7 trips from Zurich to Karlsruhe, and usually makes the trip in about 4 hours and 20 minutes. On your trip, you'll enjoy Wi-Fi and live GPS, as well as restrooms, air conditioning, and power outlets.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bus takes an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes to cover the 113 miles from Zurich to Karlsruhe. However, the fastest bus only takes 3 hours and 40 minutes. In other words, you'll have plenty of time to rest and relax on the road. Keep in mind that your actual bus may arrive earlier or later than scheduled, depending on whether there is more or less traffic than usual.
Saturday is usually the day when buses are busiest, as many travelers take the bus to enjoy the weekend in Karlsruhe. If you are planning to travel on a Saturday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.
On the other hand, Wednesday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you're looking for some extra space on the bus, traveling mid-week is your best bet.
The first bus leaves at 1:00am and the last bus leaves at 11:00pm. To see the times for all buses from Zurich to Karlsruhe, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
There are 7 scheduled buses that travel from Zurich to Karlsruhe every day, so you have a decent number of options to choose from. This includes 6 direct buses, where you can stay on the same bus without having to transfer to a connecting bus at any point during your trip.
Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from Zurich to Karlsruhe; ticket prices start at €32.12.
City Information
Zurich
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Located in the heart of Europe, the Swiss capital lies at the northwestern tip of the eponymous Lake Zurich. This cosmopolitan city is buzzing year-round with vibrant city life, while the relaxing and peaceful Alps are less than an hour away.
Lake Zurich provides an elegant focal point of the city, with daily cruises available to explore this vast lake. Many chic cafes and restaurants are dotted along the banks, epitomizing Zurich's urban and cosmopolitan vibe.
The Old Town, or Altstadt, is arguably one of the city's most beautiful areas, characterized by winding cobblestone streets and medieval-style architecture. Here, you'll discover some of Zurich's most iconic landmarks, such as St Peter's church with its impossibly large clock face, the largest clock in Europe.
If the weather isn't suited to wandering, there are over 50 museums within Zurich to explore. Go traditional with the Swiss National Museum, or opt for something a bit more exhilarating at the FIFA Museum.
Zurich's airport is the largest in Switzerland, and it is just 10 kilometers from the city center. Several train carriers, including the German Deutsche Bahn network, operate routes to Zurich from across Europe. Long-distance buses also make it easy to reach Zurich from cities like Bern, Stuttgart, Munich, and Milan.
Karlsruhe
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Pixabay
Karlsruhe is fondly referred to as the Fan-Shaped City. Even though it's at the northern edge of the Black Forest, Karlsruhe has some of the warmest weather in the country, so many visitors pick this city to experience a Mediterranean-inspired vacation in Germany. There are hundreds of fine museums, quirky galleries, and beautiful theatres in the area that are all worth checking out.
Karlsruhe is a hub for science and technology, but it has an artistic side, too. The ZKM is a unique art museum that displays contemporary video and audio installations in a former weapons factory. Hit up the Jakobus Theatre, Kammertheater Karlsruhe, or The Sandkorn Theatre for live music or theatrical performance.
Another can't-miss landmark is the Karlsruhe Palace, built in the 18th-century. Not only does the palace include stunning grounds and magnificent architecture, it also houses the Baden State Museum with exhibits about the region's history. Some of the best outdoor recreation sites are Badesee Epple, Rheinstrandbad Rappenwort, and Weingarten, offering blue waters for fishing, swimming, and sailing, respectively.
Karlsruhe is easy to reach from cities like Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt on Deutsche Bahn trains. FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, Sindbad, Union Ivkoni, and Cazmatrans provide bus service to the city as well. The Karlsruhe/Baden Airport is not too far away, so you can travel to this warm destination from nearly anywhere.
Station Information
Where does the bus leave from in Zurich?
Main departure station: Limmatstrasse 5
Zurich Central Bus Station is directly next to Zurich HB (the city's central train station), and buses operate here to various destinations across Europe. Although there are few amenities for the station, most people rely on the train station's extensive shopping facilities, including restaurants, grocery stores, cafes, and souvenir shops. There is also a large, multi-story parking garage and stops for different services, such as Flixbus and OneBus. Flixbus also has a ticket and information center here, although they encourage passengers to buy tickets online in advance. Destinations include Paris, Nantes, Salzburg, Sofia, and Bucharest.
All bus stations in Zurich:
Limmatstrasse 5
Where does the bus arrive in Karlsruhe?
Image credit: Hugh Llewelyn
Link to image attributionMain arrival station: Hinterm Hauptbahnhof
Karlsruhe HBF is located in the center of the city and serves many long-distance services, seeing around 60,000 passengers per day. Trains here travel to destinations including Berlin, Hamburg, and Basel, plus intercity services to Cologne, Nuremberg, and Munich. In the station entrance hall are two restaurants, a bakery, multiple shops, newsagents, toilets, and ticket offices. There are two hotels just outside the station, Schlosshotel Karlsruhe and B&B Karlsruhe, in case you're staying overnight. If you walk a short distance through the Stadtgarten (City Gardens), you'll be in the city center, packed with shops and restaurants.
All bus stations in Karlsruhe:
Hinterm Hauptbahnhof
Train Station
Get around town with Moovit
Need a return trip from Karlsruhe to Zurich?
Search Bus Tickets
Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel.
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap bus and train tickets hassle-free. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best bus and train deals out there.
Book buses and trains on the go with the Wanderu app.
Download our app and snag the best travel deals across North America & Europe.Learn more