Kölner Karneval: Your Group's Ride In and Out
In 2027 the street carnival takes over Cologne from Weiberfastnacht, 4 February, until Ash Wednesday, 10 February, and Rosenmontag falls on 8 February. A minibus with driver gets your costumed group into town and home again when the trams are packed.
The dates to circle
The session itself begins on the Heumarkt on 11 November 2026. The street carnival starts with Weiberfastnacht on Thursday 4 February 2027. Sunday 7 February belongs to the school and neighbourhood parades, the Schull- un Veedelszöch, and the big Rosenmontagszug follows the next day. Aschermittwoch brings it all to an end.
Rosenmontag on the roads
The parade sets off in the Südstadt, around Chlodwigplatz and Severinstraße, and winds through the city centre. The city closes roads in the centre from early morning and reopens them bit by bit once the street cleaners are through, and a number of KVB tram lines are split or rerouted. The details change from year to year, so the current plan is checked nearer the date.
For your driver that means a drop-off outside the closed streets and a walk in. Normally, coaches may stop at Gereonstraße for up to 15 minutes with the engine off, and the Buspark Köln on Kuhweg in Riehl has room for about 80 coaches, with the Slabystraße tram stop nearby. Whether those suit on parade day is confirmed with the operator.
When and where it happens
- Streets and squares across central Köln; the Rosenmontagszug runs from the Südstadt (Chlodwigplatz, Severinstraße) through the city centre
- Session opening 11 November 2026 (Heumarkt); street carnival 4-10 February 2027: Weiberfastnacht 4 February, Schull- un Veedelszöch on Karnevalssonntag 7 February, Rosenmontag 8 February 2027
Seats, glass and access
Would you rather watch sitting down? Seats on the stands are sold by the Festkomitee Kölner Karneval, with stands on the Hohenzollernring, at the Heumarkt and by the Burgmauer among others. For guests with disabilities there is an inclusion stand, also on the Hohenzollernring, which the Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR) books.
A strict glass ban applies at the carnival, so leave the bottles in the minibus or, better still, at home.
Questions travellers ask
How far is Köln/Bonn airport?
About 16 km from the cathedral area, roughly 20 minutes in light traffic.
Do we need a low-emission sticker?
Yes. Cologne's low-emission zone covers almost the whole city and is still in force, so the vehicle needs the green sticker. The rule is checked before travel.
Can we be dropped right at the parade?
No. The route and the streets around it are closed on the day. You are set down outside the closed area and collected there at an agreed time.