Cologne Bonn connects Germany to Basque Country

Cologne Bonn Airport has this week announced a significant new route with the confirmation that Ryanair will commence Germany’s first direct link to the Spanish city, Vitoria, from Cologne Bonn. The Irish ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) will begin the twice-weekly service to Vitoria on 30 October, meaning that Cologne Bonn will operate the only international link from Central Europe to the capital city of the Basque Country this winter. 

“With the route to Vitoria, Ryanair now offers a unique product from Cologne Bonn," Michael Garvens, Chairman of the Management Board, Cologne Bonn Airport. 

The addition of the Vitoria link means that Ryanair will serve 10 Spanish destinations from Cologne Bonn during W16/17. Offering 34 weekly flights the ULCC’s new service joins existing links to Alicante, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville, Tenerife South and Valencia. In total the Irish carrier will connect the German airport to 27 destinations this winter, offering more than 150 weekly flights.

Last year saw over 4,000 indirect passengers travelling between Cologne Bonn and Basque Country via an intermediate airport, so Ryanair’s new service to Vitoria means travellers will no longer need to transfer flights to explore Northern Spain. Being Germany’s only non-stop flight to Vitoria, there is also potential that the link may attract passengers from other parts of the country and other Northern European nations via Cologne Bonn.