The calculated distance (air line) between Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen and Essen is approximately 175 miles respectively 281 kilometers.
By car or train, the actual journey to Essen is certainly longer, as only the direct route (as the crow flies) between Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen and Essen has been calculated here.
Air line (approximately)
281 kilometers
152 nautical miles