The Danish railways website is www.dsb.dk |
This page explains how to travel by train from Copenhagen to other cities all over Europe, and how to buy tickets the cheapest way. Information current for 2024.
Before you buy your tickets
Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a €35 point-to-point ticket?". How far ahead can you buy train tickets?
European train travel FAQ
Copenhagen to Odense, Esbjerg, Arhus & other destinations in Denmark
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The DSB (Danish Railways) website www.dsb.dk will book Danish internal long-distance trains, with cheaper prices if you book ahead.
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For English, scroll right to the bottom of their home page and click In English. For Copenhagen, type Copen... and select Kobenhavn H, which is Copenhagen main station.
In Denmark, St. after a place name simply means station.
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Seat reservation is optional on most Danish internal trains, if you are happy sitting where you like without a specific reserved seat you can set Seat reservations to 0 when using www.dsb.dk. Reservation is not possible at all regional & suburban trains.
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DSB1 means 1st class.
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Standard is the regular full-flex price which cannot sell out. It's what you'd pay at the station on the day, good for any train that day.
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Orange is a limited-availability cheap advance-purchase ticket giving up to 61% off the regular fare, specific train only, no refunds, no changes to travel plans, seat reservation included. Book ahead and pick this to save money on longer distance routes in Denmark.
Legoland
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The famous Legoland theme park, opened in 1968, is at Billund. There is no station at Billund, but there are buses from Vejle, Kolding & Fredericia.
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Hamburg to Legoland
Take a train to Kolding station. Bus 166 runs from Kolding bus station (just outside the station to the right) to Legoland in Billund every two hours through the day, taking 61 minutes, fare about 55 Kr (€7). You can check bus times & fares at www.rejseplanen.dk.
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Copenhagen to Legoland
Take an hourly fast Lyntog (lightning train) to Vejle and a bus to Legoland. Use the journey planner at int.bahn.de to find train times to Vejle. Then use www.rejseplanen.dk to find bus times from Vejle to Legoland. Buses run twice an hour throughout the day, journey time about 45 minutes, fare about 65Kr (£8) each way. In fact, www.rejseplanen.dk is a multi-modal journey planner and you can ask it for combined train & bus times all the way from Copenhagen to Legoland.
Copenhagen to London from €98
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See the London to Denmark page for routes, times, fares & how to buy tickets between the UK and Copenhagen, in either direction.
Copenhagen to Paris from €68
Option 1, Copenhagen to Paris in a single day - a chill-out day across Europe
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You can travel from Copenhagen to Paris by train in a single day.
Until 15 July 2024, leave Copenhagen at 07:26 daily, change at Hamburg Hbf & Karlsruhe arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 22:13.
From 16 July 2024, leave Copenhagen at 07:26 daily, change at Hamburg Hbf & Mannheim arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 22:52.
On or many dates you can leave Copenhagen at 07:26 daily, change at Hamburg Hbf & Cologne Hbf arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 22:05.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, Hamburg to Karlsruhe or Mannheim by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then to Paris by either ICE or TGV Duplex at up to 320 km/h (199 mph) with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Cologne to Paris is by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) with cafe area, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Hamburg starts at €28.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.
Hamburg to Paris starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to check times & buy tickets
First, check train times for the whole journey using the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Run an enquiry from Copenhagen to Paris, first changing Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes. This gets you robust connections with time for a coffee between trains. Ignore the silly-money €300+ fares that appear at this stage. Look for a journey with just 2 changes, click for details and note down the interchange stations and times of each train.
Now buy tickets by splitting the booking.
For journeys via Karlsruhe or Mannheim, first use int.bahn.de to book from Copenhagen to Hamburg. Then use it again to book the required trains from Hamburg to Paris. You'll get a cheap Sparpreis fare for each stage. Easy when you know!
For journeys via Cologne, first use int.bahn.de to book from Copenhagen to Cologne. Then use www.sncf-connect.com to book the Eurostar from Cologne to Paris. Or you can book both tickets in the same place at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. On Bahn.de I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Paris with overnight stop in Hamburg - a time-effective option
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:04.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Paris, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:24, change at Karlsruhe, arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 18:16.
You travel from Hamburg to Karlsruhe by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then from Karlsruhe to Paris by on another ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Times may vary: On some dates you can leave later at 08:45, and on some dates you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:24, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, and arrive Paris Gare de l'Est at 16:52.
Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Before running the enquiry, change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket and print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Paris with overnight stop in Cologne - another time-effective option
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg leaving Copenhagen at 11:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf & arriving Cologne Hbf at 20:47.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, then Hamburg to Cologne is ICE4 train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your phone or laptop. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Cologne. The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view. Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.
For dinner I recommend the traditional German fare at the Brauhaus Sion (www.brauhaus-sion.de), 8 minutes walk from Cologne Hbf, see walking map, or the Malzmuehle restaurant (www.muehlenkoelsch.de), 17 minutes walk from the station, see walking map
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Day 2, travel from Cologne to Paris by Eurostar (formerly Thalys), leaving Cologne Hbf at 06:44 & arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 10:05.
Or there's a later train at 08:44. Eurostars have 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).
Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no fee) or www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Copenhagen to Strasbourg
Option 1, Copenhagen to Strasbourg in a single day
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Until 15 July 2024: Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg at 20:34.
From 16 July 2024: Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg at 19:34.
From 16 July 2024: Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg at 21:34.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Hamburg to Offenburg by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Offenburg to Strasbourg by regional train.
Faster journeys with risky connections are possible, but these are the robust departures I'd recommend, also likely to be cheaper..
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Offenburg starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Offenburg to Strasbourg costs €11, fixed-price, unlimited availability.
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How to buy tickets
Go to the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Step 1, click Stopovers and enter Offenburg, leaving length of stay zero, Run an enquiry from Copenhagen to Strasbourg, look for a 2-change option leaving at 07:26 or 09:26. At this stage it only shows silly-money fares, so split the booking to book as follows:
Step 2, book from Copenhagen to Offenburg looking for the 07:26 departure and a 1-change option.
Step 3, now use int.bahn.de again to but a regional ticket from Offenburg to Strasbourg. This ticket is good for any SWE local train that day.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show them on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Strasbourg with an overnight stop in Hamburg
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Strasbourg, for example:
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 07:28, change at Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg 15:33.
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 09:28, change at Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg 17:33.
Hamburg to Offenburg is by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, Offenburg to Strasbourg is by regional train.
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Hamburg starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Hamburg to Offenburg starts at €17.90 in 2nd class or €26.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Offenburg to Strasbourg costs €11, fixed-price.
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How to buy tickets
Step 1, use the German Railways website int.bahn.de to book the Copenhagen to Hamburg train.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Step 2, use int.bahn.de again to book from Hamburg to Offenburg, looking for a direct train.
Step 3, use int.bahn.de again to book from Offenburg to Strasbourg on the regional service marked SWE RB25.
Tip: You can save a few euros by booking Copenhagen to Offenburg as one journey. Set departure time as 15:00. To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers, enter Hamburg with a length of stay of (say) 10 hours. Adjust stopover duration as necessary to get the Hamburg-Offenburg train you want next morning.
Copenhagen to Lyon, Avignon, Nice & other French cities from €68
Option 1, Copenhagen to Lyon, Avignon or Marseille with an overnight stop in Hamburg. This option by-passes Paris.
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Mannheim or Frankfurt by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Until 15 July 2024, leave Hamburg Hbf at 09:24, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:00.
From 16 July 2024, leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:24, arriving Mannheim 13:27.
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Day 2, travel to Lyon, Avignon, Aix en Provence or Marseille by TGV Duplex.
Until 15 July, leave Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:56 every day arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 19:56, Avignon TGV 21:09, Aix en Provence TGV 21:33 & Marseille St Charles at 21:46.
From 16 July 2024, leave Mannheim at 14:39 every day arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 19:56, Avignon TGV 21:09, Aix en Provence TGV 21:33 & Marseille St Charles at 21:46.
The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.
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Stay overnight in Marseille and travel to Cannes, Nice, Nimes, Montpellier, Perpignan next morning (Day 3).
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Hamburg starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.
Hamburg to Lyon, Avignon, Aix or Marseille starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Step 1, use the German Railways website int.bahn.de to book from Copenhagen to Hamburg.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Step 2, use int.bahn.de again to book from Hamburg to Lyon, Avignon, Aix or Marseille, but - and this is important - make sure you change Transfer time from normal to 40 minutes before running the enquiry. If you don't, it'll put you on a later train from Hamburg with a risky 9-minute connection, a simple 10-minute delay and you're toast.
Book onward trains within France at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee). Booking for French trains opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Lyon & southern France via Brussels - also avoids having to cross Paris
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Stay overnight in Brussels. I recommend the excellent Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi which is an integral part of Brussels Midi station itself, or the inexpensive Ibis Brussels Midi just across the road.
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Day 2, travel from Brussels to Lyon, Avignon, Aix, Marseille, Nimes, Montpellier by direct TGV. There are several morning TGV departures from Brussels Midi which by-pass central Paris via Marne la Vallée & CDG.
Tip: Nimes & Montpellier Saint Roche are in the city centres. Nimes Pont du Gard and Montpellier Sud de France are out-of-town stations several kilometres outside the city.
Check times and buy tickets from Brussels to anywhere in France at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee). Look carefully for journeys that don't involve changing in Paris.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Lyon & southern France via Paris - means changing trains & stations in Paris, but offers widest range of options
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How to cross Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare du Nord to other Paris stations.
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Stay overnight in Paris. The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for an early train from the Gare de Lyon next morning. See other suggested hotels near Paris stations.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Toulouse or anywhere else in France.
Check times and buy tickets from Paris to anywhere in France at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
Copenhagen to Brussels & Bruges from €49.90
Option 1, Copenhagen to Brussels in a single chill-out day
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Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Cologne Hbf and arrive Brussels Midi at 19:35.
A later departure at 09:26 is possible arriving 21:35, but with no wiggle room for delay so I'd stick with the 07:26.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, Hamburg to Cologne by ICE4 train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi , then Cologne to Brussels by high-speed ICE3 train also with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Brussels with overnight stop in Hamburg - a time-effective option
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
By all means book the earlier 13:26 to have more of an evening in Hamburg, see the timetable here.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Brussels with 1 easy change in Cologne, for example:
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 06:45, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi at 13:35
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:45, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi at 15:35
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:45, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi at 17:35
You travel from Hamburg to Cologne by ICE4 train and Cologne to Brussels by ICE3 train, both with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Brussels starts at €49.90 in 2nd class, €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 11 hours. Adjust departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg. Look for journeys with a price shown.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Stopover in Cologne? You can add a few hours stopover in Cologne by adding Koln Hbf as a second stopover. Cologne Hbf is right next to the cathedral in city centre.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Brussels with overnight stop in Cologne - another time-effective option
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Cologne, leaving Copenhagen at 11:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf & arriving Cologne Hbf at 20:47.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, then Hamburg to Cologne by German Intercity train with bistro car.
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Stay overnight in Cologne. The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view. Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.
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Day 2, travel from Cologne to Brussels in 1h50 on any suitable train, a German ICE train leaves every 2 hours or so, alternating with a French-run Eurostar (formerly Thalys) train also leaving every 2 hours or so.
The 07:42 ICE train arrives Brussels Midi at 09:35 or there are later trains.
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Brussels starts at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
These prices are for German Railways through tickets, assuming you use a German ICE train between Cologne & Brussels.
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How to buy tickets
Book from Copenhagen to Brussels at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Cologne, click Stopovers and enter Köln Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 11 hours. Adjust departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Cologne.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Step 2, Hamburg to Cologne by ICE4. These come with a waiter-service restaurant car, cafe counter, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICEs.
Step 3, Cologne to Brussels by ICE. Above, an ICE3neo at Brussels Midi. More about ICE trains. Photo courtesy of Christian Hunt.
Copenhagen to Amsterdam from €49.90
Option 1, Copenhagen to Amsterdam in a single chill-out day from €49.90.
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You can travel from Copenhagen to Amsterdam in a single day, with two departures to choose from:
Copenhagen depart 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Osnabrück, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 18:00.
Copenhagen depart 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Osnabrück, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 20:00.
Copenhagen depart 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Osnabrück, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 22:00.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by comfortable EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, Hamburg to Osnabrück by ICE4 train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Osnabrück to Amsterdam by Intercity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. In the search results, look for journeys with just 2 changes. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.. See suggested hotels in Amsterdam.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Hamburg from €49.90 - a time-effective option
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
By all means book the earlier 13:26 to have more of an evening in Hamburg, see the timetable here.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Amsterdam with 1 easy change at Osnabrück. For example:
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 06:45, change at Osnabrück, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 12:00.
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:45, change at Osnabrück, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 14:00.
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:45, change at Osnabrück, arriving Amsterdam Centraal 16:00.
You travel from Hamburg to Osnabrück by ICE4 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Osnabrück to Amsterdam by Intercity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Book from Copenhagen to Amsterdam as one transaction. To get the overnight stop in Hamburg click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of 10:00 hours. Adjust the length of stay to get the train you want from Hamburg to Amsterdam.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time. See suggested hotels in Amsterdam.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Osnabrück from €49.90 - a time-effective option
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Osnabrück, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf onto a German Intercity train, arriving Osnabrück 22:36.
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Stay overnight in Osnabrück. The Holiday Inn is an 8-minute 550m walk from the station and gets great reviews, see walking map.
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Day 2, travel from Osnabrück to Amsterdam leaving Osnabrück at 07:06 by InterCity train and arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 10:00. Or leave Osnabrück at 09:06 arriving Amsterdam 12:00.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class, €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book from Copenhagen to Amsterdam at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Osnabrück, click Stopovers and enter Osnabrück with a length of stay of 8-10 hours. Adjust length of stay to get the trains you from Osnabrück to Amsterdam.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Step 2, Hamburg to Osnabruck by ICE4. These come with a waiter-service restaurant car, cafe counter, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICEs.
Step 3, Osnabruck to Amsterdam by Intercity train, seen here arrived at Amsterdam Centraal. Power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley. More about these Intercity trains.
Copenhagen to Luxembourg
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You can travel from Copenhagen to Luxembourg by daytime trains in a single day leaving 07:26 or 09:26.
Or you can split the journey with an overnight stop in Hamburg or Cologne.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. Look for journeys with the fewest changes. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: Consider changing Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes for more robust connections.
Tip: To build in an overnight stop, click Stopover, enter Hamburg or Cologne and the number of hours stopover you want.
Copenhagen to Basel, Zurich. Geneva & Switzerland from €49.90
Option 1, Copenhagen to Switzerland using the Hamburg-Zurich sleeper. The most time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead. Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Switzerland by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf 22:07, arriving Basel SBB 08:10 & Zurich HB 10:05.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two double-deck sleeping-cars with compact 1 or 2-berth standard compartments with washbasin and several 1 or 2-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus one or two 3-berth compartments with washbasin. There are toilets at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, change at Basel SBB for frequent Swiss domestic trains to Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux, Bern, Interlaken, Brig or Zermatt. Change at Zurich HB for Lucerne, Lugano, Chur, St Moritz, Klosters, Davos.
Buy onward tickets within Switzerland at www.thetrainline.com (so you can keep all your bookings together in one place, in €, £ or $, easy to use) or at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF). You print your own ticket.
Tip: If you book in advance, you may find Supersaver fares available for longer Swiss domestic journeys (for example, Basel-Geneva), saving up to 70% off the regular flexible fare, or a Saver Day Pass. Supersaver fares commit you to a specific train, so I'd allow at least an hour between the Nightjet arrival and an onward train. A Saver Day Pass can be cheaper than regular fares if booked in advance, good for unlimited travel all over Switzerland on any train all day, this is a better option.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Switzerland by daytime trains in a single day
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There are several daytime options:
Copenhagen depart 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arrive Basel SBB 18:55 & Zurich HB 20:00.
Copenhagen depart 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arrive Basel SBB 20:55 & Zurich HB 22:00.
Copenhagen depart 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arrive Basel SBB 23:04.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Hamburg to Switzerland by superb German ICE4 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Times may vary, so check your date at int.bahn.de. More about the Copenhagen-Hamburg journey.
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Fares from Copenhagen to Swiss cities start at €49.90 in 2nd class, €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You can book to almost any Swiss town or city. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Switzerland by daytime trains with an overnight stop
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You can travel from Copenhagen to a suitable stopover point in Germany on day 1, then on to Switzerland on day 2. Possible stopover points might include Hamburg, Cologne, Koblenz, Heidelberg.
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For example, leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf and arrive Cologne Hbf at 20:47.
Stay overnight in Cologne, the good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view. Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.
Next day leave Cologne Hbf at 07:55 arriving Basel SBB at 11:47 or Zurich at 13:00.
Tip: The 08:53 EuroCity train EC9 from Cologne Hbf runs direct to Basel, Bern & Interlaken via the classic Rhine Valley line, a scenic treat, passing river boats, vineyards, castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock. It has a Swiss 1st class panorama car & Swiss restaurant car, see the Rails Down the Rhine page.
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Fares from Copenhagen to Swiss cities start at €49.90 in 2nd class, €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Book from Copenhagen to your chosen Swiss destination. To get the overnight stop, click Stopovers and enter the place you want your overnight stop, for example Cologne with a suitable length of stay, say 12 hours. Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want - a little trial and error is sometimes needed. To get a journey along the classic Rhine Valley route, add Koblenz Hbf as a second stopover station with length of stay left as 00:00.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Copenhagen to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy from €75
Option 1, Copenhagen to Italy using the Hamburg-Zurich sleeper & the Gotthard route - the most time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.
You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
You can also book this at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee) which keeps all your tickets together on one place.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Zurich by Nightjet sleeper train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 22:07 and arriving Zurich HB at 10:05.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two double-deck sleeping-cars with compact 1 or 2-berth standard compartments with washbasin and several 1 or 2-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus several 3-berth compartments with washbasin. There are toilets at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video.
Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, travel from Zurich to Milan by EuroCity train, leaving Zurich HB at 11:33 & arriving Milan Centrale 14:50.
This train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It takes the scenic Gotthard route through the Alps, past Swiss & Italian lakes. Do not risk a connection with the earlier 10:33.
Zurich to Milan starts at €29 in 2nd class, €49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Change in Milan for regular Frecciarossa trains to Verona P. Nuova, Venice Santa Lucia, Florence SMN (1h40), Rome Termini (2h55) & Naples Centrale. Milan to Florence starts at €19.90, Milan to Rome or Naples at €29.90.
Buy tickets from Zurich to any Italian destination at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or using the Italian Railways website www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly, requires Italian-language place names). Zurich to Italy journeys are now ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Italy using the Hamburg-Innsbruck sleeper & the Brenner route - another time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 13:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:03.
A later connection is theoretically possible leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, but a 20 minute connection is too risky when catching a sleeper.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €47.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near Hamburg Hbf.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:10 and arriving Innsbruck Hbf 09:14.
From 10 December 2023 this train is operated by a new generation Nightjet train with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at €59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Tip: If you have a sleeper ticket and/or 1st class ticket for the onward train, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Innsbruck Hbf between trains, with free WiFi and complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks & snacks.
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Step 3, travel from Innsbruck to Italy by railjet, leaving Innsbruck Hbf 11:24, arriving Verona P. Nuova 14:58 & Bologna Centrale 16:19.
The swish Austrian railjet train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class a steward takes restaurant orders and serves you at your seat. The train travels through the scenic Brenner Pass, see the photos & video on the Brenner Pass page.
Change at Verona Porta Nuova for Venice. Change at Bologna Centrale for Florence, Rome & Naples.
If you'd like a morning in Innsbruck, a later railjet leaves Innsbruck Hbf at 13:24 running via Verona direct to Venice Santa Lucia, arriving 18:25.
Tip: Don't risk a tight connection with the earlier 09:24 train to Verona, I'd play safe and stick with the 11:24.
Fares from Innsbruck Verona or Bologna (or, on the direct train, Venice) start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.
Onward fares from Bologna to Florence or Rome start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Step 1, book the Copenhagen-Hamburg train at the German Railways website www.bbahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Step 2, book the nightjet sleeper from Hamburg to Innsbruck at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Look for the train marked NJ (Nightjet) with 0 changes. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Step 3, now use www.thetrainline.com again to book from Innsbruck to Florence, Rome, Naples or anywhere in Italy. This connects to both the German, Austrian and Italian ticketing systems so you can book this as one transaction all in one place. You print your own ticket for the Austrian train and the Italian high-speed trains are ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone. Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead, but it can vary. There's a small booking fee.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Step 2, Hamburg to Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train. More about new-generation Nightjets.
Step 3, Innsbruck to Verona, Bologna or Venice by new generation railjet. Courtesy of @SimplyRailway. Interior photos courtesy of ÖBB.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Italy by daytime trains via the Gotthard route, with overnight stop in Frankfurt
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Frankfurt, leaving Copenhagen at 11:26, changing Hamburg Hbf, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 21:00.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, Hamburg to Frankfurt by high-speed ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Frankfurt. Hotels next to the station with good or great reviews include the Flemings Express Hotel & Hotel Hamburger Hof, both of which I have stayed at and can recommend. There's also The Frankfurt and the inexpensive Hotel Topas.
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Day 2, travel from Frankfurt to Milan by EuroCity train, leaving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 07:52 and arriving Milan Centrale at 15:50.
The train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's routed via the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest railway tunnel. But you still get excellent views of Swiss mountains and Swiss and Italian lakes, see the photos and video of the Gotthard route here.
Fares from €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de and print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.
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Day 2, now take a high-speed Frecciarossa train to Venice, Florence, Rome & Naples.
For Venice, leave Milan Centrale at 16:45 arriving Verona P. Nuova 17:58 and Venice Santa Lucia 19:12 (later on Saturdays).
For Florence, Rome & Naples, a Frecciarossa leaves Milan Centrale at 16:58 arriving Florence SMN 18:50, Rome Termini 20:35, Naples Centrale 22:03.
Fares to Venice or Florence start at €19.90 in 2nd (standard) class or €29.90 in 1st (business) class.
Fares to Rome or Naples start at €29.90 in 2nd (standard) class or €39.90 in 1st (business) class.
Book from Milan to Florence, Rome, Naples or any Italian destination at www.italiarail.com (they'll refund their small booking fee if you email them afterwards at seat61@italiarail.com) or www.trenitalia.com (requires Italian language place names). It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.
Option 4, Copenhagen to Italy by daytime trains via the Brenner route, with overnight stop in Munich
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Munich in one leisurely day.
Leave Copenhagen at 07:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE train, arriving Munich Hbf 18:40.
Leave Copenhagen at 09:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE train, arriving Munich Hbf 20:45.
Leave Copenhagen at 11:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE train, arriving Munich Hbf 22:36.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley. Then by German ICE train from Hamburg to Munich with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Munich. The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews. Or consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center. For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.
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Day 2, travel from Munich to Italy by railjet, leaving Munich Hbf every couple of hours.
The 07:34 from Munich Hbf goes to Verona Porta Nuova & Bologna Centrale on Mondays-Fridays or to Verona Porta Nuova & Venice Santa Lucia at weekends, arriving 14:25.
The 09:34 from Munich Hbf goes to Verona Porta Nuova and Bologna Centrale every day, change in Bologna for Florence, Rome & Naples, or change in Verona for Venice arriving 16:40.
The 11:33 from Munich Hbf goes to Verona & Venice every day, arriving Venice Santa Lucia at 18:25.
These swish Austrian railjet trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st & business class a steward takes restaurant orders and serves you at your seat. The trains travel through the scenic Brenner Pass, see the photos & video on the Brenner Pass page.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
To buy tickets for a direct train from Munich to Verona, Bologna or Venice, use the German Railways website int.bahn.de (in €, no booking fee) or www.raileurope.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee). You print your own tickets.
To buy tickets for journeys which involve a change of train (meaning any journey to Florence, Rome or Naples, or to Venice on a departure which isn't direct), use www.raileurope.com, clicking More options, entering Verona Porta Nuova (or if you want the 09:34 from Munich and you're heading for Florence, Rome or Naples, Bologna Centrale) with a stopover duration of 45 minutes to ensure a robust connection. www.raileurope.com connects to both the Trenitalia and DB systems so can source both tickets either side of Verona or Bologna as one transaction. You print your own tickets for the Austrian train or can show it on your phone, for Italian high-speed trains it's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone. Easy! Booking for the German/Austrian train opens up to 6 months ahead. Onward Italian trains normally open up to 4 months ahead, but this can vary.
A new generation railjet at Innsbruck, note the low-floor section for easy boarding. Courtesy of @SimplyRailway. Interior photos courtesy of ÖBB.
Copenhagen to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain from €114
Option 1, Copenhagen to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Paris
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Paris in a day as shown in the Copenhagen to Paris section above. Book this as shown.
Change stations in Paris from the Gare de l'Est to Gare de Lyon by taxi or metro.
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Stay overnight in Paris. The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for an early train next morning. See other suggested hotels near the Gare de l'Est & Gare de Lyon.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 09:42 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:31.
From 15 December 2024 the timetable changes, leave Paris Gare de Lyon at 07:42, arriving Barcelona Sants 14:29.
The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck. It's a scenic and comfortable journey, click here for the sights to see on the way.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Seville, Malaga and so on by high-speed train.
Until 14 December 2024:
A high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
A fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:15 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 21:07 & Alicante 23:40.
For Granada, Seville, Cordoba & Malaga, stay in Barcelona overnight, I recommend the Hotel Barcelo Sants inside the station. Next morning direct high-speed AVE trains leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 for Granada and 08:35 for Cordoba, Seville Santa Justa & Malaga Maria Zambrano.
From 15 December 2024:
For Madrid, a high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:25 Mondays-Fridays, arriving Madrid Atocha 17:55.
Another AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:00 every day, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:12.
For Cordoba & Seville, a high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:15, arriving Cordoba 20:10, Seville Santa Justa 21:25.
For Malaga, a high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 15:15, arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano 21:45.
For Valencia & Alicante, a fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:10 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 19:02 & Alicante 21:34.
All these trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Check times & buy onward tickets in Spain at either www.raileurope.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish Railways own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards see advice on using it first) or www.petrabax.com (easy to use, in $, small mark-up). Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it can vary.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Cologne
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Cologne on one of these two departures.
Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, and arrive Cologne Hbf at 16:49.
Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, and arrive Cologne Hbf at 18:49.
Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, and arrive Cologne Hbf at 20:47.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Hamburg to Cologne by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Cologne. The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view. Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.
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Day 2, travel from Cologne to Paris by Eurostar (formerly Thalys), leaving Cologne Hbf at 08:44 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord 12:05.
Eurostar has 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).
Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or using the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee). Booking normally opens 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by high-speed TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:42 & arriving Barcelona Sants at 21:27.
The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Book an upper deck seat for the best views. It's a scenic and comfortable journey, click here for the sights to see on the way.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Again, fares vary like air fares, so book ahead for the cheapest prices.
Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or using the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee). Booking normally opens 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone. It's sometimes cheaper to split the booking at Perpignan, see the advice here.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona. The Hotel Barcelo Sants is the top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users. See other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 3, take an onward high-speed train from Barcelona Sants next morning, check times & book at www.raileurope.com. Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it can vary.
For Madrid: AVE-S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30 from €35.
For Granada: Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE S112 high-speed train arriving Granada at 13:10.
For Malaga: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:51.
For Cordoba & Seville: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train arriving Cordoba 13:42 & Seville Santa Justa 14:32.
For Valencia & Alicante: Euromed trains link Barcelona Sants with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.
For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stops in Hamburg & Marseille - avoids the need to change trains & stations in Paris
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Frankfurt by ICE train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 09:24 every day arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:00.
The ICE train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Treat yourself to an early lunch on board.
Then travel from Frankfurt to Marseille by TGV Duplex, leaving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:56 every day arriving Marseille St Charles at 21:46.
The impressive double-deck 320 km/h (199 mph) TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.
Fares from Hamburg to Marseille start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket from Hamburg to Marseille at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Tip: Change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes to ensure a robust connection. Times may vary, you may need to leave Hamburg at 08:24 and change at Mannheim instead of Frankfurt on some dates.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. Important, make sure you change Transfer time from normal to minimum 40 minutes before running the enquiry. If you don't, it'll put you on a later train from Hamburg with a risky 9-minute connection, a simple 10-minute delay and you're toast. So make sure it books you the earlier train with time for a coffee at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf.
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Stay overnight in Marseille. Inexpensive hotels with good reviews just outside Marseille St Charles station include the Ibis Marseille Centre Gare St Charles, Holiday Inn Express Marseille St Charles.
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Day 3, travel from Marseille to Barcelona & Madrid by AVE S100 high-speed train, leaving Marseille St Charles at 08:04 and arriving Barcelona Sants 12:38 & Madrid Atocha 15:45.
This comfortable Spanish high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Look out for Béziers cathedral on the right, colonies of flamingos on the étangs in southern France, the Fort de Salses on the right approaching Perpignan and great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees. More about AVE S100 & this journey.
Fares from Marseille to Barcelona start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Fares from Marseille to Madrid start at €44 in 2nd class or €54 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this journey at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or using Renfe's own website www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
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Day 3, take a high-speed train from Barcelona to Valencia & Alicante or from Madrid to Cordoba, Seville, Granada, Malaga.
A fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:10 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 19:02 & Alicante 21:34.
An AVE high-speed train leaves Madrid Atocha at 16:35 every day, arriving Cordoba 18:34 & Malaga Maria Zambrano 19:43.
An AVE high-speed train leaves Madrid Atocha at 16:30 daily except Saturdays arriving Seville Santa Justa at 19:03. Or on any day of the week you can leave Madrid Atocha at 18:00 arriving Seville Santa Justa at 20:43.
An AVE high-speed train leaves Madrid Atocha at 20:05 every day, arriving Granada 23:36.
AVE & Euromed trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Check times & buy tickets using either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up). You print your own ticket.
Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but it varies. I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Barcelona or Madrid.
Copenhagen to San Sebastian
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Paris in a day as shown in the Copenhagen to Paris section above. Book this as shown.
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Stay overnight in Paris.
Hotels near Paris Gare du Nord with good reviews: Libertel Gare du Nord Suede (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 2-star), 25 Hours Terminus Nord (formerly the Mercure Terminus Nord, now refurbished in a decidedly funky style, 3-star, directly across the road from the station); Art Hotel (3-star); Avalon Hotel (2-star); Hotel Cambrai (1-star).
Hotels near Paris Gare Montparnasse with good reviews: Mercure Paris Gare Montparnasse (150m from the station, 4-star); Best Western Sevres Montparnasse (15 minute walk from station, 3-star); La Maison Montparnasse (10 min walk from station, 2-star); Hotel du Maine (5 min walk from station, 2-star).
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Hendaye by TGV Duplex Océane, leaving Paris Gare Montparnasse at 10:11 and arriving Hendaye 14:47.
An earlier 07:11 departure is available on Mondays to Saturdays, arriving Hendaye at 11:47.
The TGV Duplex Océane has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Hendaye is on the French side of the Spanish border.
Fares start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee). French trains open for booking up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Hendaye to San Sebastian Amara by Euskotren, every 30 minutes, journey 37 minutes, fare €2.75.
Simply walk out of Hendaye station and turn right, the little Euskotren station is just 50m away. Buy a ticket at the Euskotren station from the machines or staffed counter with cash or card and hop on the next half-hourly Euskotren to San Sebastian Amara. Check times at www.euskotren.eus. More about the journey from Paris to San Sebastian.
Copenhagen to Lisbon, Porto & Portugal
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Paris in a day as shown in the Copenhagen to Paris section above. Book this as shown.
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Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the Gare du Nord & Gare de Lyon.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by 320 km/h TGV Duplex leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 09:42 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:31.
From 15 December 2024 the timetable changes, leave Paris Gare de Lyon at 07:42, arriving Barcelona Sants 14:29.
This double-deck TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a comfortable & scenic journey, see an account of the sights to see from the train on the way.
Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class. Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Booking for the TGV opens up to 4 months ahead.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid by AVE high-speed train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Until 14 December 2024, leave Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
From 15 December 2024, leave Barcelona Sants at 15:25 Mondays-Fridays, arriving Madrid Atocha 17:55. Another AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:00 every day, arriving Madrid Atocha 19:12.
Fares start at €38 in Standard class or €45 in Comfort class. Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead, but this varies.
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Stay overnight in Madrid. The classic Hotel Mediodia is across the road from Atocha with good reviews, or try the NH Hotel Madrid Atocha or Only YOU Hotel Atocha, also across the road from the station.
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Day 3, travel from Madrid to Lisbon by daytime trains as shown on the Madrid to Lisbon page.
Copenhagen to Andorra
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Paris in a day as shown in the Copenhagen to Paris section above. Book this as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Paris. Hotels near Paris Gare du Nord with good reviews: Libertel Gare du Nord Suede (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 2-star), 25 Hours Terminus Nord (formerly the Mercure Terminus Nord, now refurbished in a decidedly funky style, 3-star, directly across the road from the station); Art Hotel (3-star); Avalon Hotel (2-star); Hotel Cambrai (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 1-star).
How to cross Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare du Nord to other Paris stations.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Toulouse by TGV, one usually leaves Paris Montparnasse at 11:11 arriving Toulouse Matabiau at 15:38.
Fares start from €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.
Have dinner in Toulouse.
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Step 3, travel from Toulouse Matabiau station to Andorra la Vella by bus, taking 4 hours, fare €36. There are several services every day run by Andbus, check times at Andbus.net or Omio.com. I'd allow at least an hour between train and bus in Toulouse, just in case of delay. There's normally a bus leaving Toulouse Matabiau station (bus stand 15) at 17:45 arriving Andorra at 21:45.
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How to buy tickets
Book from Copenhagen to Paris as shown in the Copenhagen to Paris section above. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.
Book from Paris to Toulouse Matabiau at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
Buy the bus ticket at Andbus.net or Omio.com.
Copenhagen to Hamburg
Option 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by daytime trains
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Direct EuroCity train link Copenhagen with Hamburg Hbf 5 times a day, up to 7 times in summer, see the timetable here.
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Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €47.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Check times & buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Snälltåget sleeper train, daily except Saturdays, 31 March to 1 November 2024
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Step 1, take a local train from Copenhagen main station to Ørestad station, a local station 5km south of Copenhagen city centre.
These run every 15 minutes or so taking 8 minutes, fare around €4, check times and prices at www.dsb.dk.
Don't cut things fine when catching a sleeper. But remember that Ørestad is only a local station with very few facilities, buy food & drink before leaving downtown Copenhagen.
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Step 2, travel from Ørestad to Hamburg by Snälltåget sleeper train, run by private operator Snälltåget (www.snalltaget.se).
It runs daily except Saturdays from 31 March to 1 November 2024. It also runs over Christmas & New Year.
It leaves Ørestad station at 22:55 and arrives Hamburg Hbf at 05:31.
The train has 6-berth couchette compartments & ordinary seats. Couchettes can be booked individually in shared compartments, or you can pay a fixed price for a whole couchette compartment for private occupancy by 1-6 people, the same price for 1 to 6 people.
Check dates & times at www.snalltaget.se, entering København H to Hamburg, it will then show times from København Ørestad.
Fares start at 499 SEK (about €49) per person with a seat, 749 SEK (€74) per person with a reclining seat, or 2999 SEK (€295) for sole occupancy of a couchette compartment for any number of people between 1 & 6.
See www.snalltaget.se for operating dates, times, fares & to buy tickets online.
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Tip: For a better experience, consider booking the sleeper from Malmö to Hamburg instead of Ørestad. Then use a Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmö to connect with it, these run every 20 minutes taking 39 minutes. Malmö Central is a main station with far more facilities then little local Ørestad and is a better place to find a restaurant for dinner before the sleeper. The Snälltåget train spends an hour or so in the terminus platforms at Malmö Central before it leaves, so boarding is relaxed and you can get to bed earlier.
The Snälltåget sleeper from Stockholm & Copenhagen to Hamburg & Berlin. The train is shown at Stockholm Central about to make its very first departure. Courtesy of Robert Enskog.
The Snälltåget sleeper train uses ex-German Railways couchettes, sold as a whole private compartment for up to 6 people. Bedding is provided, toilets & washrooms are at the end of the corridor. Photos courtesy of Snalltaget.
Copenhagen to Berlin
Option 1, Copenhagen to Berlin by daytime trains
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A range of daily departures link Copenhagen with Berlin with one easy change in Hamburg:
Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Berlin Hbf 14:20.
Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Berlin Hbf 16:20.
Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Berlin Hbf 18:20.
Leave Copenhagen at 13:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Berlin Hbf 20:20.
Leave Copenhagen at 15:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Berlin Hbf 22:23.
Take a good book, sit back and enjoy the ride. You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. In the bahn.de search results, look for options with 1 change. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: If you'd like a few hours stopover in Hamburg, click Stopovers, enter Hamburg Hbf and a specify the number of hours.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Berlin by Snälltåget sleeper train, daily except Saturdays, 31 March to 1 November 2024
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Step 1, take a local train from Copenhagen main station to Ørestad station, a local station 5km south of Copenhagen city centre.
These run every 15 minutes or so taking 8 minutes, fare around €4, check times and prices at www.dsb.dk.
Don't cut things fine when catching a sleeper. But remember that Ørestad is only a local station with very few facilities, buy food & drink before leaving downtown Copenhagen.
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Step 2, travel from Ørestad to Hamburg & Berlin by Snälltåget sleeper train, run by private operator Snälltåget (www.snalltaget.se).
It runs daily except Saturdays from 31 March to 1 November 2024. It also runs over Christmas & New Year.
It leaves Ørestad station at 22:55 and arrives Berlin Hbf at 08:47.
The train has 6-berth couchette compartments & ordinary seats. Couchettes can be booked individually in shared compartments, or you can pay a fixed price for a whole couchette compartment for private occupancy by 1-6 people, the same price for 1 to 6 people.
Check dates & times at www.snalltaget.se, entering København H to Berlin, it will then show times from København Ørestad. It may arrive at Berlin Gesundbrunnen on certain dates, instead of Berlin Hbf.
Fares start at 499 SEK (about €49) per person with a seat, 749 SEK (€74) per person with a reclining seat, or 2999 SEK (€295) for sole occupancy of a couchette compartment for any number of people between 1 & 6.
See www.snalltaget.se for operating dates, times, fares & to buy tickets online.
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Tip: For a better experience, consider booking the sleeper from Malmö to Berlin instead of Ørestad. Then use a Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmö to connect with it, these run every 20 minutes taking 39 minutes. Malmö Central is a main station with far more facilities then little local Ørestad and is a better place to find a restaurant for dinner before the sleeper. The Snälltåget train spends an hour or so in the terminus platforms at Malmö Central before it leaves, so boarding is relaxed and you can get to bed earlier.
The Snälltåget sleeper from Stockholm & Copenhagen to Berlin. The train is shown at Stockholm Central about to make its very first departure! Courtesy of Robert Enskog.
The Snälltåget sleeper train uses ex-German Railways couchettes, sold as a whole private compartment for up to 6 people. Bedding is provided, toilets & washrooms are at the end of the corridor. Photos courtesy of Snalltaget.
Copenhagen to Cologne & Düsseldorf
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Several daily departures link Copenhagen with Düsseldorf & Cologne with one easy change in Hamburg:
Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE1 train arriving Düsseldorf 16:25 & Cologne Hbf 16:49.
Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE1 train, arriving Düsseldorf 19:22 & Cologne Hbf 18:46.
Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE1 train, arriving Cologne Hbf 20:47.
Leave Copenhagen at 13:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE4 train arriving Düsseldorf 22:25 & Cologne Hbf 22:49.
Leave Copenhagen at 15:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE4 train arriving Cologne Hbf 00:51.
Take a good book, sit back and enjoy the ride. You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, with power sockets at all seats & a refreshment trolley. then Hamburg to Düsseldorf & Cologne is by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. In the bahn.de search results, look for options with 1 change. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: If you'd like a few hours stopover in Hamburg, click Stopover, enter Hamburg Hbf and a specify the number of hours.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Copenhagen to Frankfurt
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Several daily departures link Copenhagen with Frankfurt with one easy change in Hamburg:
Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 16:00.
Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 18:00.
Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 20:00.
Leave Copenhagen at 13:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 23:00.
Take a good book, sit back and enjoy the ride. You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Frankfurt is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. In the bahn.de search results, look for options with 1 change. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: If you'd like a few hours stopover in Hamburg, click Stopovers, enter Hamburg Hbf and a specify the number of hours.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Copenhagen to Munich
Option 1, Copenhagen to Munich by daytime trains
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Several daily departures link Copenhagen with Munich with one easy change in Hamburg:
Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Munich Hbf at 18:40.
Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Munich Hbf at 20:45.
Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Munich Hbf at 22:40.
Take a good book, sit back and enjoy the ride. You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley. Hamburg to Munich is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. In the bahn.de search results, look for options with 1 change. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: If you'd like a few hours stopover in Hamburg, click Stopovers, enter Hamburg Hbf and a specify the number of hours.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Munich using the Hamburg-Munich sleeper train
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 13:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:03.
A later connection is theoretically possible leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, but a 25 minute connection is too risky when catching a sleeper.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €47.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near Hamburg Hbf.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:10 & arriving Munich Hbf at 07:06 next morning.
From 10 December 2023 this train is operated by a new generation Nightjet train with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at €59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Step 2, Hamburg to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train. More about new-generation Nightjets.
Copenhagen to anywhere else in Germany
Option 1, Copenhagen to Germany by daytime trains
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Direct EuroCity trains link Copenhagen with Hamburg Hbf at 07:26, 09:26, 11:26, 13:26 & 15:26, see the timetable here.
Change at Hamburg Hbf for connecting trains to anywhere in Germany, centre to centre with no check-in or trek to and from remote airports.
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Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €47.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Check times & buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train: From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Hamburg or Berlin by Snälltåget sleeper train, daily except Saturdays 31 March to 1 November 2024
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Step 1, take a Öresund train from Copenhagen main station to Malmö Central. These run every 20 minutes or so taking 39 minutes.
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Step 2, travel from Malmö to Hamburg & Berlin by Snälltåget sleeper train.
The sleeper train runs daily except Saturdays from 31 March to 1 November 2024. It also runs over Christmas & New Year.
It leaves Malmö at 22:25 and arrives Hamburg Hbf at 05:31 & Berlin Hbf at 08:47. Check times at www.snalltaget.se as there's a later arrival in Berlin on certain dates.
The train has ordinary seats, reclining seats, and 6-berth couchettes. A fixed price is charged for a whole couchette compartment for private occupancy, the same price for 1 person or any number of people up to 6, unlike normal overnight trains berths are not sold individually.
Fares start at 499 SEK (about €49) per person with a seat, 749 SEK (€74) per person with a reclining seat, or 2999 SEK (€295) for sole occupancy of a couchette compartment for any number of people between 1 & 6.
See www.snalltaget.se for operating dates, times, fares & to buy tickets online.
Tip: Book from Kobenhavn H to Hamburg or Berlin, this will then include the connecting Öresund train.
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Step 3, take an onward train from Hamburg or Berlin to anywhere in Germany. I'd allow at least 1 hour between trains in Hamburg or Berlin, ideally a bit more. Check times and buy a ticket at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Copenhagen to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria from €78
Option 1, Copenhagen to Austria using the Hamburg-Vienna/Innsbruck sleeper train - the comfortable, time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train leaving Copenhagen at 13:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 18:03.
A later connection is theoretically possible leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, but a 20 minute connection is too risky when catching a sleeper.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €47.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near Hamburg Hbf.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna, Linz or Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:10 & arriving Vienna Hbf 09:17 next morning with another portion going to Innsbruck, arriving Innsbruck Hbf 09:14.
Change at Wels for a railjet train to Salzburg, arriving Salzburg Hbf at 08:49.
From 10 December 2023 both portions of this train are operated by new generation Nightjet trains with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at €59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Step 2, Hamburg to Vienna or Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train. More about new-generation Nightjets.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Austria with overnight stop in Frankfurt
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Frankfurt, leaving Copenhagen at 11:26 by EuroCity train, changing at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 21:09.
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Stay overnight in Frankfurt. Hotels next to the station with good or great reviews include the Flemings Express Hotel & Hotel Hamburger Hof, both of which I have stayed at and can recommend. There's also The Frankfurt and the inexpensive Hotel Topas.
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Day 2, travel from Frankfurt to Austria on any train you like.
The 06:21 ICE-T train from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf arrives Vienna Hbf at 12:47, but by all means enjoy a leisurely breakfast and take a later one, they run every 2 hours.
The 06:53 from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf with a change at Munich Hbf will get you to Salzburg Hbf at 11:59, but by all means take a later one, they leave regularly.
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Fares from Copenhagen to Austria start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book from Copenhagen to any station in Austria at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.
To build in the overnight stop in Frankfurt, click Stopovers and enter Frankfurt (Main) Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00. Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Frankfurt to Austria - a little trial and error is sometimes needed.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Austria with overnight stop in Hamburg
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:04.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna, Salzburg or anywhere in Austria.
For example, a direct ICE-T train with restaurant car leaves Hamburg Hbf at 08:04 every day, arriving Vienna Hbf at 17:47.
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Fares from Copenhagen to Austria start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book from Copenhagen to any station in Austria at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.
To build in the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00. Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Hamburg to Austria - a little trial and error is sometimes needed.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Copenhagen to Malmö & Gothenburg
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Copenhagen to Malmö
Öresund trains run from Copenhagen main station to Malmö Central every 20-30 minutes, journey time 39 minutes.
No reservation is necessary or possible, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next one.
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Copenhagen to Gothenburg
An Öresund train runs from Copenhagen to Gothenburg (= Goteborg Central) every hour through the day, journey time 3h53.
No reservation is necessary or possible for these Öresund trains, you just turn up, buy a ticket at a fixed price and hop on the next train.
You'll also see options involving SJ fast trains with a change of train & seat reservations, but it's easiest to stick with the Öresund trains.
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All these trains use the Öresund fixed link, a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden. It's like flying a hundred feet above the sea, quite an experience.
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You can check train times and (if you like, to save time buying at the station) buy tickets online at www.sj.se (Swedish Railways, no booking fee, see my advice on using it here).
Copenhagen to Stockholm from 346 SEK (€31)
Option 1, Copenhagen to Stockholm by SJ daytime train - fastest and most frequent
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Every few hours, a 200 km/h (125 mph) tilting X2000 train links Copenhagen with Stockholm Central in around 5h15.
With no check-in to worry about, from city centre to city centre it takes little longer than flying, and it's a lot more comfortable. The trains have a bistro car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. These trains are run by SJ, Swedish Railways. More about X2000 trains.
These trains cross from Denmark to Sweden over the Öresund fixed link, a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden, it's like flying a hundred feet above the sea, quite an experience.
1st class passengers can use the DSB first class lounge at Copenhagen, or the SJ 1st class lounge at Stockholm Central.
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How much does it cost?
Fares start at 346 SEK (€31) in 2nd class or 525 SEK (€47) in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
You can buy tickets at Omio.com which links directly to the SJ (Swedish Railways) ticketing system, same prices as SJ, quick & easy to use, small booking fee, no problem with overseas credit cards, you can pay in various currencies including Swedish Kr, £, € and $.
Or buy using SJ's own website www.sj.se. You pay in Swedish krona, no booking fee, you can usually select your seat from a seat map, but it can sometimes be fussy with overseas credit cards. See advice on using sj.se.
Whichever site you buy from, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
You can also try Swedish booking site www.snalltaget.se, or call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (there's a phone menu option for English).
Tip: Booking doesn't open a set number of days ahead: Instead, SJ releases tickets in blocks 4 times a year, for example in early December for the period from early April to mid-June, in early April for the period from mid-June to mid-August and in mid-May for the mid-August to mid-December. You can see the exact dates on www.sj.se on their FAQ page.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Stockholm by Snälltåget daytime trains - in competition with SJ in summer 2024!
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From 16 May to 29 September 2024, open-access operator Snälltåget will operate two trains a day most days from Copenhagen to Stockholm:
A morning train leaves Copenhagen Ørestad station (well south of the city centre) at 07:02, arriving Stockholm Central at 13:20.
An afternoon train leaves Copenhagen main station at 16:07 arriving Stockholm Central at 22:10.
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The trains are one class only and feature Snälltåget's excellent restaurant car called the Krogen.
Although not as swish as SJ's X2000 trains, these classic cars offer spacious old-school comfort and cheaper fares, with the added attraction of a delicious Swedish meatballs and a beer or two in the Krogen.
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Fares start at only 299 SEK, about €26.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at www.snalltaget.se/en.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
A Snälltåget train at Malmö Central station.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Stockholm by sleeper train - the time-effective option
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Step 1, take any evening Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmö Central.
You can take the 20:47 departure or the earlier 20:27, these trains run every 20 minutes, journey time 39 minutes.
Or travel earlier and have dinner in Malmö. The train uses the Öresund fixed link, a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden. It's like flying a hundred feet above the sea, quite an experience.
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Step 2, travel from Malmö to Stockholm by sleeper, leaving Malmö Central daily except Saturdays at 22:32 arriving Stockholm Central 05:37.
The train has 1st class sleeping-cars with private 1 & 2 bed sleeper compartments with en suite shower & toilet, 2nd class sleeping-cars with shared single-gender 3-berth sleeper compartments with washbasin, one 2nd class couchette car with shared 6-berth compartments, and a seats car.
Times may vary slightly, and remember there's no sleeper train on Saturday nights. Expect to board shortly after 22:00. On arrival in Stockholm, you can remain on board until 07:00.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets from Copenhagen to Stockholm at the Swedish railways website www.sj.se, looking for the sleeper option.
There are some great cheap deals available if you book in advance. SJ.se sometimes rejects overseas credit cards, so if you can't get your credit card to work, first try alternative Swedish train booking site www.snalltaget.se, then try agency site www.acprail.com or call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (touch tone 6 for English).
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. The ticket allows you to take any Öresund train from Copenhagen to Malmo, not just the one shown when you book, so by all means take an earlier one and have dinner in Malmo.
Alternatively, you can easily book the Malmo-Stockholm sleeper train at Omio.com, overseas cards no problem, but it will only book a seat or couchette in a 6-berth compartment, not a sleeper. You first need to book Malmo to Stockholm and look on the last page of the search results for the overnight train. Book that, then add a Malmo to Copenhagen ticket. You can pay in £, €, $ or Krona, there's a small booking fee, You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Copenhagen to Oslo & Norway
Option 1, Copenhagen to Oslo by train - the overland daytime option
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Take the hourly Öresund train Copenhagen to Gothenburg then a Norwegian train every 2 hours from Gothenburg to Oslo.
See the Copenhagen to Oslo page for timetable, fares & how to buy tickets.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Oslo by ferry - the luxury overnight option
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A luxurious overnight cruise ferry sails from Copenhagen to Oslo every night.
See the Copenhagen to Oslo page for timetable, fares & how to buy tickets.
Copenhagen to Helsinki & Finland
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by fast & comfortable X2000 train.
The journey takes around 5h and costs from €28 booked at Swedish Railways www.sj.se or at Omio.com. Allow plenty of time in Stockholm for transfer to the ferry terminal and for the ferry check-in, I'd start by checking ferry times first and work backwards to arrange a suitable train.
These trains cross from Denmark to Sweden on the Öresund fixed link, a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden. It's like flying a hundred feet above the sea, quite an experience.
You can also travel to Stockholm overnight using the Malmö-Stockholm sleeper train, daily except Saturday nights, see above.
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Step 2, travel from Stockholm to Helsinki overnight, using either Silja Line's superb direct Stockholm-Helsinki cruise ferry (the nicer experience) or a Viking Line Stockholm-Turku ferry with train connection from Turku to the magnificent Helsinki station (faster & cheaper).
Silja Line sails from Stockholm at 16:45 arriving Helsinki at 10:30 next morning.
Viking Line sails from Stockholm at 20:00 arriving Turku Port 07:35, the connecting train arrives at Helsinki station at 10:23.
For full details of the Stockholm to Helsinki journey via both these routes see the Trains from Stockholm page.
Step 1, book the Stockholm-Helsinki ferry at www.tallinksilja.com or book the Stockholm-Turku ferry at www.sales.vikingline.com.
Step 2, buy a Turku-Helsinki train ticket online at the Finnish Railways website www.vr.fi. You'll find a train leaves Turku Harbour station (= Turku Satama) right next to the ferry terminal, shortly after the ferries arrive.
Copenhagen to Prague from €37.90
Option 1, Copenhagen to Prague in a single day
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Leave Copenhagen at 07:26 daily, change at Hamburg Hbf & Berlin Hbf, arriving Prague Hlavni 19:24.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Berlin is by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Berlin to Prague is by Czech EuroCity train with restaurant car, power sockets and free WiFi.
In summer when it's light this is a lovely scenic ride along the Elbe River valley south of Dresden, see the scenery photos and video here. See suggested hotels in Prague.
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Prague starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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To buy tickets
Buy a ticket at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: If you'd like to stop off for a couple of hours in Hamburg or Berlin, click Stopovers, enter Hamburg or Berlin and specify the number of hours. In Berlin, you can stroll past the Reichstag to the Brandenburg Gate in just 17 minutes from Berlin Hbf.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Prague with overnight stop in Hamburg - as option 1, but with an overnight stop
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Prague by Czech EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 06:48 & arriving Prague Hlavni at 13:24.
Or you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:51 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 15:24, or there are later trains.
This is a lovely scenic ride along the Elbe River valley south of Dresden, see the scenery photos and video here. The trains have free WiFi and a restaurant car serving meals, snacks, beer & wine.
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Prague starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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To buy tickets
Book from Copenhagen to Prague or any Czech station at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. To build in the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00. Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Hamburg to Prague. A little trial and error is sometimes needed.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Prague with overnight stop in Berlin - another time-effective option
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & arrive Berlin Hbf at 22:23.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
By all means take the earlier 11:26 or 13:26 from Copenhagen and spend a pleasant evening in Berlin, perhaps take an evening stroll past the Reichstag to the Brandenburg Gate, just 17 minutes walk from the station.
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Stay overnight in Berlin. Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Day 2, travel from Berlin to Prague by EuroCity train on any train you like, see the timetable here.
The 07:16 from Berlin Hbf will get you to Prague Hlavni at 11:24 with breakfast in the restaurant car as you glide along the scenic Elbe river valley, see the scenery photos and video here, but by all means have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel and take the 09:16 or 11:16, they leave every two hours.
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How much does it cost?
Copenhagen to Prague starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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To buy tickets
Book from Copenhagen to Prague at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. To build in the overnight stop in Berlin, click Stopovers and enter Berlin Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00 hours. Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Berlin to Prague. A little trial and error is sometimes needed.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 4, Copenhagen to Prague using Copenhagen-Berlin sleeper - summer-only
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin by Berlin Night Express sleeper train as shown here. This runs twice a week March-September, daily in high summer.
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Step 2, travel from Berlin to Prague by comfortable EuroCity train with restaurant car leaving Berlin Hbf at 11:16 arriving Prague Hlavni 15:24.
This is a lovely scenic ride along the Elbe River valley south of Dresden, see the scenery photos and video here. By all means stop off in Berlin and catch a later train to Prague, they leave every 2 hours, see the Berlin-Prague timetable here. Berlin's Reichstag & Brandenburg Gate are just 15 minutes walk from the station. See suggested hotels in Prague.
Book Berlin to Prague at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest from €63
Option 1, Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest with overnight stop in Berlin
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen 15:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf arriving Berlin Hbf 22:23.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
By all means take the earlier 11:26 or 13:06 from Copenhagen and spend a pleasant evening in Berlin, perhaps take an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate, just 17 minutes walk from the station.
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Stay overnight in Berlin. Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Day 2, travel from Berlin to Bratislava or Budapest on the comfortable EuroCity train Hungaria, leaving Berlin Hbf at 09:15 and arriving Bratislava Hlavna 18:02 & Budapest Nyugati at 20:28.
The Hungaria uses Hungarian Railways' air-conditioned cars with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. There's a Hungarian restaurant car serving inexpensive meals with beer or wine and there's lovely scenery along the Elbe River valley between Dresden & Prague, see the photos & video here. A day well spent!
Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket, but in this case it cannot be shown on a mobile device. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings at any time.
Tip: It's slightly cheaper to book from Copenhagen to Budapest as one transaction from €49.90, using the Stopover feature to build in a 10-hour overnight stopover in Berlin. However, in this case you end up with tickets by post, posted to you for a small extra fee. They can take up to 2 weeks to arrive. I'd book as shown above to get digital tickets that can be printed.
Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest using the Prague-Budapest sleeper
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Prague, leaving Copenhagen at 07:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf & Berlin Hbf onto a comfortable EuroCity train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, arriving Prague Hlavni 19:24.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Have dinner in Prague, see suggested restaurant.
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Step 2, travel from Prague to Budapest by sleeper train, leaving Prague Hlavni 22:03, arriving Bratislava Hlavna 06:02 & Budapest Nyugati 08:29.
This has a comfortable Czech sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin. There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers. Morning tea or coffee is included in the fare.
Fares start at €49 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €69 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €80 in a single-bed sleeper.
Book this train at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz. Booking normally opens 90 days ahead. You print your own ticket.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest using the Berlin-Budapest sleeper - same as option 2, but with an afternoon in Berlin
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen at 07:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Berlin Hbf at 14:20.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Enjoy an afternoon in Berlin.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Step 2, travel from Berlin to Budapest by sleeper train, leaving Berlin Hbf at 19:21 & arriving Bratislava Hlavna 06:02 & Budapest Nyugati 08:29.
This has a comfortable Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats, In sleepers, morning tea or coffee is included in the fare. More about this sleeper train.
Departure from Berlin is at 19:47 from 10 August to 13 December 2025.
Fares start at €49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €88.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Copenhagen to Brasov, Bucharest & Romania
Option 1, Copenhagen to Romania using the Budapest-Bucharest Ister - the fastest option
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train leaving Copenhagen at 13:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 18:03.
Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €47.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.
You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:10 and arriving Vienna Hbf 09:17 next morning.
From 10 December 2023 both portions of this train are operated by new generation Nightjet trains with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at €59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
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Step 2, travel from Vienna to Budapest by EuroCity train with restaurant car, leaving Vienna Hbf at 10:42 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 13:19. Enjoy an afternoon in Budapest.
Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, travel from Budapest to Brasov & Bucharest by sleeper train Ister leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10 and arriving Brasov at 08:50 & Bucharest Gara de Nord at 11:30 next day.
This sleeper train Ister has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin and a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. There's no restaurant car so take a picnic and bottle of wine. There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat. Ister is the ancient name for the Danube.
Fares start at €39 with a couchette in 6-berth, €46 with a couchette in 4-berth, €69 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €84 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €162 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.
Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. Click EN top right for English. For Bucharest type Bucuresti. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.
You can also book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu, see my advice on using it. For Bucharest type Bucuresti. You show your ticket in the MAV app on your phone.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Romania using the Vienna-Bucharest Dacia Express
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:04.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna by ICE train with restaurant car, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:04 every day, arriving Vienna Hbf at 17:47.
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Fares from Copenhagen to Vienna start at €49.90 in 2nd class, €79.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for cheapest prices.
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Book from Copenhagen to Vienna at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. To build in the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00 hours. Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Hamburg to Austria - a little trial and error is sometimes needed.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Day 2, travel from Vienna to Romania on the Dacia Express, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42 every day, and arriving next day in Simeria 07:10, Sighisoara 09:13, Braşov 12:36, Ploeşti Vest 14:28 & Bucharest Nord at 15:06 (Day 3 from Copenhagen).
The Dacia Express has a modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin and several deluxe compartments with en suite shower & toilet. It has a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments.
A Hungarian restaurant car is attached between Vienna & Budapest, treat yourself to dinner with wine. A bar car is attached in the morning between Arad & Bucharest, serving drinks & snacks. There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest.
The Dacia Express also conveys a portion from Vienna to Cluj Napoca, also leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42 and arriving Cluj Napoca at 10:47. This portion has a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.
Fares start at €59 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €99 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper or €159 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper all to yourself. All per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.
Booking normally opens 90 days ahead. In the search results, look for the direct train marked D with no changes.
You can also book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro.
Click EN top right for English. Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. For Vienna type Wien, for Bucharest type Bucuresti. For Austria to Romania journeys you now print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.. Tip: Prices might be cheaper than on oebb.at, so check both sites!
Option 3, Copenhagen to Romania with overnight stops in Berlin & Budapest - if you prefer daytime trains & hotels to sleepers
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & arrive Berlin Hbf at 22:23.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
By all means take the earlier 11:26 from Copenhagen, change at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Berlin Hbf 18:02 and spend a pleasant evening in Berlin, perhaps take an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate, just 17 minutes walk from the station.
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Stay overnight in Berlin. Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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Day 2, travel from Berlin to Budapest on the EuroCity train Hungaria, leaving Berlin Hbf at 09:15 and arriving Budapest Nyugati at 20:28.
The Hungaria uses Hungarian Railways' latest air-conditioned cars with power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. There's a Hungarian restaurant car serving inexpensive meals with beer or wine, and there's lovely scenery along the Elbe River valley between Dresden & Prague, see the photos & video here. A day well spent!
Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket, but in this case it cannot be shown on a mobile device, it must be printed.
Tip: It can be slightly cheaper to book from Copenhagen to Budapest as one transaction from €49.90, using the Stopovers feature to add a 10-hour overnight stopover in Berlin.
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Stay overnight in Budapest. Top choice for an inexpensive stay next to Budapest Keleti is the Intercity Hotel just across the square in front of the station. Also try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel, the inexpensive Baross City Hotel across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away.
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Day 3, travel from Budapest to Brasov & Bucharest by daytime train.
The comfortable air-conditioned InterCity train Traianus leaves Budapest Keleti daily at 07:10 via Arad & Timişoara Nord, arriving Bucharest Nord at 00:31. A Romanian cafe-bar car is available for snacks & drinks.
Another air-conditioned IC train leaves Budapest Keleti 09:10 via Simeria & Sibiu and arrives Brasov 22:42.
Fares from Budapest to Brasov and other Romanian cities start at an unbelievably cheap €26.30 if you book in advance direct at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu, see my advice for using it. Booking opens 60 days ahead. For Bucharest, type Bucuresti.
You can also book at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro. Click EN top right for English. Booking opens up to 90 days ahead. For Bucharest type Bucuresti. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.
Copenhagen to Ljubljana & Zagreb
Option 1, Copenhagen to Ljubljana & Zagreb using the sleeper from Stuttgart
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Stuttgart, leaving Copenhagen at 07:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf & arriving Stuttgart Hbf 19:08.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats, refreshments available. Hamburg to Stuttgart is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at either www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee, using Thetrainline allows you to buy both tickets together in one place) or the German Railways website int.bahn.de (in €, no fee).
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.
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Step 2, travel from Stuttgart to Ljubljana or Zagreb by sleeper train, leaving Stuttgart Hbf at 20:29 arriving Lesce-Bled 07:13, Ljubljana 08:09 & Zagreb 10:39.
The sleeper train Lisinski has a comfortable air-conditioned Croatian sleeping-car with comfortable 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin, see the photos below and the Croatian sleeper video here. It also has an air-conditioned Croatian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments.
Fares start at €49 with a couchette in 6-berth, €59 with a couchette in 4-berth, €89 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129 in a single-bed sleeper.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, a bit more fiddly). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Important: This sleeper train is diverted via Graz due to work in the Tauern Tunnel and won't call at Lesce-Bled or Ljubljana from 17 November 2024 to 13 July 2025. For Ljubljana, either use another option or get off the sleeper at Celja in northern Slovenia at 09:47 then take a local train leaving Celje at 11:36 arriving Ljubljana 12:43. Check times for the local train at potniski.sz.si/en.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Ljubljana & Zagreb with an overnight stop in Munich
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Munich by train, for example:
Leave Copenhagen at 07:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE train, arriving Munich Hbf 18:40.
Leave Copenhagen at 09:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE train, arriving Munich Hbf 20:45.
Leave Copenhagen at 11:26 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE train, arriving Munich Hbf 22:36.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Munich. The affordable Eden Hotel Wolff & NH Collection München are across the road from the station's north side exit with great reviews. Or consider the more upmarket 25 Hours Hotel The Royal Bavarian, Excelsior by Giesel & Mercure City Center. For a splurge, the luxurious Sofitel Munich Beyerpost occupies the former Royal Bavarian Post Office building of 1896-1900, at the station's south side exit.
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Day 2, travel from Munich to Ljubljana or Zagreb, leaving Munich Hbf at 08:16 by railjet train, making a quick & easy cross-platform change at Villach onto a waiting Slovenian and Croatian EuroCity train Sava, arriving Ljubljana at 14:31 and Zagreb at 17:10.
The scenery across Austria on the Tauern route is wonderful, the journey along the river Sava between Ljubljana and Zagreb is a delight.
Alternatively, spend the morning in Munich and take the later 12:18 EuroCity train Mimara from Munich Hbf direct to Ljubljana & Zagreb.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Copenhagen to Belgrade & Montenegro
Option 1, Copenhagen to Belgrade using the Berlin-Budapest sleeper - starts running from 24 November 2024
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen at 07:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf, arriving Berlin Hbf at 14:20.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Enjoy an afternoon in Berlin.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Step 2, travel from Berlin to Budapest by sleeper train, leaving Berlin Hbf at 19:21 & arriving Budapest Nyugati at 08:29.
This has a comfortable Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats, In sleepers, morning tea or coffee is included in the fare. More about this sleeper train.
Departure from Berlin is at 19:47 from 10 August to 13 December 2025.
Fares start at €49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €88.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 3, travel from Budapest to Belgrade, leaving Budapest Nyugati at 11:50, changing at Szeged & Subotica, arriving Belgrade Centar 18:38.
You take a Hungarian Intercity train from Budapest to Szeged, a local train across the border to Subotica and a 200 km/h SOKO train to Belgrade. This service starts running from 24 November 2024, for full details see the Budapest to Belgrade page.
Fares start at around €23, see more about fares.
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For onward trains to Montenegro, see the Belgrade to Podgorica & Bar page.
Budapest to Belgrade on a connecting 3-train combo, starts 24 November 2024. This includes a 200 km/h double-deck Serbian SOKO train from Subotica to Belgrade Centar, with refreshments, toilets, power outlets at all seats & free WiFi. Soko is Serbian for falcon, hence the logo! Photo courtesy of Hugo van Vondelen.
Copenhagen to Sofia
Option 1, Copenhagen to Sofia via Bucharest
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Budapest using either the Berlin-Budapest sleeper as shown above.
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Day 2, travel from Budapest to Bucharest on the sleeper train Muntenia, leaving Budapest Keleti at 15:10 and arriving Bucharest Nord at 08:42.
The Muntenia has 4 & 6-berth couchettes and ordinary seats. A Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments is attached from Arad (depart 21:04) to Bucharest. There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.
Fares start at €40 with a couchette in 6-berth or €47 with a couchette in 4-berth. These are limited-availability advance-purchase fares
Book this at the Romanian Railways international website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en. You print your own ticket.
If you want the comfort & privacy of a proper sleeper from Arad to Bucharest, (1) book a 2nd class seat from Budapest to Arad from €17 using bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en. You print your own ticket. (2) Now book berths in a 1, 2 or 3-bed sleeper from Arad to Bucharest Nord at the Romanian domestic website bilete.cfrcalatori.ro and print your own ticket.
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Day 3, travel from Bucharest to Sofia by daytime train as shown in the Bucharest>Sofia section of the Trains from Bucharest page.
You leave Bucharest Nord at 10:47 and arrive Sofia Central at 20:21 after a pleasant day meandering across the Danube and through the river valleys of Bulgaria. In summer it's direct, in winter you have to switch trains at Ruse. There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.
The fare is around €34.
Book this at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en. You print your own ticket.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Sofia via Belgrade
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Not currently viable while Zagreb-Belgrade, Budapest-Belgrade and Belgrade-Sofia trains remain suspended.
Copenhagen to Warsaw & Krakow from €49.90
Option 1, Copenhagen to Warsaw or Krakow in a single day
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You can travel from Copenhagen to Warsaw or Krakow in a single day:
Leave Copenhagen 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Berlin Hbf arriving Warsaw Centralna 21:14.
Leave Copenhagen 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Berlin Hbf arriving Krakow Glowny 23:54.
You take a comfortable EuroCity train from Copenhagen to Hamburg, a superb German ICE train from Hamburg to Berlin with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then a comfortable Polish EuroCity train with restaurant car from Berlin to Warsaw or Krakow.
Treat yourself to dinner with a beer or two in the Polish restaurant car, I can recommend the Zurek soup and Kotlet schabowy.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Tip: Change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes to ensure robust connections.
Booking to Poland opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Warsaw or Krakow with an overnight stop in Berlin
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & arrive Berlin Hbf at 22:23.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, with power sockets at all seats, refreshments available. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
By all means take the earlier 11:26 or 13:26 from Copenhagen and spend a pleasant evening in Berlin, perhaps taking an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate, just 17 minutes walk from the station.
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Stay overnight in Berlin. Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station. If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com. Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.
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For Warsaw
Day 2, travel from Berlin Hbf to Warsaw Centralna on any Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity train you like.
On Mondays to Saturdays you can leave Berlin Hbf at 05:51 and arrive Warsaw Centralna 11:14 with breakfast in the restaurant car.
Or have a leisurely breakfast and leave Berlin Hbf at 09:52 arriving Warsaw Centralna 15:14. Or there are later trains.
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For Wroclaw & Krakow
Day 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel, leaving Berlin Hbf at 10:52 every day, arriving Wroclaw 15:05, Katowice 17:15 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.
The timetable changes from 15 December 2024: Travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Galicija, leaving Berlin Hbf at 08:52, arriving Wroclaw 12:53, Katowice 15:06 & Krakow Glowny 16:07. Later trains are available, see timetable.
This comfortable EuroCity train has a restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch with a beer or two.
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Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book from Copenhagen to Warsaw or Krakow at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking to Poland opens 60 days ahead. To get the overnight stop in Berlin, click Stopovers and enter Berlin Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours. Adjust departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Berlin.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Option 3, using the summer-only Copenhagen-Berlin sleeper
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin by Snalltaget's Berlin Night Express sleeper train as shown above. This runs daily except Saturdays March-November.
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Step 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train with restaurant, leaving Berlin Hbf 10:52 arriving Wroclaw 15:05 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.
The timetable changes from 15 December 2024: Travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train, leaving Berlin Hbf at 12:52, arriving Wroclaw 16:54 & Krakow Glowny 20:07. Later trains are available, see timetable.
Or travel Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train with restaurant car, leaving Berlin Hbf at 11:52 arriving Warsaw Centralna at 17:14.
Option 4, Copenhagen to Gdynia, Gdansk, Warsaw or Krakow by overnight ferry from Sweden to Poland
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Karlskrona by Öresund train, leaving Copenhagen in mid-afternoon.
Öresund trains link Copenhagen with Karlskrona Central every hour, taking 3h25, fares from around 380 SEK, about €36.
Thee trains reach Sweden over the impressive Öresund Fixed Link.
Buy a ticket at www.sj.se and print it out.
Tip: Book the ferry first and confirm ferry times, then look for a train that arrives in Karlskrona at least 2-3 hours before the ferry sails.
In Karlskrona the ferry terminal is 10 Km from the station & city, see port-station map. Bus number 6 runs 2 or 3 times an hour from Karlskrona Central station to the Stena Line ferry terminal (Verkö färjeterminalen), taking 23 minutes, see blekingetrafiken.se. Or take a taxi.
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Step 2, sail overnight from Karlskrona to Gdynia by comfortable Stena Line ferry.
There are 2 or 3 sailings a day, the overnight one typically sails at around 21:00 and arrives around 07:30, but times may vary.
The ferry is a floating hotel with restaurants & bars, all passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite toilet & shower.
Fares vary, you might pay €39 per passenger as basic fare plus €79-€89 per cabin for a private 1 or 2 bed room.
Book the ferry at www.stenaline.com and print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
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Step 3, travel from Gdynia to Gdansk, Warsaw or Krakow by train.
In Gdynia , the ferry terminal is 5.5 Km from Gdynia Glowna (main station), see station-port map, either take a taxi or use bus 150. Bus 150 runs every 15-20 minutes and takes 10 minutes. You pay the bus driver or can pay using the Jakdojade app.
Gdynia to Gdansk takes 25-35 minutes, trains leave regularly, in this case I'd buy at the station when you get there.
Gdynia to Warsaw takes around 3 hours, you'll normally find one leaving Gydnia around 09:30 and arriving Warsaw Centralna around 12:35.
Gdynia to Krakow takes around 6 hours, you'll normally find one leaving Gydnia around 10:30 and arriving Krakow Glowny around 16:30.
Book from Gdynia to Warsaw or Krakow at the Polish Railways site www.intercity.pl. You print your own ticket.
Copenhagen to Vilnius
Option 1, Copenhagen to Vilnius via the Karlshamn-Klaipeda ferry - the fastest & easiest route
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Karlshamn by train, leaving Copenhagen around 13:47 and arriving Karlshamn around 16:20.
Öresund trains run from Copenhagen to Karlshamn every hour taking 2h33. Don't cut it fine, allow several hours in Karlshamn between train and ferry in case of delay.
The fare is around 310 DKK, about €42, fixed-price.
Check train times and buy a ticket at www.oresundstag.se or buy at the station.
In Karlshamn, the ferry terminal is 3 km outside the town, a 40 minute walk (see walking map) or take a taxi for about €20. If you want a taxi, pre-book one from either Karlshamns Taxi +46 454 150 65 or Sverigetaxi +46 454 122 67).
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Day 1, sail from Karlshamn to Klaipeda by comfortable overnight ferry.
Two ferry lines operate this route, DFDS and TT Line. DFDS have the more modern ships with the better facilities, they sail daily, typically leaving Karlshamn at 19:00 and arriving Klaipeda at 09:00. TT line also sail daily with more basic ships, typically sailing at 20:00 and arriving 10:00. Check-in closes 1h before sailing time.
There is a restaurant and a range of cosy shared or private cabins, all with en suite toilet & shower.
Fares start at just €60 with a bed in a shared cabin.
Book the ferry at the Direct Ferries website (which can compare and book both TT Lines and DFDS) or book DFDS at www.dfds.com.
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Day 2, travel from Klaipeda to Vilnius by train.
In Klaipeda, it's 5 km from the DFDS ferry terminal to the railway station (see walking map), there's a frequent city bus service or take a taxi. The TT ferry arrives further away, 8.4 km from Klaipeda station.
If you arrive at 09:00 by DFDS you should make a train leaving Klaipeda at 11:00 on most days and arriving Vilnius at 15:11, or there are later trains, check times at ltglink.lt.
The train fare is €24.80 in 2nd class, €35.30 in 1st class.
Book the train at the station, check times & prices at ltglink.lt, you can buy online if you like.
Step 1, take the hourly Öresund train from Copenhagen to Karlshamn. More about Öresund trains.
Step 2, sail overnight from Karlshamn to Klaipeda with DFDS. That's the Luna Seaways on the right, arrived at Klaipeda. Courtesy of Matias Lq.
Step 3, take a train from Klaipeda to Vilnius. Above left, Klaipeda station. Above right, the express train to Vilnius. Photos courtesy of Lewis Baston.
Vilnius station. Photo courtesy of Yuk Wah Chu.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Vilnius via Berlin & Warsaw - the overland route, by train all the way
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Warsaw, leaving Copenhagen 07:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf & Berlin Hbf arriving Warsaw Centralna 21:14.
You take a comfortable EuroCity train from Copenhagen to Hamburg, a superb German ICE train from Hamburg to Berlin, and a comfy Polish EuroCity train with restaurant car to Warsaw. In Berlin you've time between trains to stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate, just 17 minutes walk from the station.
Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Copenhagen to Warsaw at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Booking to Poland normally opens 60 days ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Warsaw. The Polonia Palace Hotel is excellent, historic, relatively inexpensive for such a good hotel, and it's just across the road from the station. For something much cheaper, but still with great reviews and near the station, try the Hotel Metropol next door to the Polonia Palace or the nearby Novotel Warsaw Centrum. Also see the Warsaw Centralna station & city information.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Kaunas & Vilnius on the daily train service, as shown on the Warsaw to Vilnius page.
Copenhagen to Riga
Option 1, Copenhagen to Riga via the Stockholm-Tallinn ferry.
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by train & Stockholm to Tallinn by overnight ferry, as shown in the Copenhagen-Tallinn section.
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Day 2, take a train or bus from Tallinn to Riga, as shown on the Tallinn to Riga page.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Riga via the Karlshamn-Klaipeda ferry.
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Karlshamn by train & Karlshamn to Klaipeda by overnight ferry, as shown in the Copenhagen-Vilnius section.
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Day 2, travel from Klaipeda to Riga by bus, direct buses take around 4h30, check times & buy tickets at Omio.com.
Allow at least a couple of hours between ferry arrival and bus departure in Klaipeda.
Option 3, Copenhagen to Riga via Berlin, Warsaw & Vilnius - the overland route, a longer way round
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Days 1 & 2, travel from Copenhagen to Vilnius by train via Warsaw as shown in the Copenhagen to Vilnius section.
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Day 3, take a bus or train from Vilnius to Riga as shown on the Vilnius to Riga page.
Copenhagen to Tallinn
Option 1, Copenhagen to Tallinn via the Stockholm-Tallinn ferry - the fastest & easiest way
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Step 1, take a morning X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm as shown above.
I'd allow several hours in Stockholm between train & ferry to allow for the station-ferry transfer and ferry check-in as well as any likely delay.
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Step 2, sail from Stockholm to Tallinn by comfortable overnight ferry every second day, as shown here.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Tallinn via Berlin, Warsaw & Vilnius - the overland route, a longer way round
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Days 1 & 2, travel from Copenhagen to Vilnius by train via Warsaw as shown in the Copenhagen to Vilnius section.
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Day 3, take a bus from Vilnius to Tallinn, check times & buy tickets at Omio.com.
Copenhagen to Kyiv & Ukraine
Option 1, Copenhagen to Kyiv using the Kyiv Express sleeper train from Warsaw
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Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, stay overnight, and continue to Warsaw next day (day 2) see the Copenhagen to Warsaw section.
Or travel in a single day, stay overnight in Warsaw and have a day free to explore, also as shown in the Copenhagen to Warsaw section.
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Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Kyiv on the Kyiv Express, leaving Warsaw Wschodnia at 17:40 every day & arriving Kyiv at 12:17 next day.
This train has comfortable Ukrainian 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers with washbasin. There's no restaurant car, so take a picnic and some wine or beer.
The fare booked with Polrail is around €59 including a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €93 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €162 in a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.
Buy tickets via reliable Polish agency Polrail, booking.polrail.com.
Tickets can be collected in Warsaw or (at extra charge) shipped to any address worldwide. Polrail may or may not be able to arrange the return reservation back from Kyiv.
Copenhagen to Moscow & St Petersburg
Option 1, Copenhagen to Moscow via Stockholm & Helsinki - avoids Belarus so no need to get a Belarus transit visa
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Take a morning X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm then a comfortable overnight ferry to Helsinki as shown above.
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Then take a lunchtime Allegro train from Helsinki to St Petersburg as shown here or the overnight sleeper train Tolstoi from Helsinki to Moscow, as shown here. Trains suspended due to Covid-19 and still suspended due to sanctions & war in Ukraine.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Moscow via Berlin
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen at 11:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf & arriving Berlin Hbf at 18:20.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
By all means take the earlier 07:26 from Copenhagen arriving Berlin at 16:22 if you'd like time for dinner and a more robust connection.
Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead.
You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.
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Step 2, travel from Berlin to Moscow by direct Russian sleeper train, leaving Berlin Hbf at 20:08 on Mondays & Saturdays, arriving at Moscow Belorussky station at 21:24 next day.
Train suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended due to sanctions.
This train is an articulated Spanish-built Talgo train branded Strizh (Russian for swift) which started running in 2016. It has ordinary seats, 2nd class 4-berth sleepers, 1st class 1 or 2 berth sleepers with washbasin and deluxe 1 or 2 berth sleepers with en suite shower & toilet. There's a restaurant & bistro car.
Russian track gauge is 5', but most of Europe (including the UK) is 4' 8½", so at Brest on the Belarus frontier the Talgo train runs through a special gauge-changing shed and the axles automatically adjust to the new gauge. Once in Russia, the scenery is rolling hills, birch tree forests, and villages of small wooden houses. Approaching Moscow, you may glimpse the plaques on the station building marked '1812' and '1942' as the train passes through the small station of historic Borodino.
You can book the Berlin-Moscow train at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru and print your own ticket, it's a little fiddly but usually works, or you can easily buy it online with English language after-sales service if you need it, using the Real Russia online system here.
Don't forget to arrange both your Russian visa and Belarus transit visa as the train runs via Belarus. See my important update about travel to Russia through Belarus.
Option 2, via Berlin & Warsaw
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Warsaw as shown in the Copenhagen-Warsaw section.
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Step 2, travel from Warsaw to Moscow on the daily overnight sleeper train, see details here.
Train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended due to sanctions & war in Ukraine.
This train passes through Belarus, so you'll need a Belarus transit visa, see important update about travel to Russia through Belarus.
The train from Warsaw to Moscow uses Russian air-conditioned sleeping-cars, pictured below, with compartments which can be used as 1st class 2-berth or 2nd class 4-berth (shown below right), with a shower & toilets at the end of the corridor. See panorama photo inside one of the new Russian sleepers.
Copenhagen to Athens & Greece
Option 1, Copenhagen to Athens by train & ferry via Italy, the leisurely way
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Day 1 & 2, travel from Copenhagen to Milan as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Milan: Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol, Hotel Bernina, 43 Station Hotel, B&B Hotel Milano Central Station, Guesthouse Teodora. Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel, Glam Hotel, Made to Measure Business, Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson.
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Day 3, travel from Milan to Bari, leaving Milan Centrale at 08:05 on a pleasant journey along the Adriatic coast arriving Bari Centrale 15:27.
Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, easy to use, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly). Italiarail will refund their small booking fee if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your booking reference. Booking normally opens up to 4 months days ahead. It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.
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In Bari, transfer from station to port, see map of Bari showing station, port entrance, check-in building & Superfast Ferries berth.
You can walk the 1.9 km from the station to the port entrance in 25 minutes, a stroll through Bari's pleasant old town, see correct walking map from the station to the port entrance gate - if Google tells you any different, trust me, not Google!
Alternatively, bus 50 runs from Bari Centrale station to the road outside the port gate roughly every 40 minutes. A taxi will take 10 minutes.
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Day 3, sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece with Superfast Ferries.
The ferry sails from Bari at 19:30 on Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Patras at 13:00 next day (Day 3).
On Sundays the ship sails at 13:30, too early to make connections from Milan.
You can check sailing times & dates at using the Direct Ferries website or at www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com.
You should check in at the Superfast desk on the ground floor of the cruise terminal (Terminal Crociere) at Bari port with passport & booking number to get your boarding pass, ideally 3 hours before departure in summer, although in practice 2 hours or even 1½ hours is normally fine.
You then walk 500m from check-in to the ferry, board the ferry via the foot passenger gangway at the stern and head up the escalator to the main lounge and reception desk to get your cabin key.
The ship is comfortable, with self-service restaurant, lounge, bar and sun deck. You can book a deck place (a good & cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag), a reclining seat or various types of cabin, all with private shower & toilet. Strolling the decks in the morning sun as the ship cruises past the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca is the nicest part of the trip, and it's a wonderful way to arrive in Greece.
In Patras, the ferry arrives at the new South ferry terminal a few km from the town centre. Bus 18 links the port with the Patras bus station every hour on the hour, fare €1.20 or you can hop in a taxi for around €9, journey time 15-20 minutes.
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Day 4, travel from Patras to Athens by Greek Railways bus/train combo.
Hellenic Train (Greek Railways) operate an integrated bus/train service from Patras to Athens every hour or two, total journey time 3h02, fare around €18. No prior reservation is necessary, just buy a ticket to Athens at Patras railway station ticket office.
For example, at the time I write this, buses leave from outside Patras railway station at 14:15, 15:15, 16:00, 17:15 & 18:15, taking 90 minutes to reach Kiato railway station near Corinthos. At Kiato they connect with a modern air-conditioned regional train taking 78 minutes to Athens Larissa Station in downtown Athens. You can check Patra to Athens bus/train times using the journey planner at www.hellenictrain.gr.
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Corfu: The Bari-Patras ferry calls at Corfu on certain dates in summer. It calls at Igoumenitsa on the Greek mainland on all departures year-round. If you can't find a direct ferry to Corfu, book the ferry from Bari to Igoumenitsa, then take the local ferry from Igoumenitsa to Corfu with Kerkyra Lines (kerkyralines.com). These sail half a dozen times a day, crossing time 60-90 minutes, fare around €5-€10. Buy a ticket at kerkyralines.com or when you get to Igoumenitsa.
Option 2, Copenhagen to Athens overland by train via Munich & Belgrade
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You can also travel overland by train from Copenhagen to Athens via Munich, Zagreb, Belgrade, Thessaloniki.
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First, travel from Copenhagen to Munich as shown above.
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In Munich you pick up the overland route to Athens shown on the London to Athens page.
Copenhagen to Istanbul & Turkey
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Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Bucharest using any option shown above.
Do not risk any tight connections in Bucharest, I'd allow a minimum of 2 hours, or plan an overnight stop.
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Step 2, travel overnight from Bucharest to Istanbul as shown on the Bucharest to Istanbul page.
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Book online as shown on those pages, but you should consider using an Interrail pass for the flexibility it gives. You'll find more info about using a pass for a journey like this on the London to Istanbul page.
Hotels in Copenhagen
For advice on hotels in Copenhagen, see the hotels section on the Copenhagen station page.
Backpacker hostels
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www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & VPN
Always take out travel insurance
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.
Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.
How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.
Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I get a small commission to help support this site.
Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com.