|
The fabulous Vasa Museum, Stockholm: The warship Vasa sank in Stockholm harbour in 1628, was rediscovered in 1956 & raised in 1961. Worth the journey to Stockholm on its own! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
London to Stockholm by train
It's easy to travel from London to Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö or anywhere in Sweden by train, a wonderful journey with lots to see on the way, a civilised alternative to a soulless flight. On this page you'll find a step-by-step guide to planning, booking & making a journey from the UK to Sweden by train or ferry, with timetables, fares and how to buy tickets. Incidentally, there are now no ferries between the UK and Sweden or anywhere else in Scandinavia.
Which route to choose?
Option 1, London to Stockholm by Eurostar & the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper. This is the most time-effective option, with daily departures using the route marked in red on the route map below. Leave London in the evening, stay overnight in Brussels. Next day, travel to Hamburg and board the SJ EuroNight sleeper to Stockholm, arriving in the morning. A night, a day, a night.
Option 2, London to Stockholm by Eurostar with overnight stop in Hamburg. If you prefer daytime trains to sleepers, this is the option for you, also the route shown in red. Travel from London to Hamburg on day 1, stay overnight, then travel Hamburg to Stockholm on day 2. Day, night, day.
Option 3, London to Stockholm by Eurostar with overnight stop in Brussels & Copenhagen. A variation on option 2, leaving London in the evening, stop overnight in Brussels, take comfortable trains to Copenhagen on day 2, stop overnight in Copenhagen, then take a morning train to Stockholm arriving lunchtime on day 3.
Option 4, London to Sweden by Stena Line Rail & Sail. The ferry alternative! As time-effective as option 1, it's the route shown in orange on the route map below. Sleep in a cosy cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV & free WiFi on the overnight Stena Line superferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland, then take daytime trains to Hamburg and the sleeper to Stockholm. A night, a day, a night.
Option 5, UK to Sweden by ferry from Newcastle or Hull. By-pass London! Sail overnight from Hull or Newcastle to Holland in a cosy cabin with shower, toilet, then take a train from Amsterdam to Hamburg and the SJ EuroNight sleeper to Stockholm.
London to other destinations in Sweden: Malmö & Northern Sweden.
Other useful information
Trains from
Stockholm to other European cities
Trains from other
European cities to Stockholm
How to buy Swedish
train tickets at www.sj.se
Stockholm Central
Station guide
Useful country information:
currency, dial code...
General information about European
train travel
Luggage on trains &
Left luggage
at stations
Taking your bike
Taking your dog
Travel insurance, mobile data, VPN & other
tips
Interactive map: UK to Scandinavia
...click on a route for train times, fares & tickets.
Useful country information
Option 1, London to Stockholm using the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper
The most time-effective option! A new Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train started running on 1 September 2022, running daily all year round. If you're travelling to Malmö or Gothenburg, look at the other options as the sleeper passes through Malmö bright & early (well, early...) at 04:24.
London ► Stockholm
-
Day 1, travel from London to Brussels on any evening Eurostar you like.
The last Eurostar usually leaves London St Pancras at 19:34 arriving Brussels Midi at 22:38, but by all means travel earlier for a pleasant evening in Brussels. Check times at www.eurostar.com.
In theory, a same-day connection with the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper is possible on Mondays-Fridays & Sundays but for reliability I strongly recommend an overnight stop in Brussels as shown here.
-
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.
-
Day 2, travel from Brussels to Hamburg, leaving Brussels Midi at 08:23, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 15:14.
You travel from Brussels to Cologne & Cologne to Hamburg on superb German ICE train, with restaurant, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Enjoy an afternoon in Hamburg. Have dinner before boarding the sleeper, see suggested restaurants near the station.
-
Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 22:03, arriving Stockholm Central 09:57 next morning (day 3).
Run by SJ (Swedish Railways), the train has sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, couchette cars with 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A bistro car is attached between Malmö and Stockholm. More about SJ's Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
Stockholm ► London
-
Step 1, travel from Stockholm to Hamburg by sleeper train, leaving Stockholm Central at 17:34 arriving Hamburg Hbf 06:00 (08:56 on Sundays).
Run by SJ (Swedish Railways), the train has sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, couchette cars with 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A bistro car is attached between Stockholm & Malmö, serving meals, snacks, beer & wine. More about SJ's Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
-
Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Brussels by train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:45 Mon-Fri & Sat, change Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 15:35.
On Sundays, leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:45, change at Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi at 17:35.
You travel on comfortable ICE trains with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Tip: Allow at least 1 hour between trains in Hamburg when connecting out of the sleeper, ideally more.
Tip: An earlier arrival is possible using Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Cologne to Brussels, but I recommend the trains shown above as this gets you (a) a cheaper price and (b) a through ticket with cast-iron passenger rights in the event of a delay and missed connection in Cologne.
-
Step 3, travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar, leaving Brussels Midi at 17:56 Mon-Fri & Saturdays arriving London St Pancras 18:57.
On Sundays, leave Brussels Midi at 18:51 arriving London St Pancras 19:47.
How much does it cost?
-
London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £140 return standard premier (1st class).
-
Brussels to Hamburg starts at €27.90 each way in 2nd class or €59.90 each way in 1st class.
-
Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper train starts at €44.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, €79.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €164.90 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per bed.
-
All these fares are dynamic, varying like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
-
Step 1, book London to Brussels by Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.
Tip: If returning, book Eurostar as a round trip, because unlike most other European trains, a return ticket costs less than two one-ways.
-
Step 2, book from Brussels to Hamburg 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.
-
Step 3, book Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper tickets at www.sj.se.
Booking opens several months ahead, You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Brussels by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.
2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3
Germany's superb ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken at your seat. 50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava. As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station. More about ICE3. Brussels Midi station guide. Cologne Hbf station guide.
An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICE trains. Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.
3. Cologne to Hamburg by ICE4
ICE4s have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, and are capable of 265 km/h (165 mph). Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, Cologne-Hamburg trains cross the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine, then pass through the industrial Ruhr. More about ICE4. Hamburg Hbf station guide.
4. Hamburg to Stockholm by SJ sleeper train
Run by SJ (Swedish Railways), this EuroNight train normally has one or sometimes two sleeping-cars, two or sometimes three couchette cars and two seats cars. Each sleeping-car has 14 narrow standard compartments with washbasin which can be sold as single or double, plus two deluxe compartments with shower & toilet which can be sold as single, double or triple. The couchettes come in 6-berth compartments. The seats cars have 6-seat compartments, but you should always book a couchette or sleeper if you can. The sleepers convert to private sitting rooms for evening or morning use, the couchettes convert to seats. Limited food & drink (including beer & wine) can be ordered from the train staff, you can see the menu at www.sj.se/en/travel-info/sj-euronight.html. A simple breakfast box with jam, butter, rolls, yoghurt and a tea or coffee is included in the sleepers and can be ordered the night before in the couchettes. Unlike most other European night trains, as this train is Swedish you are not permitted to consume your own alcohol. More about SJ's Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
Option 2, London to Sweden with overnight stop in Hamburg
If you prefer daytime trains and a hotel to sleepers, this is the option for you. You travel from London to Hamburg on day 1, stay overnight in Hamburg, then travel from Hamburg to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm on day 2. Option 3 below involves two overnight stops rather than one, but it's also worth considering.
London ► Malmö, Gothenburg, Stockholm
-
Day 1, travel from London to Hamburg by train, see the London to Hamburg timetable. For example:
Leave London St Pancras at 09:01, change Brussels Midi & Cologne Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 19:14.
Leave London St Pancras at 11:04, change Brussels Midi & Cologne Hbf, arriving Hamburg Hbf 21:14.
I'd take the 09:01 if possible, it gives more wiggle room if there's a delay as well as a longer evening in Hamburg.
You travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Brussels to Cologne by superb German ICE3 and Cologne to Hamburg by ICE4, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
-
Stay overnight in Hamburg.
The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is 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. Or try the innovative Cab20 capsule hotel, a 550m 6-minute walk from the station, see walking map.
-
Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by train.
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 arriving Copenhagen 13:34. Leave Copenhagen at 14:19 arriving Stockholm Central 19:37.
Hamburg to Copenhagen is by EuroCity train with refreshment trolley, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi whilst in Denmark. Copenhagen to Stockholm is by 200 km/h X2000 with bistro car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
In Copenhagen, trains to Stockholm often leave from platform 26 which is a little way from the main station concourse, see the info here. The trains cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden, when the train seems to 'fly' over the water. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey. More about X2000 trains.
You can check train times from Hamburg to Stockholm at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
-
Or from Hamburg to Malmö or Gothenburg.
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 by EuroCity train arriving Copenhagen 13:34.
Öresund trains run from Copenhagen to Malmö Central every 20-30 minutes taking 39 minutes, just hop on the next departure.
Öresund trains run from Copenhagen to Gothenburg Central every hour taking 3h50, there's one at 14:30 arriving Göteborg Central at 18:20.
You can check train times from Hamburg to Malmö or Gothenburg (Göteborg Central) at German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Trains from Copenhagen to Sweden cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999.
Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö ► London
-
Day 1, travel from Stockholm to Hamburg by train.
Leave Stockholm Central at 08:20 arriving Copenhagen 13:33. Leave Copenhagen at 15:26 arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:04.
Stockholm to Copenhagen is by 200 km/h X2000 with bistro car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Copenhagen to Hamburg is by EuroCity train with refreshment trolley, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi whilst in Denmark.
The X2000 crosses the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden. More about X2000 trains. More about the Copenhagen-Hamburg journey.
Check train times from Stockholm to Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
-
Or travel from Gothenburg or Malmö to Hamburg.
Leave Göteborg Central at 10:40 or Malmö Central at 13:50 by Öresund train, arriving Copenhagen at 14:29.
By all means travel earlier and have lunch in Copenhagen, these trains run hourly from Gothenburg, every 20-30 minutes from Malmo.
Then leave Copenhagen by EuroCity train at 15:26, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
You can check train times from Gothenburg (Göteborg Central) or Malmo to Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, although in this direction I'd change Transfer time from normal to 40 minutes, as you don't want to miss the infrequent train to Copenhagen because of a 10 minute delay.
Trains from Copenhagen to Sweden cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999.
-
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. Or try the innovative Cab20 capsule hotel, a 550m 6-minute walk from the station, see walking map.
-
Day 2, travel from Hamburg to London by train. For example:
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 06:45, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi, arriving London St Pancras at 15:57.
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:45, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi, arriving London St Pancras at 17:47.
Leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:45, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi, arriving London St Pancras at 19:47.
See the Hamburg to London timetable here. Hamburg to Cologne is by ICE4, Cologne to Brussels is by ICE3, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Brussels to London is by Eurostar, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
How much does it cost?
-
London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £140 return standard premier (1st class).
-
Brussels to Hamburg starts at €27.90 each way in 2nd class or €59.90 each way in 1st class.
-
Hamburg to Stockholm starts at €56.90 each way in 2nd class.
-
Fares work like air fares, rising as departure date approaches. So book as early as the booking horizon allows and shop around for the cheapest date & departure.
-
UK to Sweden using a 4-day Interrail pass costs around £295 adult return, £245 return if you're under 28, £275 return senior over 60, children under 12 around £85 return. That includes the passholder fares on Eurostar and reservation fees for Copenhagen-Stockholm.
How to buy tickets
-
Step 1, go to www.raileurope.com and book from London to Hamburg, looking for a journey with just 2 changes, in Brussels and Cologne. Add this to your basket. If you are returning, book this as a round trip.
Step 2, now book from Hamburg to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm for the following day, looking for a journey with just 1 change. Add to basket & check out. If you're returning, book this as round trip, making sure you enter the return date as the day before your Hamburg to London booking.
Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com, it allows you to book all your tickets together in one place in plain English, international credit cards accepted and fares shown in multiple currencies. There's a small booking fee.
-
Booking tips
Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes more. Onward trains to Germany & Sweden open up to 6 months ahead, often less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes. I recommend waiting until all your trains are open for booking before committing to a non-refundable Eurostar ticket. More about when booking opens.
Fares are dynamic like air fares, for the cheapest prices book early and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.
Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one ways, so any return journey involving Eurostar is best booked as a round trip. However, with the Brussels-Hamburg & Hamburg-Stockholm tickets a round trip is simply two one-ways, so makes no difference.
You print your own tickets, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app, and show the DB ticket on your laptop or phone.
After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar.
-
Is it a through ticket?
No, as there are no through tickets from London to Germany any more, DB's Sparpreis London fares were discontinued in March 2020. But www.raileurope.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket from London to Brussels plus an onward German Railways ticket from Brussels to Hamburg, then it'll sell you a separate German Railways ticket from Hamburg to Stockholm for the following day.
-
Seat reservations
A seat reservation is automatically included with every ticket on Eurostar and on Swedish X2000s. However, seat reservations on the trains between Brussels & Copenhagen are usually optional, if you want a reserved seat it can be added during the booking process for fee of around €4.50 each way. A reserved seat is a good idea, especially at busy periods, so I'd add one when prompted.
-
About those tight 20-minute connections at Brussels Midi
The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE, sometimes less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make. It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms.
Even though the system sells you separate tickets either side of Brussels, you are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT so if there's a delay and you miss the connection you will be allowed to travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge. Just make sure that if you did miss that 20 minute connection in Brussels, there are later trains that would still get you to Hamburg by close of play that day.
Alternatively, nothing stops you booking an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a more robust connection. To do this using www.raileurope.com, click More options, then enter Brussels (any station) as a via station with a stopover duration of (say) 1 or 2 hours. There are plenty of places for a meal, coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!
-
If you don't see any cheap Hamburg-Stockholm fares
Availability of Hamburg-Stockholm through tickets is limited, so if you don't find any cheap fares between Hamburg and Stockholm using www.raileurope.com, split the booking like this:
First book Hamburg to Copenhagen at German Railways int.bahn.de and print your own ticket.
Then book Copenhagen to Stockholm using either Omio.com (small booking fee, happily accepts overseas credit cards, you can pay in Swedish Kr, £, € and $) or www.sj.se (in Swedish Krona, no booking fee, you can usually choose a specific seat from a seating plan, but it can sometimes be fussy with overseas credit cards). You simply print out your own ticket or show it on your phone, or you can choose to collect tickets from the SJ ticket machines at Copenhagen station.
-
Connecting tickets from other UK towns & cities: See the advice on special add-on tickets here.
Another way to buy tickets
-
This is more work as it involves two websites, but it can be slightly cheaper for two reasons: First, you don't pay a booking fee. Second, you can use the Stopover feature at int.bahn.de to book a Brussels to Stockholm through ticket with an overnight stop in Hamburg programmed in. This is cheaper than buying separate Brussels to Hamburg & Hamburg to Stockholm tickets from Raileurope.
Obviously, do a dry run on both sites first to check availability & prices. I'd also check that your outward Eurostar and ICE are indeed a recognised connection by checking that they appear together when you run a London to Cologne enquiry at int.bahn.de - read the paragraph in the previous section about the 20-minute connection in Brussels. In fact, if you're booking like this I'd pick an earlier Eurostar and spend a couple of hours in Brussels.
-
Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com and print your own ticket, or load it into the Eurostar app to show on your phone. Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, make sure you book this as a round trip. After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar.
-
Step 2, book from Brussels to Stockholm at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, but click Stopovers, enter Hamburg Hbf and a length of stay of (say) 10-12 hours. Look for journeys with just 3 changes, in Cologne, Hamburg & Copenhagen. You'll need to fiddle with the departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg, it takes a bit of trial and error, which is why it's easier booking one way first, then if you're returning, book the return journey separately as another one-way. On German trains that makes no difference to the price.
This will get you a Brussels to Stockholm through ticket with an overnight stop in Hamburg included, which is what you want. If you have problems, by all means just book Brussels-Hamburg and Hamburg-Copenhagen separately.
You print your own ticket, or load it into the DB Navigator app to show on your phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time. An advantage of booking direct with int.bahn.de is that you can select an exact seat on many German trains from a seating plan.
Using an Interrail pass
-
If you can book well in advance, normal advance-purchase tickets are the cheapest & easiest way to make this journey. But at short notice regular fares become expensive and it can be cheaper to use an Interrail pass for a round trip from the UK to Sweden & back. The pass will also cover your UK domestic train between your home station & London.
-
Step 1, buy a 4-days-in-1-month Interrail pass from www.interrail.eu. You can load the pass into an app on your phone immediately after buying it. See Interrail pass prices and learn more about how Interrail passes work on the Interrail page.
-
Step 2, in addition to the pass you need to pay for a Eurostar passholder fare from London to Brussels and back on the dates you want. See prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations online. You print these tickets out.
Tip: As passholder availability is limited, I recommend that you check Eurostar passholder availability before buying a pass.
-
Step 3, seat reservations between Brussels and Hamburg are optional, you can just sit in any empty unreserved seat and show your pass when asked. However, it's a good idea to make seat reservations for long journeys, you can reserve seats for around €5 each way at int.bahn.de by entering Brussels to Hamburg and clicking the Book seat only link under the red search button.
Seat reservation between Hamburg & Copenhagen is usually optional, but it's compulsory in summer (June-September). You can make Hamburg to Copenhagen reservations using the Danish Railways website as shown here.
Seat reservation between Copenhagen & Stockholm is always compulsory, the passholder reservation fee is around €6.60 each way. Reservation can be made online at Swedish railways www.sj.se - the trick is to run an enquiry as if buying a ticket, but under customer card' select Pass 2 cl (Interrail/Eurail) or Pass 1 cl (Interrail/Eurail) as appropriate.
Have your trip arranged as a package
-
Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a UK-Sweden trip for you as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers. You'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays on their website which can be varied or customised to your requirements. As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.
UK 0207 864 4600,
www.railbookers.co.uk
US 1-888-829-4775,
see
website
Canada 1-855-882-2910,
see website
Australia 1300 971 526,
see website
New Zealand 0800 000 554 or
see
website -
Byway (Byway.travel) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating. If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, book a one-way or return UK-Sweden train trip through Byway as a package, including hotels, starting from any British station you like. Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption and re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.
They can build a trip to your requirements if you phone 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form. Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.
How to buy tickets by phone
-
It's better to book online to avoid phone booking fees and so you can see for yourself which departures are cheapest for each stage of the journey. Most ticketing agencies only work office hours on weekdays, but online booking is possible 24/7. However, if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK ticketing agencies with phone numbers & opening hours.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Brussels by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.
2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3
Germany's superb ICEs have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In 1st class, food & drink orders are taken at your seat. 50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava. As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station. More about ICE3. Brussels Midi station guide. Cologne Hbf station guide.
An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICE trains. Photo above courtesy of Christian Hunt.
3. Cologne to Hamburg by ICE4
ICE4s have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, and are capable of 265 km/h (165 mph). Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, Cologne-Hamburg trains cross the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine, then pass through the industrial Ruhr. More about ICE4. Hamburg Hbf station guide.
4. Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train
As from June 2023, Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are operated by former German Railways intercity cars like this, now shown in the timetable as EC for EuroCity. This is only temporary, as brand-new trains being built for DSB will be delivered in 2024. These ex-DB intercity cars have power sockets at all seats (although no WiFi). There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink. More about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.
On 17 June 2023, the first Copenhagen to Hamburg train to use the 'new' German intercity cars is boarding at Copenhagen. Photo courtesy of Peter Kincey.
2nd class seats in are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Crossing the Little Belt (Lillebælt in Danish) from Jutland (mainland Denmark) to Funen, the island on which Odense is located.
5. Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000
These Swedish 200km/h (125mph) tilting trains link Copenhagen & Stockholm in just a few hours, centre to centre. They cross from Denmark to Sweden over the Oresund Link, a combined tunnel and bridge. On the bridge section you seem to be flying just feet above the water. More about X2000 trains.
Option 3, London to Sweden with overnight stop in Brussels & Copenhagen
This involves two overnight stops not one, but it can be more time-effective: Leave London in the evening after a full working day and arrive in Stockholm at lunchtime on day 3, taking only 1½ days out of your schedule rather than 2. Indeed, in the westbound direction you can have a full working day in Stockholm before taking an early evening train to Copenhagen, spend just one whole working day travelling (a chill-out day with your feet up, or getting some work dome on the train) and arrive in London on a morning Eurostar in time for the start of the following working day.
London ► Stockholm & Gothenburg
-
Day 1, travel from London to Brussels on any evening Eurostar you like.
The last Eurostar usually leaves London St Pancras at 19:34 arriving Brussels Midi at 22:38, but by all means travel earlier for a pleasant evening in Brussels. Check times at www.eurostar.com.
-
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.
-
Day 2, travel from Brussels to Copenhagen by train, with a choice of two departures.
Leave Brussels Midi at 06:23 by ICE3, change at Cologne Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 19:34.
Leave Brussels Midi at 08:23 (08:25 weekends), change at Cologne Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 21:34.
This is a straightforward journey all on one ticket booked at int.bahn.de.
You travel from Brussels to Cologne by superb German ICE3, Cologne to Hamburg by ICE4, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train with free WiFi when in Denmark, power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley. I'd take the earlier departure if possible as it offers more wiggle room in the event of any delay.
-
Stay overnight in Copenhagen.
The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here. Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
-
Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Gothenburg or Stockholm by train.
For Gothenburg, Öresund trains run from Copenhagen to Gothenburg every hour. The first train usually leaves around 05:27 arriving 09:20, but by all means have a leisurely breakfast and take any later one.
For Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by 200km/h tilting X2000 train, using any departure you like. The first train usually leaves Copenhagen at 09:19 arriving Stockholm Central at 13:34 but times vary so check for your date at www.sj.se or Omio.com. Tip: Trains to Stockholm often leave from platform 26 which is a 200m walk from the main station concourse, so arrive in good time, see the info here.
Stockholm & Gothenburg ► London
-
Day 1, travel from Stockholm or Gothenburg to Copenhagen.
From Stockholm, travel from Stockholm Central to Copenhagen by X2000 tilting train, using any departure you like. The last direct train usually leaves Stockholm around 15:11 arriving Copenhagen at 20:33, but times vary so check for your date at www.sj.se or Omio.com.
From Gothenburg, travel from Gothenburg Central to Copenhagen using any train you like, Öresund trains run every hour with the last direct train leaving around 19:40 arriving in Copenhagen at 23:33.
-
Stay overnight in Copenhagen.
The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here. Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
-
Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Brussels by train.
Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 19:35.
You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with free WiFi when in Denmark, power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Hamburg to Cologne by superb German ICE4 and Cologne to Brussels by ICE3, with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
A later 09:26 departure is possible from Copenhagen to Brussels but with no wiggle room for delay, I'd stick with the 07:26.
-
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.
-
Day 3, travel from, Brussels to London on any morning Eurostar you like.
The first train leaves Brussels Midi at 07:56 weekdays arriving London St Pancras 08:59, or 08:52 weekends arriving London St Pancras 09:57.
How much does it cost?
-
London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £97 one-way, £140 return standard premier (1st class).
-
Brussels to Copenhagen starts at €49.90 each way in 2nd class, or from €79.90 each way in 1st class.
-
Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 starts at 195 SEK, around £18.
-
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
-
Booking for Eurostar & onward trains as far as Copenhagen opens up to 6 months ahead. Copenhagen-Stockholm trains open several months ahead, but SJ loads blocks of dates at a time so it varies. You book in stages, do a dry run on each stage first.
-
Step 1, book from London to Brussels at www.eurostar.com. If you're making a return journey, book London-Brussels & back as a round trip.
-
Step 2, go to the German Railways website int.bahn.de and book from Brussels to Copenhagen.
Tip: Click Stopovers and enter Brussel Noord with length of stay left as zero. The system then ignores the Brussels-Cologne Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains as these don't call there and finds DB-run ICEs instead. Through fares & prices only appear if the Brussels-Cologne bit is by ICE.
-
Step 3, book from Copenhagen to Stockholm or Gothenburg and back at either Omio.com (quick & easy to use, happily accepts overseas credit cards, you can pay in Swedish Kr, £, € and $, small booking fee) or www.sj.se (in Swedish Krona, you can usually choose a specific seat from a seating plan, no booking fee but it can sometimes be fussy with overseas credit cards). You simply print out your own ticket or show it on your phone, or you can choose to collect tickets from the SJ ticket machines at Copenhagen station.
Tickets on the X2000 trains to Stockholm or Gothenburg have airline-style variable prices and require prior reservation, but tickets for the hourly Öresund trains between Copenhagen & Gothenburg don't need to be pre-booked, the price is fixed and no reservations are necessary or even possible, you can just buy a ticket at the station when you reach Copenhagen and hop on the next train.
How to buy tickets by phone
-
It's better to book online. But to buy tickets by phone, call International Rail on 0844 248 248 3, lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday. Overseas callers call +44 844 2482483. They charge a £10 booking fee for bookings under £100, £20 for £100-£300, £30 above £300. In many cases tickets can be emailed to you as e-tickets, so there's no postage fee or delay.
-
Alternatively, call Deutsche Bahn's English-speaking telesales line on 00 49 (0)30 311 68 29 04 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday UK time, 1.5% fee for phone bookings). Click here for a list of agencies and other useful information on how to book.
Custom-made travel & hotel arrangements
-
Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour or holiday for you as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers. On their website you'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be varied or customised to your own requirements. And as you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay. They get very positive reviews.
UK 0207 864 4600,
www.railbookers.co.uk
US 1-888-829-4775,
see
website Canada 1-855-882-2910,
see website
Australia 1300 971 526,
see website
New Zealand 0800 000 554,
see
website
What's the journey like?
The trains are the same as those used in option 1, see the photos above.
London to Stockholm by ferry from Harwich
The ferry alternative, shown in orange on the route map above. You travel from London to Amsterdam overnight using the excellent Stena Line Rail & Sail service, sleeping in a cosy private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV on the Stena Line superferry from Harwich to Hoek van Holland (see the video!). Next day, take a comfortable train from Amsterdam to Hamburg and the SJ EuroNight sleeper to Stockholm - or stay overnight in Hamburg and travel to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm next morning.
It's as time-effective as option 1, taking just a day (and 2 nights) out of your schedule. Stena Line Rail & Sail usually offers affordable fares even at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, it's also handy if you live in East Anglia or want to avoid the Channel Tunnel.
London, Cambridge, Harwich ► Gothenburg, Stockholm
-
Day 1, travel from London to Amsterdam overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail.
You leave London Liverpool Street at 19:36 Mondays-Fridays, 19:04 Saturdays or 20:00 Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.
You leave Cambridge at 19:47 Mondays-Saturdays or 19:45 on Sundays by direct train to Harwich International.
At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto Stena Line's luxurious overnight superferry Stena Hollandica to Hoek van Holland.
The ferry sails at 23:00 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 08:00 next morning, Dutch time.
All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with en suite toilet & shower & satellite TV. Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, and there's free WiFi in the lounges, restaurants & bars on 9 deck. You can get on board the ferry around 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant and settle into your cabin.
This is an integrated train & ferry service, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details, photos & travel tips. The special fare from London to Hoek van Holland is valid from any Abellio Greater Anglia station, for example Norwich, Cambridge, Romford, Ilford, Ipswich.
Next morning, take the frequent metro train from Hoek van Holland Haven to Schiedam Centrum and a Dutch Intercity train from Schiedam Centrum to Amsterdam Centraal arriving 10:25. See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details.
At Amsterdam Centraal, have a coffee at the delightfully retro Cafe 1e Klas and give my regards to the cockatoo on the bar.
-
Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to Hamburg by train, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:59, change at Osnabrück & arrive Hamburg Hbf 17:14.
You travel from Amsterdam to Osnabruck by comfortable Intercity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Osnabruck to Hamburg by ICE4 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
-
For Stockholm:
Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 22:03, arriving Stockholm Central 09:57 next morning (day 3).
Procured by the Swedish government and run by SJ (Swedish Railways), the train has sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, couchette cars with 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. The sleeping-cars are former Austrian Railways AB32s, refurbished. More about SJ's Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
-
For Malmö or Gothenburg,
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. Or try the innovative Cab20 capsule hotel, a 550m 6-minute walk from the station, see walking map.
Day 3, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 and arriving Copenhagen at 13:34.
Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Malmö or Gothenburg by Öresund train, these leave several times each hour for Malmö taking 40 minutes or hourly for Gothenburg taking 3h50.
Check train times from Hamburg to Malmö or Gothenburg at int.bahn.de, for Gothenburg select Göteborg Central.
Trains from Copenhagen to Sweden cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden. More about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.
Alternatively, stay overnight in Hamburg and travel to Stockholm next day, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 by EuroCity train arriving Copenhagen 13:34, then leave Copenhagen at 14:19 by X2000 train arriving Stockholm Central 19:37.
Stockholm, Gothenburg ► Harwich, Cambridge, London
-
From Stockholm:
Day 1, travel from Stockholm to Hamburg by sleeper train, leaving Stockholm Central at 17:34 arriving Hamburg Hbf 06:00 (08:56 on Sundays)
Procured by the Swedish government and run by SJ (Swedish Railways), the train has sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, couchette cars with 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. The sleeping-cars are former Austrian Railways AB32s, refurbished. More about SJ's Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
Alternatively, leave Stockholm Central at 08:20 by X2000 tilting train arriving Copenhagen 13:33, then leave Copenhagen at 15:26 by EuroCity train arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04. Then stay overnight in Hamburg.
-
From Gothenburg or Malmö:
Day 1, travel from Gothenburg or Malmö to Copenhagen by Öresund train, leaving Gothenburg Central at 10:40 or Malmö Central at 13:50.
Öresund trains link Malmö & Copenhagen several times each hour taking 40 minutes and Gothenburg & Copenhagen every hour taking 3h50. They cross from Sweden to Denmark on the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999.
Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
Check train times from Gothenburg or Malmö to Hamburg using int.bahn.de. Gothenburg is listed as Göteborg Central, I'd change Transfer time from normal to 45 minutes. More about the Copenhagen to Hamburg journey.
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. Or try the innovative Cab20 capsule hotel, a 550m 6-minute walk from the station, see walking map.
-
Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Amsterdam, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:45, one easy change at Osnabrück arriving Amsterdam Centraal 14:00.
On Sundays when the sleeper from Stockholm arrives later, leave Hamburg Hbf 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 from Osnabrück to Amsterdam by Intercity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley. You can check times at int.bahn.de.
-
Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to London overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail.
You leave Amsterdam Centraal at 18:35 by Dutch intercity train to Schiedam Centrum and change onto the frequent metro to Hoek van Holland Haven. At Hoek, the metro station is next to the ferry terminal. Check in at the Stena Line desk and walk up the gangway onto the luxurious Stena Line superferry Stena Britannica and sail overnight to Harwich in a cosy private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV.
The ferry sails from Hoek van Holland at 22:00 and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning (day 3), UK time.
Day 3, Take a train from Harwich to London Liverpool Street arriving around 08:56, or from Harwich to Cambridge arriving 09:41 (10:39 on Sundays). See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details.
How much does it cost?
-
London or any Greater Anglia station to Hoek van Holland starts at £62 per person each way, plus cabin.
Cabins start at £34 for a single berth cabin or £45 per cabin for a 2-berth, and are compulsory on the night sailing. For full details of fares and cabin types and costs, see the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.
-
Hoek to Schiedam by metro costs around €4. Schiedam to Amsterdam by train costs €17.20.
-
Amsterdam to Hamburg starts at €32.90 in 2nd class or €43.90 in 1st class each way.
-
Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper starts at €44.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, €79.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €164.90 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per bed.
-
Hamburg to Gothenburg or Stockholm by daytime trains starts at €56.90 each way.
How to buy tickets
-
Step 1, buy a Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket from London to Hoek van Holland online as shown on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.
Buy the onward metro & train tickets to Amsterdam as shown on that page.
-
Step 2, buy train tickets from Amsterdam to Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering on bahn.de when prompted, so you can log in and re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
-
Step 3 if using the SJ sleeper from Hamburg to Stockholm, book this at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se.
Booking opens several months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
-
Step 3 if using daytime trains from Hamburg to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm, book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering on bahn.de when prompted, so you can log in and re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone. Gothenburg is listed as Göteborg Central. .
Tip: You can in fact book from Amsterdam to Stockholm in one go, and this can be cheaper, from €59.90 - so give it a try. To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 13 hours. Adjust the departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg. However, you may only find 2nd class fares this way.
What's the journey like?
A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich. You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland. The superferry Stena Britannica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world. The journey from London to Holland is explained in detail on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page. See the video.
The Stena Hollandica boarding at Harwich, a floating hotel with private cabins, restaurant, bar, lounges, shop & kennels.
Above left, a standard outside cabin. Larger photo. 360º photo. Above right, the Stena Plus lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee & snacks.
Above left, the bar on 9 deck. Above right, a Captain's Class cabin with complimentary minibar, toilet & shower.
You can of course take a train to London then travel to Sweden as shown in any of the options above. You can buy special connecting train tickets from most British stations to London International, see my advice on buying connecting train tickets to London.
But you can also by-pass London using DFDS Seaways' (www.dfds.com) overnight ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam or P&O Ferries' (www.poferries.com) overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam. Both have comfortable private cabins all with toilet & shower. Take a train to Hamburg and hop on the SJ EuroNight sleeper to Stockholm - or stay overnight in Hamburg and travel to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm next day.
Scotland & the North ► Sweden
-
Day 1, take a train to either Hull or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for where you live.
In Hull, transfer to P&O ferry terminal and sail overnight from Hull to Rotterdam by P&O cruise ferry, with bus/train connection to Amsterdam Centraal. The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins. For details of schedule, fares & tickets, see the Hull-Rotterdam page.
In Newcastle, transfer to the DFDS ferry terminal at North Shields and sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam by DFDS Seaways cruise ferry. The ferry has bars, restaurants & cosy en suite cabins. For details of schedule, fares & tickets see the Newcastle-Amsterdam page.
-
Day 2, travel from Amsterdam to Hamburg by train, leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 13:59, change at Osnabrück & arrive Hamburg Hbf 19:14.
You travel from Amsterdam to Osnabrück by comfortable Intercity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Osnabruck to Hamburg by ICE4 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
-
For Stockholm:
Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 22:03, arriving Stockholm Central 09:57 next morning (day 3).
Procured by the Swedish government and run by SJ (Swedish Railways), the train has sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, couchette cars with 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. The sleeping-cars are former Austrian Railways AB32s, refurbished. More about SJ's Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
-
For Malmö or Gothenburg,
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. Or try the innovative Cab20 capsule hotel, a 550m 6-minute walk from the station, see walking map.
Day 3, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 and arriving Copenhagen at 13:34.
Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Malmö or Gothenburg by Öresund train, these leave several times each hour for Malmö taking 40 minutes or hourly for Gothenburg taking 3h50.
Check train times from Hamburg to Malmö or Gothenburg at int.bahn.de, for Gothenburg select Göteborg Central.
Trains from Copenhagen to Sweden cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden. More about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.
Alternatively, stay overnight in Hamburg and travel to Stockholm next day, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 by EuroCity train arriving Copenhagen 13:34, then leave Copenhagen at 14:19 by X2000 train arriving Stockholm Central 19:37.
Sweden ► Scotland & the North
-
From Stockholm:
Day 1, travel from Stockholm to Hamburg by sleeper train, leaving Stockholm Central at 17:34 arriving Hamburg Hbf 06:00 (08:56 Sundays).
Procured by the Swedish government and run by SJ (Swedish Railways), the train has sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, couchette cars with 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. The sleeping-cars are former Austrian Railways AB32s, refurbished. More about SJ's Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
Alternatively, leave Stockholm Central at 08:20 by X2000 tilting train arriving Copenhagen 13:33, then leave Copenhagen at 15:26 by EuroCity train arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04. Then stay overnight in Hamburg.
-
From Gothenburg or Malmö:
Day 1, travel from Gothenburg or Malmö to Copenhagen by Öresund train, leaving Gothenburg Central at 10:40 or Malmö Central at 13:50.
Öresund trains link Malmö & Copenhagen several times each hour taking 40 minutes and Gothenburg & Copenhagen every hour taking 3h50. They cross from Sweden to Denmark on the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999.
Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.
Check train times from Gothenburg or Malmö to Hamburg using int.bahn.de. Gothenburg is listed as Göteborg Central, I'd change Transfer time from normal to 45 minutes. More about the Copenhagen to Hamburg journey.
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. Or try the innovative Cab20 capsule hotel, a 550m 6-minute walk from the station, see walking map.
-
Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Amsterdam, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:45, one easy change at Osnabrück arriving Amsterdam Centraal 14:00.
On Sundays when the sleeper from Stockholm arrives later, leave Hamburg Hbf 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 from Osnabrück to Amsterdam by Intercity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley. You can check times at int.bahn.de.
-
Day 2, transfer to the ferry port & sail overnight to Hull or Newcastle.
Travel overnight by ferry from Rotterdam Europoort to Hull with P&O Ferries or from IJmuiden (near Amsterdam) to Newcastle with DFDS, whichever is most convenient for where you live, arriving next morning (Day 3). Transfer to the station and take a train home.
For details of timetables, fares & how to buy tickets from Amsterdam to the UK via these ferry routes, see the Hull-Rotterdam page or the Newcastle-Amsterdam page.
How much does it cost?
-
Check ferry prices at www.dfds.com for Newcastle-Amsterdam or www.poferries.com for Hull-Rotterdam.
-
Amsterdam to Hamburg starts at €32.90 in 2nd class or €43.90 in 1st class each way.
-
Hamburg to Stockholm by sleeper starts at €44.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, €79.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €164.90 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per bed.
-
Hamburg to Gothenburg or Stockholm by daytime trains starts at €56.90 each way.
How to buy tickets
-
Step 1, book the ferry at www.dfds.com for Newcastle-Amsterdam or www.poferries.com for Hull-Rotterdam.
-
Step 2, buy train tickets from Amsterdam Centraal to Hamburg Hbf (or if arriving from Hull, Rotterdam Centraal to Hamburg Hbf) at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering on bahn.de when prompted, so you can log in and re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
-
Step 3 if using the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper, book this at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se.
Booking opens several months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
-
Step 3 if using daytime trains from Hamburg to Malmö, Gothenburg or Stockholm, book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. I recommend registering on bahn.de when prompted, so you can log in and re-print your tickets at any time. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone. Gothenburg is listed as Göteborg Central. .
Tip: You can book from Amsterdam to Stockholm in one go, and this can be cheaper, from €59.90 - so give it a try. To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 13 hours. Adjust the departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg. However, you may only find 2nd class fares this way.
-
Step 3, buy a train ticket from your local station to Newcastle or Hull at any train operator website such as tfw.wales. Make sure you allow plenty of time for the transfer from station to ferry terminal and for the ferry check-in.
What's the journey like?
You sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam (DFDS) or Hull to Rotterdam (P&O) by overnight cruise ferry, with private en suite cabins, restaurants, bars, cinema, a floating hotel. If travelling with DFDS from Newcastle, a transfer bus takes you from IJmuiden ferry terminal to Amsterdam Centraal station next morning. If travelling with P&O from Hull, a transfer bus takes you from Rotterdam Europoort ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal from where frequent Dutch trains run to Utrecht or Amsterdam.
Other destinations in Sweden
London to Malmö
Malmö is just opposite Copenhagen across the Öresund, and linked to Copenhagen by frequent local train running across the Öresund Link across the sea from Denmark to Sweden, opened in 1999. The link is part tunnel, part double-decker road/rail bridge, and on the long bridge section your train seems to 'fly' across the sea to Sweden.
-
Travel to Copenhagen using any of the options shown on the London to Denmark page. Book your tickets as shown on that page.
-
Then simply buy a local ticket from any of the ticket machines or staffed ticket office at Copenhagen station and hop on an Öresundtåg (
London to Northern Sweden & Narvik
First travel to Gothenburg or Stockholm as shown above. Overnight sleeper trains run from Stockholm to Northern Sweden, including Boden, Luleå, Kiruna and Narvik in Norway. Some of these trains are run by www.vy.se, a subsidiary of the former Norwegian State Railways, and some by SJ (www.sj.se). The trains have 1st class 1 & 2 berth sleepers with private toilet & shower, 2nd class 3 bed sleepers with washbasin, 6-berth couchettes, ordinary seats, and cafe car.
Daytime trains from Gothenburg and Stockholm to most cities in Sweden are run by national train operator SJ, see www.sj.se for times and fares. If you have any problems booking with SJ.se, try Omio.com instead (small booking fee, happily accepts overseas credit cards, you can pay in Swedish Kr, £, € and $) but this only books seats or couchettes, not sleepers.
How to buy Swedish train tickets at www.sj.se
 |
The best way to buy your train tickets within Sweden, or (in either direction) between Copenhagen & Stockholm, Copenhagen & Gothenburg, Copenhagen & Oslo or Stockholm & Oslo, is online at the Swedish Railways website, www.sj.se. It's far cheaper than buying through a UK agency, and there are no booking fees or postage to pay. You can simply print your own ticket or show it on your phone.
-
Go to www.sj.se.
For English, change Svenska + Swedish flag to English + UK flag at upper right.
If you're using their mobile site this doesn't appear, you need to go into the menu, click Mer (More) and scroll down to find English.
Use the journey planner to make your booking.
Booking doesn't open a set number of days ahead: Instead, SJ releases tickets in blocks 4 times a year, for example in mid-May for the period from mid-August to mid-December. You can see the exact dates on www.sj.se on their FAQ page.
-
It's pretty self-explanatory, but here are a few tips:
For Copenhagen, type Kopenhamn and select Köpenhamn H which is Swedish for Copenhagen main station (the H stands for hovedbanegard, Danish for main station).
For Stockholm, enter Stockholm C, the C is for Central station.
For Gothenburg, select Göteborg C, the C is for Central station.
If booking from Copenhagen to Oslo (Oslo S), beware of services that involve a bus, make sure you book an option involving all trains. If necessary, book Copenhagen-Gothenburg & Gothenburg-Oslo separately to ensure an all-train journey with only 1 change.
Swedish rail fares vary like air fares by date & train, so shop around for the cheapest tickets.
After selecting a departure and price, you may be given an option to upgrade to a rebookable ticket (which can be changed) or to a rebookable, refundable ticket. If you don't select either of these extra-cost options, your ticket will probably be non-refundable & non-changeable. Just stick with the base price if you want the cheapest fare. You're then given a chance to choose your exact seat if you like, with a seating plan.
-
Enter your phone number with a plus symbol in front, as + [country code] [your number without any leading zero]
-
You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone. Tickets as SMS is also an option for most European mobile phone numbers.
-
Credit card acceptance: SJ.se's weak point is that it can sometimes be fussy with foreign, credit cards, especially non-European ones, but it does usually work with most cards so give it a go. Please let me know if online booking works or doesn't work for you.
-
If it rejects your cards, try Omio.com which connects to SJ's ticketing system to sell SJ tickets at the same price, with the same print-your-own or show-on-phone tickers. There's a small booking fee, but it happily accepts overseas credit cards and you can pay in Swedish Krona, £, € and $. It'll book couchettes on overnight trains too, but not private sleepers.
-
You can also try alternative Swedish train booking site www.snalltaget.se and if you still have problems paying use agency site www.acprail.com. Or book by phone calling SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (there's a phone menu option for English).
-
Remember that most UK and overseas European train ticketing agencies (including Rail Europe) cannot access SJ's cheap fares, they can only sell the expensive full-flex 'TCV' rate advised by SJ to other European Railways. To get cheap fares for trains within Sweden, you need to use one of the options I've just explained.
Definitely take a good guidebook. For independent travel, I think this
means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. Both guidebooks provide
an excellent level of practical information and historical background. You
won't regret buying one!
Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk
European Rail Timetable & maps
The
European Rail Timetable
(formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable)
has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus
currency & climate information. It is essential
for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair
travellers. Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of
publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing
department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and
resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.
You can buy it online at
www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or
www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).
More information
on what the European Rail Timetable contains.
Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south. Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted. See an extract from the map. Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).
Hotels in Stockholm & Sweden
Hotels near Stockholm Central
-
For somewhere near Stockholm Central Station with good reviews, try the ProfilHotel Central or Scandic No.53.
-
But consider the Haymarket by Scandic, a modern hotel created within the former PUB department store building.
The PUB department store existed from 1917 to 2015. Hollywood star Greta Garbo worked here as a shop assistant in the 1920s and later as a photographic model for its advertisements.
The hotel is a 700m 8-minute walk from Stockholm Central Station (see walking map) and gets great reviews.
Hotels in Stockholm's old town
-
For somewhere in the old town (Gamla stan) with good reviews, try the Lady Hamilton Hotel, or if on a tight budget, the Castle House Inn.
-
For something a little different, how about staying on a historic luxury yacht?
The permanently-moored Mälardrottningen Yacht Hotel is the former Lady Hutton, built in Kiel, Germany, in 1924, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Hutton. It even spent a few years during WW2 in the British Royal Navy!
Backpacker hostels: www.hostelworld.com
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 Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & other tips
|
|
|
|
|
Always take out travel insurance
You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer. It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit. These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here. Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection and 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 European mobile data package and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. There's no need to buy a physical SIM card! 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 as I write this. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards. And you can get a Curve card for free.
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 getting 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 travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure. 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 this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I also get some commission to help support this site.
|
|
Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone. You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or buy from Amazon.com.
Touring cities? Use hill walking shoes!
One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa. They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities. My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!