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 information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		1st class:  Standard Premier or Business Premier.

Standard class.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro 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 information about ICE3.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.

An ICE3M to Cologne at Brussels Midi.  More information about ICE.  Advice on changing trains in Brussels.

2nd class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

Proper china, metal cutlery.  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!  See current month's menu.		Restaurant car:  This is the small 12-seat restaurant area on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

3. Cologne to Hamburg by Intercity train

Germany Intercity trains travel at up to 200km/h (120mph), with power sockets at all seats and a bistro car serving tea, coffee, wine, beer, snacks and hot dishes.  On the Cologne to Hamburg route you'll find some departures are operated by high-speed ICEs (usually ICE1) rather than Intercity trains, although the ICEs are no faster than ICs on this section of line.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, the train crosses the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine, then passes through the industrial Ruhr.  More information about Intercity trains.  Hamburg Hbf station guide.

A German Intercity train.  More information about Intercity trains.

Dinner in the bistro.  The beef ribs were delicious.		Bistro car.  See current month's menu.

2nd class seating is usually in open-plan saloons like this, most seats unidirectional, but with some tables for 4.  Sometimes you'll find 2nd class compartment cars with side corridor and ten 6-seat compartments  Larger photo.

3. 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 photos & information about the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.

A sleeping car on the SJ EuroNight from Hamburg to Stockholm.  Photo courtesy of @ayranundspeck.

Standard sleeper with washbasin set up as a double.		Standard sleeper with washbasin set up as a single		Deluxe sleeper with shower & toilet set up as a double.		Deluxe sleeper, en suite shower & toilet.

The inaugural Hamburg to Stockholm SJ EuroNight train in Hamburg on 1 September 2022. The author rode this first departure.		6-berth couchettes. Larger photo.

Couchettes in day mode, en route to Stockholm.  Larger photo.		The inaugural train from Hamburg to Stockholm calls at Padborg, just after entering Denmark.

Typical Swedish scenery on the morning run into Stockholm.

Option 2, London to Sweden with overnight stop in Hamburg

This is the recommended option.  You leave London in the morning of day 1, stay overnight in Hamburg, and arrive in Stockholm in the evening on day 2.  Option 3 below takes longer as it involves two overnight stops not one, but it's worth considering as it can be more time-effective, depending on your needs.

London ► Malmö, Gothenburg, Stockholm

• Day 1, travel from London to Hamburg by train...

  Leave London St Pancras at 11:04 by Eurostar to Brussels Midi, ICE3 train to Cologne, & EuroCity to Hamburg Hbf arriving 21:14.

  By all means travel earlier for more of an evening in Hamburg, see the London-Hamburg timetable on the London to Germany page.

• 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 Stockholm by train...

  For most of the year you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:56 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 13:34; then leave Copenhagen at 14:21 by X2000 train arriving Stockholm Central 19:36.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 06:45 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 11:34, then leave Copenhagen at 12:21 by X2000 arriving Stockholm Central 17:37.  Or you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:53 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 15:34, then leave Copenhagen at 16:21 by X2000 arriving Stockholm Central 21:38.

  You can check train times from Hamburg to Stockholm at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Tip:  I recommend clicking Mode of transport and selecting Long-distance travel only.  This avoids multi-change journeys with regional trains and limits the search to mainline trains with fewer changes.

  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 information about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.  More information about X2000 tilting trains.

• Or from Hamburg to Malmö or Gothenburg...

  For most of the year you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:56 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 13:34.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 06:45 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 11:34.  Or you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:53 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 15:34.

  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 3h53, there's one at 14:27 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...

  For most of the year you can leave Stockholm Central at 08:21 by X2000 tilting train arriving Copenhagen 13:25, then leave Copenhagen at 15:26 by Danish Intercity train arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:02.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 you leave Stockholm Central at 10:21 by X2000 tilting train arriving Copenhagen 15:25, then leave Copenhagen at 17:26 by Danish Intercity train arriving Hamburg Hbf at 21:57.

  Check train times from Stockholm to Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Tip:  I recommend clicking Mode of transport and selecting Long-distance travel only.  This avoids multi-change journeys with regional trains and limits the search to mainline trains with fewer changes.

  Trains from Sweden to Copenhagen cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden.  More information about X2000 tilting trains.  More information about the Copenhagen to Hamburg journey.

• Or from Gothenburg or Malmö to Hamburg...

  For most of the year you can leave Göteborg Central at 10:40 or Malmö Central at 13:53 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 Danish intercity train at 15:26, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:02.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 you can leave Göteborg Central at 08:40 or Malmö Central 11:53 by Öresund train, arriving Copenhagen 12:29.  Then leave Copenhagen at 13:26 by Danish Intercity train arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:03.  A later departure is also available in this period, leaving Göteborg Central at 12:40 or Malmö Central 15:53, change at Copenhagen onto a 17:26 Intercity train, arriving Hamburg Hbf 21:57.

  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 minimum 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, the first departure leaves Hamburg Hbf at 06:45, change at Cologne Hbf & Brussels Midi to arrive London St Pancras at 16:57.

  Or you can leave Hamburg at 08:45 arriving London at 19:10.  Or leave Hamburg at 12:50 arriving London at 21:57 (21:27 on Saturdays), see the Hamburg to London timetable on the London to Germany page.

How much does it cost?

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 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 Malmo, 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.

• How to buy a connecting ticket 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 and 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 email them or use this contact form.  When you book, please say you heard about them from Seat 61.

How to buy tickets by phone

• It's better to book online to avoid additional 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 information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

Eurostar e320 at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		1st class:  Standard Premier or Business Premier.

Standard class.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Brussels to Cologne by ICE3

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro 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 information about ICE3.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.

An ICE3M to Cologne at Brussels Midi.  More information about ICE.  Advice on changing trains in Brussels.

2nd class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

Proper china, metal cutlery.  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!  See current month's menu.		Restaurant car:  This is the small 12-seat restaurant area on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

3. Cologne to Hamburg by Intercity train

Germany Intercity trains travel at up to 200km/h (120mph), with power sockets at all seats and a bistro car serving tea, coffee, wine, beer, snacks and hot dishes.  On the Cologne to Hamburg route you'll find some departures are operated by high-speed ICEs (usually ICE1) rather than Intercity trains, although the ICEs are no faster than ICs on this section of line.  Immediately after leaving Cologne Hbf, the train crosses the Hohenzollern bridge over the Rhine, then passes through the industrial Ruhr.  More information about Intercity trains.  Hamburg Hbf station guide.

A German Intercity train.  More information about Intercity trains.

Dinner in the bistro.  The beef ribs were delicious.		Bistro car.  See current month's menu.

2nd class seating is usually in open-plan saloons like this, most seats unidirectional, but with some tables for 4.  Sometimes you'll find 2nd class compartment cars with side corridor and ten 6-seat compartments  Larger photo.

4. Hamburg to Copenhagen by Intercity train

As from June 2023, Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are operated by former German Railways intercity cars like this, shown in the timetable as IC for Intercity.  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.  See more photos, tips & information 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 information about X2000.

Copenhagen to Stockholm by tilting 200km/h X2000, seen at Stockholm Central.  More about X2000 trains.

1st class on an X2000.  Larger photo.		2nd class on an X2000.  Larger photo.

Bistro seating on an X2000 train. Larger photo.		Bistro on an X2000 train. Larger photo.

Crossing the impressive Öresund bridge from Denmark to Sweden.

Back to top

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Option 3, London to Sweden with overnight stop in Brussels & Copenhagen

This option takes longer than option 1 above as it involves two overnight stops not one.  But it can be more time-effective, because you leave London in the evening after a full working day, and arrive in Stockholm at lunchtime on day 3, effectively taking only 1½ days out of your schedule rather than 2.  Indeed, on the westbound journey you can have a full working day in Stockholm before hopping on 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.  If you like, you can use a sleeper train between Copenhagen & Stockholm instead of the overnight hotel stop.  This means you can travel London to Stockholm in a night, a day and a night, the most time-effective option of all.

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...

  For most of the year you can leave Brussels Midi at 08:23 weekdays or 08:25 weekends by ICE3, changing at Cologne Hbf (arrive 10:15, depart 12:11) onto another ICE and at Hamburg Hbf (arrive 16:14, depart 16:54) onto a Danish intercity train arriving Copenhagen at 21:34.

  This is a straightforward journey all on one ticket booked at int.bahn.de.  The ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  The Danish intercity train has free WiFi when in Denmark, although no catering car.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 an increased Hamburg-Copenhagen timetable operates, giving a choice in this period:

  Leave Brussels Midi 06:23, change at Cologne Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 19:34.

  Leave Brussels Midi 10:25, change at Cologne Hbf & Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 23:34.

• 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 07:21 arriving Stockholm Central at 12:36 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 train usually leaves Stockholm around 16:11 arriving Copenhagen at 21:25, 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 23:29.

• 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...

  For most of the year you leave Copenhagen by Danish intercity train at 07:26, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 12:04.  Leave Hamburg Hbf by ICE at 12:45 arriving Cologne Hbf at 16:49.  Change onto an ICE3 train leaving Cologne Hbf at 17:42 arriving Brussels Midi at 19:35.

  This can all be done all on one ticket.  The ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  You've time for an early dinner in Cologne between trains, perhaps at the excellent Brauhaus Sion, 5 minutes walk from the station. 

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 an increased Copenhagen-Hamburg timetable operates, giving a choice of two departures:

  Leave Copenhagen at 05:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 17:35.

  Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Cologne Hbf, arriving Brussels Midi 21:35.

• 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 currently leaves Brussels Midi at 08:52, arriving London St Pancras 09:57, check times at www.eurostar.com.

How much does it cost?

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 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 work like air fares, rising as departure date approaches.  So book as early as the booking period allows and shop around for the cheapest date & departure.

 How to buy tickets

• Booking for Eurostar & onward trains as far as Copenhagen can now open up to 6 months ahead.  Copenhagen-Stockholm trains usually open 92 days before departure, but SJ loads blocks of dates at a time, so it varies.  You book in stages, so 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.  It should now book this journey as one transaction.

  Northbound:  Use this special link for the 08:23 Brussels to Copenhagen.

  Southbound:  Use this special link for the 07:35 Copenhagen to Brussels.

  Tip:  It's sometimes cheaper to split the booking, and book Brussels-Hamburg and then Hamburg-Copenhagen.  But a through ticket gives a cast-iron right to later onward travel if there are any missed connections due to delays.

• Step 3, book from Copenhagen to Stockholm or Gothenburg and back at either Omio.com (formerly GoEuro.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.

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London to Stockholm by ferry from Harwich

The ferry alternative!  It takes a bit longer than the Eurostar option shown above, but with inexpensive fares even at short notice, daily departures, quality private cabins with shower, toilet & satellite TV, the integrated Rail & Sail train-ferry-train service between London & Amsterdam is a useful alternative to Eurostar.  It's shown in orange on the route map above.  Rail & Sail is a good option if you need to travel at short notice when all the cheap Eurostar fares have sold out, if you live in East Anglia, or want to avoid the Channel Tunnel for some reason.  Indeed, you may simply prefer this relaxing journey, cruising overnight to Holland on the Stena Line superferry in an en suite cabin (see the video), then on to Sweden by daytime trains with a comfortable overnight hotel in Hamburg and an evening at leisure to explore.

London, Cambridge, Harwich ► Gothenburg, Stockholm

• Day 1, travel from London to Amsterdam overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail.

  You leave London Liverpool Street at 18:45 Mondays-Fridays, 19:36 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 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...

  For example, at int.bahn.de you'll find journeys leaving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:00, changing at Osnabrück to arrive Hamburg Hbf 16:14.  Buy a ticket for this journey at int.bahn.de & print it out or show it on your phone.

• 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 Malmo, Gothenburg or Stockholm by train...

  For most of the year you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:56 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 13:34, then leave Copenhagen at 14:21 by X2000 train arriving Stockholm Central 19:36.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 06:45 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 11:34, then leave Copenhagen at 12:21 by X2000 arriving Stockholm Central 17:37.  Or you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:53 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 15:34, then leave Copenhagen at 16:21 by X2000 arriving Stockholm Central 21:38.

  You can check train times from Hamburg to Malmo, Gothenburg (Göteborg Central) or Stockholm at int.bahn.de.  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 information about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.  More information about X2000 tilting trains.

Stockholm, Gothenburg ► Harwich, Cambridge, London

• Day 1, travel from Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmo to Hamburg by train...

  For most of the year you can leave Stockholm Central at 08:21 by X2000 tilting train arriving Copenhagen 13:25, then leave Copenhagen at 15:26 by Danish Intercity train arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:02.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 you leave Stockholm Central at 10:21 by X2000 tilting train arriving Copenhagen 15:25, then leave Copenhagen at 17:26 by Danish Intercity train arriving Hamburg Hbf at 21:57.

  You can check train times from Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö to Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Tip:  For Stockholm to Hamburg, I recommend clicking Mode of transport and selecting Long-distance travel only.  This avoids multi-change journeys with regional trains and limits the search to mainline trains with fewer changes.

  Trains from Sweden to Copenhagen cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden.  More information about X2000 tilting trains.  More information 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 by train...

  For example, the 09:45 departure from Hamburg Hbf will get you to Amsterdam Centraal at 15:00 with one easy change at Osnabrück.  Just don't risk any tight connections with the ferry.  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 08:54, 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 €56.90 in 1st class each way with a German Railways Sparpreis ticket.

• Hamburg to Stockholm or Gothenburg starts at €56.90 each way with a German Railways Sparpreis ticket.

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.

• Step 2, buy a ticket from Amsterdam to Hamburg at the German Railways website bahn.de using this link:

  Buy ticket from Amsterdam to Hamburg - for a return journey simply add a return leg.

• Step 3, buy a ticket from Hamburg to Stockholm or Gothenburg at the German Railways website bahn.de using these links:

  Buy ticket from Hamburg to Stockholm - outward leg.

  Buy ticket from Stockholm to Hamburg - return leg.

  Buy ticket from Hamburg to Gothenburg - for a return journey simply add a return leg.

• Tip:  I recommend registering on bahn.de when prompted, so you can log in and re-print your tickets at any time.

• 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.

• Alternatively, you can book by phone, first booking a Rail & Sail ticket with Stena Line on 03443 350 027 (lines open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, 09:00-17:00 Sundays), then booking the trains with DB'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.

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...

Captain's Class cabin on the Harwich-Hoek ferry with double bed, complimentary minibar with sparkling wine, tea & coffee making facilities, hairdryer.  Larger photo.		Boarding the Stena Britannica at Harwich.  She's a floating hotel to Hoek van Holland, with easy rail connections on either side of the Channel.  Restaurants, bars, shop, kennels, cinema...

Dinner before bed?  Metropolitan à la carte restaurant.		Standard outside cabin.  Larger photo.  360º photo.

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• 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 or Rotterdam to Hamburg by train...

  For example, you can leave Amsterdam Centraal 13:00, change at Osnabrück and arrive Hamburg Hbf 18:14.  Check times at German Railways website int.bahn.de, allowing plenty of time for port-station transfers and any delay to the ferry.

• 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.

• Day 3, travel from Hamburg to Malmo, Gothenburg or Stockholm by train...

  For most of the year you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:56 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 13:34, then leave Copenhagen at 14:21 by X2000 train arriving Stockholm Central 19:36.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 you leave Hamburg Hbf at 06:45 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 11:34, then leave Copenhagen at 12:21 by X2000 arriving Stockholm Central 17:37.  Or you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 10:53 by Danish Intercity train arriving Copenhagen 15:34, then leave Copenhagen at 16:21 by X2000 arriving Stockholm Central 21:38.

  You can check train times from Hamburg to Malmo, Gothenburg (Göteborg Central) or Stockholm at the 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 linking Denmark & Sweden.  More information about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.  More information about X2000 tilting trains.

Sweden ► Scotland & the North

• Day 1, travel from Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmo to Hamburg by train...

  For most of the year you can leave Stockholm Central at 08:21 by X2000 tilting train arriving Copenhagen 13:25, then leave Copenhagen at 15:26 by Danish Intercity train arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:02.

  From 17 June to 20 August 2023 you leave Stockholm Central at 10:21 by X2000 tilting train arriving Copenhagen 15:25, then leave Copenhagen at 17:26 by Danish Intercity train arriving Hamburg Hbf at 21:57.

  You can check train times from Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmö to Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.

  Tip:  If starting in Stockholm, I recommend clicking Mode of transport and selecting Long-distance travel only.  This avoids multi-change journeys with regional trains and limits the search to mainline trains with fewer changes.

  Trains from Sweden to Copenhagen cross the impressive Öresund Fixed Link, a tunnel & double-deck road/rail bridge opened in 1999 linking Denmark with Sweden.  More information about X2000 tilting trains.  More information 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.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Amsterdam by train...

  Take any suitable train, for example you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 09:45, change at Osnabrück and arrive Amsterdam Centraal at 15:00.  You can check train times for your date of travel using int.bahn.de.

• Day 2, transfer to the ferry port & sail overnight to Hull or Newcastle...

  Travel overnight by cruise ferry from Rotterdam Europoort to Hull with P&O Ferries or 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.

Fares & how to buy tickets

• Step 1, check ferry fares & book the ferry at www.dfds.co.uk for Newcastle-Amsterdam or www.poferries.com for Hull-Rotterdam.

• Step 2, buy train tickets from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to Stockholm at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.  Amsterdam to Stockholm starts at €59.90 in 2nd class.  To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 13 hours.  Adjust the departure time and length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg.  It may take a little trial & error!  You print your own ticket, or can show it on your phone.

• Step 3, buy a train ticket from your local station to Newcastle or Hull at any train operator website such as www.tfwrail.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.

DFDS Seaways Princess of Norway (now Princess Seaways) about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam.  The ferry also has deluxe Commodore class cabins with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.  See the video.		A standard Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS Princess of Norway from Newcastle to Amsterdam.

P&O Ferries Pride of Rotterdam at Rotterdam Europoort.  The ferry also has deluxe class cabins with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.		A standard outside cabin with shower & toilet on P&O's Pride of Rotterdam from Hull to Rotterdam.

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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 (Öresund train) from Copenhagen to Malmö Central.  These run every 20 minutes, journey time 39 minutes.  The Copenhagen-Malmö fare is about SEK 139 (£10) each way, a simple fixed price, see www.oresundstag.se.

Öresund trains link Copenhagen with Malmö every 20 minutes, in under 40 minutes.

1st class seats. Larger photo.		2nd class seats.  Larger photo.

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.  These sleeper train are now run by www.vy.se, a subsidiary of the former Norwegian State Railways which has won the most recent operating contract.  The trains have 1st class 1 & 2 berth sleepers with en suite toilet & shower, 2nd class 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers with washbasin, 6-berth couchettes, ordinary seats, bar and even cinema.  Note that you may need to transfer from a sleeper to a seat at Boden, depending on the service and type of sleeper you want.  The online booking system will tell you this.

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.

A sleeper train to Luleå waits to leave Stockholm Central...  Photo courtesy of Discoverbyrail.com.		Narvik station, inside the Arctic Circle.  Although it's in Norway, the railway to Narvik runs from Sweden.  Courtesy of Ayan Ghosh.

1st class sleeper with en suite shower & toilet, shown in day mode (above left) and night mode set up as a single with upper berth folded against the wall (above centre).  Courtesy of Discoverbyrail.com.  Click the images for larger photos...

Scenery from the train between Stockholm & Narvik.  Photo courtesy of Discoverbyrail.com.

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 top right.  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, select Köbenhavn H which is Copenhagen main station and what you want for tickets to or from Copenhagen.

  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

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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).

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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!

Tripadvisor hotel reviews...

www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

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.

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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!

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