The Danish railways website is www.dsb.dk

I want to go from Copenhagen to...

      Select your destination... ----------- Most popular ----------- Amsterdam Berlin, Cologne, Germany Brussels Gothenburg, Malmo Oslo Paris Prague Stockholm Venice, Florence Rome & Italy Zurich & Switzerland ---------- All destinations --------- Somewhere else in Denmark... Amsterdam Athens Barcelona Basel (Basle) Belgrade Berlin Bern (Berne) Bratislava Brussels Bruges (Brugge) Budapest Cologne Dusseldorf Faro Florence Frankfurt Geneva Gothenburg Hamburg Helsinki Innsbruck Interlaken Istanbul Kiev & Ukraine Krakow Lausanne Linz Lisbon Ljubljana London & UK Luxembourg Luzern (Lucerne) Malmo Milan Montenegro - Podgorica, Bar Montreux Moscow Munich Naples Oslo Paris Porto Prague Rome St Moritz St Petersburg Salzburg Sofia Stockholm Venice Verona Vienna Warsaw Zurich Zagreb & Croatia Zermatt

       Click here for journeys starting in another city.

       Train information is current for 2017.

This page explains how to travel by train from Copenhagen to other cities all over Europe, and how to buy the cheapest tickets, usually online direct from the operators with print-at-home or collect-at-station tickets & few or no booking fees.  It doesn't matter where you live, in Europe, Asia, the USA or Australia, you can buy train tickets from Copenhagen as shown below and save money over expensive railpasses or travel agent mark-ups.

Before you buy your tickets...

I recommend taking a moment to read these important tips for buying European train tickets.  It answers all the usual questions, such as "Do I need to book in advance or can I just turn up & buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or just go online & buy a €35 point-to-point ticket?".  And most important, click here to understand how far ahead you can buy train tickets.

European train travel FAQ...

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Copenhagen to Odense, Esbjerg, Arhus & other destinations in Denmark...

• The Danish Railways (DSB) website www.dsb.dk will book Danish internal long-distance trains, with cheaper prices if you pre-book. 

• For English, click Buy tickets.  For Copenhagen, type Copen... and select Kobenhavn H, which is Copenhagen main station. 

  In Denmark, the St. after a place name simply stands for station.

• Seat reservation is optional on most Danish internal trains, if you are happy sitting where you like without a specific reserved seat you can set Seat reservations to 0 when using dsb.dk.

• DSB1 simply means first class.

• Standard is the regular full-flex price which cannot sell out.  It's what you'd pay at the station on the day, valid on any train that day. 

• Orange is a limited-availability cheap advance-purchase ticket giving up to 61% off the regular fare, specific train only, no refunds, no changes to travel plans, seat reservation included.  Book ahead and pick this to save money on longer distance routes in Denmark.

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Copenhagen to Gothenburg & Malmö...

• UPDATE:  The Swedish government introduced border controls entering Sweden in January 2016.  Öresund trains from Copenhagen to Malmo & Gothenburg now work as follows:  Catch an Öresund train from Copenhagen to Kastrup (Copenhagen Airport), get off the train and go through the passport check, then rejoin an onward train to Malmo or Gothenburg.  In the westbound direction the trains run direct with no passport control.  Further update May 2017:  It's reported that as from 3 May 2017 passport control is now done on board the Oresund trains at the first stop in Sweden, rather than at Kastrup.

  The several daily X2000 trains between Copenhagen and Gothenburg run by Swedish Railways SJ are direct, with no need to get off at Kastrup - in this case, passport control takes place at Copenhagen station before boarding and you are asked to turn up 30 minutes before departure.

  The Swedish Railways website www.sj.se now shows you the actual times including any necessary border shuffle - when you check Copenhagen to Malmö or Copenhagen to Gothenburg train times at www.sj.se it shows the necessary '1 change' at Kastrup on Öresund train when going northbound, and builds the necessary passport check time into the schedule it shows.  And for the SJ trains where passport control happens before boarding, it clearly shows shows 0 changes.

• Copenhagen to Malmö...

  Öresund trains run from Copenhagen to Malmö every 20-30 minutes, no reservation necessary or possible, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next one.

• Copenhagen to Gothenburg: There's a choice of two types of train on this route...

  An Öresund Link train runs from Copenhagen to Gothenburg (= Goteborg Central) every hour through the day.  For these, no reservation is necessary or possible, you just turn up, buy a ticket at a fixed price and hop on the next train.

  In addition to the hourly Oresund trains, SJ Swedish Railways run several of their fast X2000 trains from Copenhagen to Gothenburg.  These require reservation and have cheaper fares then the Öresund trains if you-pre-book, but more expensive fares if you buy on the day.

• All these trains use the Öresund Link, a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden.  It's like flying a hundred feet above the sea, quite an experience...

• You can check train times and (if you like, to save time buying at the station) buy tickets online at www.sj.se (Swedish Railways, no booking fee, see my advice on using it here).

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Copenhagen to Stockholm from 254 SEK (€28, £20, $30)...

UPDATE:  The Swedish government introduced border controls for entering Sweden in January 2016.  Passport control for these direct X2000 trains now takes place before boarding in Copenhagen, usually at platform 26 - you are asked to arrive 30 minutes before departure.  There is no check-in requirement for southbound Stockholm to Copenhagen trains.  Öresund trains from Copenhagen to Malmo & Gothenburg require you to get off at Kastrup for passport control in the eastbound direction only, as shown in the section above.

Option 1:  Copenhagen to Stockholm by 125 mph X2000 daytime trains...

• Every couple of hours, a fast and comfortable 125 mph tilting X2000 train links Copenhagen with Stockholm, centre to centre with no check-in to worry about.  From city centre to city centre it takes little longer than flying, and it's a lot more fun & interesting.  These trains use the Öresund Link, a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden.  It's like flying a hundred feet above the sea, quite an experience... 

• Fares start at 254 Swedish Krona (€28), but fares vary like air fares so book early and search different departures for the cheapest prices.

• Buy tickets at www.sj.se (Swedish Railways, no booking fee, see my advice on using it here) and simply print your own ticket or collect it from the SJ ticket machines installed at Copenhagen station.

  SJ.se is often fussy with overseas credit cards, so if you can't get your credit card to work, first try alternative Swedish train booking site www.snalltaget.se (English button top right).  If that fails, try agency site www.acprail.com or call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (touch tone 6 for English).  There are some great cheap deals available if you book in advance.

  In fact, here's the easiest fall-back if you can't get sj.se or snalltaget.se to accept your card:  Simply go to www.bahn.de (German Railways) and book a €39 Hamburg to Stockholm sparpreis fare (the price varies, limited refunds, specific train only, no changes to travel plans), as bahn.de has no problems with credit cards, you print your own ticket, then you only need to use the Copenhagen to Stockholm part.  This is both simple and legitimate, and a lot cheaper than a full-price full-flex Copenhagen to Stockholm ticket.

Option 2:  Copenhagen to Stockholm by time-effective overnight sleeper train... 

• Step 1, take an evening Öresund train to Malmö Central around 20:16 or perhaps take the earlier 19:56 departure, these trains run every 20 minutes and take 1h17 including the time needed to get off at Kastrup, go through passport control and rejoin an onward train to Malmö.

• Step 2, now take the excellent overnight sleeper train from Malmö to Stockholm, usually leaving Malmö Central daily except Saturdays around 22:08 arriving Stockholm Central around 05:54.  There's no sleeper on Saturday nights. 

  The train offers 6-berth couchettes and a comfortable Swedish sleeping-car with (a) shared single-sex 3-berth sleeper compartments with washbasin and (b) private 1 & 2 bed sleeper compartments with en suite shower & toilet. 

• Buy tickets as one Copenhagen to Stockholm transaction at the Swedish railways website www.sj.se.  There are some great cheap deals available if you book in advance.  SJ.se is sometimes fussy with overseas credit cards, so if you can't get your credit card to work, try agency site www.acprail.com or call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (touch tone 6 for English).

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Copenhagen to Oslo & Norway...

Option 1, Copenhagen to Oslo by train - the overland daytime option...

• You can travel from Copenhagen to Oslo by train with a couple of departures a day, using an hourly Öresund Link train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg, then a Norwegian train from Gothenburg to Oslo central (= Oslo S).  Journey time is around 8h30.

• For example, you can leave Copenhagen at 08:20, change Lund & Gothenburg and arrive Oslo 16:52 (with passport control at Copenhagen before boarding).  Or you can leave at 12:36, change Kastrup & Gothenburg arriving Oslo Sentral at 21:49 (with passport control at Kastrup).  Simply check times for our date of travel using www.sj.se.

• If you pre-book, fares start from 425 SEK (about €46).

• You can buy Copenhagen-Oslo tickets at the Swedish railways website www.sj.se (no booking fee, see my advice on using it here) or at competing Swedish ticketing website www.bokatag.se (English button bottom right, small booking fee), or (if you have any problems) agency site www.acprail.com.  You pay online and collect tickets from the Swedish Railways (SJ) ticket machines installed at Copenhagen main station.  If you can't get your credit card to work on any of these sites, simply call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (touch tone 6 for English).

Option 2, Copenhagen to Oslo by overnight ferry - The time-effective luxury overnight option...

• A luxurious overnight cruise ferry sails from Copenhagen to Oslo every night, leaving Copenhagen around 16:30 and arriving in Oslo around 09:45, with restaurants, bars, cinema and comfortable en suite cabins. 

• See www.dfds.co.uk for times, prices & online tickets.

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Copenhagen to Helsinki & Finland...

• Step 1, take a fast and comfortable X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm in just 5h from around €23 booked at www.sj.se.  Arrive in Copenhagen at least 30 minutes before departure for passport control.  Allow plenty of time in Stockholm for transfer to the ferry terminal and for the ferry check-in.

• Step 2, take a ferry to Finland. Two companies run overnight cruise ferries from Stockholm to Helsinki, book these online at www.tallinksilja.com or www.vikingline.com. 

• However, it's often cheaper to take the shorter sea crossing from Stockholm to Turku in Finland, from where a train carries passengers on to Helsinki.  The same two companies compete on this route too, with both an overnight ferry and a daytime ferry.  First book the Stockholm-Turku ferry at www.tallinksilja.com or www.vikingline.com, then add a Turku-Helsinki train ticket booked online at the Finnish railways site www.vr.fi.  You'll find a train leaves Turku Harbour station (=Turku Satama) right next to the ferry terminal, shortly after the ferries arrive.

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Copenhagen to Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin & Germany from €29...

Option 1, by daytime trains...

• Direct EuroCity trains link Copenhagen with Hamburg at 07:37, 11:37, 13:37 (June-Aug), 15:37 & 17:37, though not all of these run every day all year round so check times for your date of travel at www.bahn.de. 

• Copenhagen to Hamburg takes just 4h32, change at Hamburg Hbf for connecting trains to Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich and anywhere else in Germany.  Copenhagen to Berlin takes as little as 6h42 centre to centre with no check-in or trek to and from remote airports.

• Fares start at €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.

• The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places left in Europe (or indeed, the world) where a train physically goes onto a ship.  It's an interesting experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing.  Most trains on the Copenhagen-Hamburg route are classified EuroCity (EC) and operated by Danish IC3 trains as shown below, but the 09:28 from Hamburg and 17:37 from Copenhagen are still operated by German-Built ICE-TD trains.

• You can buy train tickets from Copenhagen to anywhere in Germany at the German Railways website www.bahn.de, you simply print your own ticket.  I recommend registering when prompted, rather than booking as a guest, so you can always log in and check or re-print all your bookings.  Just be careful that you avoid any journey in the search results marked BUS.

A Danish IC3 train at Copenhagen station...		2nd class seats on an IC3 train...

Option 2, by Berlin Night Express sleeper train, runs on certain days and dates only...

• This is a privately-run sleeper train from Malmö to Berlin overnight, with connection by local Öresund Link train from Copenhagen.  It runs in summer only, 3 times a week.

• See www.berlin-night-express.com for operating dates, times, fares & tickets.  It has couchettes but no sleeping-car.

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Copenhagen to Amsterdam from €49.90...

Sadly, the Copenhagen-Amsterdam City Night Line sleeper was discontinued in 2014.  But here are some good daytime options...

Option 1, Copenhagen to Amsterdam by train in a single day from €49.90...

• You can travel from Copenhagen to Amsterdam in a single chill-out day, with several departures to choose from.  For example...

  Copenhagen depart 07:37 arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 19:01, changing trains at Hamburg & Osnabruck. 

  Copenhagen depart 11:37, change Lübeck & Osnabruck, arriving Amsterdam at 23:01.

• Take a good book and enjoy the ride.  All these journeys involve taking a Copenhagen to Hamburg train which goes onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, but you can leave your luggage on the train.

• To check times & buy tickets go to www.loco2.com and simply book from Copenhagen to Amsterdam as one journey. 

  All international credit cards are accepted and you'll get print-at-home tickets.  Booking tip:  If you only see expensive £100+ fares on some departures, re-run the enquiry after clicking More options and entering Osnabrück (or Duisburg) with duration left at 00:00.

• Alternatively, you can buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de, which in principle should be exactly the same price as www.loco2.com and also gives print-at-home tickets.  In the search results, look closely for journeys with 2 changes marked EC, IC, IC, at Hamburg & Osnabruck, avoiding anything shown with 'bus'.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Osnabruck from €58 - a time-effective option...

• Leave Copenhagen at 15:37 by EuroCity train, change at Hamburg and arrive Osnabrück 22:36.  Book this train from €29 at www.bahn.de with print-at-home tickets.  You can also take the 17:37 from Copenhagen if you don't mind arrival in Osnabruck after midnight.

  Fares from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, although you can leave your luggage in the train.

• Stay overnight in Osnabrück.

• Next morning, leave Osnabrück at 07:53 by direct InterCity train arriving Amsterdam Centraal 11:01.  Or leave Osnabrück at 09:53 arriving Amsterdam 13:01.  Book this from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Hamburg from €58 - another time-effective option...

• Leave Copenhagen at 17:37, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 22:21.  On some dates you can also take an earlier 15:37 from Copenhagen arriving Hamburg at 20:21.  Book this from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, but can leave your luggage on the train.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg, suggested hotels next to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.

• Next morning travel from Hamburg to Amsterdam with 1 easy change at Osnabruck.  You can leave Hamburg at 05:46 by InterCity train arriving Amsterdam 11:01.  Or at 07:46 by InterCity train arriving 13:01.  Or at 09:46 by InterCity train arriving 15:01.  Whichever suits you.  Book this from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains.

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Copenhagen to Brussels & Bruges from €58...

Option 1, Copenhagen to Brussels by train in a single day...

• If you'd prefer to travel by daytime trains, you can travel from Copenhagen to Brussels in a single chill-out day by very comfortable ICE trains.

• You leave Copenhagen at 07:37, make easy same-station changes at Hamburg and Cologne and arrive Brussels Midi at 19:35.

• The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing, but can leave your luggage on the train.

• To buy tickets, go to www.loco2.com and simply book from Copenhagen to Brussels all in one go.  All international credit cards are accepted and you'll get print-at-home tickets.  Booking tip:  If you only see expensive £100+ fares, re-run the enquiry after clicking More options and entering Cologne with duration left as zero.

• Alternatively, you can buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de, which in principle should be exactly the same price as www.loco2.com and also gives print-at-home tickets.  In the search results, look closely for journeys with 2 changes marked EC, IC, ICE, at Hamburg & Cologne (Köln).  You can book through to Bruges if you like.

Option 2, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Hamburg- a time-effective option...

• Leave Copenhagen at 17:37, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 22:21.  On some dates you can also take an earlier 15:37 from Copenhagen arriving Hamburg at 20:21.  Book this from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing, but you can leave your luggage on the train.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg - suggested hotels next to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.

• Then take an 07:01 from Hamburg, change Hanover & Cologne to arrive Brussels Midi at 13:35.  Or there are later trains.  Book this from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class also at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Cologne - another time-effective option...

• Leave Copenhagen at 11:37 and change in Hamburg to arrive Cologne around 20:50.  Book this from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at www.bahn.de.  From late June to mid-August you can also take the 13:37 departure from Copenhagen.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing, although you can leave your luggage on the train.

• Stay overnight in Cologne - suggested hotels near to Cologne Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.

• Then take an 06:44 from Cologne arriving Brussels Midi at 08:35.  Or there are later trains, of course.  Book this from €19 at www.b-europe.com as this can book both ICE and Thalys between Cologne & Brussels.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains as shown below.

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Copenhagen to Luxembourg...

• You can travel from Copenhagen to Luxembourg by daytime trains in a single day, or you can split the journey with an overnight stop in Hamburg or Cologne.

• Go to www.bahn.de and book from Copenhagen to Luxembourg from €49.

• To pre-programme an overnight stop, click Add intermediate stops, enter Hamburg or Cologne and the number of hours stopover you want.

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Copenhagen to Paris from €74...

Option 1, by daytime trains in a single day...

• You can travel from Copenhagen to Paris by comfortable (indeed, luxurious) high-speed trains in a single day.

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 07:37, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 12:21.

  This train goes onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing from Rødby in Denmark to Puttgarten in Germany.  It's one of the few places in Europe where trains still go onto ferries, an interesting experience in itself!  You are required to leave the train and go upstairs into the ferry accommodation decks whilst the ferry is at sea, you can leave your luggage on the train.

• Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Cologne by comfortable InterCity train with bistro car, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 12:46 and arriving Cologne Hbf at 16:50.  You've time for a beer in Cologne, and a look at the cathedral right outside the station.

• Step 3, travel from Cologne to Paris by high-speed Thalys train leaving Cologne at 18:42 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord around 22:00.

• How much does it cost? 

  Copenhagen to Cologne starts at €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.

  Cologne to Paris starts at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book early for the best prices.

• How to buy tickets...

  First book from Copenhagen to Cologne at the German railways website www.bahn.de.  Then book Cologne to Paris at either www.thalys.com or www.b-europe.com.  You print your own tickets.

Option 2, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Hamburg - a time-effective option...

• Leave Copenhagen at 17:37 arriving Hamburg Hbf at 22:21.  On some dates you can also take an earlier 15:37 from Copenhagen arriving Hamburg at 20:21.  Book this train from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, you can leave any big bags on the train.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg, suggested hotels next to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.

• Next morning travel from Hamburg to Paris leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:24, changing just once at Karlsruhe to arrive Paris Gare de l'Est at 16:35 with fares from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.  Book this at www.bahn.de or www.b-europe.com and print your own ticket.

Option 3, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Cologne - another time-effective option...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train leaving Copenhagen at 11:37, changing in Hamburg and arriving at Cologne Hbf around 20:50.  Fares start at just €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.  From late June to mid-August you can use the 13:37 from Copenhagen, arriving Cologne at 22:50.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, but can leave any big bags on the train.

• Stay overnight in Cologne - suggested hotels near to Cologne Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.

• Then take the 06:44 high-speed Thalys train from Cologne arriving Paris Nord at 10:05.  Or there are later trains at 08:44 ort 10:44, of course.  Book this from €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class at www.b-europe.com and print your own ticket.

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Copenhagen to London from €98...

• See the London to Denmark page for routes, times, fares & how to buy tickets between the UK and Copenhagen, in either direction.

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Copenhagen to Basel, Zurich. Geneva & Switzerland from €43...

Option 1, Copenhagen to Switzerland using the Hamburg-Zurich sleeper.  The time-effective option...

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by train, leaving Copenhagen at 11:37 and arriving Hamburg Hbf around 16:21 with fares from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Book this at www.bahn.de.  From late June to mid-August you can take the later 13:37 from Copenhagen arriving Hamburg at 18:21.

  This train goes onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing although you can leave your luggage on the train.  You've time for dinner in Hamburg between trains.

• Step 2, now take the excellent Nightjet sleeper train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:52 (19:56 on certain dates) and arriving Basel SBB around 07:20 or Zurich around 09:05.  fares from €59 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €99 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper with washbasin or from €129 in a single-bed sleeper.

• Step 3, change in Basel for frequent Swiss domestic trains Geneva, Bern, Interlaken, Brig or Zermatt.  Change in Zurich for Chur, St Moritz, Klosters, Davos, Luzern.

• Book from Hamburg to any Swiss station you like at www.bahn.de, looking for the evening EN departure and 0 changes if going to Basel or Zurich, or ideally only 1 change if going beyond to Luzern, Geneva, and so on.

A Danish IC3 train at Copenhagen station...		2nd class seats on an IC3 train...

A double-deck sleeping-car...		2-berth sleeper.		4-berth couchettes.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Switzerland by daytime trains in a single day...

• There are a couple of daytime options, for example...

  Copenhagen depart 07:37, change Hamburg & Mannheim, arrive Basel Bad Bf at 20:34.

  Copenhagen depart 11:37, change Hamburg & Mannheim, arrive Basel Bad Bf at 01:00.

• To buy check train times & buy tickets the easy way, go to www.loco2.com and simply book from Copenhagen to Basel, Zurich or any destination in Switzerland all in one go - but before running the enquiry, click More options and enter Mannheim.  All international credit cards are accepted and you'll get print-at-home tickets.

• To buy tickets at the German Railways site www.bahn.de you'll need to split the booking, as this site only sells tickets where your starting point or destination is in Germany.  If you're going to Basel, you can book from Copenhagen to Basel Bad Bf - Basel Bad Bf is one stop short of Basel's main Basel SBB station, and considered an extremity of the German rail network even though it's across the border inside Switzerland.  For this reason the cheap sparpreis fares between Copenhagen and anywhere in Germany show up.  In principle, fares start from €39 though fares vary so book as early as the usual 92 day booking horizon allows and shop around for the cheapest date & departure.  If you're going anywhere beyond Basel - say Zurich or Lucerne or Geneva - first use www.bahn.de/en to book a cheap advance-purchase fare from Copenhagen to Hamburg, then use it again to buy another cheap ticket from Hamburg to major Swiss destinations.  You can also try splitting the booking elsewhere, say at Mannheim.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Switzerland by daytime trains with an overnight stop...

• You can travel from Copenhagen to a suitable stopover point in Germany on day 1, then on to Switzerland on day 2.  Possible stopover points might include Hamburg, Cologne, Koblenz, Heidelberg.

• For example, you could leave Copenhagen at 11:37 and arrive Cologne at 20:50 - or there's a later 13:37 from Copenhagen from late June to mid-August.  Stay overnight in Cologne, hotels near Cologne Hauptbahnhof with good or great reviews include the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.  Next day leave Cologne at 07:55 arriving Basel at 11:47 or Zurich at 13:00.

• Of course there are plenty of later trains if you'd prefer a leisurely breakfast.  Tip:  Click Add intermediate stops and type Koblenz in the via box if you would like a scenic ride along the old curvaceous Rhine Valley line past the famous Lorelei Rock.  This takes an extra hour compared to using the new high-speed by-pass.

• How to buy tickets:  Go to www.bahn.de and book from Copenhagen to your chosen stopover point on day 1, with sparpreis fares from €29 or €39 in 2nd class, €59 or €69 in 1st class.  Use www.bahn.de again to book from that point to any major destination in Switzerland, also from €39.  You print out both tickets.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains as shown below.

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Copenhagen to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy from €65...

Option 1, Copenhagen to Italy using the Hamburg-Switzerland sleeper - the most time-effective option...

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by comfortable  train leaving Copenhagen at 11:37 and arriving Hamburg 16:21 with fares from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class, booked at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.  From late June to mid-August you can take a later 13:37 from Copenhagen arriving Hamburg at 18:21.

  This train goes onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ferries.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing, though you can leave your luggage on the train.  You've time for dinner in Hamburg between trains.

• Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Switzerland by Austrian Nightjet sleeper train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:52 (19:56 on certain dates) and arriving Zurich at 09:05.  Fares start at €59 with a couchette in 6-berth, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €99 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper with washbasin or from €139 in a single-bed sleeper with washbasin.  Deluxe sleepers with en suite toilet and shower are also available.  The sleeper & couchette fare includes a light breakfast, served in your compartment.  Book this at www.bahn.de as a second separate journey.

• Step 3, take the 11:09 EuroCity train from Zurich arriving Milan Centrale at 14:35, and change in Milan for trains to anywhere else in Italy.  You can book from Zurich to any destination in Italy at either www.loco2.com (easy to use, in € or £) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, using Italian place names).

  The Zurich to Milan train is an excellent bullet-nosed EuroCity train which takes just 3h26 via the Gotthard route with fares from €19, then (depending on your destination) an onward Frecciabianca train from Milan to Verona Porta Nuova or Venice Santa Lucia with fares from €19, or a high-speed Frecciarossa train from Milan to Florence SMN from €19 or to Rome Termini or Naples Centrale from €29.  All booked as one transaction.  Zurich to Italy journeys are now ticketless, you just quote the booking reference when asked by the conductor on the train.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains.

A double-deck sleeping-car...		2-berth sleeper.		4-berth couchettes.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Italy by daytime trains with overnight stop in Munich...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Munich on comfortable ICE trains with one easy change in Hamburg.  Using www.bahn.de you'll see various departures from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class, for example Copenhagen depart 07:37, one easy change in Hamburg, Munich Hbf arrive 18:43.  You print your own ticket.

  The Copenhagen to Hamburg train goes onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing from Rødby in Denmark to Puttgarten in Germany.  It's one of the few places in Europe where trains still go onto ferries, an interesting experience in itself!  You are required to leave the train and go upstairs into the ferry accommodation decks whilst the ferry is at sea, but you can leave your luggage on the train.  The Copenhagen-Hamburg train is usually a Danish IC3 EuroCity train, the Hamburg-Munich train is usually a luxurious German ICE train with bistro.

• Stay overnight in Munich.  The Sofitel Munich Beyerpost, Eden Hotel Wolff, InterCity Hotel or (budget) the Pension Locarno are all right next to the station with great reviews.

• Day 2, now travel from Munich to Verona, Bologna or Venice from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class.  Trains leave every couple of hours:  There's an 07:34 to Verona which at weekends goes direct to Venice Santa Lucia arriving 13:56.  Or there's an 09:34 for Verona and Bologna, change at Verona for Venice arriving 16:40, change at Bologna for Florence, Rome & Naples.  Or there's a daily direct train leaving Munich at 11:34 and arriving Venice Santa Lucia in central Venice at 18:10.

  This is a wonderful ride on a comfortable spacious Austrian train with a proper restaurant car via the wonderfully scenic Brenner Pass, see the Brenner Pass video here.

  To book this step, first check www.bahn.de for through fares from Munich to your final Italian destination, Florence, Venice, Rome, Naples or wherever, as usually bahn.de can book you tickets from €39 covering both the EC train to Verona/Venice/Bologna and the onward connecting Italian train.

  If it doesn't show fares, simply split the booking like this:  First book the EC train from Munich to Verona/Bologna at www.bahn.de then book Verona to anywhere in Italy at either www.italiarail.com (recognises English-language place names and they'll refund the €3.50 booking fee if you email seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or www.trenitalia.com (using Italian place names).   I'd allow at least 40 minutes between trains in Verona in case of delay if you are not buying a through ticket.

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Copenhagen to Barcelona & Spain from €137...

Option 1, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Cologne...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Cologne from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.  For example...

  Leave Copenhagen at 07:37, change in Hamburg, and arrive Cologne Hbf at 16:50. 

  Leave Copenhagen at 11:37, change in Hamburg, and arrive Cologne Hbf at 20:50. 

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing, but you can leave your luggage on the train.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Cologne.  Starting with the cheapest, suggested hotels near to Cologne Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Breslauer Hof Am Dom, Hotel Domspitzen, CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom, Hilton Cologne, Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom.

• Day 2 morning, take the high-speed Thalys train leaving Cologne at 08:44 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at around 12:10, with fares from just €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class booked at www.b-europe.com.  Booking normally opens 120 days in advance.  You print your own ticket.

• Day 2 afternoon, travel from Paris to Barcelona by high-speed TGV Duplex from €59 in 2nd class or €99 in 1st class, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:07 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 20:34.

  This is an interesting & scenic ride, see the journey video here.  Book from Paris to Barcelona at www.loco2.com (anyone from any country, prices in € or £) or www.trainline.eu (anyone from any country, no booking fees, with seating options, in €).  You usually print your own ticket.  It's often cheaper to split the booking at Perpignan, see the advice here.

• Step 4, stay overnight in Barcelona (see suggested hotels near the station) and book onward high-speed trains next morning from Barcelona to Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Alicante etc, using either the Spanish railways website www.renfe.com (in €, a bit fiddly) or alternative sites www.loco2.com (easy to use, in € or £) or www.petrabax.com/renfe (easy to use, in $ with a small mark-up).  You'll find cheap Promo and Promo+ fares if you book in advance and print your own ticket.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains.

Option 2, by daytime trains with overnight stop in Paris...

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by comfortable EuroCity train leaving Copenhagen at 07:37, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 12:21.

  This train goes onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing from Rødby in Denmark to Puttgarten in Germany.  It's one of the few places in Europe where trains still go onto ferries, an interesting experience in itself!  You are required to leave the train and go upstairs into the ferry accommodation decks whilst the ferry is at sea, but can leave your luggage on the train.

• Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Cologne by comfortable InterCity train with bistro car, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 12:46 and arriving Cologne Hbf at 16:50.  You've time for a beer in Cologne, and a look at the cathedral right outside the station.

• Step 3, travel from Cologne to Paris by high-speed Thalys train leaving Cologne at 18:42 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord around 22:00.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the Gare du Nord & Gare de Lyon.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by impressive 200mph double-decker TGV Duplex from €59 in 2nd class or €99 in 1st class, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 10:07 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:34.  From June to August there's an earlier departure at 07:15 arriving Barcelona 13:34.  It's a scenic and very comfortable journey, click here for the sights to see from the train on the way.

• Step 4, change in Barcelona for an onwards high-speed train from Barcelona Sants to Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Valencia, Alicante or anywhere else in Spain.  When the 07:15 from Paris runs, you can connect with a direct AVE leaving Barcelona around 15:50 arriving Malaga, Cordoba & Seville in the evening, with cheap Promo or Promo+ fares if you pre-book - unfortunately, no same-day connections to Seville or Malaga are possible off the 10:07 from Paris.  There are direct afternoon trains from Barcelona to Valencia & Alicante too, just check times online as shown below.

• To buy tickets...

  Book Copenhagen to Cologne at www.bahn.de from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class with print at home tickets.

  Book Cologne to Paris at www.b-europe.com from €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class with print at home tickets.

  Book Paris to Barcelona from €59 in 2nd class or €99 in 1st class at www.loco2.com (in € or £, no fee) or www.trainline.eu (in €, no fee).

  Book onward tickets in Spain at either www.renfe.com (in €, a bit fiddly) or alternative sites www.loco2.com (easy to use, in £) or www.petrabax.com/renfe (easy to use, in $, small mark-up).

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Copenhagen to Lisbon, Porto & Portugal...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Paris in a single day as explained above.

• Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the Gare du Nord.

• Day 2, travel from Paris to the Spanish border by TGV and overnight Sud Express sleeper train to Lisbon, arriving 07:20 on day 3, as explained in detail on the London to Lisbon page - just disregard the London to Paris bit.

• Change in Lisbon for trains to Porto & Faro.

The Sud Express, about to leave Irun on the Franco-Spanish frontier, bound for Lisbon...  Courtesy of Ron Baker.  See panorama photo...		Gran Clase sleeper, in evening mode with the seats folded out...		....return from the bar to find the beds made up...		Gran Clase private toilet & shower...

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Copenhagen to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria from €78...

Option 1, using the Hamburg-Vienna sleeper train - the time-effective option...

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train leaving Copenhagen at 11:37 and arriving Hamburg at 16:21, fares from just €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de with print-at-home tickets.  From late June to mid-August you can use the 13:37 from Copenhagen, arriving Hamburg at 18:21.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing.  You can leave your luggage on the train.

• Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna overnight by excellent Austrian Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:29 and arriving Vienna Hbf at 08:19 next morning.  It also calls at Linz, change at Linz for Salzburg.  This has a very comfortable Austrian sleeping-car and couchette car.

  Fares start at €59 with couchette in 6-berth, €69 with a couchette in 4-berth, €99 with a bed in a cosy 2-bed sleeper or €129 in a single-bed sleeper.  Deluxe sleepers with shower & toilet are also available.  In sleepers & couchettes a light breakfast is included, served in your compartment.

  Book this train at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains.

2-berth regular sleeper with washstand...		The toilet & shower in a deluxe sleeper...		Hamburg to Vienna by Nightjet.  This is an ÖBB Nightjet train using cars taken over from City Night Line...

Austrian couchette car or liegewagen.  Couchettes are the economical option, flat bunks with rug & pillow.		6-berth couchettes, the cheapest option...		4-berth couchettes, ideal for families...

Option 2, by day trains with overnight stop in Frankfurt...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Cologne from €39 booked at www.bahn.de.  For example...

  Leave Copenhagen at 11:37, change in Hamburg, and arrive Frankfurt (Main) Hbf around 21:00. 

  Leave Copenhagen at 13:37 late June to mid-August, change in Hamburg, and arrive Frankfurt (Main) Hbf around 23:55. 

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the 50-minute crossing, although you can leave your luggage on the train.

• Stay overnight in Frankfurt.  Hotels just outside the station with great reviews include the Hotel Hamburger Hof, The Frankfurt, and the inexpensive Hotel Topas.

• Day 2 for Vienna or Linz, take any ICE train you like from Frankfurt to Linz & Vienna, for example the first one is at 06:22 arriving 13:09, but by all means take a later one.  Book this from €39 at either German Railways www.bahn.de or Austrian Railways www.oebb.at with print-at-home tickets.

• Day 2 for Salzburg or Innsbruck, take any train you like from Frankfurt, for example the 06:54 will get you to Salzburg at 11:59, but by all means take a later one.  Check times from Frankfurt to anywhere in Austria from €29 at German Railways www.bahn.de or Austrian Railways www.oebb.at with print-at-home tickets.

Option 3, by day trains with overnight stop in Hamburg...

• Day 1, leave Copenhagen at 17:37 arriving Hamburg Hbf at 22:21.  On certain dates there's also a 15:37 from Copenhagen arriving Hamburg at 20:21.  Book this train from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de with print-at-home tickets.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, but you can leave your luggage in the train.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg, suggested hotels next to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.

• Day 2, take any morning train you like from Hamburg to anywhere in Austria, booked from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at either German Railways www.bahn.de or Austrian Railways www.oebb.at with print-at-home tickets.

  For example, Hamburg depart 07:22, Vienna arrive 17:09 by direct ICE train.  Or Hamburg depart 07:29, change at Augsburg, Salzburg arrive 15:59.

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Copenhagen to Prague from €58...

Option 1, in a single day from €58...

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg leaving Copenhagen at 07:37, change in Hamburg to arrive Berlin Hbf at 14:19.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ferries.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, although you can leave your luggage in the train.

  In Berlin you've time to see the Reichstag and Brandenburg gate which are only a 10-15 minute walk from Berlin Hbf. 

• Step 2, travel from Berlin to Prague by comfortable EuroCity train with restaurant car leaving Berlin Hbf at 17:04 arriving Prague's main Hlavni station at 21:27.  In summer when it's light this is a lovely scenic ride along the Elbe River valley south of Dresden, see the scenery photos and video here.

• To buy tickets...

  First book from Copenhagen to Berlin from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

  Then book from Berlin to Prague from €19.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

  It's also worth checking Copenhagen-Prague prices at the Czech Railways website www.cd.cz/eshop, which allows you to book Copenhagen-Prague all in one go.  They sometimes have cheaper prices than the Germans for exactly the same trains, and you also print your own ticket.  Tips for using cd.cz/eshop.  Another benefit is that booking one ticket as one transaction guarantees onward travel if a delay means a missed connection, so you can safely book a tighter connection in Hamburg or Berlin than you'd want if booking each leg separately.

Option 2, by day trains with overnight stop in Hamburg - a time-effective option...

• Day 1, leave Copenhagen at 17:37 arriving Hamburg Hbf at 22:21 - this runs mid-March to late October, on other dates take the earlier 15:37 from Copenhagen arriving Hamburg at 20:21.  Book this train from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, but can leave your luggage on the train.

• Stay overnight in Hamburg, suggested hotels next to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof with good reviews include the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski.

• Day 2, take a direct EuroCity train from Hamburg to Prague booked from €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

  For example, Hamburg Hbf depart 06:48, Prague Hlavni arrive 13:27.  Or Hamburg Hbf depart 08:51, Prague Hlavni arrive 15:27.

  This is a lovely scenic ride along the Elbe River valley south of Dresden, see the scenery photos and video here.  The trains have an elegant restaurant car serving meals, snacks, beer and wine.

Option 3, by day trains with overnight stop in Berlin - another time-effective option...

• Day 1, leave Copenhagen at 15:37 by EuroCity change in Hamburg to arrive Berlin Hbf at 22:23 - Book this train from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.  By all means take the earlier 11:37 for a pleasant evening in Berlin - Berlin Hbf is just 10 minutes walk from the Reichstag or 15 minutes walk from the Brandenburg Gate.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, although you can leave your luggage on the train.

• Stay overnight in Berlin, the 3-star Meininger Hotel is ideal as it's right next to Berlin Hauptbahnhof and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, it's inexpensive and gets good reviews.  If you want to push the boat out, try the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is right next to the Brandenburg Gate, 15 min walk from the station.  More hotels in Berlin.  If you're on a tight budget, see www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel from Berlin to Prague in just 4h25 from €19.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class on any train you like.  The 07:04 EuroCity train from Berlin will get you to Prague Hlavni at 11:27 with breakfast in the restaurant car as you glide along the scenic Elbe river valley, see the scenery photos and video here - or have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel and take a later train, they leave every two hours.

  Book this train at either www.bahn.de or www.cd.cz/eshop and print your own ticket- check prices on both sites.  Bag a seat on the left-hand side of the train for the best views along the scenic Elbe river valley south of Dresden.

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Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest from €62...

Option 1, by daytime train with overnight stop...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin.  You can leave Copenhagen as late at 15:37 by EuroCity train, changing in Hamburg onto a luxurious ICE train arriving Berlin at 22:23, or you can take the earlier train leaving Copenhagen at 11:37 for more of an evening in Berlin.  Fares from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.  You simply print your own ticket.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still go onto ferries.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, but can leave your luggage on the train.

• Stay overnight in Berlin.  The 3-star Meininger Hotel is ideal as it's right next to Berlin Hauptbahnhof and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, it's inexpensive and gets good reviews.  If you want to push the boat out, try the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is right next to the Brandenburg Gate.  More hotels in Berlin.  If you're on a tight budget, see www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, take a comfortable EuroCity train from Berlin to Bratislava or Budapest from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.  A direct EuroCity train with restaurant car called the Hungaria leaves Berlin Hbf at 09:04 arriving Bratislava Hlavna 17:50 & Budapest Keleti at 20:35.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains.

Option 2, by daytime trains to Berlin then the EuroNight sleeper to Budapest...

• Step 1, take a daytime train from Copenhagen to Berlin.  A train leaves Copenhagen at 07:37, change in Hamburg arriving Berlin Hbf around 14:19.  You've an afternoon in Berlin and can perhaps have an early dinner.  The Reichstag and Brandenburg gate are just 10-15 minutes walk from the station.  Book this journey from €39 at www.bahn.de.  In theory you can take the 11:37 from Copenhagen, but connections in Hamburg & Berlin then becomes too tight to risk.

• Step 2, take the EuroNight sleeper train Metropol leaving Berlin Hbf at 19:01 and arriving Bratislava at 05:36 and Budapest Keleti at 08:37.  This has couchettes (4-berth and 6-berth) and a comfortable sleeping-car with 1, 2 and 3 bed compartments.  Book this journey at www.bahn.de.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains.

A Czech sleeping-car of the sort used on the Berlin-Budapest train.  Photo courtesy of Shaiq Ali Khan

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Copenhagen to Ljubljana & Zagreb...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Munich on comfortable trains with one easy change in Hamburg.  Using www.bahn.de you'll see various departures from €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class, for example leaving Copenhagen at 07:37 with one easy change in Hamburg, arriving Munich Hbf at 18:43.  Or leave Copenhagen at 11:37, change in Hamburg, arriving Munich Hbf around 23:14.  You print your own ticket.

  The Copenhagen to Hamburg train goes onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing from Rødby in Denmark to Puttgarten in Germany.  It's one of the few places in Europe where trains still go onto ferries, an interesting experience in itself!  You are required to leave the train and go upstairs into the ferry accommodation decks whilst the ferry is at sea, although you can leave your bags on the train.  The Copenhagen-Hamburg train is usually a Danish IC3, the Hamburg-Munich trains are usually luxurious German ICE trains with bistro.

• Stay overnight in Munich.  The Sofitel Munich Beyerpost, Eden Hotel Wolff, InterCity Hotel or (budget) the Pension Locarno are all right next to the station with great reviews.

• Step 2, now depart Munich around 08:18 by air-conditioned Austrian railjet train, there's a quick and simple cross-platform change at Villach onto a waiting Slovenian and Croatian EuroCity train Sava, arriving Ljubljana around 14:31 and Zagreb at 17:10. 

  If you'd like a morning in Munich, there's a later 12:18 EuroCity train direct to Ljubljana and Zagreb.

  Book this train online at www.bahn.de (use this special link) with fares from €39.  The scenery across Austria is wonderful and the journey along the river Sava between Ljubljana and Zagreb is a delight.

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Copenhagen to Belgrade, Sofia & Montenegro...

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Budapest as shown above.  Allow plenty of time in Budapest for connections.

• Step 2, travel from Budapest to Belgrade by daytime EuroCity train or overnight sleeper as explained here

• Step 3, travel from Belgrade to Sofia or Montenegro as explained here.

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Copenhagen to Warsaw & Krakow from €78...

Option 1, in a single day...

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen at 07:37, changing in Hamburg to arrive Berlin Hbf at 14:19.

  The Copenhagen-Hamburg trains go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing between Rødby & Puttgarten, one of the few places in Europe where trains still get shunted onto ships.  It's a fascinating experience in its own right - you must leave the train and go upstairs into the ship's passenger accommodation during the crossing, but can leave your bags on the train.

  In Berlin you've time to see the Reichstag and Brandenburg gate which are a short walk away from Berlin Hbf.

• Step 2, travel from Berlin to Poznan or Warsaw by Berlin-Warszawa Express leaving Berlin Hbf at 16:37 daily arriving Warsaw Centralna at 23:19.  Book this train from €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de.

• If you're going to Krakow, stay overnight in Warsaw and take a Warsaw Centralna to Krakow train pre-booked from around €25 at www.intercity.pl, you print your own ticket.

Option 2, with overnight stop in Berlin...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin from just €39 in 2nd class or €69 in 1st class booked at www.bahn.de.  You can leave Copenhagen at 15:37, one simple change in Hamburg to arrive Berlin Hbf 22:23.  But by all means choose the earlier 11:37 departure from Copenhagen for more of an evening in Berlin.

  These trains go onto the Rødby-Puttgarden train ferry for a 50-minute crossing, a fascinating experience.  You must leave the train and go up into the ferry's passenger decks during the crossing, but you can leave your larger luggage on the train.

• Spend the night in Berlin.  The 3-star Meininger Hotel is ideal as it's right next to Berlin Hauptbahnhof and a 10-minute walk from the Reichstag or a 15-minute walk from the Brandenburg Gate, it's inexpensive and gets good reviews.  If you want to push the boat out, try the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is right next to the Brandenburg Gate.  More hotels in Berlin.  If you're on a tight budget, see www.hostelworld.com.

• Day 2, travel by Berlin-Warszawa Express leaving Berlin Hbf at 06:37 Monday-Saturday, arriving Warsaw Centralna at 12:55, or at 09:37 daily arriving Warsaw Centralna at 16:00.  Book this train from €29 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class at www.bahn.de and print your own ticket.

• If you're going to Krakow, allow at least an hour in Warsaw between trains, then book a Warsaw Centralna to Krakow train for around €25 at www.intercity.pl.  You print your own ticket.

Most Copenhagen-Hamburg trains are Danish IC3 trains like this, although one or two departures are Danish-owned German-designed ICE-TD trains as shown below.

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Copenhagen to Moscow & St Petersburg...

Option 1, via Stockholm & Helsinki...

• Take a morning X2000 train from Copenhagen to Stockholm then a comfortable overnight ferry to Helsinki as shown above. 

• Then take a lunchtime Allegro train from Helsinki to St Petersburg as shown here or the overnight sleeper train Tolstoi from Helsinki to Moscow, as shown here.  This option avoids Belarus and the need to get a Belarus transit visa.

Option 2, via Berlin...

• Take the 07:37 EuroCity train to Hamburg and change for a comfortable ICE express train to Berlin.

• Take the excellent twice-weekly overnight Berlin-Moscow Strizh (Swift) sleeper train as shown here.  This train passes through Belarus, so you'll need a Belarus transit visa.

Option 2, via Berlin & Warsaw...

• Travel from Copenhagen to Warsaw as shown above.

• Then take the Warsaw to Moscow overnight train Polonez, which runs 3 times a week as shown here.  This train passes through Belarus, so you'll need a Belarus transit visa.

The Polonez train from Warsaw to Moscow uses Russian air-conditioned sleeping-cars, pictured below, with compartments which can be used as 1st class 2-berth or 2nd class 4-berth (shown below right), with a shower & toilets at the end of the corridor.  See panorama photo inside one of the new Russian sleepers.

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Copenhagen to Kiev & Ukraine...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Warsaw with an overnight stop in Berlin as shown above. 

  Or travel in a single day, stay overnight in Warsaw and have a day free to explore.

• Day 2, travel from Warsaw to Kiev on the overnight Kiev Express, leaving Warsaw Centralna at 16:10 every day and arriving Kiev around 08:35 next day (day 3 from Copenhagen).  This train has comfortable Ukrainian 1, 2 & 3 bed sleepers with washbasin.  There's no restaurant car, so take a picnic and perhaps some wine or beer.

• There are two ways to book the Kiev Express, other than at the station.  The first is to book online with instant confirmation at the French Railways site www.voyages-sncf.com, which is just about the only site that will book this train online.  But you must follow these instructions closely.  Tickets are sent by post to anywhere in the world except the USA, so allow time for them to arrive, obviously that means you cannot book for travel tomorrow!  (1) Go to www.voyages-sncf.com, ignore the choose your country box and select 'Other Countries (EUR)' top right.  (2) Book from Warsaw to Kyiv - it will recognise Kiev or Kyiv even though it doesn't prompt you, so just go with it.  If you want a bed in a 2-berth you'll need to run the enquiry with 1st class selected.  (3) On my PC, if I select Great Britain the search button doesn't work, so select any other country, such as Djibouti, make the booking, and you can change it back to Great Britain at the end of the transaction.  Incidentally, uk.voyages-sncf.com doesn't even recognise 'Kiev' at all, and although raileurope-world.com appears to book this train, it tells you at the end that a staff member will contact you as the booking isn't confirmed.  So use voyages-sncf!

• The second option is to order a ticket online via reliable and highly recommended Polish train ticketing agency http://booking.polrail.com, which is the cheapest option.  Tickets can be collected in Warsaw or (at extra charge) shipped to any address worldwide.  Polrail are also pretty good at arranging the return reservation back from Kiev as they have close contacts with Ukrainian Railways.

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Copenhagen to Athens & Greece...

Option 1, Copenhagen to Athens by train & ferry via Italy, the leisurely way...

• Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Milan as shown above.

• Stay overnight in Milan.  The AC Milano Hotel (a Marriott Lifestyle Hotel) is 350 yards from Milan Porta Garibaldi station and gets good reviews.

• Step 2, take a fast train next morning along the Adriatic coast from Milan to Bari, from €29 booked at either www.italiarail.com (easy to use, recognises English place names, the small booking fee will be refunded if you email them at seat61@italiarail.com with your PNR) or Italian Railways own website www.trenitalia.com (requires Italian language place names, no booking fee, read this advice on using it first).  In Bari, it's a short taxi ride or 25 minute walk to the ferry terminal.  Remember the 2 hour check-in for the ferry, and allow plenty of time.

• Step 3, sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece with a comfy cabin.  Most nights of the week a ferry sails from Bari at 19:30, arriving Patras 13:00 next day.

• Step 4, catch a bus from Patras to Athens, a few hours.

• See the London to Greece page for detailed train & ferry times, fares, photos and how to buy tickets.  Just ignore the London-Paris part!

Option 2, Copenhagen to Athens overland by train via Munich & Belgrade...

• You can also travel overland by train from Copenhagen to Athens via Munich, Zagreb, Belgrade, Thessaloniki.

• First, travel from Copenhagen to Munich as shown above.

• In Munich you pick up the overland route to Athens shown on the London to Athens page.

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Copenhagen to Istanbul & Turkey

• Travel from Copenhagen to Vienna as shown above. 

• Then pick up the journey from Vienna to Istanbul explained in detail on the London to Istanbul page.

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Hotels in Copenhagen

Hotels in Copenhagen near the station...

• Hotels in Copenhagen 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).

Other hotel sites worth trying...

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

Backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelworld.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

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Travel insurance & health card

Take out decent travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

In the UK, try Columbus Direct or use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get a spare credit card, designed for travel with no currency exchange loading & low or no ATM fees...

It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card.  If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you're not left stranded if your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself.  In addition, some credit cards are significantly better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.  Taking this advice can save you quite a lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street bank credit card!

 

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