The train that goes onto a ferry...
Air-conditioned trains link Hamburg with Copenhagen, city centre to city centre up to 5 times per day in each direction, taking around 4h58. You can easily look up train times & buy tickets at the German Railways website www.bahn.de. Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class. You print your own ticket.
These trains go onto a ferry for a 50-minute crossing between Puttgarden in Germany and Rødby in Denmark, one of the few places in the world where trains go onto ferries, a unique experience. Have your camera ready!
Travel tips - make sure you read these!
What is the train like?
The direct Hamburg-Copenhagen trains are now operated by Danish IC3 trains like this, shown in the timetable as EC for EuroCity, a generic term used by many European train operators for quality trains. The trains are air-conditioned and there's free WiFi. There's no catering car on the train, but there's a shop, bar and self-service restaurant on the ferry. Read more about IC3s at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC3.
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A Danish IC3 train at Copenhagen station... |
1st class seats on an IC3 train... |
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2nd class seats on a IC3 train... |
Boarding an IC3 train to Copenhagen in Hamburg. |
What's the journey like?
The highlight of the journey is of course the 50-minute ferry crossing between Puttgarden in Germany & Rødby in Denmark where the train goes onto a ship. Northbound, about 1½ hours after leaving Hamburg the train calls briefly at Puttgarden station, then rolls slowly onto the waiting ferry a hundred yards from the station. When the ferry arrives at Rødby it drives off almost immediately and stops at the Rødby station platform a few hundred yards beyond the ferry.
Southbound, the train calls briefly at Rødby station about 2 hours after leaving Copenhagen, then rolls slowly onto the ferry. At Puttgarden it drives off the ferry almost immediately and stops briefly at Puttgarden station platform a few hundred yards beyond the ferry.
Incidentally, this unique train ferry experience may not last forever. The planned Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link will replace the ferry with a tunnel, dramatically cutting travel time between Germany and Copenhagen, perhaps as early as 2028. So experience the train ferry while you can.
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The train enters the ferry (this is a Copenhagen to Hamburg train boarding the ferry at Rødby). Courtesy of Keith White. |
The IC3 train, parked on the ferry's car/train deck amongst the road vehicles. Photo courtesy of Tom Simpson. |
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Passengers must leave the train and take the stairs or lift up to the ferry passenger decks. You can leave your bags on the train, but should obviously take your valuables. Photo courtesy of ... |
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Passing the other train ferry on the Puttgarden-Rødby route, at sea. Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Perkins... |
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Sea air on deck! Courtesy Alan Pipes Perkins... |
At sea for 50 minutes. Courtesy of Nathaniel Perkins. |
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On board the ferry. Courtesy of Nathaniel Perkins... |
Self-service restaurant. Courtesy Nathaniel Perkins... |
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Self-service restaurant on board the ferry. Photos courtesy of Nathaniel Perkins... |
The sign to the train deck... |
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A Hamburg-Copenhagen IC3 at Copenhagen station. Photo courtesy of Tom Simpson... |
Travel tips...
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1st or 2nd class?
2nd class is absolutely fine. The seats in both classes are very similar, 1st class ones are a bit wider and arranged 2+1 across the car width rather than 2+2, so you get more elbow room and fewer people per car, and there are solo seats and face-to-face tables-for-two on one side of the aisle, that's the only significant difference.
The small first class section at one end of each 3-car unit is indicated by a yellow stripe above the windows.
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A seat reservation is strongly recommended!
Seat reservations are optional for most of the year on this route as on most German & Danish trains, but they are compulsory for the peak summer period from June to September. That's because the length of these trains is limited by the need to fit on the ferry and demand for seats often exceeds supply in the summer months. However, I strongly recommend reserving a seat at any time of year, as these trains have limited seats and can be busy all year round.
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To make a seat reservation if you have a Eurail or InterRail pass or have already bought a ticket...
Bahn.de lets you add a seat reservation when you buy a ticket, but it can't sell stand-alone seat reservations on this route, if you try to use the Seat only (no ticket) link it'll say reservation impossible. But you can make a stand-alone seat reservation at the Danish Railways site www.dsb.dk like this: Click In English right at the bottom of the page, then scroll back up and click Train ticket to Europe. Now click Buy your international seat reservation and run the relevant enquiry. The seat reservation costs around 30Kr, about €4. You print your own reservation.
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Finding & boarding your train...
As with most European trains, there's no check-in, just board the train any time before the doors close and off it goes. The platform number will be shown on the departure screens all around the station. If you run an enquiry at German Railways www.bahn.de it'll usually tell you the planned platform number at Hamburg Hbf.
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First class lounge in Hamburg...
If you have a first class ticket you can use the DB Lounge at Hamburg Hbf before or after your journey, with complimentary refreshments & free WiFi. Note that you can use the lounge with a 1st class flexpreis or sparpreis fare, but not with a 1st class railpass or supersparpreis fare.
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Luggage & bikes...
Like any European train, you take your bags into the train with you and stick them on any suitable rack near your seat. There are overhead racks above your seat which take anything up to backpack size. Nobody weighs or measures bags, so no worries. Bikes are not carried on this route.
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When the train goes onto the ferry...
When the train goes onto the ferry you need to leave the train and go up into the ferry's passenger decks. You should take your valuables (obviously), but can leave any larger bags on the train. There are stairs and lifts from the car/train deck up to the passenger decks. Get some sea air or have a quick meal in the ship's self-service restaurant.
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Coming off the ferry - THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP OF ALL!
As the train approaches the end of its crossing, announcements will be made in several languages for train passengers to rejoin the train. Listen out for them, and rejoin the train promptly, following the signs down to the train deck. Don't assume the ferry will sit there for half an hour after it arrives while you re-board the train at your leisure. Almost as soon as it docks, the ferry's bow or stern doors will open and the train will drive out, and you need to be on it when that happens. One seat61 correspondent didn't return to the train in time, so left the ferry via the passenger gangway and ran the few hundred yards to Rødby station. He just managed to rejoin the train in the station platform while it awaited its departure time. But you might not be so lucky (or run so fast!).
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Food & drink...
There's no catering car on these trains, but you can use the shop, self-service restaurant or bar whilst on board the ferry. Of course, you're free to bring your own food and drink along.
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Power sockets and WiFi...
You'll find power sockets at all seats and free WiFi, although the WiFi only works when the train is in Denmark. Danish Railways (DSB) free WiFi will appear on your phone or laptop as TDC.
Route map...
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Highlighted = Hamburg-Copenhagen route. Green = scenic sections of line. The map also shows the 'long way round' via Flensburg, Kolding & Odense, without the need to use a train ferry. Journeys via this route also show up when using www.bahn.de.
I recommend buying a copy of the European Rail Map for your travels, www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide. |
Train times...
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Around 5 direct EuroCity (EC) trains link Hamburg & Copenhagen in each direction every day, journey time 4h58. Simply check times using the German Railways website www.bahn.de.
How much does it cost?
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Cheap advance-purchase tickets...
These start at €29.90 in 2nd class, €59.90 in 1st class.
If you're happy to book ahead and commit to a specific train, this is what you want. These sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific train you book, limited or no refunds or changes to travel plans. Prices vary, with limited availability at each price level, they sell out close to departure, but they're often available even just days in advance.
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Flexible full-price tickets bought on the day...
This costs around €87 or so in 2nd class. If you want to stay flexible and/or buy a ticket at the station on the day, this is what you pay. They are good for any train that day. Unlimited availability, they can't sell out.
How to buy tickets...
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Buy online at www.bahn.de. Booking opens up to 180 days in advance, but significantly less than this when the mid-December timetable change intervenes. You print your own ticket.
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Seat reservation is optional for a small extra charge (about €4.50 per seat) except May-September when it becomes compulsory and is included free of charge.