Copenhagen-Stockholm in 5h15 from 254 SEK (€28)

Stockholm-Gothenburg 3h01, Malmö-Stockholm 4h28

Introduced in 1990, X2000 is Sweden's 200 km/h (125 mph) tilting high-speed train, run by SJ (Swedish railways) and operating on the Copenhagen-Malmo-Stockholm, Gothenburg-Stockholm & Stockholm-Oslo routes amongst others.  X2000s are fast, smooth & quiet, you won't notice the train tilting unless you look carefully at the angle of the train compared to the scenery.  Initially known as X2000, this was later changed to SJ2000, then back to X2000.  They appear on the German booking system (bahn.de) as X2.

Passport checks:  There are now no border controls in either direction between Denmark & Sweden as they are both in the Schengen area, but spot checks are sometimes made.

Departures from Copenhagen:  You should turn up in good time at Copenhagen station because the trains to Stockholm often leave from platform 26, accessed via platforms 5 & 6, a 250m walk from the station concourse.

A tilting 200km/h X2000 at Stockholm Central.

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.

Luggage racks...		1st class complimentary tea & coffee.		Pre-ordered meal in 1st class...

An X2000 to Stockholm, boarding at Copenhagen.

Facilities on an X2000

• All X2000 trains have 1st & 2nd class seats and a self-service bistro car.

• Seat reservation

  Reservation is compulsory, all tickets come with an assigned seat.

  See seat numbering plan for X2000.  You can choose a specific seat from a numbered plan when booking at www.sj.se, although not when booking at other sites.

  X2000 trains between Copenhagen or Malmo and Stockholm are very busy and often sell out, so I recommend booking in advance.

• Power sockets & WiFi

  There are power outlets for laptops & mobiles between every pair of seats in both classes.

  There is free WiFi in both classes, see www.sj.se for more details.

• Bistro car

  All passengers can use the self-service bistro, which sells tea, coffee, beer, wine, snacks & light meals.  Alcoholic drinks bought in the bistro cannot be taken back to your seat, they must be consumed in the bistro car.

  You can bring your own food and drink to consume at your seat, but on Swedish trains you cannot bring your own alcohol.

• Food & drink in 1st class

  If you travel 1st class on an X2000 with a flexible/refundable ticket, breakfast is included in the fare on trains departing before 09:00, served at your seat.

  A meal served at your at seat can be pre-booked at extra cost in 1st class, if you book direct with www.sj.se - see the photos above.  The pre-ordered meals include a soft drink.  Soon after you board, the conductor will ask you at what time you'd like the meal served.

  1st class passengers also have access to a self-service complimentary tea & coffee point in each carriage, see the photos above.

• 1st class lounges

  1st class passengers can use the SJ first class lounge at Stockholm & Gothenburg, open Mondays-Fridays only, morning till mid evening, more details at www.sj.se.  1st class passengers can also use the DSB (Danish Railways) first class lounge at Copenhagen with complimentary tea, coffee & free WiFi, open Monday-Friday only.

• Bikes are only carried if they are semi-disassembled and placed in a bike bag, maximum size 140 x 85 x 30 cm, maximum weight 25 kg including both bicycle and bag.

• Pets can travel on X2000 trains, but only in 2nd class and only in the special pets-allowed section of the train. You can reserve seats in this section when booking at www.sj.se or call their telesales line.

How much does it cost?

• X2000 fares work like air fares, with Copenhagen-Stockholm starting at as little as 254 Krona (€28, £20, $30) if you book well in advance, rising in steps to much more expensive fares as the day of travel approaches and the cheap tickets sell out.

How to buy tickets

• You can check train times & buy tickets between Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Copenhagen & Oslo at the following websites:

  - Omio.com links to SJ's system, same prices as SJ, quick & easy to use, small booking fee, no problem with overseas credit cards, you can pay in various currencies including Swedish Kr, £, € and $.

  - www.sj.se is SJ's own website, you pay in Swedish Krona, you can usually choose a specific seat from a seating plan, but it can sometimes be fussy with overseas credit cards.  For advice on using sj.se, see here.

  Whichever site you buy from, you print your own ticket or can simply show it on your phone, or you can collect it from the SJ ticket machines at Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, or any main Swedish stations.

• These sites can sell SJ's cheap advance-purchase fares, beware of rail ticketing agencies who have no connection to SJ's system so can only sell expensive full-flex fares.

Crossing the Öresund fixed link between Denmark & Sweden.  More about the Oresund fixed link.

Typical Swedish scenery between Copenhagen/Malmö and Stockholm...

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