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How to get around Denmark with public transport

Public transport in Denmark is easy, fast and convenient. As a small country with hundreds of islands, there are myriad interconnecting transport routes by land, sea and air. Here's all you need to know about how to find your way around Denmark. 

How to get to Copenhagen from the airport?

The quickest route from the airport to Copenhagen is via regional train or Metro . It takes under 15 minutes to reach the city centre and you can buy the tickets you need at the airport: you need a 3-zone ticket that costs approximately DKK 36.

The train runs directly to Copenhagen Central Station (Hovedbanegård) in the centre of the city and is ideal if you are staying there or want to take a train onwards to other Danish cities. If you want to reach Nørrebro, Vesterbro, Frederiksberg, Osterbrø or other areas of Copenhagen, the metro is the best option.

You can also take bus 5A from the airport to reach the city centre in approximately 35 minutes, and there is a taxi rank outside Arrivals. Typically, taxis cost DKK 250-350 and take 20-30 minutes to reach the city centre.

By the way, did you know that Copenhagen Airport has been CO2 neutral since 2019?

Copenhagen's transport options

Public transport in Copenhagen  is inexpensive and easy to use . You can pay per journey in cash at a machine in a metro or train station or in person on a bus. Copenhagen is divided into zones, and fares depend on how many zones you are travelling through. 

The Copenhagen Card gives you unlimited public transport in the capital region of Denmark, plus free entry to over 80 museums and attractions. It is available for a 24, 48, 72 and 120-hour period, costing €54-133 for adults, with a version for children 10-15 years old costing less. Parents note: one adult can take two under 10s to museums and attractions for free and two under 12s on public transport for free.

You can also buy a City Pass , a digital travel ticket for unlimited public transport over a 24, 48, 72, 96 or 120-hour period, costing from DKK 80  for 24 hours for unlimited travel in Copenhagen zones 1-4, including the airport. There is a version for adults and another for children over 12. Buy online and remember to keep your phone charged.

Photo : Astrid Maria Rasmussen - Copenhagen Media Center

Harbour bus

The harbour bus runs in both directions from Teglholm in the south to Refshaleøen in the north. These boats are operated by the same carrier as normal buses, and all ticket types are valid. It is a great way to see the city from the water and an efficient way to get from Nyhavn to Reffen in the summer. Since 2020, all harbour buses have run on green electricity.

Bike and electric scooter

It’s super easy to rent a bike from a local bike shop, pick up a Donkey rental bike on the street, or rent an electric scooter via an app. For more about bike rental and the city’s cycling rules , see this  bike guide . You can take a bike on the metro, but not during commuter hours (Mondays to Fridays, 7:00-9:00 and 15:30-17:30), and also on a regional train. For both, you must buy a ticket for yourself and your bike! 

Photo : Niclas Jessen

Getting around Denmark by public transport

The journey is the destination when you’re travelling around Denmark – if you want to travel car-free, you can choose from a reliable train, bus, ferry and boat network.

Train travel in Denmark

It's easy to travel by train beyond Copenhagen to the rest of Denmark. A train from Copenhagen to Aarhus will take three hours, to Aalborg four hours and to Odense an hour and a half. DSB is the official Danish national rail operator, and you can see train routes, find times and book train tickets on the  DSB website or by calling +45 70 13 14 15. Booking in advance, up to two months before travel, is advised – check the section ‘ DSB Orange’ for the best value off peak tickets on the train operator’s website. An adult can take two children under 12 on a train for free.

Trains also run from Denmark to Sweden from the main central station in Copenhagen, with Swedish rail company SJ . It takes under 40 minutes to reach Malmö and there are regular overnight trains as well as multiple daily options for the 5.5-hour direct trip to Stockholm. Book online at sj.se or buy a ticket in a station.

European citizens can buy a single country  InterRail Denmark Pass  offering unlimited train journeys up to 8 days a month; Denmark is also included in the InterRail Global Pass that allows access to train routes in 33 European countries, making a multi-stop Scandinavian trip easy. The Eurail Denmark Pass offers similar options for non-European citizens.

Coach Travel in Denmark

You can also travel by coach using Denmark’s extensive network of long-distance coach routes. Bus connections are operated by providers including  Eurolines Germany  and  FlixBus  with routes between Danish towns and cities as well as multiple cities in Europe.

Ferries in Denmark

As you'd expect from a country made up of so many islands, boats and ferries provide an essential service. It's also a refreshing way to travel.

Several major tour operators run ferry and cruise services to Denmark from other major European destinations, including Scandlines ,  Color Line ,  Fjord Line  and  Stena Line . DFDS operates a two-night cruise from Copenhagen to Oslo with overnight travel to Oslo, a day (6.5 hours) in the city and overnight travel back, among other routes.

Within Denmark, there are numerous ferries and passenger boats that will take you to the many smaller Danish islands.  Click here for a full rundown. 

Photo : Billund Airport

Flying in Denmark

There are several daily flights from Copenhagen to cities around Denmark. For example,  SAS  have direct flights to  Aarhus ,  Aalborg  and  Billund , while  Norwegian  fly directly to Aalborg, Billund and  Karup .

Airlines such as  DAT  and Alsie Express  provide domestic and international flight services to smaller airports such as Bornholm, Odense, Esbjerg and Sønderborg.

There is also a seaplane connection between Aarhus and Copenhagen with Nordic Seaplanes , taking 45 minutes. 

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Conditions of this Pass

Only non-European residents can travel with a Eurail Pass. If you’re a European resident you can travel with an  Interrail Pass .

Most high-speed and night trains require a reservation at an additional cost.  Learn more about seat reservations

1st class Passes are valid in both 1st and 2nd class coaches. 2nd class Passes are only valid in 2nd class coaches.

You need to activate your Eurail Pass within 11 months of the issue date. You can do this online using our free activation service at checkout, or once you've received your Pass at a European train station.

All standard Eurail Passes are refundable or exchangeable if they are returned unused.  Read our booking terms  and our refund & exchange policy .

• Depending on the promo conditions, promotional Eurail Passes may be non-refundable and non-exchangeable. To check if a purchased promotional pass is refundable or exchangeable, please refer to the payment confirmation. Read more
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• To travel with a discounted Senior Pass, you must be aged 60 or older on the date you choose to start your trip. 
• Children under 4 travel for free and do not need an Eurail Pass. You may be asked to sit a child under 4 on your lap during busy times.

Children aged 4 to 11 travel for free with a Child Pass. A child must be accompanied at all times by at least one person with an Adult Pass. This doesn’t have to be a family member and can be anyone over 18.

• Children must be 11 or younger on the date you choose to start your trip. 
• Up to 2 children can travel with 1 adult. For example, when 2 adults are travelling, they can take 4 children with them. If more than 2 children are travelling with 1 adult, a separate Youth Pass must be purchased for each additional child.

Children under 12 travel in the same travel class as the accompanying adult.

Travellers aged 12 to 27 can travel with a Youth Pass.

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Trains in Denmark

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The Danish State Railways (DSB) has a dense network of train services connecting Copenhagen , Arhus , Alborg and much more of Denmark. Trains are the fabulous way of exploring this fascinating country and its islands!

Train types in Denmark

The railway network in Denmark is run by  DSB . You can access a great deal of the country using Denmark's trains. Meanwhile, comfortable international trains connect you to cities in Sweden and Germany.

You can find Danish train times in the  Interrail timetable .

• Domestic Trains
• International Trains
• Night trains

Regional trains (RØ, RV, ØR, IR)

Regional trains throughout Denmark

InterCity and InterCity Lyn (IC, ICL)

Faster than the regional trains

Various routes within Denmark

Suburban trains in Copenhagen

Fully included in your Interrail Pass

Nordjyske Jernbaner (NJ)

Lokaltog (RE)

• Local trains on the island Sjælland
• Fully included in the pass

Private railway companies in Denmark

Most are included in your Interrail Pass

See the  full list of included companies

Bicycles are permitted on the train upon purchase of a special bike ticket. From May to August bike space must be booked in advance for IC and ICL trains.

SJ High-speed train

Copenhagen to Stockholm (Sweden)

Eurocity Express (EC)

• Copenhagen – Odense – Kolding – Hamburg
• Reservations are mandatory in the summer months (June 1 st to September 1 st )

Copenhagen Ørestad – Stockholm (Night train from Berlin and Hamburg)

SJ Euronight (EN)

• Berlin (from 31 March) - Hamburg - Copenhagen Airport - Malmö - Stockholm 
• Berlin - Hamburg - Copenhagen Ørestad - Malmö - Stockholm 
• Runs daily except Saturdays
• Also serves as a day train from Copenhagen Ørestad to Stockholm

Popular connections

• Domestic routes
• International routes

These are the average travel times between the biggest cities in Denmark. Seat reservations are optional for all these train journeys.

Reservations

How can i make reservations for trains in denmark, interrail reservation self-service system.

• IC, IC-Lyn, HST (X2000), EuroNight, Snälltaget

Administration costs when booking through Interrail self-service

• € 2,- p.p.per train
• Additional € 9,- per order (for paper tickets)

With railway carriers

• IC, IC-Lyn, IC to Hamburg
• X2000, EN Berlin – Stockholm
• Berlin – Copenhagen – Stockholm night train
• Also bookable by phone through  Snälltåget's Customer Service

Locally at the train station

Which trains in Denmark require reservations?

• SJ High-speed train: approximately €9 (DKK 67) in 2nd class and €18 (DKK 134) in 1st class
• Eurocity (EC trains to and from Germany): €4,90 (DKK 33) in 2nd class and €5,90 (DKK 44) in 1st class. Required during summer season only (June 1st to September 1st)
• SJ Euronight: fees depend on destination and type of seat/bed booked.
• Snälltåget: fees depend on destination and type of seat/bed booked.

Reservations recommended for long journeys

InterCity (IC) and InterCityLyn (ICL): approximately €4 (DKK 30)

Get your Pass for Denmark

Interrail denmark pass.

Travel every corner of  Denmark  by train.

Youth, senior and family discounts available.

Prices from € 119

View Denmark Passes   →

Interrail Global Pass

Travel by train in  Denmark  and up to  32 other European countries .

Discounts available for youth, seniors and families.

Prices from € 212

View Global Passes   →

Tips and tricks for Denmark

Denmark main train station.

The railway hub of Denmark is in Copenhagen:

Københavns Hovedbanegård​  (main station).

Has ticket desks and information service.

Located only 500m from the city centre.

Next to the station is amusement park Tivoli.

Pass Benefits for Denmark

With your Interrail Pass, you get up to 20% discount on ferry crossings to Norway.

See all Pass benefits for Denmark

Spelling of names in Denmark

The local spelling of Danish cities can differ from the English spelling. Keep this in mind when looking up train times at stations or in timetables .

Copenhagen = København

Get inspired

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Mastering train travel in Denmark is not that difficult once you understand how the system works. In order to do that, you need to understand how to read the maps, zones and timetables.

A few explanations and examples should help you become proficient in no time! A little bit of information first.

The infastructure in Denmark is top-notch and the government is constantly trying to encourage more and more people to leave their cars at home and use "offentlig" (public) transport or their bicycles. Which is working well.

For a visitor to Denmark, train travel may be a new experience, especially if you arecoming from the US, where the car is still KING . You will soon find out that the experience is quite painless, fun and very relaxing.

There are two major types of train travel - the local trains and the regional trains. I am not going to cover international train travel, but going to concentrate on train travel inside Denmark. If you are looking for train fares and schedules to Denmark from other European countries, check out Eurail or Rail Europe. The train system is much more concentrated in Sjaelland, than it is in other parts of Denmark. For that reason I will discuss the DSB S-Tog system first, which is the one most visitors to Denmark will be exposed to and use.

Train travel in Denmark may seem a bit complicated, but it really is very simple when you understand the basics. Take it one step at a time and it will all come together.

Let's start with the basics.

Train Travel on the S-Tog

The Copenhagen train system is known as the S-Tog. Most of the trains on the system now are new and very sleek red carriages. There are still a few of the older type of carriages, but the majority are very modern - making train travel fun and enjoyable!

Stations are marked with large red sign with a white S. (See above)

Boarding a train is simple. Trains stop at all train stops on their routes. That does not mean that every train going through your station will stop. If the train is scheduled to stop, it will – you don’t need to flag it down or push a button on the train for it to stop.

Always stand behind the yellow line by the edge of the platform. This is for your safety; don’t fool around with this, you will lose out. It hurts getting hit by a train.

When the train comes into the station, you will hear a beeping sound when the doors have been unlocked. You can now open the door to board. On the new trains you will see a round circle with blinking green lights. Push that button and the doors open automatically. When the train is ready to leave, the doors also close automatically. On the older trains, the doors have lever handles. They are opened by pushing the vertical door handles sideways.

If you're not sure how to open the doors, just watch other people boarding. You will soon learn how simple it is.

On the new trains there are glass doors connecting each compartment. These doors are activated by pushing the blue dots on the door frame or waving your hand right in front of the door. There is an electric eye above the door that opens it.

There is no reserved seating, but be aware of which way you are sitting - some seats will face forward and some face backwards. Some people do not like riding backwards. If you do not like riding backwards – hey, you can always change seats.

A few things to remember

During 2010, there were over 3.7 million trips taken without a ticket, which is well over 50 million kroner lost in revenue.

This is one of the reasons ticket prices keep going up. If people are not paying, than others who do will have to pay more. Do not be part of this illegal activity and report those who do. It will save you money.

Rules for bringing your bike on train

When traveling on the train, you must put your bicycle in the carriage that has the bicycle symbol on it. This is called the flex space. If you follow these rules you should be okay.

• If there is no room for your bicycle in flex space, you must try to place you in a different flexrum or wait for the next train.
• Your bike may only be in the flex space and should be placed behind the red line.
• Do not block the doors to the compartment, or entrance doors to flex space with your bike.
• The front and rear door marked with the bicycle sign are to be used for bicycles, baby carriages, wheelchairs.
• In flex space you need to make room for people with bikes prams and wheelchairs.
• Flex space is reserved for bicycles, prams and wheelchairs.
• It is not allowed to ride your bicycle on the platform.  You can be fined for this.

The next steps to mastering train travel are

1. understand the various train travel routes

2. read time tables /schedules

3. understanding the zones .

or check out some of the other important pages below.

Other Transportation Information

Below is list of some of the other transportation related pages on FYI Denmark, so you choose which mode you wish to learn more about.

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Buying and using Tickets & Rail Passes in Denmark

This guidewill help you save money, time and confusion.

Welcome to ShowMeTheJourney's guide to booking train tickets for train journeys within and to and from Denmark , the info covers the core basics of what you can expect to encounter when making bookings. The intention is to privide context for the tickets and journey options you should encounter, in usual circumstances, when making a booking either online or at the station. SMTJ has striven to ensure that the advice presented is as accurate as possible, but a guide such as this cannot cover every combination of journey options.

If you want to go right ahead with a booking, you can jump to the links for the booking agents in the Content menu, though before doing so, having an idea of what's available is recommended; hence the in-depth answers to questions you're most likely to be asking.

Nine things which are good to know about tickets for long-distance Danish train journeys and international train journeys to and from Denmark

(1) DSB is Denmark’s national rail operator and its website looks great, but it has a couple of quirks when using it to book train tickets. One of which, is that when switching to the English language version, most of the site’s content disappears; apart from the booking path. Hence the step-by-step guide to how to use the DSB website, which you'll find below.

(2) DSB uses the Danish spellings of cities/towns, but on the English language version of the website, the names the cities will be automatically translated. (3) You can save money by booking discounted tickets in advance. (4) Those discounted tickets are known as 'Orange Tickets'. (5) Tickets are placed on sale two months ahead of the travel date. (6) Seat reservations are optional on the express trains, so need to be added when making a booking.

(7) The core difference between Lyn and IC (Inter City) services is speed. On routes they share with IC services the Lyn departures are faster because they stop at less stations, but tickets for Lyn services aren't automatically more expensive; what impacts on prices is that the discounted 'Orange' tickets are less likely to be available on Lyn departures

(8) You will receive a confirmation of your online booking by email; the ticket will be attached as a PDF, but you don't HAVE to print it. If you save the PDF to your smart phone/mobile device, you can show the ticket on your phone to the ticket inspector/conductor.

(9) I.D. is required for Danish train tickets to be valid; so if when making a booking you selected 'passport', you will need to have it with you, even when making non-international train journeys.

Booking tickets for rail journeys within Denmark:

DSB is the national rail operator in Denmark and its booking service offers the best prices on Danish rail tickets.

There are two main types of tickets sold online for long distance train journeys in Denmark;

(1) Orange tickets (2) Standard tickets (Something to watch out for is that 'Standard' is also the name of 2nd class on Danish trains).

'Orange' Tickets:

In contrast to 'Standard' tickets 'Orange' tickets are discounted; the most heavily discounted Orange tickets can be around 3 x cheaper than the Standard (non- discounted) price

Limited numbers of these tickets will be made available on most IC (Inter City) and Regional (Regiontog) train services and on some of the faster Lyn train services. So if you want to save money and/or reserve seats when travelling by long distance express trains in Denmark, it pays off to book online in advance and seek out these 'Orange' tickets.

Standard Tickets:

'Standard' tickets aren't discounted, the clue is in the name. But the big plus of booking 'Standard' tickets is that they aren't train departure specific, so can be used on any departure on the date you have selected to travel by. So if you want to make a day trip somewhere, you'll be free to return by whatever train you choose if you use Standard tickets.

When searching for journeys make sure the ‘Orange' tickets’ box is ticked, if it's not you won’t see any ‘Orange’ tickets at all.

Whether 'Orange' tickets are available on the departures you're looking at won't be immediately obvious. Only ticket prices are shown in the search results and the type of ticket(s) available isn't listed.

You can only ascertain whether the ticket price is for an 'Orange' ticket by clicking on the price you will initially see. Though prices that are 100 kr less than other departures, are a strong indicator of 'Orange' ticket availability.

‘Orange’ tickets are not available on all departures, no matter how far ahead you book; particularly on the most popular Lyn train services. So try to be flexible re: departure/arrival times and search through the departures on the day you want to travel, no matter how far in advance you will be booking.

Some IC and Lyn departures may have Orange tickets available, even when most don’t, it can be a needle in a haystack scenario.

The pricing of 'Orange' tickets:

A sliding scale of prices is applied to ‘Orange’ tickets, you generally need to book around 6 weeks ahead to obtain the very cheapest price(s). On your travel date some departures may have cheaper ‘Orange’ tickets available than others; another very good reason for searching through the departures.

The core terms and conditions for 'Orange' tickets:

These tickets are train specific, so Orange tickets can't be moved to a different train if you subsequently change your travel plans.

Tickets are placed on sale online two months ahead of the travel date. So the further ahead you can book, the more likely it is that discounted 'Orange' tickets will be available on a wide spread of departures.

Booking less than a week ahead:

Look up a journey a week or less ahead of the travel date and ‘Orange’ tickets will be most LIKELY sold out on Lyn train services on which they had been available.

However, it’s not unknown for additional ‘Orange’ tickets, at the cheapest possible price, to be made available for the slower IC trains a couple of days ahead. Therefore you may be able to grab a late bargain; so it can be a good idea to hold back from paying the full (non-Orange) price for journeys by IC trains. Keep checking as your travel date approaches, if additional Orange tickets are released the price will fall.

Seat reservations are optional for journeys by IC (Inter City), Regional (Regiontog) AND Lyn train services. If you don't add a reservation when making a booking seats aren’t guaranteed. Reservations used to be automatically included when booking Orange tickets; but no longer.

However, when you do make a reservation, you can choose your seat(s).

When is it worth paying to add the reservation?

There are no rules around this, so these are suggestions as to when this will be likely to be worthwhile. SMTJ particularly recommend making reservations on:

(1) Any departure from Kobenhavn H station between 16:00 and 18:30. When boarding IC (Inter City) and Lyn train services at Kobenhavn H station, these trains will have previously picked up passengers at Osterport and Norreport stations. Though if you will be boarding at those other stations in central Copenhagen, you'll be more likely to find seats available.

(2) All IC and Lyn train services departing Fridays and Sundays between 14:00 and 19:30.

(3) All journeys by Lyn services during the day from Fredericia and Odense TO Kobenhavn; these train services can fill up on rout

When travelling by train in Denmark the national rail operator is DSB. Book discounted adult 'Orange' or non-discounted Standard' tickets on the DSB website for long-distance journeys which include travel over the Great Belt Bridge, and up to two children under 12 years of age, can travel with each adult ticket holder free of charge. Seat reservations are optional if you will be travelling by Lyn or Intercity services, so make sure you add them to the booking, if you want to be sure of sitting together.

Though the rules around travelling with children vary according to region, but in general they equate to free travel for those aged 11 and under /under 12 and at around 50% of the adult rate for children aged 12 to 15.

In Denmark travellers aged 67 and over receive a variable discount depending on the length of the journey and the region in which the journey will be taken. Though having compared prices for the discounted Orange tickets for longer-distance journeys by IC and express trains, the typical discount for these trips seems to be around 12%.

The 'rules' set by the Danish national rail operator DSB are that if a dog can be fitted in a pet carrier / container measuring no more than 100x60x30cm, no ticket will be required for the dog.

Dogs that are too large for the pet carrier, or if you don't want to put the dog in the pet carrier you will need to buy a child ticket for the dog; only one dog can be taken by each traveller. Child tickets for those aged 12-15 typically cost around 50% of the adult rate for a journey, so the cheapest method of travelling long-distance is to add a child aged 12-15 when booking with DSB .

Also good to know is that dogs:

• cannot travel in 1st class;
• can only travel in the marked areas on the trains;
• these areas do not include the quiet zones and Family zones on the trains.

The travel info on the DSB also suggests that if you will be travelling long-distance on a Lyn or IC express service that you should make a seat reservation for your dog, it won't be able to sit in it, but it is so that you can ensure that there will be a space in front of the seat on the floor of the train, for the dog to occupy.

DSB sells tickets online for train journeys from Denmark to Germany, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Czech Republic and Austria. Though on DSB the section of its site dedicated to international booking is in Danish, so you may need to resort to Google Translate. Train tickets between Denmark and any other country not listed above have to be booked by phone, call DSB Customer International 70 13 14 1

DSB tends to have the cheapest possible tickets available from Denmark TO Germany, but the Swedish booking service SJ (see the link above) tends to have cheaper prices on trains between Denmark and Sweden.

However, DSB does NOT sell tickets for the Snabbtåg trains from Copenhagen/København to Stockholm; you will need to use Swedish rail operator SJ’s online booking service .

The four key things to be aware of when using rail passes within and to/from Denmark.

(1) There is no pan-Scandinavian rail pass available that Europeans can purchase.

(2) Rail pass users can hop on any domestic train service within Denmark operated by DSB. However, note that seat reservation information above; seats aren't guaranteed without reservations, particularly on the Lyn train services.

(3) Reservations are required prior to boarding if you want to take a Snabbtåg train to Sweden; and info on how these can be booked online is available on our Swedish train tickets guide .

(4) In summer months rail pass users also have to reserve in advance on the Kobenhavn/Copenhagen to Hamburg route ; Rail pass reservations for the trains between Denmark and Germany can be booked through the DSB website (the tech is provided by the B-Europe reservation system). The German national rail operator is also once again selling these reservations on the the DB website

Simon Harper

I wanted to share my passion for train travel and explain how anyone can take the fantastic journeys I have taken.

This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney , which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.

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Before you buy your tickets

Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets .  It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a €35 point-to-point ticket?".  How far ahead can you buy train tickets?

European train travel FAQ

Copenhagen to odense, esbjerg, arhus & other destinations in denmark.

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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.

Copenhagen to Paris from €68

Option 1, Copenhagen to Paris in a single day - a chill-out day across Europe

You can travel from Copenhagen to Paris by train in a single day.

Until 15 July 2024, leave Copenhagen at 07:26 daily, change at Hamburg Hbf & Karlsruhe arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 22:13.

From 16 July 2024, leave Copenhagen at 07:26 daily, change at Hamburg Hbf & Mannheim arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 22:52.

On or many dates you can leave Copenhagen at 07:26 daily, change at Hamburg Hbf & Cologne Hbf arriving Paris Gare de l'Est 22:05.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , Hamburg to Karlsruhe or Mannheim by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then to Paris by either ICE or TGV Duplex at up to 320 km/h (199 mph) with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Cologne to Paris is by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) with cafe area, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

How much does it cost?

Copenhagen to Hamburg starts at €28.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.

Hamburg to Paris starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to check times & buy tickets

First, check train times for the whole journey using the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Run an enquiry from Copenhagen to Paris, first changing Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes .  This gets you robust connections with time for a coffee between trains.  Ignore the silly-money €300+ fares that appear at this stage.  Look for a journey with just 2 changes, click for details and note down the interchange stations and times of each train.

Now buy tickets by splitting the booking.

For journeys via Karlsruhe or Mannheim, first use int.bahn.de to book from Copenhagen to Hamburg.  Then use it again to book the required trains from Hamburg to Paris. You'll get a cheap Sparpreis fare for each stage.  Easy when you know!

For journeys via Cologne, first use int.bahn.de to book from Copenhagen to Cologne.  Then use www.sncf-connect.com to book the Eurostar from Cologne to Paris.  Or you can book both tickets in the same place at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee).

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  On Bahn.de I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Paris with overnight stop in Hamburg - a time-effective option

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:04.

Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Fares start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Paris with overnight stop in Cologne - another time-effective option

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg leaving Copenhagen at 11:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf & arriving Cologne Hbf at 20:47.

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or show it on your phone or laptop.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Stay overnight in Cologne .  The good & inexpensive Ibis Hotel Köln-am-Dom is ideal as it's part of Cologne Hbf itself, with an entrance to the left of the main station entrance - many of its rooms have a cathedral view.  Also near the station with good reviews are the Breslauer Hof Am Dom , Hotel Domspitzen , CityClass Hotel Europa am Dom , Hilton Cologne , Excelsior Hotel Ernst am Dom .

For dinner I recommend the traditional German fare at the Brauhaus Sion ( www.brauhaus-sion.de ), 8 minutes walk from Cologne Hbf, see walking map , or the Malzmuehle restaurant ( www.muehlenkoelsch.de ), 17 minutes walk from the station, see walking map

Fares start at €35 in 2nd class or €79 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train .  From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024.  The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey .

2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this.  There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.

The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo .  Larger photo .

Copenhagen to Strasbourg

Option 1, Copenhagen to Strasbourg in a single day

From 16 July 2024:  Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg at 19:34.

From 16 July 2024:  Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg at 21:34.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Hamburg to Offenburg by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Offenburg to Strasbourg by regional train.

Copenhagen to Offenburg starts at €37.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Offenburg to Strasbourg costs €11, fixed-price, unlimited availability.

How to buy tickets

Go to the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Step 1, click Stopovers and enter Offenburg , leaving length of stay zero,  Run an enquiry from Copenhagen to Strasbourg, look for a 2-change option leaving at 07:26 or 09:26.  At this stage it only shows silly-money fares, so split the booking to book as follows:

Step 2, book from Copenhagen to Offenburg looking for the 07:26 departure and a 1-change option.

Step 3, now use int.bahn.de again to but a regional ticket from Offenburg to Strasbourg.  This ticket is good for any SWE local train that day.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own tickets or can show them on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Strasbourg with an overnight stop in Hamburg

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Strasbourg, for example:

Leave Hamburg Hbf at 07:28, change at Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg 15:33.

Leave Hamburg Hbf at 09:28, change at Offenburg, arriving Strasbourg 17:33.

Hamburg to Offenburg is by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, Offenburg to Strasbourg is by regional train.

Copenhagen to Hamburg starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Hamburg to Offenburg starts at €17.90 in 2nd class or €26.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Offenburg to Strasbourg costs €11, fixed-price.

Step 1, use the German Railways website int.bahn.de to book the Copenhagen to Hamburg train. 

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Step 2, use int.bahn.de again to book from Hamburg to Offenburg, looking for a direct train.

Step 3, use int.bahn.de again to book from Offenburg to Strasbourg on the regional service marked SWE RB25 .

Tip:   You can save a few euros by booking Copenhagen to Offenburg as one journey.  Set departure time as 15:00.  To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers , enter Hamburg with a length of stay of (say) 10 hours.  Adjust stopover duration as necessary to get the Hamburg-Offenburg train you want next morning.

Copenhagen to Lyon, Avignon, Nice & other French cities from €68

Option 1, Copenhagen to Lyon, Avignon or Marseille with an overnight stop in Hamburg.  This option by-passes Paris.

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Mannheim or Frankfurt by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Until 15 July 2024, leave Hamburg Hbf at 09:24, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:00.

From 16 July 2024, leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:24, arriving Mannheim 13:27.

Day 2, travel to Lyon, Avignon, Aix en Provence or Marseille by TGV Duplex .

Until 15 July, leave Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:56 every day arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 19:56, Avignon TGV 21:09, Aix en Provence TGV 21:33 & Marseille St Charles at 21:46.

From 16 July 2024, leave Mannheim at 14:39 every day arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 19:56, Avignon TGV 21:09, Aix en Provence TGV 21:33 & Marseille St Charles at 21:46.

The 320 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

Stay overnight in Marseille and travel to Cannes, Nice, Nimes, Montpellier, Perpignan next morning (Day 3).

Copenhagen to Hamburg starts at €27.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.

Hamburg to Lyon, Avignon, Aix or Marseille starts at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.

Step 1, use the German Railways website int.bahn.de to book from Copenhagen to Hamburg.

Step 2, use int.bahn.de again to book from Hamburg to Lyon, Avignon, Aix or Marseille, but - and this is important - make sure you change Transfer time from normal to 40 minutes before running the enquiry.  If you don't, it'll put you on a later train from Hamburg with a risky 9-minute connection, a simple 10-minute delay and you're toast.

Book onward trains within France at either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  Booking for French trains opens up to 4 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Lyon & southern France via Brussels - also avoids having to cross Paris

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Brussels in a single chill-out day as shown in the Copenhagen to Brussels section .

Day 2, travel from Brussels to Lyon, Avignon, Aix, Marseille, Nimes, Montpellier by direct TGV.  There are several morning TGV departures from Brussels Midi which by-pass central Paris via Marne la Vallée & CDG.

Tip:   Nimes & Montpellier Saint Roche are in the city centres.  Nimes Pont du Gard and Montpellier Sud de France are out-of-town stations several kilometres outside the city.

Check times and buy tickets from Brussels to anywhere in France at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  Look carefully for journeys that don't involve changing in Paris.

Booking opens up to 4 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Lyon & southern France via Paris - means changing trains & stations in Paris, but offers widest range of options

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Paris in a single chill-out day as shown in the Copenhagen to Paris section above .

How to cross Paris by metro or taxi from the Gare du Nord to other Paris stations .

Stay overnight in Paris .  The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for an early train from the Gare de Lyon next morning.  See other suggested hotels near Paris stations .

Day 2, travel from Paris to Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Bordeaux, Toulouse or anywhere else in France.

Check times and buy tickets from Paris to anywhere in France at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).

Copenhagen to Brussels & Bruges from €49.90

Option 1, Copenhagen to Brussels in a single chill-out day

Option 2, Copenhagen to Brussels with overnight stop in Hamburg - a time-effective option

By all means book the earlier 13:26 to have more of an evening in Hamburg, see the timetable here .

Option 3, Copenhagen to Brussels with overnight stop in Cologne - another time-effective option

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Cologne, leaving Copenhagen at 11:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf & arriving Cologne Hbf at 20:47.

Step 1, Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train .  From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024.  The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey .

Step 2, Hamburg to Cologne by ICE4 .  These come with a waiter-service restaurant car, cafe counter, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about ICEs .

Step 3, Cologne to Brussels by ICE .  This is an ICE3 at Cologne Hbf.  More about ICE trains .

Copenhagen to Amsterdam from €49.90

Option 1, Copenhagen to Amsterdam in a single chill-out day from €49.90.

Copenhagen depart 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Osnabruck , arriving Amsterdam Centraal 18:00.

Copenhagen depart 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & Osnabruck , arriving Amsterdam Centraal 20:00.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by comfortable EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, Hamburg to Osnabruck by ICE4 train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, then Osnabruck to Amsterdam by Intercity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Hamburg from €49.90 - a time-effective option

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Osnabruck from €49.90 - a time-effective option

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Osnabruck, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 by EuroCity train , change at Hamburg Hbf onto a German Intercity train , arriving Osnabruck 22:36.

Stay overnight in Osnabrück .  The Holiday Inn is an 8-minute 550m walk from the station and gets great reviews, see walking map .

Day 2, travel from Osnabrück to Amsterdam leaving Osnabruck at 07:06 by InterCity train and arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 10:00.  Or leave Osnabrück at 09:06 arriving Amsterdam 12:00.

To get the overnight stop in Osnabruck, click Stopovers and enter Osnabruck with a length of stay of 8-10 hours.  Adjust length of stay to get the trains you from Osnabruck to Amsterdam.

Step 2, Hamburg to Osnabruck by ICE4 .  These come with a waiter-service restaurant car, cafe counter, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about ICEs .

Step 3, Osnabruck to Amsterdam by Intercity train , seen here arrived at Amsterdam Centraal .  Power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about these Intercity trains .

Copenhagen to Luxembourg

You can travel from Copenhagen to Luxembourg by daytime trains in a single day leaving 07:26 or 09:26.

Or you can split the journey with an overnight stop in Hamburg or Cologne.

Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .    Look for journeys with the fewest changes.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Copenhagen to Basel, Zurich. Geneva & Switzerland from €49.90

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

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two double-deck sleeping-cars with compact 1 or 2-berth standard compartments with washbasin and several 1 or 2-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus one or two 3-berth compartments with washbasin.  There are toilets at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

Fares start at €49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, €59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, €69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, €89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Buy onward tickets within Switzerland at www.thetrainline.com (so you can keep all your bookings together in one place, in €, £ or $, easy to use) or at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF).  You print your own ticket.

Tip:   If you book in advance, you may find Supersaver fares available for longer Swiss domestic journeys (for example, Basel-Geneva), saving up to 70% off the regular flexible fare, or a Saver Day Pass .  Supersaver fares commit you to a specific train, so I'd allow at least an hour between the Nightjet arrival and an onward train.  A Saver Day Pass can be cheaper than regular fares if booked in advance, good for unlimited travel all over Switzerland on any train all day, this is a better option.

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

Copenhagen depart 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arrive Basel SBB 18:55 & Zurich HB 20:00.

Copenhagen depart 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arrive Basel SBB 20:55 & Zurich HB 22:00.

Copenhagen depart 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arrive Basel SBB 23:04.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Hamburg to Switzerland by superb German ICE4 with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Times may vary, so check your date at int.bahn.de .  More about the Copenhagen-Hamburg journey .

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

Copenhagen to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy from €75

Option 1, Copenhagen to Italy using the Hamburg-Zurich sleeper & the Gotthard route - the most time-effective option

This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two double-deck sleeping-cars with compact 1 or 2-berth standard compartments with washbasin and several 1 or 2-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus several 3-berth compartments with washbasin.  There are toilets at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment.  See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips, photos & video .

Update: A freight train derailed in the Gotthard Base Tunnel in August 2023, in 2024 trains are still being diverted over the original (very scenic) Gotthard line taking an extra hour and with fewer departures.  Check times online.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Italy using the Hamburg-Innsbruck sleeper & the Brenner route - another time-effective option

Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , leaving Copenhagen at 13:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf 18:03.

A later connection is theoretically possible leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, but a 20 minute connection is too risky when catching a sleeper.

Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €47.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near Hamburg Hbf .

Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train , leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:10 and arriving Innsbruck Hbf 09:14.

From the timetable change on 10 December 2023 this train is operated by a new generation Nightjet train with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos .  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.

Fares start at €59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, €109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or €159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Tip:   If you have a sleeper ticket and/or 1st class ticket for the onward train, you can use the ÖBB Lounge at Innsbruck Hbf between trains, with free WiFi and complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks & snacks.

Step 3, travel from Innsbruck to Italy by EuroCity train , leaving Innsbruck Hbf 11:24, arriving Verona P. Nuova 14:58 & Bologna Centrale 16:19.

The train travels through the lovely Brenner Pass, with a restaurant car for lunch, treat yourself!  See the Brenner Pass scenery video here .

Change at Verona Porta Nuova for Venice.  Change at Bologna Centrale for Florence, Rome & Naples. 

Tip:   Don't risk a tight connection with the earlier 09:24 EuroCity to Verona, I'd play safe and stick with the 11:24.

Fares from Innsbruck Verona or Bologna (or, on the direct train, Venice) start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.

Onward fares from Bologna to Florence or Rome start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Step 1, book the Copenhagen-Hamburg train at the German Railways website www.bbahn.de .

Step 2, book the nightjet sleeper from Hamburg to Innsbruck at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in €, a bit more fiddly, same prices).  Look for the train marked NJ (Nightjet) with 0 changes.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

Step 3, now use www.thetrainline.com again to book from Innsbruck to Florence, Rome, Naples or anywhere in Italy.  This connects to both the German, Austrian and Italian ticketing systems so you can book this as one transaction all in one place.  You print your own ticket for the Austrian train and the Italian high-speed trains are ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.  Booking normally opens up to 4 months ahead, but it can vary.  There's a small booking fee.

Step 2, Hamburg to Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train .  More about new-generation Nightjets .

Option 3, Copenhagen to Italy by daytime trains via the Gotthard route, with overnight stop in Frankfurt

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Frankfurt, leaving Copenhagen at 11:26, changing Hamburg Hbf , arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 21:00.

Update: A freight train derailed in the Gotthard Base Tunnel in August 2023, in 2024 trains are still being diverted over the original (very scenic) Gotthard line taking an extra hour and with fewer departures.  Whilst this continues, you'll need to change in Zurich, check times online.

Option 4, Copenhagen to Italy by daytime trains via the Brenner route, with overnight stop in Munich

Copenhagen to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain from €114

Option 1, Copenhagen to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Paris

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Paris in a day as shown in the Copenhagen to Paris section above .  Book this as shown .

Change stations in Paris from the Gare de l'Est to Gare de Lyon by taxi or metro .

Stay overnight in Paris .  The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the Gare de Lyon station complex, ideal for an early train next morning.  See other suggested hotels near the Gare de l'Est & Gare de Lyon .

Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 09:42 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:31.

The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.  It's a scenic and comfortable journey, click here for the sights to see on the way .

Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead .

Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Valencia, Alicante and so on by high-speed train.

A high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

A fast EuroMed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:15 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 21:07 & Alicante 23:40.

For Granada, Seville, Cordoba & Malaga, stay in Barcelona overnight, I recommend the Hotel Barcelo Sants inside the station.  Next morning direct high-speed AVE trains leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 for Granada and 08:35 for Cordoba, Seville Santa Justa & Malaga Maria Zambrano.

Check times & buy onward tickets in Spain at either www.raileurope.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish Railways own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards see advice on using it first ) or www.petrabax.com (easy to use, in $, small mark-up).  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead , but it can vary.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Cologne

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Cologne on one of these two departures.

Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , and arrive Cologne Hbf at 16:49.

Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , and arrive Cologne Hbf at 18:49.

Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , and arrive Cologne Hbf at 20:47.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley, then Hamburg to Cologne by ICE with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Day 2, travel from Cologne to Paris by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) , leaving Cologne Hbf at 08:44 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord 12:05.

Eurostar has 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys) .

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or using the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  Booking normally opens 4 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

Cross Paris by taxi or metro to the Gare de Lyon .

Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by high-speed TGV Duplex , leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:42 & arriving Barcelona Sants at 21:27.

The 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views.  It's a scenic and comfortable journey, click here for the sights to see on the way .

Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Again, fares vary like air fares, so book ahead for the cheapest prices.

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or using the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  Booking normally opens 4 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.  It's sometimes cheaper to split the booking at Perpignan, see the advice here .

Stay overnight in Barcelona.  The Hotel Barcelo Sants is the top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users.  See other suggested hotels near the station .

Day 3, take an onward high-speed train from Barcelona Sants next morning, check times & book at www.raileurope.com .  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead , but it can vary.

For Madrid:   AVE-S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30 from €35.

For Granada:   Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE S112 high-speed train arriving Granada at 13:10.

For Malaga:   Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE-S112 high-speed train arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:51.

For Cordoba & Seville:   Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE-S112 high-speed train arriving Cordoba 13:42 & Seville Santa Justa 14:32.

For Valencia & Alicante:   EuroMed trains link Barcelona Sants with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.

For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruna & Vigo , there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here .

Option 3, Copenhagen to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stops in Hamburg & Marseille - avoids the need to change trains & stations in Paris

Fares start at €27.90 in 2nd class or €49.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Buy a ticket at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Frankfurt by ICE train , leaving Hamburg Hbf at 09:24 every day arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:00.

The ICE train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Treat yourself to an early lunch on board.

Then travel from Frankfurt to Marseille by TGV Duplex , leaving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 13:56 every day arriving Marseille St Charles at 21:46.

The impressive double-deck 320 km/h (199 mph) TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.

Fares from Hamburg to Marseille start at €39.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Buy a ticket from Hamburg to Marseille at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Tip:   Change Transfer time from normal to 30 minutes to ensure a robust connection.  Times may vary, you may need to leave Hamburg at 08:24 and change at Mannheim instead of Frankfurt on some dates.

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead . Important, make sure you change Transfer time from normal to minimum 40 minutes before running the enquiry.  If you don't, it'll put you on a later train from Hamburg with a risky 9-minute connection, a simple 10-minute delay and you're toast.  So make sure it books you the earlier train with time for a coffee at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf .

Fares from Marseille to Barcelona start at €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Fares from Marseille to Madrid start at €44 in 2nd class or €54 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this journey at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or using Renfe's own website www.renfe.com (in €, more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it ).  Booking opens up to 4 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

Day 3, take a high-speed train from Barcelona to Valencia & Alicante or from Madrid to Cordoba, Seville, Granada, Malaga.

A fast EuroMed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 16:10 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 19:02 & Alicante 21:34.

Check times & buy tickets using either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in €, much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it ) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up).  You print your own ticket.

Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead , but it varies.  I'd allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Barcelona or Madrid.

Copenhagen to San Sebastian

Hotels near Paris Gare du Nord with good reviews:  Libertel Gare du Nord Suede (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 2-star), 25 Hours Terminus Nord (formerly the Mercure Terminus Nord, now refurbished in a decidedly funky style, 3-star, directly across the road from the station);  Art Hotel (3-star);  Avalon Hotel (2-star);  Hotel Cambrai (1-star).

Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in €, no booking fee).  French trains open for booking up to 4 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.

Day 2, transfer from Hendaye to San Sebastian by Euskotren metro, every 30 minutes, journey time 37 minutes.

Simply walk out of Hendaye station and turn right, the little Euskotren station is in a corner of the main station forecourt.  Buy a ticket for €2.75 at the Euskotren station from the machines or staffed counter and hop on the next half-hourly Euskotren metro from Hendaye to San Sebastian Amara station, journey time 37 minutes.  More about the journey from Paris to San Sebastian .

Copenhagen to Lisbon , Porto & Portugal

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

Day 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by 320 km/h TGV Duplex leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 09:42 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:31.

This double-deck TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  It's a comfortable & scenic journey, see an account of the sights to see from the train on the way .

Fares start at €39 in 2nd class or €59 in 1st class.  Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  Booking for the TGV opens up to 4 months ahead .

Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid by AVE high-speed train , leaving Barcelona Sants at 18:25 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 20:55.

The AVE has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  More about trains from Barcelona to Madrid .  Times vary on Saturdays.

Fares start at €38 in Standard class or €45 in Comfort class.  Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com .  Booking for Spanish trains normally opens 60 days ahead , but this varies.

Copenhagen to Andorra

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Paris in a day as shown in the Copenhagen to Paris section above .  Book this as shown above .

Stay overnight in Paris. Hotels near Paris Gare du Nord with good reviews:  Libertel Gare du Nord Suede (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 2-star), 25 Hours Terminus Nord (formerly the Mercure Terminus Nord, now refurbished in a decidedly funky style, 3-star, directly across the road from the station);  Art Hotel (3-star);  Avalon Hotel (2-star);  Hotel Cambrai (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 1-star).

Fares start from €25 in 2nd class or €45 in 1st class.

Copenhagen to Hamburg

Copenhagen to berlin.

Option 1, Copenhagen to Berlin by daytime trains

A range of daily departures link Copenhagen with Berlin with one easy change in Hamburg:

Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Berlin Hbf 14:20.

Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Berlin Hbf 16:20.

Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Berlin Hbf 18:20.

Leave Copenhagen at 13:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Berlin Hbf 20:20.

Leave Copenhagen at 15:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Berlin Hbf 22:23.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Berlin by Snälltåget sleeper train, daily except Saturdays, 31 March to 1 November 2024

It runs daily except Saturdays from 31 March to 1 November 2024.  It also runs over Christmas & New Year.

It leaves Malmö Central at 22:25 and arrives Hamburg Hbf at 05:31 & Berlin Hbf at 08:47.

The train has 6-berth couchette compartments & ordinary seats.  Couchettes can be booked individually in shared compartments, or you can pay a fixed price for a whole couchette compartment for private occupancy by 1-6 people, the same price for 1 to 6 people.

Check dates & times at www.snalltaget.se , entering Kobenhavn H to Berlin.  It uses Berlin Gesundbrunnen on certain dates, not Berlin Hbf.

Snälltåget has run a sleeper train between Malmö & Berlin twice a week in summer in previous years, in 2021 it was expanded to run direct from Stockholm & Malmö to Hamburg & Berlin, in 2022 it's further expanded to run daily for much of the year.

Fares start at 499 SEK (about €49) per person with a seat, 749 SEK (€74) per person with a reclining seat, or 2999 SEK (€295) for sole occupancy of a couchette compartment for any number of people between 1 & 6.

Copenhagen to Cologne & Düsseldorf

Several daily departures link Copenhagen with Düsseldorf & Cologne with one easy change in Hamburg:

Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE1 train arriving Düsseldorf 16:25 & Cologne Hbf 16:49.

Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE1 train , arriving Düsseldorf 19:22 & Cologne Hbf 18:46.

Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE1 train , arriving Cologne Hbf 20:47.

Leave Copenhagen at 13:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE4 train arriving Düsseldorf 22:25 & Cologne Hbf 22:49.

Leave Copenhagen at 15:26, change at Hamburg Hbf onto an ICE4 train arriving Cologne Hbf 00:51.

Copenhagen to Frankfurt

Several daily departures link Copenhagen with Frankfurt with one easy change in Hamburg:

Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 16:00.

Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 18:00.

Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 20:00.

Leave Copenhagen at 13:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 23:00.

Copenhagen to Munich

Option 1, Copenhagen to Munich by daytime trains

Several daily departures link Copenhagen with Munich with one easy change in Hamburg:

Leave Copenhagen at 07:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Munich Hbf at 18:40.

Leave Copenhagen at 09:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Munich Hbf at 20:45.

Leave Copenhagen at 11:26, change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Munich Hbf at 22:40.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Munich using the Hamburg-Munich sleeper train

A later connection is theoretically possible leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, but a 25 minute connection is too risky when catching a sleeper.

Book this train at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train , leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:10 & arriving Munich Hbf at 07:06 next morning.

Step 2, Hamburg to Munich by Nightjet sleeper train .  More about new-generation Nightjets .

Copenhagen to anywhere else in Germany

Option 1, Copenhagen to Germany by daytime trains

Change at Hamburg Hbf for connecting trains to anywhere in Germany, centre to centre with no check-in or trek to and from remote airports.

Copenhagen to Hamburg by Danish EuroCity train:  From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024.  The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats and a refreshment trolley.  More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey .

Option 2, Copenhagen to Hamburg or Berlin by Snälltåget sleeper train, daily except Saturdays 31 March to 1 November 2024

The sleeper train runs daily except Saturdays from 31 March to 1 November 2024.  It also runs over Christmas & New Year.

It leaves Malmö at 22:25 and arrives Hamburg Hbf at 05:31 & Berlin Hbf at 08:47.  Check times at www.snalltaget.se as there's a later arrival in Berlin on certain dates.

The train has ordinary seats, reclining seats, and 6-berth couchettes.  A fixed price is charged for a whole couchette compartment for private occupancy, the same price for 1 person or any number of people up to 6, unlike normal overnight trains berths are not sold individually.

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

Option 1, Copenhagen to Austria using the Hamburg-Vienna/Innsbruck sleeper train - the comfortable, time-effective option

Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train leaving Copenhagen at 13:26 and arriving Hamburg Hbf at 18:03.

Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna, Linz or Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train , leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:10 & arriving Vienna Hbf 09:17 next morning with another portion going to Innsbruck, arriving Innsbruck Hbf 09:14.

Change at Wels for a railjet train to Salzburg, arriving Salzburg Hbf at 08:49.

From the timetable change on 10 December 2023 both portions of this train are due to be operated by new generation Nightjet trains with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos .  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.

Step 2, Hamburg to Vienna or Innsbruck by Nightjet sleeper train.  More about new-generation Nightjets .

Option 2, Copenhagen to Austria with overnight stop in Frankfurt

Day 2, travel from Frankfurt to Austria on any train you like.

The 06:21 ICE-T train from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf arrives Vienna Hbf at 12:47, but by all means enjoy a leisurely breakfast and take a later one, they run every 2 hours.

The 06:53 from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf with a change at Munich Hbf will get you to Salzburg Hbf at 11:59, but by all means take a later one, they leave regularly.

Fares from Copenhagen to Austria start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book from Copenhagen to any station in Austria at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .

To build in the overnight stop in Frankfurt, click Stopovers and enter Frankfurt (Main) Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00.  Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Frankfurt to Austria - a little trial and error is sometimes needed.

You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Austria with overnight stop in Hamburg

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , leaving Copenhagen 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf 20:04.

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna, Salzburg or anywhere in Austria.

For example, a direct ICE-T train with restaurant car leaves Hamburg Hbf at 08:04 every day, arriving Vienna Hbf at 17:47.

To build in the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00.  Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Hamburg to Austria - a little trial and error is sometimes needed.

Copenhagen to Malmö & Gothenburg

Copenhagen to stockholm from 346 sek (€31).

Option 1, Copenhagen to Stockholm by SJ daytime train - fastest and most frequent

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 comfortable.  The trains have a bistro car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  These trains are run by SJ, Swedish Railways.  More about X2000 trains .

These trains cross from Denmark to Sweden over the Öresund fixed link , a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden, it's like flying a hundred feet above the sea, quite an experience.

1st class passengers can use the DSB first class lounge at Copenhagen , or the SJ 1st class lounge at Stockholm Central .

Fares start at 346 SEK (€31) in 2nd class or 525 SEK (€47) in 1st class.

You can buy tickets at Omio.com which links directly to the SJ (Swedish Railways) ticketing 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 $.

Or buy using SJ's own website www.sj.se .  You pay in Swedish krona, no booking fee, you can usually select your seat from a seat map, but it can sometimes be fussy with overseas credit cards.  See advice on using sj.se .

Whichever site you buy from, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Stockholm by Snälltåget daytime trains - in competition with SJ in summer 2024!

A morning train leaves Copenhagen Ørestad station (well south of the city centre) at 07:02, arriving Stockholm Central at 13:20.

A Snälltåget train at Malmö Central station.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Stockholm by sleeper train - the time-effective option

You can take the 20:47 departure or the earlier 20:27, these trains run every 20 minutes, journey time 39 minutes. 

Or travel earlier and have dinner in Malmö.  The train uses the Öresund fixed link , a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden.  It's like flying a hundred feet above the sea, quite an experience.

Alternatively, you can easily book the Malmo-Stockholm sleeper train at Omio.com , overseas cards no problem, but it will only book a seat or couchette in a 6-berth compartment, not a sleeper.  You first need to book Malmo to Stockholm and look on the last page of the search results for the overnight train.  Book that, then add a Malmo to Copenhagen ticket.  You can pay in £, €, $ or Krona, there's a small booking fee, You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.

Copenhagen to Oslo & Norway

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

Option 2, Copenhagen to Oslo by ferry - the luxury overnight option

A luxurious overnight cruise ferry sails from Copenhagen to Oslo every night.

Copenhagen to Helsinki & Finland

Step 1, book the Stockholm-Helsinki ferry at www.tallinksilja.com or book the Stockholm-Turku ferry at www.sales.vikingline.com .

Copenhagen to Prague from €37.90

Option 1, Copenhagen to Prague in a single day

Tip:   If you'd like to stop off for a couple of hours in Hamburg or Berlin, click Stopovers , enter Hamburg or Berlin and specify the number of hours.  In Berlin, you can stroll past the Reichstag to the Brandenburg Gate in just 17 minutes from Berlin Hbf .

Option 2, Copenhagen to Prague with overnight stop in Hamburg - as option 1, but with an overnight stop

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , leaving Copenhagen at 15:26 & arriving Hamburg Hbf at 20:04.

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Prague by Czech EuroCity train , leaving Hamburg Hbf at 06:48 & arriving Prague Hlavni at 13:24.

Or you can leave Hamburg Hbf at 08:51 and arriving Prague Hlavni at 15:24, or there are later trains.

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

Book from Copenhagen to Prague or any Czech station at the German Railways website int.bahn.de . 

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  To build in the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00.  Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Hamburg to Prague.  A little trial and error is sometimes needed.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Prague with overnight stop in Berlin - another time-effective option

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen at 15:26, change at Hamburg Hbf & arrive Berlin Hbf at 22:23.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats and a refreshment trolley. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

By all means take the earlier 11:26 or 13:26 from Copenhagen and spend a pleasant evening in Berlin, perhaps take an evening stroll past the Reichstag to the Brandenburg Gate , just 17 minutes walk from the station.

Stay overnight in Berlin.   Top choice here is the InterCity Hotel Berlin Hbf (my favourite), only 200m from Berlin Hbf 's main entrance, relatively inexpensive with great reviews, or if you're in the money, the excellent 5-star Steigenberger Hotel just outside the station.  If you're on a budget, the cheaper 3-star Motel One Berlin-Hbf is behind the station or use www.hostelworld.com .  Of course, if you really want to push the boat out, the famous Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is next to the Brandenburg Gate just 17 minutes walk away.

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Prague by EuroCity train on any train you like, see the timetable here .

The 07:16 from Berlin Hbf will get you to Prague Hlavni at 11:24 with breakfast in the restaurant car as you glide along the scenic Elbe river valley, see the scenery photos and video here , but by all means have a leisurely breakfast at your hotel and take the 09:16 or 11:16, they leave every two hours.

Book from Copenhagen to Prague at the German Railways website int.bahn.de . 

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  To build in the overnight stop in Berlin, click Stopovers and enter Berlin Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00 hours.  Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Berlin to Prague.  A little trial and error is sometimes needed.

Option 4, Copenhagen to Prague using Copenhagen-Berlin sleeper - summer-only

Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin by Berlin Night Express sleeper train as shown here .  This runs twice a week March-September, daily in high summer.

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Prague by comfortable EuroCity train with restaurant car leaving Berlin Hbf at 11:16 arriving Prague Hlavni 15:24.

Book Berlin to Prague at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest from €63

Option 1, Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest with overnight stop in Berlin

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, leaving Copenhagen 15:26 by EuroCity train , change at Hamburg Hbf arriving Berlin Hbf 22:23.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

By all means take the earlier 11:26 or 13:06 from Copenhagen and spend a pleasant evening in Berlin, perhaps take an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate , just 17 minutes walk from the station.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest using the Prague-Budapest sleeper

This has a comfortable Czech sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin.  There's a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in the regular sleepers.  Morning tea or coffee is included in the fare.

Fares start at €49 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €69 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €80 in a single-bed sleeper.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Bratislava & Budapest using the Berlin-Budapest sleeper - same as option 2, but with an afternoon in Berlin

This has a comfortable Hungarian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin, and a couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats,  In sleepers, morning tea or coffee is included in the fare.  More about this sleeper train .

Fares start at €49.90 with a couchette in a 6-berth, €59.90 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €69.90 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €88.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €129.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Copenhagen to Brasov, Bucharest & Romania

Option 1, Copenhagen to Romania using the Budapest-Bucharest Ister - the fastest option

Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .

You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone.  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train , leaving Hamburg Hbf at 20:10 and arriving Vienna Hbf 09:17 next morning.

From the timetable change on 10 December 2023 both portions of this train are operated by new generation Nightjet trains with 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos .  The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu.  A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.

Step 2, travel from Vienna to Budapest by EuroCity train with restaurant car, leaving Vienna Hbf at 10:42 and arriving Budapest Keleti at 13:19.  Enjoy an afternoon in Budapest.

Fares start at €19.90 in 2nd class or €29.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Step 3, travel from Budapest to Brasov & Bucharest by sleeper train Ister leaving Budapest Keleti at 19:10 and arriving Brasov at 08:50 & Bucharest Gara de Nord at 11:30 next day.

This sleeper train Ister has an air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments with washbasin and a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest, a real treat.  Ister is the ancient name for the Danube.

Fares start at €39 with a couchette in 6-berth, €46 with a couchette in 4-berth, €69 with a bed in a 3-bed sleeper, €84 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or €162 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself.  All prices per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

You can also book at the Hungarian Railways website www.mav-start.hu , see my advice on using it .  For Bucharest type Bucuresti .  You show your ticket in the MAV app on your phone.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Romania using the Vienna-Bucharest Dacia Express

Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Vienna by ICE train with restaurant car, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:04 every day, arriving Vienna Hbf at 17:47.

Fares from Copenhagen to Vienna start at €49.90 in 2nd class, €79.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for cheapest prices.

Book from Copenhagen to Vienna at the German Railways website int.bahn.de .

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  To build in the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of (say) 12:00 hours.  Look carefully in the search results to find a journey that suits you, adjusting length of stay to get the train you want from Hamburg to Austria - a little trial and error is sometimes needed.

Day 2, travel from Vienna to Romania on the Dacia Express, leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42 every day, and arriving next day in Simeria 07:10, Sighisoara 09:13, Braşov 12:36, Ploeşti Vest 14:28 & Bucharest Nord at 15:06 (Day 3 from Copenhagen).

The Dacia Express has a modern air-conditioned Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 berth compartments with washbasin and several deluxe compartments with en suite shower & toilet.  It has a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments.

A Hungarian restaurant car is attached between Vienna & Budapest, treat yourself to dinner with wine.  A bar car is attached in the morning between Arad & Bucharest, serving drinks & snacks.  There's wonderful almost Alpine scenery through the Carpathian mountains between Brasov and Bucharest.

The Dacia Express also conveys a portion from Vienna to Cluj Napoca, also leaving Vienna Hbf at 19:42 and arriving Cluj Napoca at 10:47. This portion has a Romanian couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats.

Fares start at €59 with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth compartment, €79 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper, €99 with a bed in a 3-berth sleeper or €159 with a bed in a single-berth sleeper all to yourself.  All per person per berth.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this train at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at .

Booking normally opens 90 days ahead .  In the search results, look for the direct train marked D with no changes.

You can also book this train at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro .

Click EN top right for English.  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead .  For Vienna type Wien , for Bucharest type Bucuresti.   For Austria to Romania journeys you now print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone..  Tip:   Prices might be cheaper than on oebb.at, so check both sites!

Option 3, Copenhagen to Romania with overnight stops in Berlin & Budapest - if you prefer daytime trains & hotels to sleepers

By all means take the earlier 11:26 from Copenhagen , change at Hamburg Hbf , arriving Berlin Hbf 18:02 and spend a pleasant evening in Berlin, perhaps take an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate , just 17 minutes walk from the station.

Stay overnight in Budapest .  Top choice for an inexpensive stay next to Budapest Keleti is the Intercity Hotel just across the square in front of the station.  Also try the Royal Park Boutique Hotel , the inexpensive Baross City Hotel across the road or the Elit Hotel two minutes walk away.

Day 3, travel from Budapest to Brasov & Bucharest by daytime train.

The comfortable air-conditioned InterCity train Traianus leaves Budapest Keleti daily at 07:10 via Arad & Timişoara Nord, arriving Bucharest Nord at 00:31.  A Romanian cafe-bar car is available for snacks & drinks.

Another air-conditioned IC train leaves Budapest Keleti 09:10 via Simeria & Sibiu and arrives Brasov 22:42.

Fares from Budapest to Brasov and other Romanian cities start at an unbelievably cheap €26.30 if you book in advance direct at the Hungarian Railways website www.mavcsoport.hu , see my advice for using it .  Booking opens 60 days ahead.  For Bucharest, type Bucuresti .

You can also book at the Romanian Railways website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro .  Click EN top right for English.  Booking opens up to 90 days ahead .  For Bucharest type Bucuresti.   You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Copenhagen to Ljubljana & Zagreb

Option 1, Copenhagen to Ljubljana & Zagreb using the sleeper from Stuttgart

Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Stuttgart, leaving Copenhagen at 07:26, changing at Hamburg Hbf & arriving Stuttgart Hbf 19:08.

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats, refreshments available.  Hamburg to Stuttgart is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

Book this at either www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, small booking fee, using Thetrainline allows you to buy both tickets together in one place) or the German Railways website int.bahn.de (in €, no fee).

Booking opens up to 6 months ahead .  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

Fares start at €49 with a couchette in 6-berth, €59 with a couchette in 4-berth, €89 in a 2-bed sleeper or €129 in a single-bed sleeper.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Austrian Railways own site www.oebb.at (same prices, in €, a bit more fiddly).  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Ljubljana & Zagreb with an overnight stop in Munich

The scenery across Austria on the Tauern route is wonderful, the journey along the river Sava between Ljubljana and Zagreb is a delight.

Alternatively, spend the morning in Munich and take the later 12:18 EuroCity train Mimara from Munich Hbf direct to Ljubljana & Zagreb .

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €69.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, book ahead for the cheapest prices

Copenhagen to Belgrade & Montenegro

Step 2, travel from Zagreb to Belgrade by train, leaving Zagreb at 11:04 and arriving Novi Beograd 18:04 & Belgrade Centar at 18:12.

This train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended.

This train has air-conditioned Serbian carriages with comfortable 2nd class seats, but no 1st class.  There's no catering, so bring a picnic and some beer or wine.

Copenhagen to Sofia

Option 1, Copenhagen to Sofia via Bucharest

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Budapest using either the Berlin-Budapest sleeper as shown above .

The Muntenia has 4 & 6-berth couchettes and ordinary seats.  A Romanian sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments is attached from Arad (depart 21:04) to Bucharest.  There's no catering car, so bring your own food & drink.

Fares start at €40 with a couchette in 6-berth or €47 with a couchette in 4-berth.  These are limited-availability advance-purchase fares

Book this at the Romanian Railways international website bileteinternationale.cfrcalatori.ro/en .  You print your own ticket.

The fare is around €34.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Sofia via Belgrade

Not currently viable while Zagreb-Belgrade, Budapest-Belgrade and Belgrade-Sofia trains remain suspended.

Copenhagen to Warsaw & Krakow from €49.90

Option 1, Copenhagen to Warsaw or Krakow in a single day

Option 2, Copenhagen to Warsaw or Krakow with an overnight stop in Berlin

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , with power sockets at all seats, refreshments available. Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

By all means take the earlier 11:26 or 13:26 from Copenhagen and spend a pleasant evening in Berlin, perhaps taking an evening stroll past the Reichstag building to the Brandenburg Gate , just 17 minutes walk from the station.

Day 2, travel from Berlin Hbf to Warsaw Centralna on any Berlin-Warsaw EuroCity train you like.

On Mondays to Saturdays you can leave Berlin Hbf at 05:51 and arrive Warsaw Centralna 11:14 with breakfast in the restaurant car.

Or have a leisurely breakfast and leave Berlin Hbf at 09:52 arriving Warsaw Centralna 15:14.  Or there are later trains.

For Wroclaw & Krakow

Day 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train Wawel , leaving Berlin Hbf at 10:52 every day, arriving Wroclaw 15:05, Katowice 17:15 & Krakow Glowny 18:07.  The Wawel has a restaurant car, treat yourself to lunch with a beer or two.

Option 3, using the summer-only Copenhagen-Berlin sleeper

Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin by Snalltaget's Berlin Night Express sleeper train as shown above .  This runs daily except Saturdays March-November.

Step 2, travel from Berlin to Krakow by EuroCity train with restaurant, leaving Berlin Hbf 10:52 arriving Wroclaw 15:05 & Krakow Glowny 18:07. 

Or Berlin to Warsaw by EuroCity train with restaurant car, leaving Berlin Hbf at 11:52 arriving Warsaw Centralna at 17:14.

Option 4, Copenhagen to Gdynia, Gdansk, Warsaw or Krakow by overnight ferry from Sweden to Poland

Buy a ticket at www.sj.se and print it out.

Tip:   Book the ferry first and confirm ferry times, then look for a train that arrives in Karlskrona at least 2-3 hours before the ferry sails.

There are 2 or 3 sailings a day, the overnight one typically sails at around 21:00 and arrives around 07:30, but times may vary.

The ferry is a floating hotel with restaurants & bars, all passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite toilet & shower.

Fares vary, you might pay €39 per passenger as basic fare plus €79-€89 per cabin for a private 1 or 2 bed room.

Step 3, travel from Gdynia to Gdansk, Warsaw or Krakow by train.

In Gdynia , the ferry terminal is 5.5 Km from Gdynia Glowna (main station), see station-port map , either take a taxi or use bus 150.  Bus 150 runs every 15-20 minutes and takes 10 minutes.  You pay the bus driver or can pay using the Jakdojade app.

Gdynia to Gdansk takes 25-35 minutes, trains leave regularly, in this case I'd buy at the station when you get there.

Gdynia to Warsaw takes around 3 hours, you'll normally find one leaving Gydnia around 09:30 and arriving Warsaw Centralna around 12:35.

Gdynia to Krakow takes around 6 hours, you'll normally find one leaving Gydnia around 10:30 and arriving Krakow Glowny around 16:30.

Copenhagen to Vilnius

Option 1, Copenhagen to Vilnius via the Karlshamn-Klaipeda ferry - the fastest & easiest route

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Karlshamn by train, leaving Copenhagen around 13:47 and arriving Karlshamn around 16:20.

Öresund trains run from Copenhagen to Karlshamn every hour taking 2h33.  Don't cut it fine, allow several hours in Karlshamn between train and ferry in case of delay.

The fare is around 310 DKK, about €42, fixed-price.

Check train times and buy a ticket at www.oresundstag.se or buy at the station.

Day 1, sail from Karlshamn to Klaipeda by comfortable overnight ferry.

Two ferry lines operate this route, DFDS and TT Line.  DFDS have the more modern ships with the better facilities, they sail daily, typically leaving Karlshamn at 19:00 and arriving Klaipeda at 09:00.  TT line also sail daily with more basic ships, typically sailing at 20:00 and arriving 10:00.  Check-in closes 1h before sailing time.

There is a restaurant and a range of cosy shared or private cabins, all with en suite toilet & shower.

Fares start at just €60 with a bed in a shared cabin.

Day 2, travel from Klaipeda to Vilnius by train.

In Klaipeda, it's 5 km from the DFDS ferry terminal to the railway station ( see walking map ), there's a frequent city bus service or take a taxi.  The TT ferry arrives further away, 8.4 km from Klaipeda station.

If you arrive at 09:00 by DFDS you should make a train leaving Klaipeda at 11:00 on most days and arriving Vilnius at 15:11, or there are later trains, check times at ltglink.lt .

The train fare is €24.80 in 2nd class, €35.30 in 1st class.

Step 1, take the hourly Öresund train from Copenhagen to Karlshamn.  More about Öresund trains .

Step 2, sail overnight from Karlshamn to Klaipeda with DFDS.  That's the Luna Seaways on the right, arrived at Klaipeda.  Courtesy of Matias Lq.

Step 3, take a train from Klaipeda to Vilnius.  Above left, Klaipeda station. Above right, the express train to Vilnius.  Photos courtesy of Lewis Baston.

Vilnius station.  Photo courtesy of Yuk Wah Chu.

Option 2, Copenhagen to Vilnius via Berlin & Warsaw - the overland route, by train all the way

Fares start at €49.90 in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Copenhagen to Riga

Option 1, Copenhagen to Riga via the Stockholm-Tallinn ferry.

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by train & Stockholm to Tallinn by overnight ferry, as shown in the Copenhagen-Tallinn section .

Day 2, take a train or bus from Tallinn to Riga, as shown on the Tallinn to Riga page .

Option 2, Copenhagen to Riga via the Karlshamn-Klaipeda ferry.

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Karlshamn by train & Karlshamn to Klaipeda by overnight ferry, as shown in the Copenhagen-Vilnius section .

Day 2, travel from Klaipeda to Riga by bus, direct buses take around 4h30, check times & buy tickets at Omio.com .

Allow at least a couple of hours between ferry arrival and bus departure in Klaipeda.

Option 3, Copenhagen to Riga via Berlin, Warsaw & Vilnius - the overland route, a longer way round

Days 1 & 2, travel from Copenhagen to Vilnius by train via Warsaw as shown in the Copenhagen to Vilnius section .

Day 3, take a bus or train from Vilnius to Riga as shown on the Vilnius to Riga page .

Copenhagen to Tallinn

Option 1, Copenhagen to Tallinn via the Stockholm-Tallinn ferry - the fastest & easiest way

Option 2, Copenhagen to Tallinn via Berlin, Warsaw & Vilnius - the overland route, a longer way round

Day 3, take a bus from Vilnius to Tallinn, check times & buy tickets at Omio.com .

Copenhagen to Kyiv & Ukraine

Option 1, Copenhagen to Kyiv using the Kyiv Express sleeper train from Warsaw

Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Berlin, stay overnight, and continue to Warsaw next day (day 2) see the Copenhagen to Warsaw section .

Or travel in a single day, stay overnight in Warsaw and have a day free to explore, also as shown in the Copenhagen to Warsaw section .

Copenhagen to Moscow & St Petersburg

Option 1, Copenhagen to Moscow via Stockholm & Helsinki - avoids Belarus so no need to get a Belarus transit visa

Option 2, Copenhagen to Moscow via Berlin

You travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg by EuroCity train , there's no catering car so bring your own food & drink.  Hamburg to Berlin is by superb German ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

By all means take the earlier 07:26 from Copenhagen arriving Berlin at 16:22 if you'd like time for dinner and a more robust connection.

Fares start at €37.90 in 2nd class or €59.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Train suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended due to sanctions.

Russian track gauge is 5', but most of Europe (including the UK) is 4' 8½", so at Brest on the Belarus frontier the Talgo train runs through a special gauge-changing shed and the axles automatically adjust to the new gauge.  Once in Russia, the scenery is rolling hills, birch tree forests, and villages of small wooden houses.  Approaching Moscow, you may glimpse the plaques on the station building marked '1812' and '1942' as the train passes through the small station of historic Borodino.

You can book the Berlin-Moscow train at the Russian Railways website www.rzd.ru and print your own ticket, it's a little fiddly but usually works, or you can easily buy it online with English language after-sales service if you need it, using the Real Russia online system here .

Option 2, via Berlin & Warsaw

Train was suspended due to Covid-19 and remains suspended due to sanctions & war in Ukraine.

The 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 .

Copenhagen to Athens & Greece

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

Stay overnight in Milan:   Affordable hotels with good or great reviews just outside Milan Centrale include the Hotel Bristol , Hotel Bernina , 43 Station Hotel , B&B Hotel Milano Central Station , Guesthouse Teodora .  Pricier more upmarket hotels include HD8 Hotel , Glam Hotel , Made to Measure Business , Starhotel Echo or Starhotel Anderson .

Day 3, travel from Milan to Bari, leaving Milan Centrale at 08:05 on a pleasant journey along the Adriatic coast arriving Bari Centrale 15:27.

Fares start at €29.90 in 2nd class or €39.90 in 1st class.  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (in €, £ or $, easy to use, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in €, £, $ or Au$) or www.trenitalia.com (in €, more fiddly).  Italiarail will refund their small booking fee if you email them at [email protected] with your booking reference.  Booking normally opens up to 4 months days ahead .  It's ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.

In Bari, transfer from station to port, see map of Bari showing station, port entrance, check-in building & Superfast Ferries berth .

You can walk the 1.9 km from the station to the port entrance in 25 minutes, a stroll through Bari's pleasant old town, see correct walking map from the station to the port entrance gate - if Google tells you any different, trust me, not Google!

Alternatively, bus 50 runs from Bari Centrale station to the road outside the port gate roughly every 40 minutes.  A taxi will take 10 minutes.

Day 3, sail overnight from Bari to Patras in Greece with Superfast Ferries.

The ferry sails from Bari at 19:30 on Mondays-Saturdays, arriving Patras at 13:00 next day (Day 3).

On Sundays the ship sails at 13:30, too early to make connections from Milan.

You can check sailing times & dates at using the Direct Ferries website or at www.superfast.com or www.ferriesingreece.com .

You should check in at the Superfast desk on the ground floor of the cruise terminal (Terminal Crociere) at Bari port with passport & booking number to get your boarding pass, ideally 3 hours before departure in summer, although in practice 2 hours or even 1½ hours is normally fine.

You then walk 500m from check-in to the ferry, board the ferry via the foot passenger gangway at the stern and head up the escalator to the main lounge and reception desk to get your cabin key.

The ship is comfortable, with self-service restaurant, lounge, bar and sun deck.  You can book a deck place (a good & cheap option in summer if you have your own sleeping bag), a reclining seat or various types of cabin, all with private shower & toilet.  Strolling the decks in the morning sun as the ship cruises past the islands of Cephalonia and Ithaca is the nicest part of the trip, and it's a wonderful way to arrive in Greece.

Day 4, travel from Patras to Athens by Greek Railways bus/train combo.

Corfu:  The Bari-Patras ferry calls at Corfu on certain dates in summer.  It calls at Igoumenitsa on the Greek mainland on all departures year-round.  If you can't find a direct ferry to Corfu, book the ferry from Bari to Igoumenitsa, then take the local ferry from Igoumenitsa to Corfu with Kerkyra Lines ( kerkyralines.com ).  These sail half a dozen times a day, crossing time 60-90 minutes, fare around €5-€10.  Buy a ticket at kerkyralines.com or when you get to Igoumenitsa.

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

Copenhagen to Istanbul & Turkey

Step 1, travel from Copenhagen to Bucharest using any option shown above .

Do not risk any tight connections in Bucharest, I'd allow a minimum of 2 hours, or plan an overnight stop.

Book online as shown on those pages, but you should consider using an Interrail pass for the flexibility it gives.  You'll find more info about using a pass for a journey like this on the London to Istanbul page .

Hotels in Copenhagen

For advice on hotels in Copenhagen, see the hotels section on the Copenhagen station page .

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.

Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance.

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 with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  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 at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

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 digging 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.  W hy you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  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 the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com .

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