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Featured Post
Hamburg to Copenhagen by Train
Summary
This post sets out my experiences and thoughts while travelling by train from Hamburg to Copenhagen.
This journey was undertaken as part of a much longer travel adventure from London to the Arctic Circle and back. Details of this longer journey can be found at:
If you want to undertake a similar long distance adventure then Europe wide train tickets can easily be booked online using the link below:
Similarly, budget hostel or hotel accommodation can be found using this link:
For easy reading this Hamburg to Copenhagen post is divided into six sections and four sub-sections, each of which can be directly selected.
These sections and subsections are detailed in the attached ‘Page Contents’ tag.
Overview
It’s nearly a five hour train journey from Hamburg to Copenhagen. Today I will officially enter Scandinavia.
Train IC 394 departs from Hamburg Hbf at 12.53 and arrives at Copenhagen’s Central Station at 17.36. On the way the train travels around 370 km at an average speed of just over 80 km/h.
Boarding the Train
Getting from my hostel in the Reeperbahn to Hamburg Hbf is relatively straight forward, allowing me to arrive early and to board the train armed with a coffee and sandwich, all around 15 minutes prior to departure.
According to the InterRail app seat reservations for this trip are mandatory and I’m thankful that I have an allocated seat. In reality though, the need for a seat reservation seems to be a bit arbitrary.
By the time the train is ready to depart the carriage is stuffed full of people, many standing in the isles and others sitting in the passageways. This train seems to be very popular with backpackers and there is luggage deposited everywhere.
Arbitrary or not, I’m very glad I booked a seat.
The Route Map
The train travels in a generally northerly direction between Hamburg and Funen Island in Denmark, crossing the German / Denmark border just to the south of Padborg Station.
Subsequently, from the point where the line crosses from mainland Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula) onto Funen Island it turns eastwards to continue to Copenhagen, via the Great Belt Crossing.
This alignment can be seen on the map below
The Route Highlights
The main highlights of the journey are:
The Rendsburg High Bridge
Approaching Rendsburg, Germany, the otherwise flat landscape is interrupted by a monstrous steel girder railway bridge (the Rendsburg High Bridge).
This viaduct, cum bridge, rises some 42 metres into the sky in order to cross the Kiel Canal. The viaduct is around 2.5 km long, providing the train with a gentle enough slope to climb up onto the summit of the bridge.
To add to the spectacle the viaduct also turns through a 360 degree loop (the Rendsburg Loop) to allow the train to both pass over the canal and serve the town of Rendsburg, situated immediately to north of the canal.
As if this wasn’t complicated enough, the bridge additionally includes a vehicle / passenger transporter (gondola) facility suspended beneath its main span – By comparison to this eyesore, Middlesbrough’s transporter bridge is a non-starter.
Find your Hotel in Hamburg or Copenhagen
(Source: Image by Wolfgang Claussen from Pixabay)
(Source: Image by Wolfgang Claussen from Pixabay)
The Flensburg Loop
Much less dramatic, but equally puzzling, is another 360 degree loop in the track at the town of Flensburg, just south of the Denmark border.
Here, the loop is provided simply to allow the train to serve the town’s station, located to the east of the main route alignment.
The Border Crossing
Slightly further north, just after crossing the German / Denmark border, the train stops at Padborg. Here, despite Denmark being part of the Schengen area, passports are checked by government officers who board the train.
To be fair though, the whole operation is very low key and may simply be a remnant of the Covid era.
Great Belt Fixed Crossing
Finally, between Nyborg and Korsor the rail line crosses the Great Belt, a sea passage separating the Danish islands of Funen and Zealand.
This rail crossing (the Great Belt Fixed Crossing) is some 18km long and is made up of a western low level bridge and a 8km long bored eastern rail tunnel.
The former carries both road and rail traffic while the latter is paralleled at high level by a road only suspension bridge.
Book your Train Tickets between Hamburg and Copenhagen
The Route Low Lights
The low lights of the trip are being surrounded by screaming kids and an inability to reach the loos because of the overcrowding.
Arrival in Copenhagen
On arriving at Copenhagen Central Station, at 5pm, it is a short walk to my lodgings at Annex Copenhagen, a reasonably upmarket hostel providing a private room with shared bathroom.
The room is relatively small but clean and heated. The shower facilities are also clean and are located nearby.
The major upside of this hostel though is that it is accessed through the adjoining Absalon Hotel so you have all the facilities of a 4 star hotel at a hostel price. These include a bar, a reception seating area and access to an automated launderette facility.
If you want to find out more about the Annex Copenhagen you can click the link below.
Talking of automation, this hostel is my first introduction to the …….,………..
Find out more about my stay in Copenhagen:
Conclusion
Thanks for reading this post about my train journey from Hamburg to Copenhagen. I hope you found it informative.
Further Information
Where Should You Stay in Copenhagen
Accommodation Overview
Accommodation in Copenhagen is generally expensive, even at budget level. To ensure you secure the most affordable deals It is recommended to book early.
Budget accommodation options are generally located in the Vesterbro / Central Station area while mid-range options are spread more widely across the city centre and waterfront areas.
Some possible recommendations for budget and mid-range accommodation options are set out below:
Budget Accommodation
- Annex Copenhagen – Situated close to Central Station with dormitories and private rooms. Simple but reliable accommodation Part of Absalon Hotel, thus offering additional facilities.
- CityHub – 1.3 km from Tivoli Gardens, featuring 24 hr front desk, free wifi, air-conditioning, sauna, bar and luggage storage. Offers pod-style units best suited for solo travellers and couples.
- Generator Copenhagen – well known hostel chain offering dormitories and private rooms. Located 150m from Kongens Nytorv Square, providing 24 hr front desk, free wifi, late-night bar. laundry facilities and luggage storage.
- MEININGER Hotel – Hostel style hotel 2mins walk from Central Station with dormitories and private rooms. Offers shared kitchen, bar, laundry, luggage lockers and bicycle rental. Spacious, modern, and ideal for social travellers.
- Nebo – At Central Station, offering basic rooms with private or shared bathrooms. Non -profit hotel giving proceeds to city’s homeless community. Offers buffet breakfast and provides on-site bicycle hire.
- Wakeup Copenhagen, Bernstorffsgade – 600m from Tivoli Gardens – All rooms have desk, TV and private bathroom. Offers 24 hour front desk, free wifi and a shared lounge / bar. Cited as being good value and ideal for short stays.
Mid-Range Accommodation
- Absalon Hotel – Family run hotel in Vesterbro area with stylish comfortable and thoughtfully furnished rooms featuring desk, flat-screen cable TV, fridge and safety deposit box. Hotel has bar and seated reception area.
- Axel Guldsmeden Hotels – Eco-friendly hotel located in Vesterbro that combines Nordic and Balinese design elements. Hotel provides stylish rooms, comfortable beds, a spa area and is near shops and eateries
- citizenM Copenhagen Radhuspladsen – 600m from Tivoli Gardens. Its a stylish, tech-forward, IPad controlled hotel with hip design features and great city views. 24 hr front desk, large communal spaces and modern rooms.
- Copenhagen Island – Ultra-modern waterside hotel in city centre. 5 mins from Dybbølsbro Station and 1 stop from Tivoli Gardens / Central Station. Rooms have flat-screen TVs, seating, air conditioning, harbour or city views.
- Hotel Danmark – By Brøchner Hotels – Contemporary Scandinavian design with spacious rooms, chic common areas and rooftop terrace. Sited near City Hall Square it blends modern comfort with excellent location.
If you want to fully explore accommodation options the map below sets out a much wider selection of hotel options in Copenhagen. Prices shown are room rates per night and are dependent on input stay dates.
As stated earlier, hotel prices in Copenhagen as generally expensive. Given this, you might be much better off opting for a dormitory bed in a hostel rather than an hotel room. Some possible hostels have already be highlighted above.
Useful Resources
If you want to undertake long distance travel adventures in Europe, similar to my journey to the Arctic Circle, then the following resources could be prove useful in planning your trip.
Train Tickets
InterRail travel passes, ranging from country specific to Europe wide, and valid for just a few days or up to three months can be obtained at:
If you buy your InterRail pass in the November Black Friday sale or the March / April Spring sale you can usually get a 25% discount on the price of all passes. Additionally, if you are under 28 you get an extra 25% discount anyway. Similarly, an extra 10% discount is also available for those who are 60 or over.
Alternatively, individual Europe-wide train tickets can be booked online using the link below:
This website provides all the details you need, train times, connections and prices, and it also allows you to book tickets there and then online. No need to navigate train operator sites, translate from a foreign language or deal with currency conversions.
Accommodation
Budget hostel, private apartment or hotel accommodation can be found using this link to Booking.com, the most trusted accommodation booking service on the internet.
Luggage Storage
If you haven’t got time to stay overnight in any place, but still want somewhere to store your luggage during the day to go sightseeing, Radical Storage are brilliant.
They have a network of luggage storage facilities in most towns and cities worldwide. You can reserve a space online and pay by iPay or similar just a few minutes before you need to drop your luggage off, or book in advance.
The online website will give you a quotation, issue you with a QR code to show to the local operator and provides directions to the shop / facility (together with a grid reference).
Nothing could be simpler. They also provide luggage insurance just in case something goes wrong. Hopefully you want need it – in my view, it just illustrates their trust in their local partners.
Find out more about Radical Storage
Further Reading
If you would like to find out more about my travels from London to the Arctic Circle the following posts provide a record for the various parts of the journey. I have additionally provided information about other overland adventures that I have undertaken and some other gems.
Other Detailed Posts on my Travels from London to the Arctic Circle
Details of Other Long Distance Overland Adventures
Other Detailed Travel Posts
Useful Country Factsheets
Who Are Your Favourite Travel Writers
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#solotravel #travellingoverland #budgettravel #Over60stravel #trainsandbuses #RundsburgLoop #FlensburgLoop #GreatBeltFixedLink #hamburgtoCopenhagenbytrain #CopenhagentoHamburgbytrain #howdoIgetfromHamburgtoCopenhagen #howdoIgetfromCopenhagentoHamburg #traintoCopenhagen #OverlandtoCopenhagen
