The Little Mermaid by Edvard Eriksen.  Unveiled in the Churchill Park in 1913, it's now a symbol of Copenhagen.

London to Denmark in comfort, without flying...

It's easy to travel from the UK to Denmark without flying, either by cruise ferry across the North Sea or overland all the way by Eurostar & sleeper train.  DFDS Seaways luxurious cruise ferry Dana Sirena sails from Harwich to Esbjerg in Denmark two to four times a week with InterCity train connections to Copenhagen.  Or take an afternoon Eurostar to Brussels and a high-speed train to Cologne, then the overnight City Night Line sleeper train Borealis to Odense & Copenhagen arriving next morning.  The choice is yours.  A great alternative to an unnecessary flight, where the journey is part of the holiday.

Train times, fares & tickets...

On this page you'll find a step-by-step guide to planning, booking & making a journey from the UK to Denmark by train or ferry, with train & ferry times, fares, and the best way to buy tickets.

London to Copenhagen by DFDS Seaways ferry - the relaxing way, 3 times a week.

London to Copenhagen by Eurostar & Cologne-Copenhagen sleeper - daily, fastest way.

London to Copenhagen by daytime trains with overnight stop in Cologne or Hamburg

London to Copenhagen by Eurostar & the Paris-Hamburg City Night Line sleeper train

London to Copenhagen by Harwich-Hoek ferry & Amsterdam-Copenhagen sleeper

UK to other destination in Denmark:  Aarhus, Odense, Aalborg, Kolding, Legoland.

Copenhagen main station & facilities

Useful country information - currency, dialling code, time zone

Hotels & accommodation in Copenhagen

On other pages...

Scotland & North of England to Copenhagen, avoiding London

Copenhagen to other European cities by train

Other European cities to Copenhagen by train

Taking bikes   Taking your dog   Luggage   General information

Sponsored links...

Route map:  London to Copenhagen & Scandinavia by train & ferry...

Useful country information

London to Copenhagen by ferry...

	Above:  DFDS Seaways ferry Dana Sirena links the UK with Denmark.  Photo courtesy of DFDS Seaways.

This is easily the most relaxing way to reach Denmark, although not the fastest or most frequent.  DFDS Seaways ferry Dana Sirena sails 2 or 3 times a week year-round from Harwich in Essex to Esbjerg in Denmark, with connections by InterCity train to Copenhagen.  With comfortable en suite cabins, restaurants, bars, cinema and shops on board, the voyage is a holiday in itself.  It's the route shown in yellow on the map above.  For the faster Eurostar+sleeper train option, see below.

London ► Esbjerg, Legoland, Odense, Copenhagen

Copenhagen, Odense, Legoland, Esbjerg ► London

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen or Odense to Esbjerg by modern air-conditioned InterCity train, leaving Copenhagen main station at 12:28, Odense 14:03 or Kolding (for bus from Legoland) 14:42, arriving Esbjerg at 15:26.  You can check times at http://bahn.hafas.de.  Take a bus or taxi or simply walk (20-25 minutes) to the DFDS ferry terminal.  Bus number 5 runs from the station to the port every 20 minutes, fare 15 Kr.  Map of Esbjerg showing station & ferry terminal.

• Sail from Esbjerg to Harwich aboard DFDS Dana Sirena, leaving Esbjerg ferry terminal at 18:45 on Tuesdays & 17:15 on Saturdays (also 18:45 on Thursdays in summer), arriving Harwich at either 11:30 (on Sundays) or 12:00 (on other days) the next day.  Sailings may be increased to every second day in June, July & August.  See www.dfds.co.uk to confirm sailing dates.  The Dana Sirena is a modern and well-run ship, with comfortable cabins, two restaurants, a bar, coffee shop and lounges, see the photos below.

• Day 2, travel from Harwich to London by train, leaving Harwich at 12:33, changing trains at Manningtree and arriving London Liverpool Street at 13:55.  The train service runs hourly, please check the times for your date of travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Introducing DFDS Seaways ferry Dana Sirena...

The Dana Sirena is a modern and well-run ship, built in 2002.  All passengers travel in cabins, and all cabins have a private shower & toilet.  Facilities on board include the 7 Seas buffet restaurant, the Blue Riband à la carte restaurant, Café Lighthouse (with WiFi access for laptops), Columbus Lounge, and shop. The ship is child-friendly, with children's play area, child restraints for cabin berths available from reception, and highchairs available in all restaurants and lounges.  Cabins come in three classes:

• Seaways class: 1, 2, 4 or 6 berths with private shower and toilet;

• Sirena class: 1 or 2 berth with private shower and toilet, TV (BBC World, BBC Prime), complimentary minibar, breakfast included;

• Commodore Deluxe: Hotel-style rooms with double bed or two single beds, TV (BBC Prime, BBC World), small sitting area, private shower and toilet.  Commodore cabins are on their own deck with exclusive access to the Commodore Lounge which has sea views, complimentary tea, coffee, snacks, beer and (in the evening) free wine and spirits, PC with internet access and WiFi access if you have your own laptop.  Commodore Deluxe is like travelling to Denmark aboard a floating hotel, highly recommended!

Crossing the North Sea with DFDS Seaways aboard the Dana Sirena...		Commodore class cabin with double bed, TV, shower & toilet.  Yes, that's an ice bucket on the table with a half bottle of sparkling wine....		Sirena class cabin with TV, shower, toilet & minibar.

The exclusive Commodore Class lounge, with complimentary tea, coffee, wines & spirits.  If you can afford Commodore, you won't regret it!		The Dana Sirena's restaurant for dinner, available to all passengers.  A world away from the budget airline experience...		A lazy day at sea...

On board the Danish InterCity train from Esbjerg to Copenhagen...

A Danish InterCity train.		2nd class seats on board the InterCity train.		Arrived at Copenhagen...

How much does it cost?

• London to Harwich by train starts at just £8 each way if you pre-book a cheap Advance ticket (no refunds, only valid on the specific train you book at these prices).  If you buy tickets at the station on the day of travel, the cost is £33.80 for an Off-Peak one month return, or £30 one-way.  No reservation is necessary with these fares, you just turn up, buy a ticket, and hop on the next train.

• Harwich to Esbjerg by ferry starts at around £144 one-way for two people sharing a 2-bed inside cabin with private toilet and shower (= £72 each) or £144 one-way for one person with sole use of a cabin.  To check sailing dates, times and fares for different sailing dates & types of cabin, visit www.dfds.co.uk.  DFDS Seaways has an airline-style pricing system so prices vary, book early and avoid peak times to get the cheapest fares.  Children under 16 travel at reduced fare.  Unfortunately, DFDS won't now let solo passengers share cabins, the whole cabin must be booked.

• Esbjerg to Copenhagen by intercity train costs 358 Kr (£43) one way, 716 Kr (£86) return for adults, or 179 Kr (£21) each way for children, 269 Kr for seniors over 65.  Advance reservation is possible but not necessary, tickets can be bought at the station on the day and you can just hop on.  You can check fares at www.dsb.dk (Danish Railways), but only on the Danish version.

How to buy tickets...

• Buy your ferry tickets online at www.dfds.co.uk. 

• Alternatively, call DFDS Seaways on 0871 522 9955, although there's a £20 fee for phone bookings.  Phone lines are open 09:00-17:30 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-17:00 Saturdays, closed Sundays.

• You can buy your London-Harwich & Esbjerg-Copenhagen train tickets at the station on the day of travel.  No reservation is necessary, and there's no price advantage in buying tickets in advance.

• If you want to save queuing at the ticket office, you can buy the London-Harwich ticket online at www.nationalrail.co.uk and the Esbjerg-Copenhagen ticket (with seat reservation) at www.dsb.dk, the Danish Railways website.  This is in Danish, but it's not difficult to work out how to use it if you're familiar with the way such booking systems work.  You pay by credit card then print out your own ticket.  remember that Copenhagen in Danish is 'Kobenhavn'.

• Alternatively, if you book by phone, DFDS can add both UK and Esbjerg-Copenhagen tickets to your ferry fare, including making a seat reservation on the Esbjerg-Copenhagen train.  Ask DFDS about special cheap train fares from other UK stations to Harwich, too.

 London to Copenhagen by train all the way...

Taking a lunchtime Eurostar to Brussels, a connecting high-speed train to Cologne, then the excellent City Night Line sleeper train overnight to Copenhagen is the fastest way to get to Denmark without flying.  It's both comfortable and affordable, too.  This is the route shown in red on the map above.

London ► Odense & Copenhagen

• Travel from London to Brussels by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras daily except Saturdays at 15:04, arriving Brussels Midi at 18:05.  On Saturdays, depart London at 12:58 arriving Brussels Midi at 16:08.  Advice on connections in Brussels.

• Travel from Brussels to Cologne by ICE high-speed train leaving Brussels Midi at 18:25 and arriving Cologne at 20:15.  On Saturdays you can also take the earlier 17:28 Thalys train arriving Cologne at 19:15.  You've time for dinner in Cologne.

• Travel from Cologne to Odense or Copenhagen on the City Night Line overnight train Borealis, leaving Cologne daily at 22:28 and arriving next morning in Kolding (for bus to Legoland) at 07:43, Odense at 08:33 & Copenhagen main station at 10:07.  This train has a sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, either economy with washbasin or deluxe with private shower & toilet), couchettes (4-berth & 6-berth) & ordinary seats.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train.  The arrival time in Copenhagen can vary, so check when you book.  A bistro-restaurant car is available in the morning, between Hamburg and Copenhagen.

• Important:  From 20 July to 1 September 2013, the Cologne-Copenhagen sleeper won't run due to engineering work, but here's the alternative:  During this period, simply remain on board the 18:25 ICE from Brussels as far as Frankfurt arriving 21:30.  Another part of the same City Night Line sleeper leaves Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 22:19, still  arriving in Copenhagen at 10:07 next morning.  By all means use an earlier London-Frankfurt connection if you'd like a safer connection and dinner in Frankfurt, see the London-Germany page.

• Change at either Kolding or Odense for anywhere in mainland Denmark, for example Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Aalborg  or Aarhus.  Use www.bahn.de to find connecting train times.

Copenhagen & Odense ► London

• Travel from Copenhagen to Cologne on the excellent City Night Line overnight train Borealis, leaving Copenhagen main station daily at 18:46, Odense at 20:28, Kolding (for bus from Legoland) 21:10 and arriving Cologne at 06:14 next morning.  This train has a modern air-conditioned sleeping-car, couchettes & ordinary seats.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train.  The departure times from Denmark has been known to vary on some dates, so please check carefully when booking.  A bistro-restaurant car is available for dinner in the evening, from Copenhagen as far as Hamburg.

• Coming from anywhere in mainland Denmark, for example Fredericia, Frederikshavn or Aarhus, take a train to Odense or Kolding to pick up the sleeper to Cologne.  Use www.bahn.de to find connecting train times.

• Travel from Cologne to Brussels by ICE high-speed train, leaving Cologne daily at 07:43, arriving Brussels Midi at 09:35.

• Travel from Brussels to London by Eurostar.  On Mondays to Saturdays, a Eurostar leaves Brussels Midi at 10:56 and arrives London St Pancras at 11:57.  On Sundays, a Eurostar leaves Brussels Midi at 11:56 and arrives London St Pancras at 12:57.

• Important:  From 19 July to 1 September 2013, the Copenhagen-Cologne sleeper won't run due to engineering work.  During this period, use the Copenhagen-Frankfurt portion of the same train, which will run, leaving Copenhagen at the same time, 18:46, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 06:40.  Then take any Frankfurt to London service shown on the London-Germany page.

See the Eurostar page for photos & information about Eurostar on-board facilities.

On board the ICE from Brussels to Cologne...

An ICE to Cologne waiting to leave Brussels Midi.  More ICE information.		ICE3 2nd class.  ICEs is one of the most comfortable trains in Europe...		ICE3 1st class, with real leather seats.  All ICE seats have power sockets.

Introducing the City Night Line sleeper train Borealis from Cologne to Copenhagen...

The Cologne to Copenhagen overnight train is one of the German Railway's excellent City Night Line sleeper trains with a choice of sleepers, couchettes & seats.  The modern sleeping-car offers proper beds in 1, 2 or 3-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, or 1, 2 or 3-berth economy compartments with washbasin.  All sleepers have power-points for laptop computers, hotel-style cardkey locks, and there is a shower at the end of the corridor.  The air-conditioned couchette car offers simple flat padded berths with a rug & pillow in shared 4 & 6-berth compartments.  There are also ordinary seats in 6-seater compartments, but always book a couchette.  A bistro car is attached between Hamburg and Copenhagen in both directions.  The train actually starts from Amsterdam.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train. 

Dinner in Cologne before you board?  For a traditional German meal in Cologne before boarding the sleeper to Copenhagen, try the Brauhaus Sion (www.brauhaus-sion.de), 5 minutes walk from Cologne hauptbahnhof, or the Malzmuehle restaurant (www.muehlenkoelsch.de), 10-15 minutes walk from Cologne Hauptbahnhof, or there's a restaurant inside the Hauptbahnhof itself at the Schweinske, www.schweinske.de.  Feedback is always appreciated!

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The most civilised option, economy with washbasin or deluxe with shower & toilet.		4-berth couchettes:  Ideal for families, much more space per person than 6-berth couchettes.		6-berth couchettes:  A very economical option, far better than a seat for just a few euros more...		A Comfortline sleeping-car used on the Cologne-Copenhagen City Night Line sleeper train Borealis. More pictures & information about this train...

How much does it cost?

Berths are sold individually, so one ticket means one bed.  The other beds in your compartment will be sold to other passengers.

For sole occupancy, simply book 1 ticket in a 1-berth sleeper or 2 tickets in a 2-berth sleeper or 4 tickets in a 4-berth couchette & so on.

* This is the supplement you pay if you have a railpass, a 1st class pass is required for deluxe sleepers.

** Children under 15 travel free if accompanied by a fare-paying adult, but must pay the berth supplement shown here.

Savings fare = advance-purchase fare, price varies, limited availability, no refunds, no changes to travel plans.

Full price = fully flexible, refundable, buy any time.

You can check fares for the Cologne-Copenhagen train (and book online) at www.bahn.de.

How to buy tickets online

Anyone from any country can buy tickets this way, at the cheapest prices bought direct from the train operators.  Booking for Eurostar opens 120 days ahead, booking for the other trains opens 92 days ahead, but I strongly recommend waiting and buying all tickets together, doing a dry run first on all websites to check prices & availability before booking for real.  Hotel accommodation can be booked before booking your trains risk-free if you use a site such as www.booking.com with free cancellation.

• Step 1, book the City Night Line sleeper train from Cologne to Copenhagen & back at www.bahn.de...

  Simply look for the direct CNL train with 0 changes and click to check availability of the cheap Savings fares.  www.bahn.de is the excellent German Railways website, it will book all types of couchette and sleeper on this train, it can be used by residents of any country, prices are in euros for all passengers selected (not per person) and you simply print out your own ticket.

  I strongly recommend registering on bahn.de when prompted, so you can log in at any time to see all your bookings and re-print tickets at any time from any PC.

• Step 2, book your trains from London to Cologne & back.  I recommend comparing prices on two sites.

  First, check prices from London to Cologne at the German Railways website using the special links I'm about to give you.  You simply print your own ticket.  I recommend booking a round trip as two one-ways, as it's easier to see where the availability is.  Here are the links I've set up with all the details necessary to bring up the cheap fares, just enter your departure date, remembering that on the inward journey, departure from Cologne will be the day after departure from Prague:

  Buy an outward ticket from London to Cologne leaving London at 12:58 on Saturdays or leaving London at 15:04 Mondays-Fridays & Sundays.

  Buy an inward ticket from Cologne to London leaving Cologne at 07:43 Monday-Saturday or leaving Cologne at 07:43 on Sundays.

  Now check prices from London to Cologne at the Belgian Railways international website www.b-europe.com.  This can sell London to Cologne tickets using Eurostar and ICE or Eurostar and Thalys, and it allows you to print your own ticket.  It may or may not be cheaper than bahn.de, just buy from whichever site has the cheaper fare!

• Alternatively, you can always book London to Cologne in two stages direct with the relevant operators.  First, book from London to Brussels and back at www.eurostar.com.  You print your own ticket, and can buy tickets to Brussels starting not just in London, but from 130 UK towns and cities.  At the end of the booking, look for the link allowing you to book a specific seat.  Tips on choosing the best Eurostar seats.  Then book the ICE train from Brussels to Cologne and back at www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.  I strongly recommend registering, so you can log in and re-print or change bookings at any time.  The best connections for this particular journey are by ICE, as shown in the train times above, but if you want to stop off in Brussels or Cologne so want to book one of the Thalys trains between Brussels & Cologne instead, you can do this at www.thalys.com, also with self-print tickets.

• Starting your journey from other UK towns & cities:  You can buy a special add-on ticket to connect with Eurostar from almost any station in Britain, with better terms and conditions than buying a regular domestic UK train ticket to London, see the advice here.

How to buy tickets by phone...

You may prefer to book by phone.  The recommended UK agencies to book this journey are Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66  (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge, no charge for debit cards) or www.europeanrail.com on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-17:30 Mon-Fri, 09:00-13:00 Sat, £35 booking fee).  Click here for a list of agencies and other useful information on how to book.

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made travel service with all your rail travel booked for you and hotels arranged, contact www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761.  US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They get very positive reviews.

London to Copenhagen by daytime trains...

	Train on a ferry!  This is a Hamburg to Copenhagen ICE-TD EuroCity train on board the Puttgarten to Rodby ferry.  This is one of the few remaining routes in Europe where trains go onto ferries, the other major route being mainland Italy to Sicily.  The Rodby-Puttgarten crossing takes about 50 minutes, and you must leave the train and go up into the ferry whilst it is at sea.  The ferry has bars, lounges restaurants & shops.  Naturally, you can leave your bags on the train...
	First class real leather seats on the Hamburg-Copenhagen ICE train.  There's a bistro car serving drinks, snacks and meals...
	Second class seats on the Hamburg-Copenhagen ICE train.  All seats have power sockets for laptops & mobiles...

The journey from London to Copenhagen is too long to be done in one day, so the sleeper service shown above is ideal and the most time-effective option.  But if you prefer daytime trains and don't mind an overnight stop en route, you can travel from London to Denmark over 2 days with a hotel stop in Cologne or Hamburg.

London ► Copenhagen by daytime trains with overnight stop...

• Day 1, travel from London to Cologne or Hamburg using any of the services suggested on the London to Germany page.  For example, you can leave London St Pancras at 15:04, change at Brussels, and arrive Cologne 20:15.  By all means travel earlier & spend some time in Cologne.  Or you could leave London at 12:58, change trains at Brussels & Cologne, arriving Hamburg at 00:15.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Cologne or Hamburg.

• Day 2, travel from Cologne or Hamburg to Copenhagen by any suitable daytime train.  For example, leave Cologne at 09:08, change trains at Hamburg (arrive 13:12, depart 13:28) and arrive Copenhagen 18:14.  Or if overnighting in Hamburg, leave Hamburg at 09:28 arriving Copenhagen 14:14.  Check train times using www.bahn.de (English button top right).  The EuroCity trains from Hamburg to Copenhagen are comfortable German ICE trains, which go onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing from Puttgarten in Germany to Rodby in Denmark, one of the few places in Europe where trains still go onto ferries.  An interesting experience in itself!  You are required to leave the train and go upstairs into the ferry accommodation decks whilst the ferry is at sea, although you can leave your luggage on the train.

Copenhagen ► London by daytime trains with overnight stop...

• Day 1, travel from Copenhagen to Hamburg or Cologne by any suitable daytime train.  You can check train times for your date of travel using www.bahn.de (English button top right).  For example, you could leave Copenhagen at 09:44, change in Hamburg (arrive 14:16, depart 14:46) and arrive Cologne at 18:50.

• Spend the night in a hotel in Hamburg or Cologne.

• Day 2, travel from Hamburg or Cologne to London using any of the services suggested on the London to Germany page.

How much does it cost?

• London to Cologne or Hamburg starts at €59 (£49) each way

• Fares from Cologne or Hamburg to Copenhagen start at €39 (£33) each way.

 How to buy tickets...

• First jot down each separate train you need to book using the information above, and the date of travel.  I suggest doing a dry run to check prices & availability for all parts of the journey before booking for real.  Booking usually opens 92 days before departure.

• Step 1, book from London to Cologne & back comparing prices on both www.bahn.de and www.b-europe.com.  You simply print out your own ticket.

• Step 2, if overnighting in Cologne (or returning from Copenhagen to London all on one day), go to www.bahn.de and book from Cologne to Copenhagen & back online.

• If overnighting in Hamburg, go to www.bahn.de.  Set up an enquiry from Cologne to Copenhagen, but with 'Hamburg' in the 'via' box and a stopover of (say) 10 hours in the stopover box.  It should now offer you fares from €39 from Cologne to Copenhagen including the overnight stop in Hamburg.

Traveller's reports...

Traveller Ian Dow reports on a ride on a Hamburg-Copenhagen EuroCity train, which goes onto a special train ferry to cross to Denmark:  "The ferry portion is from Puttgarden to Rodby. The ferry has already been loaded with cars and lorries, and the train is loaded last.  On our journey, the train stops at Puttgarden station and then moves on to the ferry terminal, it then slows but runs straight to the ferry, moving on board at fairly slow speed. It then stopped about half a metre from the front (in the front First class the Guard had held the door to the driver’s can open and we could see through). The train then edged slowly forward.  At the front of the ferry on the bulkhead doors is an auto-coupler and the train couples on to this to ensure it does not move during the journey. The train engines then stop, the doors open and you can get off, as there is a sort of platform step on the ferry. Once the train is docked, the ferry doors closed and we departed immediately.  The trip on the ferry is just 45 minutes, and you get off to use the ferry facilities, you can also inspect the train arrangements. The EuroCity train is designed to fit and when I was on it, there was less than a half metre at the back of the train between it and the ferry doors. The track runs through the centre of the ferry, with cars and lorries on either side. You had better make sure that you are back on board the train in time at the end of the ferry trip, as it does not hang about!  The ferry takes a little longer than a normal car ferry to line up at the destination, but once it has, the doors open, the track is locked in place, and the train engines start, and we are off, pretty fast.  We made a brief stop at the Rodby station, then continued to Copenhagen."

Tailor-made travel & hotel arrangements...

If you want a compete tailor-made travel service with all your rail travel booked for you and hotels arranged, contact www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761. US & Canadian residents can call them toll-free on 1-800-408-3280 or see website.  Australian residents can call their Sydney office toll-free on 1300 971 526 or see www.railbookers.com.au.  New Zealand residents call toll-free on 0800 002 034 or see website.  Just tell them what you want, and they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you.  They get very positive reviews.

London to Copenhagen via Paris & Hamburg

City Night Line reinstated a direct Paris-Hamburg sleeper train in December 2010.  You can use this to leave London in the late afternoon, reaching Copenhagen the following early evening.

London & Paris ► Copenhagen

• Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 15:31 (14:01 on Saturdays), arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:47 (17:17 on Saturdays).  On Fridays, there's also a 16:01 Eurostar arriving 19:17.  In Paris, it's a 10 minute walk from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est.  By all means take an earlier Eurostar if you'd like to spend some time in Paris, or if it has cheaper seats available.

• Travel from Paris to Hamburg by the City Night Line sleeper train 'Andromeda', leaving Paris Gare de l'Est daily at 20:05 and arriving in Hamburg Hauptbahnhof at 08:37 next morning.  This train has a sleeping-car (1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, economy with washbasin or deluxe with shower & toilet, 4 & 6 berth couchettes & ordinary seats, see the photos & information below.  More pictures & information about this City Night Line train.

• Travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity ICE train, leaving Hamburg Hauptbahnhof at 09:28 arriving Copenhagen at 14:14.  This train goes onto a ferry for the 50-minute crossing from Puttgarten in Germany to Rødby in Denmark.  It's one of the few places in Europe where trains still go onto ferries, an interesting experience in itself!  You are required to leave the train and go upstairs into the ferry accommodation decks whilst the ferry is at sea, but you can leave luggage on the train.

Copenhagen ► Paris & London

Introducing the City Night Line sleeper train to Hamburg...

The Paris-Hamburg overnight train is one of the German Railway's excellent City Night Line sleeper trains.  Called the Andromeda, it has modern Comfortline sleeping-cars (1, 2 & 3-berth deluxe compartments with private shower & toilet, 1, 2 & 3-berth economy compartments with washbasin.  There is a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in economy sleepers, and all sleepers have powerpoints for laptop computers), and modern air-conditioned couchettes (choose between a berth in a 4 or 6-berth compartment), and ordinary seats (not recommended).  Inclusive fares are charged covering travel plus sleeping accommodation.  The sleeping-car fare includes a light breakfast.  More pictures & information about this train.  Travel tip:  For a good meal in a classic Parisian brasserie before boarding the sleeper train in Paris, catch the earlier 14:02 Eurostar & dine at the Brasserie Terminus Nord directly across the road from the Gare du Nord.

1, 2 or 3 bed sleeper: The most comfortable & civilised option, economy with washbasin or deluxe with shower & toilet.		4-berth couchettes:  Ideal for families, much more space per person than 6-berth couchettes.		6-berth couchettes:  A very economical option, far better than a seat for just a few euros more...		"Night train to Hamburg":  The Comfortline sleeping-car of City Night Line sleeper train boarding at Paris Gare de l'Est... More pictures & information about this train...

How much does it cost?

How to buy tickets using www.raileurope.co.uk...

The cheapest way to book this journey is online, but there are two ways to do this and they are very different.  You can book the Paris-Hamburg train at www.raileurope.co.uk, which accesses the French reservation system.  It's the easiest website to use, you can pay for the Eurostar and the Paris-Hamburg sleeper together as one transaction, and prices are in pounds.  It often has the cheapest prices.  However, for some reason it won't book 4-berth couchettes, and also prices any child over 12 as an adult an any infant over 4 as a child, whereas www.bahn.de (which accesses the German reservation system) offers the full range of accommodation including 4-berth couchettes, allows any infant under 6 to go free, and classes any child under 14 as a child.  Try both ways of booking to see what works out cheapest for you.

How to buy tickets using www.bahn.de & www.eurostar.com.

You can also book the Paris-Hamburg sleeper train at  www.bahn.de, then use www.eurostar.com to book the Eurostar.  Do a 'dry run' first on both sites to check prices and availability before booking for real.  Anyone from any country can use this method of booking.

• Step 1, go to www.bahn.de, the German Railways website and book from Paris to Hamburg & back on the direct overnight sleeper train.  The search results will show cheap 'savings' fares (if available) and fully-flexible fares for each type of seat, couchette & sleeper.  You pay by credit card and print out your own tickets.  Easy!  The prices shown on www.bahn.de are in euros, and are the total cost for all passengers selected, not per person.  I recommend registering when it asks you before completing the purchase, so you can easily retrieve any bookings.  Always book the sleeper train first and check its exact arrival & departure times before booking the Eurostar connection, as times can vary.  Allow at least 90 minutes on the outward journey and 1 hour on the return to make the connection in Paris.

• Step 2, go to www.eurostar.com & buy your Eurostar ticket between London & Paris, using the Eurostar times above as a guide.  By all means book an earlier Eurostar outwards, or a later Eurostar on the way back, if this has cheaper seats available of if you'd like to stop off in Paris for a while.  Eurostar tickets can be sent to any UK address, self-printed, or collected at the station.

• Step 3, go to www.bahn.de again and book the train from Hamburg to Copenhagen & back.

How to buy tickets by phone...

You can book both the Eurostar and the sleeper train by phone by calling Deutsche Bahn's UK office on 08718 80 80 66 (lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday, no booking fee, 2% credit card charge but no charge for debit cards), or European Rail on 020 7619 1083 (lines open 08:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday, £35 booking fee).

	London to the Netherlands by Dutch Flyer train & ferry...  Take a train from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The new superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  See the Netherlands page and see the video...
	Cosy cabins:  The overnight Harwich-Hoek ferry is a floating hotel.  All passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite shower & toilet and satellite TV.  This is the cheapest 2-berth cabin...
	... and this is a Captain's Class cabin with double bed & complimentary bubbly in the minibar.

The ferry to Hoek van Holland, a useful alternative to Eurostar...

With daily departures, inexpensive fares, quality private cabins with shower, toilet, free WiFi & satellite TV, the integrated train-ferry-train service between London and the Netherlands makes a useful alternative to Eurostar, shown in orange on the route map above.  It's a good option if you need to travel at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, or if you live in East Anglia, or if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel due to an incident or because you are claustrophobic.  Indeed, you may prefer this relaxing journey to the faster Eurostar options, cruising overnight to Holland on the Stena Line superferry in a luxury en suite cabin with shower, toilet, satellite TV and free WiFi (see the video), spending a day at leisure exploring Amsterdam, then travelling to Copenhagen overnight on the direct City Night Line sleeper train Borealis.  It's a great way to reach Copenhagen with a day in Amsterdam on the way!

London, East Anglia & Harwich ► Copenhagen

• Day 1, evening:  Travel from London to Amsterdam overnight by Dutch Flyer train & ferry service.  You leave London's Liverpool Street station at 19:32 by train to Harwich International.  At Harwich, the station is right next to the ferry terminal and you walk off the train into the terminal, check in at the Stena Line desk and walk straight onto the Stena Line ferry to Hoek van Holland.  All passengers travel in cosy private cabins with en suite toilet & shower, satellite TV & free WiFi.  Deluxe Comfort class & Captains class cabins are also available, with complimentary minibar.  You can get on board the ferry before 9pm, have a late dinner in the restaurant and settle into your cabin.  The ferry sails at 23:15 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 07:45 Dutch time next morning.  At Hoek, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.  You hop on the frequent local train to Rotterdam and change for an InterCity train to Amsterdam Centraal, arriving 10:14.  See the Netherlands page for full details.  Dutch Flyer tickets are valid not just from London but from any National Express East Anglia railway station, for example, Cambridge, Norwich or Chelmsford.

• Day 2:  Spend the day at leisure exploring Amsterdam.  Left luggage lockers are available at Amsterdam Centraal.

• Day 2, evening:  Travel from Amsterdam to Copenhagen overnight by City Night Line sleeper train Borealis, leaving Amsterdam daily at 19:01 and arriving at Copenhagen main station at 10:07 next morning (day 3 from London).  This train has a modern sleeping-car, couchettes & seats, see the photos & information here.  There's no restaurant car in the evening, so feel free to take you own picnic and bottle of wine aboard.

Copenhagen ► Harwich, East Anglia & London

• Day 1, evening:  Travel from Copenhagen to Amsterdam by City Night Line sleeper train Borealis, leaving Copenhagen main station at 18:46 and arriving in Amsterdam Centraal at 08:56 next morning.  This train has a modern sleeping-car, couchettes & seats, see the photos & information here.  A bistro car is attached in the evening for dinner.

• Day 2:  Spend the day at leisure in Amsterdam.  Left luggage lockers are available.

• Day 2, evening:  Travel from Amsterdam to London overnight by Dutch Flyer train & ferry service.  You take the 18:46 train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam and change onto the local sprinter train to Hoek van Holland.  The ferry terminal is right next to the station.  Walk onto the ferry and sail overnight in a snug private cabin to Harwich.  The ferry sails at 22:30 Mondays-Fridays or 21:30 Saturdays & Sundays and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning, UK time.  Take a train on to London next morning (day 3) arriving 08:48-08:59.  See the Netherlands page for full details.

How much does it cost?

• London to Amsterdam starts at £45 per person each way, plus the cost of a cabin.  Cabins start at £30 for a single berth cabin or £43 per cabin for a 2-berth, and are compulsory on the night sailing.  The fare covers the train from London to Harwich, the ferry, and onward Dutch trains from Hoek van Holland Haven to any station in the Netherlands, see the Netherlands page for full details of fares and cabin types and costs.

• Amsterdam to Copenhagen by City Night Line sleeper train starts at €59 one-way with a couchette in a 6-berth compartment, €69 with a couchette in a 4-berth, €99 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, or €139 with a bed in a single-bed sleeper.

How to buy tickets online...

• Step 1, buy a Dutch Flyer train & ferry ticket from London to Amsterdam online as shown on the Netherlands page.

• Step 2, now book the sleeper train from Amsterdam to Copenhagen.  To buy tickets online, simply go to www.bahn.de - I've set this link up for you to book this train easily, just enter your dates of travel and look for the direct CNL train with 0 changes in the search results.  Alternatively, you can book by phone with DB's UK office on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 weekends.

How to buy tickets by phone:  Special booking form

• To buy tickets for the Dutch Flyer from London to Hoek van Holland plus onward train tickets to Copenhagen or almost anywhere in Europe, fill in the special booking form and email it to European Rail.  They will call you back with a price, usually within 24 hours.  Using the booking form can save a long phone call while they take details and work out trains & prices.  If you'd rather call them, phone 020 7619 1083, but please say you're calling about 'Dutch Flyer' & onward train tickets to Copenhagen as shown on 'Seat61'.  Their lines are 08:30-18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday.  Note that there's a £35 fee for phone or email bookings, but this is for the whole booking, not per person or per ticket.  European Rail are one of the few agencies (if not the only agency) who can sell both the Dutch Flyer and onward European train tickets.

London to other destinations in Denmark

Odense, Kolding...

Odense is Denmark's third biggest city, Kolding its eighth biggest, and you can easily get to either city using either the DFDS ferry option via Harwich & Esbjerg or the City Night Line Sleeper option by Eurostar via Cologne, see above.  The Esbjerg-Copenhagen InterCity trains and the Cologne-Copenhagen City Night Line sleeper train all call at Kolding & Odense en route to Copenhagen.

Legoland  (www.legoland.dk)

The famous Legoland theme park, opened in 1968, is at Billund.  There is no rail station at Billund, but there are buses from Vejle, Kolding & Fredericia. 

• Coming from the UK via the DFDS ferry option, the train from Esbjerg to Copenhagen calls at Kolding, so alight there for the bus.  See above for journey times from the UK to Kolding.  Bus 406 from Kolding bus station (just outside the station to the right) to Legoland (Billund) runs every hour or two, taking 62 minutes for the journey, fare about 65Kr (£8).  You can check bus times & fares at www.rejseplanen.dk.

• Coming from the UK via the City Night Line sleeper train option, the Cologne-Copenhagen sleeper train calls at Kolding, so alight there for the bus.  See above for journey times from the UK to Kolding.  Bus 406 from Kolding bus station (just outside the station to the right) to Legoland in Billund runs every hour or two, taking 62 minutes for the journey, fare about 65Kr (£*).  You can check bus times & fares at www.rejseplanen.dk.

• Coming from Copenhagen, take an hourly fast 'Lyntog' ('Lightning train') to Vejle for a bus to Legoland.  Use the journey planner at www.bahn.de to find train times to Vejle.  Then use www.rejseplanen.dk to find bus times from Vejle to Legoland.  Buses run twice an hour throughout the day, journey time about 45 minutes, fare about 65Kr (£8) each way.  In fact, www.rejseplanen.dk is a multi-modal journey planner and you can ask it for combined train & bus times all the way from Copenhagen to Legoland.

Other towns & cities in Denmark...

If you use the DFDS Seaways ferry option, there are direct trains from Esbjerg to Kolding, Odense, Ringsted, Fredericia, Århus.  Change at Fredericia for Aalborg.  Simply use the journey planner at www.bahn.de to find a connection from Esbjerg to your destination departing at least an hour or two after the ferry arrives.

If you use the Eurostar and sleeper train option, the Cologne-Copenhagen sleeper train calls at Kolding, Odense and Ringsted on its way to Copenhagen.  For Fredericia, Aarhus, Aalborg & northern Denmark, change at Kolding.  Use the journey planner at www.bahn.de to find connections from Kolding to your final destination in Denmark.  Allow at least 30 minutes between trains for connections at Kolding outward, preferably an hour for safe connection with the sleeper on your return journey.

Copenhagen main station...

Send your luggage in advance

Enjoy your journey without heavy luggage... 

Let www.carrymyluggage.com deliver your bags door to door.

If you'd like to enjoy your train journey free of heavy luggage, making it easy to get on and off trains with nothing more than a lightweight daypack or handbag, www.carrymyluggage.com will collect your luggage at your home address a few days before you leave, and will deliver it to addresses all over the EU, so it will be waiting at your hotel when you arrive.  It's not cheap, you can reckon on around £78 per case each way, but this is door to door, covering collection from your home in the UK or other EU country and delivery to an address in another EU country.  I've also arranged a 10% discount if you use the Promo code 'seat61' when booking your bags online.  www.carrymyluggage.com are a reliable company, they also work with companies such as Great Rail Journeys, Virgin Trains, First Great Western, Hull Trains, and South West Trains.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

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

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

Backpacker hostels...

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