Train or ferry between Copenhagen & Oslo?
There's no need to fly! You can travel between Copenhagen & Oslo by train with one easy change at Gothenburg. Or you can take the luxurious overnight ferry with restaurants, bars, entertainment and cosy private cabins, a remarkably inexpensive & time-effective option. Or there's a longer rail route through Sweden using comfortable SJ trains with bistro car & free WiFi with cheap advance-purchase fares from €34. This page explains these 3 options.
Copenhagen to Oslo by train - the
direct & fastest route
Copenhagen to Oslo by overnight ferry -
the most luxurious & time-effective option.
Copenhagen to Oslo by SJ train -
the cheapest option, from only 375 SEK (€34).
Option 1, Copenhagen to Oslo by train
This is the fastest most direct train route, with only 1 change of train and a range of departures every day. You take a comfortable air-conditioned Öresund train between Copenhagen & Gothenburg then a comfortable Norwegian train between Gothenburg & Oslo. No bus needed! This is a good route for Eurail/Interrail passholders as no reservations are needed, just hop on.
Copenhagen = København H. Gothenburg Central = Göteborg Central.
You can check Copenhagen-Gothenburg times at www.oresundstag.se. You can check Gothenburg-Oslo times at www.entur.no or www.vy.no.
How much does it cost?
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The standard fare from Copenhagen to Oslo (or vice versa) is 951 SEK (€87) bought at www.oresundstag.se.
You can buy this full-flex ticket at this price even on the day of travel.
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It's cheaper if you use an advance-purchase fare for Gothenburg-Oslo:
Copenhagen-Gothenburg standard fare = 521 SEK (€48) at www.oresundstag.se.
Gothenburg-Oslo advance-purchase fares start at 249 Krone (€24) at entur.no if you book a few weeks ahead.
How to buy tickets
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Easy way: Book from København H to Oslo S (or vice versa) at the Öresund Trains website www.oresundstag.se.
Tip: When the search results appear, click Search filter upper right. Select 1 stop, train, via Göteborg Centralstation. Check carefully that the journey you select has only 1 change at Göteborg Central, and involves an Øresundståg and a Vy train, not a bus or Vy express bus.
Tip: Do not try to book months & months ahead, there's no need and trains may be missing from the data! Wait until close to departure date, it won't sell out and the full-flex price doesn't change. You can book the day before, if you like.
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Cheaper way: Split the booking to take advantage of cheaper advance-purchase lowfares for the Norwegian train.
First go to the Öresund Trains website www.oresundstag.se and buy a ticket between Köbenhavn H & Göteborg C. You print your own ticket or can show it in their app.
Then go to the Vy website www.vy.no or the Entur site entur.no and buy an advance-purchase ticket between Göteborg C & Oslo S. You can load your ticket into the Vy app or download it in PDF format which you can print or show on your laptop or phone.
What's the Copenhagen-Gothenburg train like?
The hourly Öresund trains between Copenhagen & Gothenburg Central have 1st & 2nd class & free WiFi, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. They travel from Denmark to Sweden over the Öresund fixed link, a vast bridge-tunnel-bridge structure between Denmark & Sweden. It's like flying a hundred feet above the sea! More about Öresund trains.
An Öresund train at Copenhagen station.
These Öresund trains cross the impressive Öresund bridge from Denmark to Sweden...
What's the Gothenburg-Oslo train like?
This is a comfortable Norwegian intercity train run by Vy, 2nd class only, there are vending machines for tea, coffee, soft drinks & snacks which accept contactless cards, or feel free to bring your own food & drink.
The Gothenburg to Oslo by train, seen here at Göteborg Central, courtesy of @AndyBTravels.
Scenery between Gothenburg & Oslo. Courtesy of @Simply_Railway.
Above left, standard class seating, courtesy @AndyBTravels. Above right, arrived at Oslo Sentral, courtesy @Marcos Castro.
Route map
Option 2, Copenhagen to Oslo by ferry
DFDS operate a luxurious overnight ferry between Copenhagen & Oslo. With bars, restaurant, cinema and cosy private cabins plus great scenery in Oslo Fjord, it would be my own preferred way to travel between Denmark & Norway.
Copenhagen ► Oslo
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In Copenhagen the DFDS ferry terminal is 4 km (3 miles) from Copenhagen main station, see map of Copenhagen showing DFDS ferry terminal.
Taxis are available or you can take an 8-minute suburban train ride from Copenhagen main station to Nordhavn station from where it's a 10-minute 750m walk to the ferry terminal, easy enough even with luggage. There's also a DFDS shuttle bus from Norreport station, see www.dfds.com.
At the DFDS ferry terminal, you can check yourself in at the self-service check-in machines just inside the entrance. You enter your booking reference, scan your passport, and it produces your boarding pass/cabin key. You then pass through a fairly nominal customs check and walk onto the ferry. Check-in closes 15 minutes before departure.
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The ferry sails from Copenhagen at 16:30 (15:00 some days) and arrives in Oslo at 10:00.
The ships on this route are the Crown Seaways & the Pearl Seaways, with restaurants, bars, cinema and sauna. All passengers travel in comfortable private cabins, even the standard cabins come with en suite shower & toilet and satellite TV. To travel in luxury, treat yourself to DFDS's famous Commodore Class, some suites with private balconies with sea view.
Make sure you're on deck in the morning when the ferry sails up the scenic Oslo Fjord, a stunning way to arrive in Norway. You'll see coast on either side of the ship from about 06:30 and she enters the narrow part of the fjord by about 07:00.
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In Oslo you can walk from the ferry terminal to the city centre in 15-20 minutes or you can take a taxi. I'd allow at least 90 minutes between the ferry's arrival and any onward train from Oslo Sentral. See map of Oslo showing ferry terminal.
Oslo ► Copenhagen
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You can walk from Oslo city centre to the DFDS ferry terminal at Vippetangen in 15-20 minutes, or you can take a taxi. See map of Oslo showing ferry terminal.
At the DFDS ferry terminal, you check yourself in using the self-service check-in machines. You enter your booking reference, scan your passport and it produces your boarding pass/cabin key. You then go through a brief customs check and walk onto the ferry. Check-in closes 15 minutes before departure.
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The ferry sails from Oslo at 15:00, arriving Copenhagen at 10:00 next morning.
The ships on this route are the Crown Seaways & the Pearl Seaways, with restaurants, bars, cinema, and a sauna. All passengers travel in comfortable private cabins, all cabins have en suite shower & toilet and satellite TV. To travel in luxury, treat yourself to DFDS's famous Commodore Class, some suites with private balconies with sea view. Enjoy the departure from Oslo and the scenic voyage down Oslo Fjord, highly recommended...
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In Copenhagen the ferry terminal is about 4 km (3 miles) from Copenhagen main station, see map of Copenhagen showing DFDS ferry terminal, Taxis are available or you can walk 10 minutes / 750m from the ferry terminal to Nordhavn station and take an 8-minute suburban train ride to Copenhagen main station. There's also a DFDS shuttle bus from Norreport station, see www.dfds.com. In Copenhagen I'd allow at least 90 minutes between the ferry arrival and an onward train connection.
How much does it cost?
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Fares start at around €120 for 1 person travelling solo including private standard cabin, or €120 for 2 people travelling together sharing a 2-berth standard cabin. Given the cost of Scandinavian hotels, this is a bargain.
How to buy tickets
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Option 1, buy tickets at the DFDS website www.dfds.com.
This offers you the full range of cabins.
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Option 2, book the ferry at www.booking.com. A hotel booking website, but it books the ferry!
You can only book the main cabin types here, but prices seem to be cheaper than on the DFDS website, so check it out.
Use these direct links: www.booking.com/hotel/dk/dfds-ferry-copenhagen-to-oslo for Copenhagen > Oslo or https://www.booking.com/hotel/no/dfds-ferry-oslo-to-copenhagen.en-gb.html?aid=339247 for Oslo > Copenhagen.
What's the ferry like?
Option 3, Copenhagen to Oslo by SJ trains - cheapest option...
This option takes longer than option 1 (between 11 or 12 hours compared to 8 hours for option 1) and may involve a second change of train, but it's much cheaper. That's because the Swedish Railways offers cheap advance-purchase fares between Copenhagen & Oslo on their own trains, whereas the direct Copenhagen-Gothenburg-Oslo rail route only has full-flex standard fares (at least, for the whole journey). This makes it the cheapest option, assuming you're able to book a few weeks in advance and commit to a specific departure. It's a day at leisure travelling across 3 countries, on top quality trains with bistro cars & free WiFi.
Copenhagen ► Oslo
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Check times at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se -
When the results appear, click Filter and select Only SJ trains. This eliminates journeys involving buses, as well as the direct rail route.
You'll find 1 or 2 departures per day, journey time 9, 11 or 12 hours, 1 or 2 changes.
Oslo ► Copenhagen
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Check times at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se.
When the results appear, click Filter and select Only SJ trains. This eliminates journeys involving buses, as well as the direct rail route.
You'll find 2 or 3 departures per day, journey time 9, 11 or 12 hours, usually 2 changes.
How much does it cost?
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Advance-purchase fares start at just 375 SEK (€34) in 2nd class, 735 SEK (€67) in 1st class.
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This is the main advantage of this option! Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
How to buy tickets
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Buy tickets at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se.
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Booking opens several months in advance. You print your own ticket or can show it in the SJ app.
What are the trains like?
You leave Copenhagen on a comfortable SJ X2000 train with bistro car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. This crosses from Denmark to Sweden over the Öresund fixed link, a massive bridge-tunnel-bridge structure. You then change once or twice within Sweden onto other comfortable SJ trains, most also with bistro car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi to reach Oslo.
