A few years ago we went to Berlin and were looking for a second place to go on this leg of the vacation. My husband wanted to go to Copenhagen and I was rather indifferent. Since that trip, Copenhagen has become one of my favorite cities and I cannot wait to return. Getting there was worth the trip itself. We took a train up to Hamburg. Then the train to Copenhagen. But wait – how did the train go over the water? The train got on a boat.
Logistics of the Train on the Boat
Well, it is actually a ferry.
Think about a ferry that one would take normally. You park your car and get out and the ferry takes you across. It is basically the same concept.
The cars and pedestrians are loaded first. Then on the next level the train follows tracks and boards the ferry too. Once the train comes to a stop, the passengers are asked to leave the train and go to the ferry.
A gentleman sitting next to us said that we need to remember which doors we go through because sometimes there is more than one train on the ferry and people get lost. I’m glad he gave us this tip, because there was in fact another train and coming back down was a bit confusing.
The Ferry to Copenhagen
The ferry seemed to be like a very small cruise ship. There were shops to buy clothes or random items. There was a duty free store with candy and liquors. The cafe sold food cafeteria style and it was a good stop for a snack.
The time on the ferry is about an hour, so just enough time to stretch your legs from the train ride.
The Route
The route from Hamburg to Copenhagen is roughly five hours. You will start in Hamburg and then take the ferry from Puttgarden in Germany to Rødby in Denmark. Once the train disembarks the ferry, you will then travel along to Copenhagen. Check the route for which stops there are between. This site here will give you some good information too. Also review what Seat61 has to say about the route.
I highly recommend taking this option if you have the chance. Anyone can ride a plane, but not many people can say they rode a train onto a boat!!