How to take a train journey from Berlin to Copenhagen

The direct daytime train service between Berlin and Koebenhavn (German spelling) was discontinued a few years ago.
During the day connections now have to be made between trains at Hamburg Hbf.

Depart from Berlin daily at 10:38 and 14:38 (and at 06:38 on Mon-Fri) and the end-to-end journey time is scheduled to be 6hr 55min, which includes making a 22 min connection between trains in Hamburg.

However, as the trains on to Koebenhavn depart infrequently (and the 14:38 will be connecting into the final train of the day on to Denmark), the recommendation is to plan your journey so that you will be departing earlier from Berlin and allow more time to transfer between trains in Hamburg.
There are usually two trains per hour from Berlin to Hamburg.

When looking up the journey with DB (German national railways) online, an option is to increase the connecting time between trains to 45 mins.
The journey options you will then see will have an end-to-end time of around 7hr 55mins, because they will allow 80 minutes to make the connection in Hamburg.
The street beside Hamburg Hbf is named Kirchenallee and it is line with cafes which will be convenient locations in which to while away the time between trains.

ehBook in advance and save: YES

Online bookings usually open: 3 months ahead of the travel date

The different types of ticket:

Three types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis and Super Sparpreis
One type of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis,

A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:

• Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
• Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
• Flexpreis tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.

The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.

Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.

The Sparpreis and Flexpreis tickets also include 'City tickets' for Berlin which can be used on public transport between locations in the city centre and Berlin hbf.

Reservations on the Berlin to Hamburg train:

Seat reservations are optional on ICE trains for journeys within Germany.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class, though for this comparatively short journey the reservation fees are relatively expensive.

When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.

Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.

They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus tickets.
Though despite seats being automatically assigned when booking these three types of ticket - and these tickets being valid on any departure, you will need to pay to re-book the reservations, if you subsequently decide to travel on an alternative train.
So because you won't save by booking these types of tickets in advance, it can be a good idea to wait until you are sure when you will want to travel.

Reservations on the Hamburg to Kobenhavn/Copenhagen train June 11th - Sept 3rd:

Between theses dates reservations are compulsory on these trains, the reservations SHOULD automatically be included when booking both 1st AND 2nd class tickets.
Rail Pass users will need to have made seat reservations prior to boarding.

Reservations on the Hamburg to Kobenhavn/Copenhagen train on other dates:

The same situation applies as for the Berlin to Hamburg train.