International train and ferry connections from Denmark

When travelling between both Norway and Sweden and continental Europe by train Denmark functions as a rail bridge.
During the day connections are required in Kobenhavn, but there are now direct overnight trains from Sweden to Germany.

When heading south from Denmark by train to Germany and beyond into Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Poland, Switzerland and The Netherlands, the gateway station is Hamburg Hbf.

Hamburg has direct day trains to all other major cities in Germany, as well as trains to Basel, Zurich, Praha/Prague and Budapest; plus overnight trains to Basel, Wien/Vienna and Zurich.

Heading north, thanks to the Oresund Bridge Kobenhavn has direct trains to Stockholm and Goteborg; and it's usually possible to connect in Goteborg for Oslo when heading to Norway from Denmark by train.
Though there is also the option of taking the ferry direct to Norway, thanks to Danish rail links with the ferry ports.

Four train services now travel between Padborg in Denmark and Flensburg in Germany, which is now the only rail route between the two countries

(1) Until April 30th 2026 five new trains per day will take this route Kobenhavn > Ringsted > Odense > Kolding > Padborg > Hamburg

From May 1st 2026 two of these trains will be replace by new Comfort Jet trains which will take a Kobenhavn > Ringsted > Odense > Kolding > Padborg > Hamburg > Berlin > Dresden - Decin - Praha / Prague route!
Plus from this date two additional trains will be taking the Kobenhavn > Hamburg route.

Plus a third Comfort Jet train on the route to Prague will be departing Kobenhavn H after 23:30 to provide an overnight service, albeit without any beds available.

Then from May 4th 2025, Swedish rail operator Snalltaget is planning the launch of a daily Stockholm - Linkopping - Norkopping - Lund - Mamo - Kobenhavn Syd > Ringsted > Odense > Kolding > Padborg > Hamburg route by daytime trains.

(2) Up to eight Danish IC trains per day travel between Fredericia and Flensburg.
Some of these trains have good connections in Flensburg with German Regio trains on to Hamburg.

During that peak mid-June to third week in August travel period, users of Interrail and Eurail passes have to reserve seats on the direct trains from Denmark to Hamburg.
If you won't want to pay the reservation fees, or if the limited number of rail pass places have sold out, it's usually possible to travel from Kobenhavn to Hamburg by making connections in Fredericia and Flensburg.

(3) On Mondays to Fridays and on Sundays from April 1st to October 30th , an overnight train operated by Snalltaget on a Stockholm - Hamburg - Berlin route calls a Kobenhavn Syd station shortly after 22:30; this station is the southern terminus of line M4 of the Copenhagen Metro.

(4) A new overnight train operated by the Swedish national operator SJ will be taking a Stockholm to Hamburg - Berlin route, and this train will be typically scheduled to depart from the station at Copenhagen airport, Kobehnavn Lufthavn, shortly after midnight.

Two train services cross the spectacular Oresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden.

(1) Three Oresundtag trains per hour take this route; Oesterport – Norreport – Kobenhavn H – Kastrup Airport – Malmo – Lund.

After Lund the train services splits and the trains continue 1 x per hour on these three routes:

• Lund - Hassleholm - Alvesta - Kalmar
• Lund - Kristianstad – Karlskrona
• Lund - Helsingborg – Goteborg
  Goteborg/Gothenburg therefore has an hourly train service from Koebenhavn.

If you will using an Interrail or Eurail pass you can avoid paying the rail pass reservations fees charged on the Snabbtag trains, by travelling on to Stockholm from Goteborg on SJ Regional trains.

on to Norway:

When departing from København H station shortly before 06:30; 08:30*; 10:30; 12:30*; 14:30 and 16:30 there are connections in Göteborg / Gothenburg on to Oslo; *= Fridays and Saturdays until late March, but daily after

Though the time between arrival and departure in Göteborg C station is typically scheduled to be only 10 mins, so for peace of mind an option is to take the preceding train from København, there are hourly departures.

By departing from Kobenhavn at shortly 05:30 and 07:30 daily it's also possible to travel from Kobenhavn to Bergen by train during a single day, by making connections in Goteborg and Oslo.
These timings allow for an almost guaranteed 80 mins between trains in Goteborg and around 30mins between trains in Oslo.

Kobenhavn/Copenhagen to Oslo

A ferry operated by DFDS to Oslo, will depart København at 16:15 and arrive in the Norwegian capital at 09:00 the following morning.

To access the DFDS ferry terminal from København H station take these steps:

1. Take a local S-Tog train (line A to Hillerod, line B to Farum or line E to Holte) to Nordhavn station
2. Turn left on exiting the station and walk for around 5 mins along the street until you can turn left into a subway/passage under the railway lines, it has a mural of past transport around its entrance.
3. When exiting the subway/passage go straight ahead across a multi-lane road, when you're at the other side, turn right and you will see the DFDS terminal ahead of you, the total walking time be around 8 - 15 mins.

To Kristiansand

Hirsthals is a ferry port in northern Denmark and Kristiansand is on the railway route between Oslo and Stavanger and two ferry companies operate on this route; Color Line and Fjordline.

The crossing by Fjordline is 45 minutes faster because it uses catamarans, but the disadvantage of using Fjordline is that its terminal in Hirsthals is some distance from the town's railway station.
The Fjordline website suggests walking from Lilleheden st, the station before Hirtshals, but it's a 20-30min trek through an industrial area.

In contrast the transfer between the trains and the Color Line terminal and couldn't be simpler, because an elevated covered walkway connects Hirtshals railway station to its ferry dock.

The schedules below are the typical timetable, but they can be impacted by works on the railway line, particularly at weekends.
Buses replace trains between Aarhus and Aarlborg until Apr 22nd 2026; then from Apr 23rd to December 12th a connection will be required in Aarhus when travelling from Kobenhavn to Aalborg.

From April 23rd the following schedule will be typically availalable:

• Kobenhavn at 12:52, Odense at 14:06 → arriving into Aarhus at 15:38
• Aarhus at 15:45 → arriving into Aalborg at 16:53
• Aalborg at 17:51 → Hirtshals st, arriving at 18:57

The ferry to Kristiansand operated by Color Line is typically scheduled to depart from Hirtshals at 20:45.
In Hirtshals station, a walkway by the rear of the trains, links the station to the Color Line ferry terminal.

The ferry is scheduled to arrive in Kristiansand at 23:59, and the overnight train to Oslo is typically scheduled to depart from Kristiansand station, a 10 min walk from the ferry terminal, at 02:22 and arrive in Oslo S station at 07:26.

To Stavanger and Bergen

The ferry to Stavanger operated by Fjordline is typically due to depart from Hirtshals a ferry port in northern Denmark at 20:00 and arrive in Stavanger the next morning at 06:30; before travelling on to Bergen where it is due to arrive at 12:30.
In Stavanger the Fjordline terminal is some distance from the railway station, but it is connected to the city centre every 30 mins by local bus route/line 2 which stops by the railway station.

Though a complication of this route is that the Fjordline terminal in Hirtshals is some distance from the town's railway station.
In Hirtshals it seems as though a local bus service will depart Hirtshals station at 18:30 and arrive at the ferry terminal at 18:45, but this should be confirmed in advance.
Another option will be to book a local taxi prior to arrival in Hirtshals.
The Fjordline website suggests leaving the train at Lilleheden st, the stop before Hirtshals, to walk to the ferry terminal, but it is a 1km hike through an industrial area.

The usually available connections are:

• Kobenhavn at 11:52, Odense at 13:06 → arriving into Aarhus at 14:38
• Aarhus at 14:45 → arriving into Aalborg at 15:53
• Aalborg at 16:51 → Hirtshals st, arriving at 17:57

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