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Plane or train between Copenhagen and Stockholm

Plane or train between Copenhagen and Stockholm

Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 08:46 AM
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Plane or train between Copenhagen and Stockholm

Hello everyone, I was wondered whether taking a plane or train between these 2 Nordic capitals is ideal? I am considering the cost and the time. While the flight is about an hour the train is 5, though I know the flight time should include transit between airport and city in both places. Has anyone traveled this route by train, is it scenic and worth the time investment? I will be there in early September.

Thanks!
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 08:56 AM
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I've done it Between Stockholm and Copenhagen in NOVEMBER. Weather was pretty much overcast and by the time we reached Copenhagen it was raining.

Rolling stock was in good condition and aboard internet was fairly fast.

As to the scenery..LOTS of fir trees for sure but certainly IMO nothing really memorable.

Yes your potential air trip should include the time for transport to and from the airports, the security, the luggage restrictions, etc.

I assume if you DO the rail trip you'll book it directly on-line through Swedish Rail...do NOT use RailEurope since you'll likely have a ticket mark-up as well as shipping charges.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 09:11 AM
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We flew since it les expensive and it was so easy to get to and from the Stockholm airport on the Arlanda Express train. Also used train to city center Copenhagen.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 09:13 AM
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Recommend the choo-choo....It's a relaxing, comfortable ride...city center to city center. We enjoyed it...we also used Swedish rail if I recall.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 10:49 AM
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I love traveling from city center to city center by train, but the tickets were $150+ vs. a $60 flight... I think the plane might win on this one from a sheer fiscal perspective, I've taken the train to/from Kastrup and it's only about $4 one way... Not sure about Arlanda, but it can't be so cost-prohibitive as to make a $150 one-way train ticket feasible.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 11:02 AM
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The price of the train varies depending on how early you book, which day of the week you travel, and how you book. On the Swedish railway website - http://www.sj.se/start/startpage/index.form?l=en - you can buy an adult single ticket for as little as 148 SEK, about $22.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 11:17 AM
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I am looking mid-week in September... and $22 would be great! I need you be my travel agent because I cannot seem to find such a low fare! I would prefer the train, as I do find a train ride to be incredibly therapeutic and relaxing in the middle of a busy trip through Europe, which all of my trips seem to be, for better or worse!

Thanks for the advice!
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 01:04 PM
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You probably can't book yet for September. Where are you getting such a high price?

Go to http://www.seat61.com/Sweden.htm read what he says about booking tickets for Sweden, and follow his link to the railway web site.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 01:17 PM
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KW..looking at my journal, we paid equiv. of $26 ..so the $22 seems likely. I can't imagine $150.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 02:10 PM
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You can book only maximum 90 days out. Last year, we took the train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg and then a week later from Gothenburg to Stockholm. I got very low fares for both. We went 2nd class both times, [and it was fine]. Highly recommend it. Way easier than taking flight I think as you go downtown to downtown.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 03:41 PM
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Thanks for all the advice! I think I am definitely going to plan on the train. I think I was getting such high quotes because I was trying to book too far in advance!
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 03:57 PM
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I would do the train just for comfort. The scenery is lots of evergreens and scrub oaks - but there really isn't a lot of scenery going by air either. If you check in advance you may find lower train fares - and definitely don;t use Eurail.
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Old Apr 23rd, 2012, 10:19 PM
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I have travelled this route many, many times and my vote goes definitely to the train. As adviced by others, don't book your train ticket now, wait until 90 days prior to your date of travel and you will get a heavily discounted ticket. Be aware though that this ticket will be neither changeable nor refundable. But so is also the case with discounted air tickets. The train is so much more comfortable than flying and only takes 1 hour more if you consider transfer times to/from airports, check-in and security procedures. Crossing between Denmark and Sweden on the Öresund bridge is spectacular. Apart from that the scenery isn't but the comfort of the train wins.

In my opinion the only reason for flying is if you haven't been able to book a train ticket well in advance as flights then tend to be cheaper than the train. When going for the cheapest air fares, usually found with Norwegian Air Shuttle, you have to pay extra for check-in luggage and costs add up pretty quickly anyway.
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Old Apr 24th, 2012, 08:25 AM
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thanks all, i'm definitely going to go with the train, and i'm just going to wait and buy in advance.
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Old May 8th, 2012, 08:03 AM
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I'm travelling from copenhagen to stockholm this weekend, 12-May (sat) and it'd be expensive for me to get a train ticket now, so i guess I've to get a flight ticket.

Which airline do u guys suggest?
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Old May 8th, 2012, 08:18 AM
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www.whichbudget.com or www.skyscanner.net

Smithgardner: good choice IMO and for fun go ahead and check the price of a ticket on the Arlanda Express..it is a LOT more than four bucks, believe me.
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Old May 8th, 2012, 09:16 AM
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Hi,

There is a train departing Copenhagen this Saturday at 08:37, arriving in Stockholm 13:50. Price for a ticket in first class is right now 548 SEK (85 USD). Direct train, no changes en route.
Train booking site: http://www.sj.se/start/startpage/index.form?l=en

Cheapest flight with Norwegian Air Shuttle is 661 SEK, departing Copenhagen at 11:10, arriving at Stockholm/Arlanda at 12:20. Extra charge for checked luggage.
http://www.norwegian.com/en/

Cheapest flight with Scandinavian Airlines is 747 SEK, dep 10:20, arr 11:30.
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Old May 9th, 2012, 09:35 AM
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Good luck trying to buy an online ticket from SJ directly unless you live in Scandinavia! I haven't had any luck booking online (apparently they routinely block foreign credit cards) and they said the only way to book is to call them. However, I don't have an international calling option on my US-based cell phone. When I explained my challenges to the SJ folks via email, they said I should just try to find someone who lives in Sweden who can purchase the ticket for me.

Seriously? It's 2012...online international payment is not a new concept.
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Old May 9th, 2012, 11:42 AM
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The SJ web site is unfortunately known to work more or less randomly with foreign credit cards. For some people it works, for some it doesn't. However, a lot of people have reported that they have been more successful when buying tickets at Veolia's web site. SJ and Veolia are two different companies but they both sell tickets for each other's trains. You will get the same price for a SJ train at their web site as you will get at SJ's site.

Try this web site if your transaction won't come through at SJ's web site: http://bokatag.se/en/

Good luck!
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Old May 9th, 2012, 12:13 PM
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Well, my Dad and I managed to purchase online tickets from SJ, but we are from New Zealand (don't really know why that would make any difference). We just printed out the tickets and saved the PDF with the tickets on it. We booked the 90 day in advance tickets (not the dirt cheap ones, the next model up so that we can rebook them in case of emergency). We are quite looking forward to the train journey, flying is too boring.
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