scurry

I've got 3-4 days on my business trip between Amsterdam and Stockholm & was thinking of visiting Copenhagen.

Do you think this is do-able or trying to fit in too much?

Can I do the Amsterdam-Copenhagen trip by train or would it pretty much eat too much into my 3-4 days?

What discount airlines should I look into?

TIA!

Dukey

I've done it by rail and my advice is: <b>DON'T</b>.

Why? you usually have to change at least once if not twice (Osnbruck and again in Hamburg) and the last leg takes a minimum of four hours (including the ferry crossing) and the scenery isn't at all spectacular IMO.

Instead look at the www.sterling.dk site ( low-cost airline) or you can look at all the CURRENT posibilities by going to www.skyscanner.net

carylspall

You should go for it! Plenty of time - specially if you fly.
We flew with SAS between Stockholm and Copenhagen. I think they have some good deals.

Dukey

Sorry, meant to say that was for the trip Amsterdam-Copenhagen.

scurry

thanks for the tips, esp about the train changes.

It looks like you can do Copenhagen-&gt;Stockholm by train too.

Is any of the scenery worth it?

Dukey

I haven't done the rail leg Copenhagen-Stockholm but the scenery might be more interesting than the Amsterdam-Hamburg-Copenhagen route (I strongly suspect that it is).

the skyscanner site will only show you budget opportunities; you could use the www.opodo.com (UK site) to check all the air possibilities from Amsterdam.

There is sometimes a night train possibility Amserdam-Copenhagen requiring one change in Duisberg but that will take you about 15 hours. With the few days you have I still think your best bet is to fly at least as far as CPH....faster and a lot cheaper if you book far enough ahead.

Ida101

Transavia the dutch discount airline flies Ams-Copenhagen, as do KLM and SAS.
Better check their reates, before making a long trainride.

scurry

Thanks for the tip about Transavia -- although with all the taxes, fees and other charges, I am pretty sure it added up to the same as SAS.

hopscotch

scurry,

Overnight trains will save you a hotel bill and save you some daylight hours in airports, and getting to them and from them. The trains go from city center to city center.

From Amsterdam take the 8 PM CityNightLine to Duisburg. From there you have a NachtZug departing at 11:15 PM arriving in Kobenhavn at about 10 the next morning.

From Kobenhavn there is an overnighter to Stockholm at 10:20 PM arriving Stockholm at about 7 AM.

These trains have 1st and 2nd class beds and 2nd class bunks in couchettes. They also have 2nd class seating.

For a good introduction to night train travel see
www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap17/rail3.htm

The times given here are from the winter Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable. Check the websites www.ns.nl, www.dsb.dk, and www.sj.se for current information.

RosieinOz

bookmarking!
We are planning a similar trip next year so this info is much appreciated
Rosie

isabel

I just flew from Copenhagen to Stockholm last week. I flew FlyNordic.com. Go first to whichbudget.com and check for other options. I also flew sterling.dk to Copenhagen (from Lisbon). There are numerous possibilities, when I was researching this trip, all the flight options were faster and cheaper than trains. I was on a day trip one day from Copenhagen and the way back the train I caught was the last leg of that Hamburg-copenhagen trip. I was only on the train 30 minutes but those people who had been on it the whole way looked miserable. I was glad I was flying between my major cities.

If you have 3-4 extra days between Ams and Stockhom then I'd certainly do Copenhagen, but don't shortchange your time in Stockholm, I found that to be a more enjoyable city, but that's just me.

Dukey

i am also a big night train fan which is why I mentioned this option much earlier on...

BUT...I would do the cost comparisons first...

A) how much does it really save, if any, over a night in a hotel AND the cost of a budget flight; especially if you are traveling First Class on a night train and have not gotten some sort of promotional fare it can be somewhat expensive

B0 how much time does it save? I agree that trains are great for getting you from city center to city center; there's no waiting in lines at airports and airport check-ins, security; there are fewer, if any, luggage restrictions, etc...

In this particular case the journey through Duisberg would take 15 hours so it is, IMO, a definite trade-off and perhaps not for everyone.

scurry

Yeah -- I've done night trains -- they're OK, but on this trip I want to SEE things.

I have bought my airline ticket to fly amsterdam-copenhagen.

The jury is still out on Copenhagen-Stockholm. Anyone with actual first-hand experience?

Dukey

Topping.

sfmaster

bookmarking - planning similar trip but with family of 5 and three smallish kids - what about driving? Car Ferry option in there to minimize time on road. We may WANT to stop and see friends in Hamburg.

travelgourmet

I have a lot of friends who drive from Copenhagen to Amsterdam, frequently. I want to say that it takes about 7 hours, but I've never done it, so don't know for certain. My understanding is that the ferry only saves time if you hit it exactly right. And it doesn't save that much time, so you can just drive north from Germany, through Jutland and drive across Denmark. But it lets you get out of the car for a bit.