A train on a ferry from Hamburg to Copenhagen????
 

I am so surprised to learn of this, so I want to know if I understand this correctly. Is it true that in my train travel from Hamburg Germany to Copenhagen our train will board a water ferry?
Is this the best way to make this trip?
Are there any other connectins or change of trains that any one knows of?
I can't find the segment on the German websites (or I am not identifing it).
I searched the archives on this discussion board, but any mention of it is three years ago and I am still confused.

Thanks for all your help!!

I believe so. The 4:40 train trip includes a 45-minute crossing from Puttgarten in Germany to R¢dby in Denmark, and the EC trains do go on the ferry.

Okay, that's the wrong code. It's spelled Rødby or Roedby.

And the German port is Puttgarden, with the "d".

Confirm the trains do go on the ferry, we drove from London to Stockholm last year and used the same ferry and saw the trains

Given that Copenhagen is on an island, I don't know of any way to get there other than to cross water.

If you move soon, the tickets can be had on advanced purchase for 32.50€ including a reservation.

Drive across a bridge is always an option

There's a railway tunnel from Zealand (where Copenhagen is) to the small island of Sprogø, which is then connected to Funen and then to the mainland.

Towards Sweden, the Oresund bridge also has railway that links Copenhagen with Malmo.

So, you can definitely take a train to Copenhagen via bridges and tunnels. It's just that from Hamburg, it's faster and much shorter via the ferry link.

I don't know if this is the "best" but it is damn good. I have used the train/ferry a number of times going back 30 years. I took an overnight train to Copenhagen last year and slept through the crossing from Puttgarden to Rodby. I was in first class with a Eurailpass. Breakfast was served in my compartment.

I believe the night train you took, Hopscotch, uses the longer Flensburg/Fredericia/Nyborg route which bypasses the Puttgarden to Rodby connection which probably explains why you were able to sleep through.

Cmcbride, yes, as others have stated, the daytime connections from Hamburg usually take the shorter ferry route.

The ferries are specially designed so that the train, literally, rolls onto the ferry in the space with the cars and busses, etc.

Pretty much everyone gets off and goes up above for the 45-minute ride.

It's an interesting ride. It's short train for obvious reasons...to fit on the ferry. Because of the short train, it can be very crowded. If you're traveling at a peak period, it's not a bad idea to get a seat reservation if you can. Or to travel that segment in first class...I did, was quite interesting, you can see right into the driver's compartment, all the various controls and dials.

That is amazing! I would think that the train would be very heavy for a ferry! Maybe, with all of the traffic, they will build a bridge or tunnel in its place.
Ok, if I have this straight, I am going to reserve seats for the train that goes on the ferry on Rail Europe online. When I looked at the raileurope.com website, there is no mention of a ferry from Hamburg to Copenhagen. It must be known knowledge to all but me.
Thanks so much for all the responses.
Cathy

>Ok, if I have this straight, I am going to reserve seats for the train that goes on the ferry on Rail Europe online. When I looked at the raileurope.com website, there is no mention of a ferry from Hamburg to Copenhagen. It must be known knowledge to all but me.

Raileurope? Do you have money to burn?
Reserve at a railway site (www.bahn.de or www.dsb.dk) and pay me the difference :-)

As to ferry - why should they make it known somehow? You don´t need to leave the train, so there is nothing to remark. You can sleep or read all the way from Hamburg to Copenhagen.

<b>Caution!</b> when making any rail reservations..there are TWO routes out of Hamburg to Copenhagen as mentioned in my post above.

The route via the Puttgarden ferry takes 4:40 minutes as Rkkwan has posted.

The other route, via Flensburg which does NOT use the ferry crossing takes longer.

Make certain you are getting on the right route.

I agree with BTilke completely..those trains are short...sometimes only four coaches so they can fit onto the ferry.

If you are in the First CLass section in the first car you can, as she has mentioned, see into the driver's compartment and watch him/her do all sorts of interesting things, including smoking a lot if my last experience on this route is any indication.

Thanks again.
Obviously, I am a newbie to the trains in Germany, etc. and I didn't know the two websites would yield different results and prices! Wow. That saves us lots of the big Euro. Thanks.
Also, I wouldn't have found the correct route through Puttgarden and Roedby to get on the ferry.
We did LOTS of train travel last year in Italy, but not this area. I guess just when you think you know something, you learn you don't.
I love this forum (even tho I haven't been on it in a year).
Thanks to all.
Cmcbride

If you get a train in Italy from the mainland to Sicily, it will go on a ferry: there are through trains from Roma and northern Italy to Palermo, Siracusa, Agrigento and other Sicilian stations which cross the Straits of Messina from Villa San Giovanni to Messina.
You will see the train slowly moving on to the ship, and then the passengers mostly alight to go up stairs to get some fresh air, and food or drink. At the end of the trip, passengers descend to get back in the train before it continues on its journey.
Between Hamburg and K&oslash;benhavn, the Puttgarden-R&oslash;dby ferry journey takes about 45 minutes.

&gt;Obviously, I am a newbie to the trains in Germany, etc. and I didn't know the two websites would yield different results and prices!

It´s because one site belongs to the organisation that actually runs the trains, and the other is just a reseller. And since there is no &quot;grey market&quot; in train tickets, the reseller will ALWAYS be more expensive than buying from the source.

Thanks again!!

I have learned lots today.

Cmcbride

Well, if you want to learn all about it...RailEurope is a wholly-owned marketing subsidiary of the French and Swiss national railroad organizations.

RailEurope does NOt always charge more than dealing with the railroads directly although they DO add on a shipping and handling charge and other surcharges.

Sometimes they are just as competitive as dealing with the railroads involved and sometimes they are not.

I would never advocate dealing with them IF you can deal directly with the railroad invoved unless the convenience of doing so outweighs any price differences.

Making blanket statements about &quot;ripoffs&quot; is always suspicious IMO.

Yes, the train pulls right onto the ferry. I lived in Denmark, almost annually during the summers for over a 20-plus year period and I have taken that train/ferry connection countless times. It's quite convenient. You don't have to leave the train compartment if you don't want to, but it's nicer to go up onto the ferry, walk around, and get something to eat or shop in the duty-free store. Just remember exactly what stairwell you exited into on the ferry as you'll need to know that when you go back to your train compartment. The train is split up and then put back together when the ferry has arrived to the land side. Happy Travels!