Copenhagen pre cruise trip
 

We will be arriving in Copenhagen around noon on Monday September 10, and will have until Friday evening to get back to depart on our cruise. We were thinking about a trip through Southern Germany, maybe utilizing the train. Does anyone have any experience with such a trip at that time of year?

Not sure what the time of year has to do with the trip, it’s not winter. Its a fine time of the year. I’d fly from Copenhagen to Munich rather than spend 12 hours or so on a train.
Have you already been to Copenhagen or do you not wish to spend time there?

I doubt anyone does such kind of trip. It does not make sense.
Do a simple math to realize quickly this is a poor idea.
>>> a trip through Southern Germany, maybe utilizing the train
If you do this all by train, then www.bahn.com shows you that CPH to Southern Germany, for example, Munich, takes at least 15 hours by train. So if you do this, this is how it looks like:
9/10 arrive
9/11 15+ hr train trip to Munich
9/12 one day in the area
9/13 15+ hr train trip back to Copenhagen
9/14 board cruise
A whopping one full day in Southern German.

If you had this in mind, the rational way was to fly into Munich, tour around the region, fly to CPH on 9/13.
If you still insist on Southern German, fly immediately to MUC on the arrival day, while placing enough layover buffer since you are probably making an unprotected plane connection at CPH. Fly back to CPH on 9/13 . This gives you 9/11 and 9/12 as full days in Southern Germany.
The most rational plan is to stay in Denmark.

You basically have three full days. Monday is pretty much a loss given jet lag, and the same goes for Friday when you have to board the ship. For only three days I would stay in Copenhagen and if you have already seen the city, do side trips.

To whet your appetite: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...070435704/show

I also wrote a report of our last trip to Denmark, of which the first half deals with our stay in Copenhagen. Click on my name and then click on "Find trip Reports" if you want to find it.

Yes stay in Copenhagen area if not been there or maybe go to Berlin or northern Germany - lots of neat day trips from Copenhagen to nearby places of interest - trains take you to Roskilde for Viking Ship Museum and nice regional town; Frederiksborg another nice regional town with famous castle of same name in a lake; Helsingor - for Hamlet's Castle and many more. For lots on trains in Copenhagen area and where to go check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel. and www.ricksteves.com. A nice day trip also goes to nearby Sweden. Hamburg and Berlin would be possible though 5 and 7 hours respectively by train. there may be an overnight train via Trelleborg, Sweden via boat and train on other side to Berlin. But flying to Munich would also give you 3 full days -rent a car at airport and visit Bavarian Alps area or just do day trips by train from Berlin.

thank you, the posts here have given us the information we were seeking, now leaning toward staying in Denmark

I would stay in Denmark. There is so much to see in Copenhagen itself:)

Maybe take a forway over to neighboring Sweden for the day!