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Köln / Cologne / Koeln to København / Copenhagen by train
How to take the rail journey from Cologne/Köln to Copenhagen/København
There are no direct trains from Cologne/Köln to Denmark, but is typically a straightforward journey with only one connection required.
Though travelling overnight is not an option on this route.
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Routes
From Köln/Cologne Hbf to København H /Copenhagen H
Journey Summary
9hr 55min
Daily
Travel Information
The usual schedule is that these connections with only 1 x change of train depart from Köln Hbf at 08:09 and 12:09, these trains both allow around 40 mins to make the connection in Hamburg.
Though, for most of the year, if you leave Koln/Cologne at 12:09 you will be connecting into the final train of the day on to Copenhagen/København, so to allow more time to make the connection, on most dates an option is to depart Köln Hbf at 12:04 on an ICE train which then allows more than an hour to make the transfer.
To see this option on DB, before looking up the journey, change the 'duration of transfer' to more than 45 mins.
When looking up this journey, you will also see other options which involve taking more than two trains, but there is no need to make more than one connection, when taking this journey.
If you depart Köln Hbf at 08:09, easily timed onward connections from København will be available to Malmo* and Goteborg, but the typical transfer time into a train to Stockholm will only be 15 mins; ideal IF the train from Hamburg arrives in time, but it won't be possible to reach Stockholm by the end of the day if the connection is missed.
*=Connections to Malmo are also available when departing Koln/Cologne at 12:04/12:09.
2 or 3* connections per day
Change trains in: Hamburg
*The third connection is only available at the height of summer.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 3 months ahead of the travel date
Finding tickets:
If you will be using DB to book tickets, enter KOBENHAVN- in the 'To' box
On the DB booking site look for journeys that have 1 in the Chg. column and 'IC, EC' in the 'Product' column.
Though if you would prefer to have more than 40 minutes in which to make the connection between trains in Hamburg, you can see other options by extending the 'duration of transfer' between trains when booking on DB.
Increase it to more than 45 minutes, the guide to booking tickets with DB explains how.
Connections departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
Reservatioons:
Book 1st class ticket journey tickets and your seat reservation is included - but they're optional* when booking 2nd class tickets, or if you will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass.
Reservations are highly recommended; particularly on Fridays and Sundays.
*Reservations are compulsory for the Hamburg to København journey between mid June end early .
During this time rail pass users will need to pay a reservation fee prior to boarding; €5.30 1st class, €4 2nd class.
When booking 1st AND 2nd class tickets between these dates, the seat will be automatically assigned.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DB Bahn | from €39.90 |
Train 1
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Hamburg-Altona (or Kiel or Lubeck or Westerland)
Train 2
Travelling On
Good to Know
On German rail timetables and on the station info, these trains are referred to IC trains, but Danish IC trains and not German trains are used on this route.
Final Destination: Koebenhavns Lufthavn st (German spelling) (Copenhagen Airport)
All trains also call at: Odense and Ringtsted (connect for Roskilde)
The three daily year-round trains are scheduled to depart from Hamburg at 08:53; 12:53 and 16:53.
The 12:53 departure has a 15 connection into a train on to Stockholm from Kobenhavn but this connection is not guaranteed and it will not be possible to reach Stockholm by the end of the day if you don't make this train
Though the 12:53 departure has an easily timed connection in Copenhagen into trains heading to Goteborg/Gothenburg via Helsingborg.
These trains used to be shunted on to a ferry for a sea crossing between Germany and Denmark, but the Danish part of that route is being affected by engineering weeks in preparation for the opening of the Fehmarn Fixed Link tunnel in around 2028.
Hence this train service between Hamburg and the Danish capital has been re-routed to travel overland
via the Jutland peninsular.
So a less fascinating journey than the previous route and scenically this route is uninteresting, but it does have three highlights, which you can't miss if you will be travelling when it's daylight.
(1) The spectacular crossing of the Kiel Canal on the Rendsburg High Bridge - the corkscrew descent into the town and its station is quite something.
(2) After departure from Kolding the train will cross the Little Belt Bridge, which connects Jutland to the island of Funen.
(3) Then around 15 mins after departing Odense, the train will cross the Great Belt Fixed Link between Funen and the island of Zealand.
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