Don’t worry, everything will go well as soon as the Eurostar/Channel obstacle is over!

If you want to leave the UK as soon as possible you could take the last Eurostar on 13th May and spend the night in Brussels. Otherwise I’d take this route on 14th May morning:

• Peterborough - King’s Cross 06:10 - 07:00
• Eurostar St. Pancras - Amsterdam Centraal 08:16 - 13:15 35€

Then you could spend the night somewhere in the Netherlands. Utrecht is cool and cheaper than Amsterdam. Following day do Amsterdam/Utrecht - Osnabrück - Hamburg. Then follow your itinerary: I might suggest earlier trains so you don’t “wait” until 2pm doing nothing.

For the way back take the Stockholm - Hamburg/Berlin night train to save time. Very convenient! Book in advance through sj.se. Since you’d have already visited Hamburg I’d head to Cologne straight away. Or you could take it all the way to Berlin and spend the night there of course!

I’ll have a quick look at availability and update this post.

There are plenty of Brussels - London Eurostars on 26th May. Did you look in the right direction?

Feel free to ask anything, we’re here to help. ;)

Some options between others:

• 24th May: Snälltåget : 499 SEK (37£) for a couchette. Stockholm C - Berlin Hbf 16:20 - 07:46. You arrive on Saturday morning in Berlin, you have the day to visit and on Sunday you do Berlin - Cologne - Brussels - London with sufficient margin. This would maximise your time in Scandinavia.
• 23/24th May: SJ 385 SEK (29£) for a couchette. 17:25 - 09:34 in Berlin (2-3h earlier in Hamburg).

Thank you for your reply!

I have taken the plunge and booked my Eurostar tickets so I arrive in Brussels on 14th May at 18:05 and return back to London from Brussels on 25th May at 14:52

Other than that - I’m totally free to do things! 

I wanted to do the Scandi countries as I have never been there before - Amsterdam I have, parts of Germany I have too, but it was a long time ago so doesn’t mean I can’t go again

We picked early afternoon trains so we had some time in the morning to get something to eat and do last minute sightseeing (plus have a lie in because we’re old!) 

But I’m happy to listen to any cheap recommendations (like overnight trains) and an plan that could work in those days

Thank you again

You could always change your Eurostar reservation for 15€ if something suits you better: it must be same route and the passholder quota must be available.

I’d definitely leave the UK earlier so you can go further than Brussels on Day 1, especially if your goal is Scandinavia. For example on 14th May you could do Peterborough - London - Amsterdam - Osnabrück - Hamburg and sleep there. Or even board the SJ night train to Stockholm after dinner!

• Peterborough - King’s Cross 06:10 - 07:00
• Eurostar St. Pancras - Amsterdam Centraal 08:16 - 13:15 35€
• IC Amsterdam Centraal - Osnabrück Hbf 13:59 - 16:51
• ICE Osnabrück Hbf - Hamburg Hbf 17:21 - 19:14
• dinner
• SJ Hamburg Hbf - Stockholm C 22:03 - 09:57

At 10am the following morning morning you’re in Stockholm. :)

Night trains aren’t cheap but they’re a convenient way to travel. I’d take one on Stockholm - Germany (or the way around) for sure as otherwise you simply double back along the same route… and spend the whole time on trains as you’re worrying.