Comments on itinerary and connections needed please

Thanks for your helpful tips thibcabe! I think we'll look into the Bernina railway option for getting from Como to Innsbruck. And will stay clear of the direct EC from Zurich, don't want to pay any more additional fees! 

Any ideas on questions number 1, 4 and 5 mentioned above, anyone?

1. Looks like engineering works between Stockholm and Malmö that day. Can someone confirm ?

4. Schedules might change a little but it shouldn’t change by more than an hour. Still possible to get to Copenhagen, don’t worry. Departures at 10:53 or 12:53 (or later). Reservations very much recommended, if not compulsory → https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm#Denmark

5. Many direct trains available between Copenhagen and Stockholm as far as I can see on planners. Best departures would be at 07:21 or 09:21 (arrival 12:36/14:34). Seat reservations required. See : https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm#Sweden

Thank you so much again! Oh, you're right, I see that the tickets for our return journey from Copenhahen to Stockholm have now been released, we'll make the seat reservations tomorrow!

But nothing new on departures from Stockholm to Hamburg on June 17 th though which is making me increasingly nervous... if anyone has any ideas on how to get that journey covered I'd be very grateful!

Good to get reassurance about the possible delays with the Obb nightjet from Innsbruck to Hamburg not being that worrying. I think we can safely book seats for the 10.53 am departure from Hamburg to Copenhagen then. 

I guess there are engineering works so it would consider replanning the itinerary. Did you already book the ferry to Stockholm ? Maybe you can get it refunded. Stockholm - Copenhagen would have been an extremely long travel day anymay.

I’d really take the Helsinki - Travemünde ferry. It leaves daily Helsinki at 15:00 (boarding from 13:30) and arrives the next day at 21:00 in Germany. A 4-people cabin costs 443€ (advance ticket). There is a 50% discount with Interrail on the boat fare (not the cabin) but it only works on the flexible fare (11€ more than the advance special one with the Interrail discount).

https://www.seat61.com/Finland.htm#london-to-helsinki-via-travemunde

https://www.interrail.eu/en/plan-your-trip/tips-and-tricks/trains-europe/ferries/finnlines

From Travemünde it’s an easy bus ride to Lübeck and a 45-min train ride to Hamburg. You’ll arrive in Hamburg before midnight (hourly trains throughout the night).

Yes, Helsinki-Travemünde ferry would certainly be the most comfortable way to travel but it is out of our budget especially since we already booked the ferry to Stockholm and the tickets are unfortunately non-refundable. 

Does anyone have any experience with SJ and how they might be able to run the trains despite the track works? Can they not run any trains on a specific day or should we just wait and see how they work out the timetables?

@Hansu @thibcabe SJ will release reservations as soon as they get the final information about the track works. You also have the option to travel with the reservation free regional trains through Sweden.

@Hansu You can travel on the 17th of June from Stockholm via Göteborg to Copenhagen without reservation. Then, spend the night in Copenhagen and take the day train to Hamburg on the 18th. For the train from Copenhagen to Hamburg you will need seat reservations. 

Or you could spend the day in Stockholm and take the night train to Hamburg at 17:34. It is running at the moment as far as I can see.

- EN Stockholm C - Hamburg Hbf 17:34 - 08:56

But the reservations are not released yet. The information, at least in the SJ app, says "planning in progress".

Yep, the schedule isn't the usual one either as the Danish engineering works have already been registered. On the other hand not the Swedish ones :)

Per the planners there are no direct trains Copenhagen - Hamburg that weekend too so I can't imagine how busy the trains to Jutland will be... hopefully they make longer Intercity trains

Unfortunately, SJ are still sending incorrect timetable information to the European Timetable Centre. This should be a reservation-free SJ Regional train:

Thanks for all the info and ideas everyone! I'm still wondering if we should wait and see if the trains will end up running between Stockholm and Hamburg on June 17th (which would be our preferred option) or if we should play it safe and travel through Göteborg to Copenhagen and continue to Hamburg on a day train on the 18th. We do have a hotel booked in Hamburg already so the latter would mean that we would have to try and cancel that.

But I guess there is no way of knowing yet how the Swedish trains will run. A bit stressful but I really appreciate all your input!

As of today the journey would look like this

- Stockholm C - Malmö C 09:28 - 14:25 reservation-free regional train

- Malmö C - Kobenhavn H 14:53 - 15:29 or another train

- Kobenhavn H - Fredericia 16:56 - 18:38

- Fredericia - Padborg 18:45 - 19:53

- Padborg - Hamburg Hbf 20:02 - 21:57

Guaranteed connections too

Reservations very much recommended from Copenhagen (if not mandatory). Otherwise you'll stand

Thanks again! Where do you see those timetables thibcabe? On the SJ website the only connection I can see available for June 17th is the one through Göteborg. Are the reservations from Copenhagen to Hamburg done on Deutsche Bahn website or is there a better way?

I used SBB app and bahn.de, they're reliable planners but of course things could still change

- bahn.de still shows a direct train at 17:02 between Copenhagen and Hamburg (arrival 21:57) so this one could run

There currently is a problem of German carriages not being allowed into Denmark, those would allow extra trains (the 17:02 one for example) and give much needed capacity... they're expected to run from June, see : https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/hamburg-to-copenhagen-by-train.htm

I guess things are a bit uncertain till then, I guess one planner is more conservative than the other

Edit : to book seat reservations -> https://travel.b-europe.com/dsb-rail/en/reservation-only#TravelWish