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Train / ferry connections from Hirtshals, Denmark, to Kristiansand, Norway

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I will be traveling in August from Aarhus to Hjorring by train pass, then Hjorring to Hirtshals by private rail to get a ferry -- not sure yet whether "Color Line" or "Fjordline" --to Kristiansand, Norway, to (hopefully) continue on to Oslo.

Using Rick Steves' Scandinavia book for advice, the Deutsche Bahn train schedule website, the "rejseplanen" website for private rail portion, and both ferry lines' websites, it looks like the only train from Aarhus to connect with the Hjorring to Hirtshals Havn and catch a morning ferry would leave Aarhus at 06:21 am. There doesn't seem to be another train leaving Aarhus until 09:51 am, which would miss any morning ferries...this later ( 9:51 ) train with connections gets to Hirtshals Havn at approx. 12:32, and Color Line leaves at 12:15 ( Fjordline earlier at 10:00 ).

I guess my question is if I'm missing something in these schedules, and also if the private line schedule on the "rejseplanen" website would be similar in August, since it only allowed me to pick a travel date through mid-April. Finally, is it highly recommended to book the ferry from Denmark to Norway in advance, thus "locking in" seats, but also risking a loss of ticket costs if for some reason there is a problem making the connections ? Thanks for any suggestions, or experiences of other travelers who went the same route...it's not the end of the world to get the 06:21 train from Aarhus, just wondering if any other options.

Posted by
16893 posts

When the full summer train schedule is published, I would expect it to be more similar to the spring schedule, which shows departures at :51 after every hour from Aarhus to Hjorring. The current schedule displayed for August is probably incomplete.

I wouldn't expect to lock in any of this for a couple of more months.

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks for replies...we plan to spend 2 nights in Aarhus. Still pondering the ferry to Norway connection...the timing with trains is close.

Posted by
971 posts

www.rejseplanen.dk covers all public transport in Denmark, so there is no need to ad to the confusion by looking up schedules on bahn.de. Just type in your departure (Århus) and arrival (Hirtshals) and date and time. I did a random check for next week and there are connections every hour, the total travel time is 2 hours and 45 minutes. Chances are the schedule won't change a lot if at all in August. The railway from Hjørring to Hirtshals might be private, but you still only need one ticket for the entire journey.

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks for checking on that, Morten. We're staying overnight in Hjorring, after stopping in Aalborg for a while to check out Viking burial site / stone circles, and that way we are making sure we're in time for 10:00 Fjordline ferry to Norway.

Posted by
971 posts

Is there any particular reason you are staying in Hjørring and not in Hirtshals itself, if you are concerned about making it to the ferry? I've never head of anyone going to Hjørring for a holiday and I would not know what to see and do there. Hirtshals, though mainly a port town, does have a WW2 bunker museum and an aquarium, plus it's on the seaside.

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