Hi all,
Is it possible to buy a train ticket to Stockholm at the Copenhagen train station the same day I want to travel? Or do I need to buy a ticket days in advance? I'd prefer to just get my ticket at the station to keep my plans flexible, but I'm not sure if these trains fill up quickly, or if super advance reservations are required. Thanks for any help!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23628 posts
It is rare for any train to sell out. It may happen the day after Christmas. The only reason to purchase a ticket in advance is to take advantage of any early purchase discounts -- if available. Train have huge capacity and run frequently so don't worry about need for advance purchase.
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
971 posts
Yes, the only real reason for booking ahead is to get some of the quite substantial discounts that are available for the early birds. Train tickets can be very cheap if you book ahead and also are willing to travel at off-peak hours. Book at www.sj.se
Posted by
Maryland, USA
533 posts
Just to clarify, advance purchase discounts are always available on this route. Tickets start at 195 Swedish kronor, or a little more than $20, and as the cheaper fares sell out, prices go up from there. The price of a last-minute ticket could be anywhere from 600 to over 1000 kr, depending (as I understand it) on how many tickets have been sold for that train already. If money is no object, or if flexibility is worth the extra $40-80 to you, then yes, you can buy a ticket on the day of travel. Otherwise, consider buying in advance.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Great -- thanks all!
Posted by
8282 posts
I went to that website and it said no trains available, but my date is June 8, 2019. When does it open up for next June?
Posted by
Maryland, USA
533 posts
Typically SJ tickets are available about three months in advance. (It might actually be 90 days or 12 weeks or something similar.) For travel in early June, start checking in early March.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
I went to that website and it said no trains available, but my date is June 8, 2019
No hope!
Times are set annually or biannually, depending on the railway company. The timetable changeover date is 2nd Sunday in December (9th December 2018). Times for the first half of 2018 (and perhaps for the whole year) will be published 1-2 months before that.
Tickets go on sale 3-6 months beforehand, depending on company, different companies have different policies.
For the purposes of planning, just look at times for October, services will be 90%+ the same.
Posted by
Tempe, AZ, USA
1266 posts
Our family used the Copenhagen-Stockholm train in May 2016. I was a very nice journey. We book ahead of time to save some money. I had an issue using the SJE website and had to use a different website. Check out www.seat61.com for more information.
edit
From the Seat61 website
Buy tickets as one Copenhagen to Stockholm transaction at the Swedish railways website www.sj.se. There are some great cheap deals available if you book in advance. SJ.se is sometimes fussy with overseas credit cards, so if you can't get your credit card to work, try agency site www.acprail.com or call SJ telesales on +46 771 75 75 75 (touch tone 6 for English).