We would like to take an overnight train from Cologne, Germany to Copenhagen in May. Has anyone done that and what was your experience with it? Thanks.
Kitty
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9150 posts
We took the overnight train from Frankfurt to Copenhagen a few years ago and absolutely hated it. Neither one of us slept a wink, arriving totally exhausted in Denmark. We got on our sleeper part of the train in Fulda. All night long the train stoped quite a few times while they add and take off cars, and you feel and hear everything as they shift things around, yelling to each other in the middle of the night, etc. I had always looked forward to sleeping on a train, and this was a less than pleasurable experience. Perhaps if one has a private compartment with private toilet, it might be different.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
I've done the Copenhagen to Cologne version. It's a typical overnight train. There are several threads on taking night trains, check those out for more details on what they are like.
Posted by
San Francisco
14797 posts
Kitty, This particular route Cologne to Copenhagen I haven't done at night, but something very similar as regards to your departure and arrival times, ie., only about 55 mins. difference from your CNL train. I took the EC from Frankfurt to Vienna departing at 23:30 and arriving at a little after 0900. Actually that was the second leg, I had boarded an ICE in Paris with a change in Frankfurt. The CNL has to be nicer, the EC reminded me right away of a refurbished train, which I rode in the 1970s in West Germany, sat in a 6 person compartment with four strangers...very nice, no problems. Depending on your travel requirements and how many in your party, you may want to reserve a sleeper/couchette. But should you want to forego the expense, just reserve a seat and sleep upright.