overnight vs daytime international train

The overnight train gets mixed review -- think it depends of your age. Obviously an overnight train is more expensive but probably cheaper than a hotel and a day ticket. The big drawback is that it is hard to get much sleep even in a compartment. Overnight trains need to be booked as early as possible. Use bahn.de IF starting in Berlin. Day trains are more frequent so it is not as critical for advance purchase. But discounts are available for prepurchases.

Don't expect to get much sleep. I've taken lots of overnight trains and have never really slept well. The next day you're tired and grungy. But you can meet interesting people. It may be cheaper to fly. Look into it since it would save lots of time too.

I took a train from Brussels to Heidelberg in 1987, and I did not have any problems sleeping on the train. I have looked at the schedules for the CNL trains, and I noticed that they tend to stop taking on passenger around midnight and don't start letting them off until early morning. For, say, about five hours they let you sleep. Is this a trip TO Berlin and then another one TO Copenhagen, or BETWEEN Berlin and Copenhagen. From what I see if you travel Hippie style, ala Rick Steves 20 years ago, in a six bunk cochette, you'll save money over a room, but not get much sleep (or care). Sleepers, on the other hand, are pretty pricey.

This is not that long of a train ride is it, so not sure why you would want to do it at night and try and sleep? We did a sleeper train from Frankfurt to Copenhagen and slept not a wink. I will never do this again. We had to change trains in Fulda, the train stopped I don't know how many times, to add on cars. The stations are lit brightly and you feel and hear the cars as they are being shunted around, as well as the employees shouting at each other as they are working. Call me odd, but when I travel by train, I want to see the land that I am traveling through, not just the tourist attractions in the cities. I would rather not travel at night for that reason. I enjoy all scenery, and it doesn't matter if it is stunning or just little towns or even the factories of the country, it is all interesting to me.

I'm with Jo. Took a night train from Paris to Salzburg. Aside from the three interesting Chinese music students in our compartment, the trip was a nightmare.

Thanks to all for reply. Great help to me. Probably won't do overnight train.

If you were to take a night train, you would travel non-stop from Berlin to Malmo and connect there to a train to Copenhagen so your sleep wouldn't be interrupted during the night. However, if you book well in advance (up to 92 days allowed) on the German Rail site, you can get a Europa-Spezial Danemark fare as low as €39 for trains departing at several different times during the day. Seat reservations on ICE trains are optional, but it might be wise to buy one. The cost is only €2.50.

Richard, I am assuming you're wondering whether you should take the night train from Berlin-Copenhagen. Depends on your objective...to save time, money, or both Normally, I am not adverse to taking a night train, since sleeping in a compartment is no problem. Taking one starting in Germany or going to Germany is even easier. BUT, in this case, I would recommend the direct ICE train (day), unless you want to squeeze one more day in Berlin. Why the day train? You'll get into Copenhagen by 1800. The duration by day isn't so long, unless you don't care seeing the landscape in Schleswig and would rather spend these six and half so day hours in Berlin. Except for the Malmö option, the transfering is tedious. I suggest the day train for returning to Berlin too. Now, if you were going from Köln, Frankfurt, München, or Leipzig to Kopenhagen, then I would say take the night train, which is what I would do. If you take the night option, then don't spend the savings on a couchette or sleeper.