Germany to Norway by night train

MisterSteve
Traveller
896 comments

Firstly, to use a Eurail Pass you can't be resident in any of the countries it covers. If you are resident you can only have Interail and that has very restricted use in your resident country (one trip to the border and one trip back).

Night trains to Sweden are very limited and go nowhere near Munich. Is the idea to avoid hotel costs because that may not happen, not all night trains have cheap seats. You might get a night train from Munich to Hamburg, and then spend the day there before a night train to Stockholm. Or you could just hurtle across Germany on a daytime ICE to Hamburg in time to catch the night train to Stockholm. The next problem with th eplan is that Tromso is a long bus ride from any railway, and that would be the line from Sweden to Narvik which has no connection to the rest of Norway. So to reach Bergen would need a huge detour via Sweden, or an internal flight. Or a ride on the Hurtigruten shipping line which is not a terrible idea but is a cost not covered by a rail pass. Or a connecting bus ride (also not covered by rail pass) across a large part of Norway to meet the Trondheim railway for a train to Oslo. The direct route from Oslo back south to Malmo and beyond has a very limited train service so if you make it to Bergen, rather than double back to Oslo and then struggle to find a connection it might be better to get a direct ferry to northern Denmark.

Arend7
Traveller
587 comments

It is theoraticaly possible to reach Narvik in 2 days. Day1: Nighttrain MUN-HAM, Daytrains to Stockholm. Day 2: Nightrain to Boden, connecting to daytrain to Narvik. Problem: only 13 minutes changing time in Boden, but because there are so few trains to Narvik I assume there will be waiting policy.
Bus to Tromso (one way) is 4,5 hours, but only 2 times a day.
Bus Narvik to Fauske the same.
Train Fauske to Bergen (had to be over Oslo) 2 days
Bergen to Hamburg 2 days
So, time enough.
Long distance trains in Sweden needs mandatory reservations apart when you travel with Interrail. It can be done on-line but it is a bit hided. Look for “number of passengers” (1 vuxen) and “SJ prio”. There somewhere at the buttom you will find “Interrail/Eurrail”. You need a pass number. If you haven’t still one the number I12345 also works.
In Norway, especially to Bergen, also but on-line reservation is not possible. Only via the Interrail site but the ticket is only in oldfashioned paper and will be sent to your homeadress. (If you have days short with interrail, I recommend the Norwegian part to pay normal than online buying with intergrated reservation is possible.) The Bergenline is extremely scenic. So to do that part twice is a blessing.
What scenery is concerned 3 tips if you can fit it in your schedule.
1. Take bus instead of train between Copenhagen and Malmö. Much nicer view over the Sund.
2. If you like (mountain) hiking spend a day at Narvik to make a hike to the top of Tredjetoppen (1300 m. cable car to restaurant at 600m.) An fantastic view into the fjords.
3. Bus ride from Oslo to Laerdal. Fantastic view on snowed mountains. Book as soon as possible seats at row 1 because the view upfront is extraordinay. For the way back you can change to bus to Fläm and from there extremely turistic train to Myrdal (again on the Bergenline however)

Arend7
Traveller
587 comments

supplemental: Take into account that in october the sun is at the other site of the equator. That means (far) below 12 hours daylight, especially upnorth.

userlifetime
Traveller
1 comments

Hi guys,

Thank you for all the information and explanation
So is it still worth buying eurail pass for this trip? Or just best to plan and book everything in advanced from now?

Thanks again

Arend7
Traveller
587 comments

I should take the pass, Think it is more cost-effective but haven't really calculated it. But it is not valdid in the busses and you still have to make reservations in Sweden and Norway.