Amsterdam to Copenhagen by train
No direct train: change in Hamburg and allow about 11 to 12 hours. An NS International ICE runs to Hamburg, then DSB and DB trains to Copenhagen.
- Origin
- Amsterdam
- Destination
- Copenhagen
- Main stations
- Amsterdam-Centraal to København
- Countries
- Netherlands, Denmark
No direct train runs from Amsterdam to Copenhagen. Every journey changes in Hamburg and takes around 11 to 12 hours in total.
How the trip splits
The first leg is an NS International ICE from Amsterdam Centraal to Hamburg, which takes just over five hours. From Hamburg Hbf a direct EuroCity Express, run jointly by DSB and Deutsche Bahn, carries you to København H in about 4 hours 40 minutes. Several of these trains run each day.
An early start pays off. Leave Amsterdam in the morning and you can reach Copenhagen the same evening. No day or night train runs the whole way.
Changing trains in Hamburg
From 2 October 2026, four ICEs a day run directly from Amsterdam to Hamburg. They are Berlin trains diverted by engineering works, and until 12 December 2026 they do not call at Hamburg Hbf. Get off at Hamburg-Harburg and ride the S-Bahn or a local train into Hamburg Hbf. They run frequently, so the hop is quick, but leave some slack before your Copenhagen train.
From 13 December 2026 the direct ICEs call at Bremen Hbf and Hamburg Hbf, and NS plans this pattern until the end of 2027. Your change then happens in one station. On departures without a direct ICE, you change twice, in Osnabrück and Hamburg.
Tickets and seat reservations
NS International sells the whole trip from Amsterdam to Copenhagen, with one-way tickets from €57. The cheapest ICE fares tie you to one fixed train, and booking early gives you the best chance of getting them. Tickets on the direct ICE for dates from 13 December 2026, when it starts calling at Hamburg Hbf, go on sale on 14 October 2026.
Outside the summer peak, seat reservations are optional but recommended, and a reserved seat makes the long Hamburg to Copenhagen leg easier. In summer 2026 they were compulsory on NS International trains from 26 June to 31 August, and on direct trains between Germany and Denmark from 26 June to 16 August.
Passports, bikes and autumn works
Carry your passport. Border checks continue on trains between Germany and Denmark. Leave the bike at home: for now, DSB does not carry bicycles on its international trains between Hamburg and Copenhagen.
On 17 and 18 October 2026, international trains from Hamburg do not stop at København H. They end at København Syd, and local trains take you on to the central station. Until 31 October 2026, two of the morning departures from Hamburg Hbf to Copenhagen do not run, which matters if you stay the night in Hamburg.
Overnight from Hamburg
If you would rather break the trip, Snälltåget runs a night train from Hamburg Hbf in the late evening to København Syd early the next morning, on selected days until early January 2027.
Where to book
Train tickets
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Train service
- Check times & prices
DSB is Denmark's national railway, with regional, intercity and commuter trains. Orange Tickets are limited, non-refundable and non-changeable.
Official website - Check times & prices
NS runs the Netherlands' domestic Intercity and Sprinter network, while NS International connects Belgium, Germany and beyond; Eurostar requires reservations.
Official website
Where to book
Train service
- Check times & prices
DSB is Denmark's national railway, with regional, intercity and commuter trains. Orange Tickets are limited, non-refundable and non-changeable.
Official website - Check times & prices
NS runs the Netherlands' domestic Intercity and Sprinter network, while NS International connects Belgium, Germany and beyond; Eurostar requires reservations.
Official website
Find places to stay in Copenhagen
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct train from Amsterdam to Copenhagen?
No. You always change in Hamburg. From 2 October 2026, four direct ICEs a day run from Amsterdam to Hamburg; on other connections you also change in Osnabrück.
How long does the train from Amsterdam to Copenhagen take?
Plan on around 11 to 12 hours; the fastest connections take just under 11. Amsterdam to Hamburg takes just over five hours, and Hamburg to Copenhagen about 4 hours 40 minutes, plus your connection time.
Where do I change trains in Hamburg?
Until 12 December 2026 the direct ICE from Amsterdam calls at Hamburg-Harburg, not Hamburg Hbf, so take the S-Bahn or a local train from Harburg to Hamburg Hbf for the train to Copenhagen. From 13 December 2026 the ICE calls at Hamburg Hbf.
Is there a night train from Amsterdam to Copenhagen?
Not the whole way. Snälltåget runs a night train from Hamburg Hbf to København Syd on selected days until early January 2027, so you can travel to Hamburg by day and sleep through the second leg.
How much is a train ticket from Amsterdam to Copenhagen?
NS International sells one-way tickets for the whole trip from €57. The cheapest ICE fares are tied to one fixed train, and booking early gives you the best chance of getting them.
Do I need a seat reservation?
Outside the summer peak, no, but NS International and DSB both recommend one. In summer 2026, reservations were compulsory on NS International trains and on direct trains between Germany and Denmark.