Traveling by train is a romanticized way to get around and that reputation is well-deserved. While driving or taking a flight are convenient ways to travel, taking a train is a great way to slow down and let yourself enjoy the environment you’re traveling through. You can sit back and admire the beautiful landscapes as the train brings you to your next destination, making the journey as enjoyable as your final destination.
If you’re looking to travel through Scandinavia by train, you have several options to consider when putting together your itinerary. There are many trains to take between locations, so whether you’re traveling for a few days or a few weeks, you’ll be able to construct a travel plan that truly fits your needs.
No matter how long you are traveling in Scandinavia, it’s worth it to look into Eurail passes and see if these multi-country train tickets are a good investment for your trip. You can buy these if you’re a resident of a non-European country, and there are multiple options and price points depending on your age and the duration of your trip.
Here are several example itineraries that vary depending on the length of time you have to spend traveling by train in Scandinavia.
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One-week Scandinavia by Train Itinerary
If you only have a week to spend exploring Scandinavia, the most efficient use of your time is to stick to the major cities and famous landmarks. Unless there’s something specific you want to see elsewhere, traveling between the three largest cities in the region will make sure you get a taste of what Scandinavia has to offer.
Start your one week in Scandinavia off in Copenhagen, Denmark. This city has plenty of history and culture that you can experience, but for a unique and fun thing to do, spend a day at the Tivoli Gardens. This amusement park and garden were built in the 19th century.
After a few days in Denmark, head north to Oslo, Norway. You can spend a day or two sightseeing here before continuing on. Visit the Grünerløkka, a popular borough within Oslo.
Finish off your week in Scandinavia in Stockholm, Sweden. There are multiple direct train routes between Oslo and Stockholm so you should be able to arrive in the city without too much hassle. For a truly unique place to stay, consider Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi in Northern Sweden. The hotel is, as you may have guessed, built out of blocks of ice. .
Travel Guide and Resources for a One-Week Trip in Scandinavia:
Find the best flights, train tickets, rail passes, or rent a car for your trip to Scandinavia. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your one-week Scandinavia itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm in addition to what already mentioned here.
Two-week Scandinavia by Train Itinerary
Two weeks is a great amount of time for any kind of vacation where you’re traveling to a new time zone. When compared to one-week itineraries, a two-week alternative allows you time to rest and recover from any jet lag and get used to the city and country that you are now in.
If you are prone to jet lag, consider taking a few extra days in the first city on the itinerary: Copenhagen, Denmark. Instead of spending just a few days in the city before moving on, you could spend four or five days here so that you can relax, unwind, and soak in the culture of the city.
Next, head to Stockholm, Sweden. This city is full of interesting things to do and places to learn about Scandinavia’s artistic and cultural legacy. In fact, you can visit a museum dedicated to ABBA, one of the greatest musical groups in the world.
From Stockholm, take one of the many daily trains to Oslo, Norway. Here you can spend a few days admiring architectural marvels when you see the modern and historic structures placed throughout the city.
After spending time in Norway, you can finish your trip by looping back to the city you started in, or you can continue on from Oslo and take a train to Flåm. Flåm is further away from major cities and allows you to experience the beauty of Norway’s natural landscape.
Travel Guide and Resources for a Two-Week Trip in Scandinavia:
Find the best flights, train tickets, rail passes, or rent a car for your trip to Scandinavia. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, and Flåm to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your one-week Scandinavia itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, and Flåm in addition to what is already mentioned here.
Three-Week Scandinavia by Train Itinerary
If you’re lucky enough to take a full three weeks to explore Scandinavia, you have plenty of options. You can elongate the previous two itineraries that were described here, or you can add stops along the way so you get to know the region even more.
Like with the other two itineraries, you can start your trip in Copenhagen, Denmark. If you have the time to spare, scheduling an extra day in your first location will allow you to take the time to recover from the flight should you need it. If you don’t need it, you’ll have a day to wander the city and try to immerse yourself in the new city you’re in.
Next, take a train up north to Stockholm, Sweden. As it’s a major city, you should be able to easily find a direct train towards Stockholm throughout the day. If you are looking for a truly unique place to stay, consider renting a room at the famous Icehotel. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s quite literally an ice hotel. It’s built from large blocks of ice and although the materials are cold, you won’t be. The hotel staff will be available to help you ensure you have the right combination of blankets to keep you warm.
From Stockholm, head to Oslo, Norway. There are many trains that can take you between Oslo and Stockholm so it should be a convenient journey. You can learn more about the history of the region by visiting various historic sites or browse the collections at the art museums here as well.
Next, continue west to Flåm. This small village is located in a lush and imposing valley and nearby to a gentle river. This is a great stop to add to your itinerary if you want to experience the natural wonders of the area.
Finish your three-week Scandinavian adventure in Bergen, the second-largest metropolitan city in Norway. Sit along the beautiful wharf area and admire the traditionally built structures. The buildings that line the streets here may not be fully original, but when they were reconstructed the workers used similar techniques to those used when the buildings were first constructed. Bergen is full of things to do, and is a great place to end your three-week Scandinavian adventure.
Travel Guide and Resources for a Three-Week Trip in Scandinavia:
Find the best flights, train tickets, rail passes, or rent a car for your trip to Scandinavia. Also, find the list of the best hotels in Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Flåm, and Bergen to stay in. Need more ideas to add to your one-week Scandinavia itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Flåm, and Bergen in addition to what is already mentioned here.
Video Guide: Scandinavia by Train Itinerary Ideas for 1-3 Weeks Trips
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Travel Resources for Planning a Train Trip in Scandinavia
To make planning your Scandinavia train trip in Europe easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip in addition to enjoying the train rides in Scandinavia.
Flights:
Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.
CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!
Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.
JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.
Hotels:
Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.
Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.
Transportations:
Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator
Train: EuRail, Trainline or RailEurope
Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.
Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)
Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals)
Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)
Tours & Activities:
TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.
Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.
Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.
GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities
Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.
Need help planning a Scandinavia train trip in Europe?
Want to plan a train trip to Scandinavia but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!
At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a multi-city train trip to Scandinavia are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.
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To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in 5 Easy Steps” here.
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