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Denmark: The
Rail Network
Traveling by train in Denmark is an efficient and
comfortable way to get from one part of the country to another. On the majority
of the longer sections, the train is faster than car or plane.
Regional trains cover the shorter distances throughout the country. New
electrified regional trains run from Helsingor via Copenhagen to Copenhagen
Airport. In the capital area, "S-trains" (like the subway or underground) leave
at least every 10-20 minutes throughout the day. In Copenhagen, the interval
between "S-trains" is only 2-3 minutes.
Hourly services of
InterCity trains connect Copenhagen and Zealand with the main towns and train
leaves every half-hour for Odense and Funen. InterCity trains reach Aarhus from
Copenhagen within 2 1/2 hours and Odense is only 1 1/4 hours train journey from
Copenhagen. InterCity trains offer a "Business" (formerly first class) and a
"Standard" category (formerly second class). On "Standard" the kiosk in the
form of the Railways's Train Service trolley comes to your seat and on
"Business" you are welcome to help yourself to soft drinks, coffee, tea and
cakes at no charge. The InterCity trains have several different areas:
Family area -- a non-smoking area for children and their parents.
Quiet
area -- for passengers who wish a quieter and more relaxing journey (no
smoking, no pets)
InterCityLyn is a fast train with fewer stops.
InterCityLyn offers Business (first class) and Business Plus for first-class
travelers who pay a supplement of about $15 US. The on-board service consists
of soft drinks, coffee, tea and cake for Business travelers and a meal in
addition to that in Business Plus. The InterCityLyn express trains run from
Copenhagen Airport directly to Funen and Jutland with a total of 9 daily
departures from Monday to Friday.
No reservations are required for the
use of InterCity and InterCityLyn trains; however, a reservation is recommended
during peak periods.
Night Trains
Daily night train service
from Denmark to Germany (Bonn, Munich and Stuttgart) and vice versa and to
Austria (Innsbruck). The EuroNight train has two-story sleeping coaches and a
bar/bistro vehicle. Passengers can choose between a single/double Comfort
compartment with access to a bath or a less expensive 5-bed couchette.
Travelers to Bonn can spend the night in a single or double Deluxe compartment
with private bath and toilet. From all sleepers one can get in contact with the
attendant via the internal phone. Breakfast is included in the fares of all
sleeping compartments.
High-quality sleeping coaches run between
Copenhagen-Oslo and Copenhagen-Stockholm. Passengers can choose between a
single, double compartment, or 6-bed couchette; or, a 3-bed compartment on the
night train to Oslo.
Finland: The Rail Network
The rail network serving passenger traffic covers 5,859 kms of which 1,054 km
are electrified. Recent years have seen extensive improvements to track and
rolling stock. Trains are modern and comfortable and sleeping cars spacious and
quiet. Over 100 long-distance trains are in service daily.
The fastest
train in Finland is the Pendolino S 220, which runs between Helsinki and Turku
at a maximum speed of 200 km/h. High standard InterCity trains offer excellent
timetables on the most popular sections of line. Both train types are equipped
with air-conditioning, electronic doors, the possibility to listen to music or
radio channels, NTM/GSM reception, separate smoking room, and info monitors or
boards. Announcements are given in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Sleeping car compartments are equipped with hot and cold running water. Doors
can be locked and opened with key cards.
Long-distance train in
general have restaurant/buffet cars and public telephones on board.
When planning your journey, remember that distances in Finland are long.
For example, the distance between Helsinki and Rovaniemi is about 900 km! There
are about 6 departures every day and you can choose between a day train (travel
time about 10 hours) and a night train (travel time about 12 hours). From a day
train you can observe the changing scenery, but if you take a sleeper you can
have a good night's sleep and awake refreshed and near the Arctic Circle the
next morning.
Norway: The Rail Network
Norway's rail
network covers more than 4,000 km (2,500 miles), 2,450 kms (1,500 miles) of
which are electrified. About 775 tunnels and more than 3,000 bridges carry the
trains through mountains and across rivers. Most of the lines run through
"tourist country," presenting continuous panoramas of unspoiled scenic beauty.
The best known is the 470 km (290 mile) line that crosses the high mountain
range between Oslo and Bergen. For a distance of about 100 kms (62 miles), the
train runs across a windswept and tree-less mountain plateau, awesome in its
bleak solitude.
The Flam Line winds its way down the mountainsides
from the junction at Myrdal on the Oslo-Bergen line, descending 866 meters
(0.54 miles) in 20 kms (12 miles), to Flam on the Aurlandsfjord. Besides being
a magnificent scenic attraction, it is a masterly feat of railway
engineering.
The journey by the Dovre line from Oslo through the
Gudbrandsdal valley, crossing the Dovre mountains at 1,025 meters (0.64 miles)
above sea level, is a memorable experience. It affords you a cross-section of
Norway's inland countryside, from broad farmlands, lakes and forests to narrow
valleys, green glacial rivers, waterfalls and mountain plateaus, rich in flora
and unique birdlife.
The 114 km (71 mile) Rauma line from Dombas to
Andalsnes almost equals the Flam line, both in grandeur of its wild scenery and
as a triumph of engineering. From Dombas the line snakes through the valleys
and gorges of an alpine massif, down to Andalsnes- at the head of Isfjorden-
encircled by mountains.
The South Coast Line, linking Oslo,
Kristiansand and Stavanger, is another scenic adventure, offering opportunities
to make detours to coastal resorts and the outer islands.
Another
great tourist attraction is the Nordland line. Stretching 730 kms (453 miles)
from Trondheim to Bode, it is Norway's longest main line and one of the few
railways in the world to cross the Arctic Circle.
The Railway's
shortest service main line is the 42 km (26 mile) Ofoten line from Narvik to
the Swedish border. Few 45 minute journeys can offer such a variety and immense
contrasts from the fertile fields and hillsides of the lowlands, with
magnificent vistas of blue fjord and towering peaks, to the wildest of the high
mountain plateaus.
Railways services:
Requiring
reservations -- all express trains, long-distance day trains, IC InterCity
trains, night trains (sleepers as well as seats).
Requiring special
supplements -- sleepers, sleeperettes, the "Salon" of the Express train and
"Business Car" of the IC. In "Signatur" express trains a supplement must be
paid in addition to the first class ticket.
Sweden: The Rail
Network
As Sweden is Europe's third largest country in land area, rail
travel is well-developed as well as a very comfortable way of traveling.
X 2000: Between Sweden's major cities, the tilting high-speed
train X 2000 takes you from city center to city center with an extremely high
service level and comfortable, large seats offering you plenty of space.
Day Trains: Most of Sweden's cities are connected with modern,
high quality day trains with both first and second class coaches. Most of them
have a trolley service or a bistro coach, telephone box, and family cars. In
first class free coffee and Swedish newspapers are included in the service.
Night Trains: Night trains are a convenient way of traveling in a
country of Sweden's size- more than 1,600 km (990 miles) long- for example to
the midnight sun north of the Arctic Circle. You can choose between your own
individual sleeping compartment with toilet, shower, hairdryer, air-conditioned
a.s.o. or a compartment with 2 or 3 beds, in ladies' and mens' versions.
Certain trains have radio and automatic wake-up system. Swedish night trains
always carry a great number of sleeping cars, but of course, also less
expensive couchettes. In the couchettes, you have a choice between a mixed
compartment with 6 beds or ladies-only.
Night train
routes:
Stockholm-Malmo
Stockholm-Ostersund/Storlien + NSB
day train connections to Trondheim
Stockholm-Umea/Lulea/Kiruna/Narwik
Goteborg-Ostersund/Storlien + NSB day train connections to Trondheim
Goteborg-Umea/Lulea + NSB day train connections to Narwik
Cinema
Train: On the "Nordpilen" (Northern Arrow) Stockholm-Kiruna/Narvik, you can
enjoy both a meal and a visit to the only cinema coach in thr worls -- the
combined cinema and bistro car! Films are shown on a large screen in a cinema
with room for up to 32 persons. These services are available on the following
routes: Stockholm-Lulea/Kiruna/Narvik and Goteborg-Lulea. |
