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I am a 22 year old male. I will be landing at the Copenhagen Airport on Thursday around noon and from there on have to reach Gothenburg. I don't have any strict time limits about reaching Gothenburg as long as I reach there by 6 am next day. I would like to travel as cheap as possible without overly compromising with comforts. Also, if possible, probably explore Copenhagen in the very limited time that I have. I will have a female friend travelling along with me.

What's the best way to reach Gothenburg under the above criteria and when should I book the tickets for the suggested transport method and from where? Does it make sense to book it now and save some money or book it on reaching Copenhagen to ensure flexibility (which might come in handy if the flight's delayed) without causing a major rise in prices? A fluctuation of under SEK 100 is manageable.

I do not mind buses either. Are buses a good option? For example: Swebus.se shows me a one way bus for about 220 SEK from KÖPENHAMN Ingerslevsgade DGI - GÖTEBORG. So, first question, regarding this, these two stations are Copenhagen - Gothenburg? Secondly, how do I get from Copenhagen airport to the bus stop?

On the contrary, raileurope.com shows me a train for around 750 SEK one way. Thats a huge difference. Are there any cheaper trains available?

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    Rail Europe is not the best site to find the cheaper fares. Try the Danish or Swedish sites instead, links will come up when you search -country name train tickets-
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 17:38

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Yes, "Köpenhamn Ingerslevsgade DGI" is Copenhagen (and Göteborg is of course Gothenburg).

Ingerslevsgade is where most long-distance buses from Copenhagen leave. It's near the central station, just around the corner from the outer end of the S-train platforms. There are frequent train services from the airport to the central station -- continue straight ahead after exiting the baggage reclaim and go down then ramps to Platform 2; all trains from this platform go to the central station. There are ticket machines near the top of the ramps. One trip from the airport to the central station costs 48 DKK.

750 SEK for a train Copenhagen-Gothenburg sounds very expensive. The standard price for an Øresundståg ticket (as shown on oresundstag.se) is 454 SEK. No prebooking required for the Øresundståg trains, which leave every hour during the day. (There are a few faster and more expensive express trains on this route too, but they probably won't concern you).

The relevant timetable for the Øresundståg is at http://www.oresundstag.se/globalassets/tidtabeller/goteborg_halmstad_helsingborg_malmo_kopenhamn.pdf. Note that even though this timetable shows the trains originating at København H (the central station), they actually come from Helsingør, so there are a few additional options for boarding the train in central Copenhagen. The train that is shown as departing from København H at xx:32 actually departs Østerport xx:21 and Nørreport xx:24.

The last train leaves Copenhagen at 20:32, so there should be time to do some exploration of Copenhagen if you so choose -- or take an earlier train and get to bed in Gothenburg earlier if you find on the day you're too tired.

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  • Wow. That was a thoroughly detailed answer. Thanks a ton for that. About the trains, sj.se shows me a SJ High-Speed train for around 300 SEK. Definitely cheaper. Would that be a good alternative to Øresundståg?
    – Paagalpan
    Commented Aug 1, 2015 at 7:09
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    @Nikhar: Sounds like a good offer. SJ sell tickets to their high-speed trains with airline-style pricing -- which is to say, the price fluctuates unpredictably, and you need to book for a specific train in advance -- and sometimes the advance tickets can be cheaper than the ordinary regional train. The high-speed trains are slightly faster than the Øresundståg, but beware that they are tilting trains. They tend to make me seasick, though less so with a window seat in daylight. Not all people are affected that way, though.
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Commented Aug 1, 2015 at 13:45
  • I am pretty sure then that it would make me sick. I have issues in cars and first person games. Terrible motion sickness. :(
    – Paagalpan
    Commented Aug 1, 2015 at 20:37
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There's a train leaving from the Copenhagen Airport terminal at 13:38 next Thursday and you can book direct to Gothenburg. Travel time is about 3 hours.

Regarding the 'tips-and-tricks' part of your question... Alternatively, to take in some local culture, you can catch the train from Copenhagen to Helsingør and check out Kronborg Castle, the traditional setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet (and a great tour spot in its own right). From Helsingør, there's a passenger ferry across to Helsingborg that lets you off almost right at the train station. Trains from Helsingborg to Gothenburg are on Sweden's main trunk and there's regular departures. The travel time on this route (not counting tourist stops) is about 4 1/2 hours.

If you wanted to stay in central Copenhagen, there are trains leaving about every 40 minutes from the main station (24/7). The travel time is about 4 1/2 hours.

There is no particular need to book ahead of time; that decision lies in how you define 'major rise in prices' versus 'flexibility'. Buses are available on any of the above routes and their prices are approximately 20% of train prices.

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    What about buses? Would they be cheaper? I don't mind bus travel either if it means substantial savings.
    – Paagalpan
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 16:50
  • Plus I'm reaching earlier than Friday. So that particular train is out of the question.
    – Paagalpan
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 16:57
  • added plenty more details to clarify the question. :)
    – Paagalpan
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 17:19
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    (+1) one thing to add, Helsingborg itself is very beautiful, you wouldn't mind spending a few hours there before continuing to Gothenburg.
    – downhand
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 20:32
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    Actually, Sweden's "main trunk" railway would be Malmö-Stockholm, which doesn't come past Helsingborg. The trains from Helsingborg towards Göteborg are the same Øresundståg that leave Copenhagen 80 minutes before they reach Helsingborg. (And will in fact have departed from Helsingør earlier, taking over two hours to go "the long way around" from Helsingør to Helsingborg, comparted to 20 minutes for the ferry).
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Commented Jul 31, 2015 at 20:38

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