By Train
Copenhagen is the main rail hub for service between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. There are three daily trains from Copenhagen to Oslo. All connect with the Danish ferries operating to Norway through either Helsingør or Hirtshals.
Most rail traffic from Sweden into Norway follows the main corridors between Stockholm and Oslo and between Gothenburg and Oslo.
If you plan to travel a great deal on Norwegian railroads, it's worth securing a copy of the Thomas Cook European Timetable of European Passenger Railroads. It's available online at www.thomascooktimetables.com.
Thousands of trains run from Britain to the Continent, and at least some of them go directly across or under the Channel, through France or Belgium and Germany into Denmark, where connections can be made to Norway. For example, a train leaves London's Victoria Station daily at 9am and arrives in Copenhagen the next day at 8:25am. Another train leaves London's Victoria Station at 8:45pm and arrives in Copenhagen the next day at 8:20pm. Both go through Dover-Ostende, or with a connection at Brussels. Once you're in Copenhagen, you can make rail connections to Oslo. Because of the time and distances involved, many passengers rent a couchette (sleeping berth), which costs around £18 ($35) per person. Designed like padded benches stacked bunk-style, they're usually clustered six to a compartment.
Rail Passes for North American Travelers
Eurailpass -- If you plan to travel extensively in Europe, the Eurail Global Pass might be a good bet. It's valid for first-class rail travel in 18 European countries. With one ticket, you travel whenever and wherever you please; more than 100,000 rail miles are at your disposal. Here's how it works: The pass is sold only in North America. A Eurailpass good for 15 days costs $636, a pass for 21 days is $826, a 1-month pass costs $1,025, a 2-month pass is $1,447, and a 3-month pass goes for $1,785. Children under 4 travel free if they don't occupy a seat; all children under 12 who take up a seat are charged half-price. If you're under 26, you can buy a Eurail Global Pass Youth, which entitles you to unlimited second-class travel for 15 days ($415), 21 days ($537), 1 month ($666), 2 months ($942), or 3 months ($1,163). Travelers considering buying a 15-day or 1-month pass should estimate rail distance before deciding whether a pass is worthwhile. To take full advantage of the tickets for 15 days or a month, you'd have to spend a great deal of time on the train. Eurailpass holders are entitled to substantial discounts on certain buses and ferries as well. Travel agents in all towns and railway agents in such major cities as New York, Montreal, and Los Angeles sell all of these tickets. For information on Eurailpasses and other European train data, call RailEurope at tel. 877/272-RAIL, or visit it on the Web at www.raileurope.com.
Eurail Global Pass Saver offers a 15% discount to each person in a group of three or more people traveling together between April and September, or two people traveling together between October and March. The price of a Saverpass, valid all over Europe for first class only, is $538 for 15 days, $700 for 21 days, $870 for 1 month, $1,231 for 2 months, and $1,521 for 3 months. Even more freedom is offered by the Global Pass Saver Flexi, which is similar to the Eurail Saverpass, except that you are not confined to consecutive-day travel. For travel over any 10 days within 2 months, the fare is $639; for any 15 days over 2 months, the fare is $841.
Global Pass Saver Flexi allows even greater flexibility. It's valid in first class and offers the same privileges as the Eurailpass. However, it provides a number of individual travel days over a much longer period of consecutive days. Using this pass makes it possible to stay longer in one city and not lose a single day of travel. There are two Flexi passes: 10 days of travel within 2 months for $639, and 15 days of travel within 2 months for $841.
With many of the same qualifications and restrictions as the Eurail Flexi pass, the Global Pass Youth Flexi is sold only to travelers under age 25. It allows 10 days of travel within 2 months for $489, and 15 days of travel within 2 months for $642.
Scanrail Pass -- If your visit to Europe will be primarily in Scandinavia, the Scanrail pass may be better and cheaper than the Eurailpass. This pass allows its owner a designated number of days of free rail travel within a larger time block. (Presumably, this allows for days devoted to sightseeing scattered among days of rail transfers between cities or sites of interest.) You can choose a total of any 5 days of unlimited rail travel during a 15-day period, 10 days of rail travel within a 1-month period, or 1 month of unlimited rail travel. The pass, which is valid on all lines of the state railways of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, offers discounts or free travel on some (but not all) of the region's ferry lines as well. The pass can be purchased only in North America. It's available from any office of RailEurope (tel. 800/848-7245) or ScanAm World Tours, 108 N. Main St., Cranbury, NJ 08512 (tel. 800/545-2204; www.scandinaviantravel.com).
Depending on whether you choose first- or second-class rail transport, 5 days out of 2 months costs $149 to $298, 8 days out of 2 months costs $180 to $360, 10 days out of 2 months costs $200 to $400, and 21 consecutive days of unlimited travel costs $232 to $463. Seniors get an 11% discount, and students receive a 30% discount.
Rail Passes for British Travelers
If you plan to do a lot of exploring, you may prefer one of the three rail passes designed for unlimited train travel within a designated region during a predetermined number of days. These passes are sold in Britain and several other European countries.
An InterRail Pass is available to passengers of any nationality, with some restrictions -- they must be under age 26 and able to prove residency in a European or North African country (Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia) for at least 6 months before buying the pass. It allows unlimited travel through Europe, except Albania and the republics of the former Soviet Union. Prices are complicated and vary depending on the countries you want to include. For pricing purposes, Europe is divided into eight zones; the cost depends on the number of zones you include. For ages 25 and under, the most expensive option (£277/420€) allows 1 month of unlimited travel in all eight zones and is known to the staff as a "global." The least expensive option (£140/212€) allows 16 days of travel within only one zone.
Passengers age 26 and older can buy an InterRail 26-Plus Pass. The cost varies from £206 (312€) for 16 days to £393 (596€) for 1 month. Passengers must meet the same residency requirements that apply to the InterRail Pass (described above).
For information on buying individual rail tickets or any of the just-mentioned passes, contact National Rail Inquiries, Victoria Station, London (tel. 08705/848-848). Tickets and passes also are available at any of the larger railway stations, as well as selected travel agencies throughout Britain and the rest of Europe.
