You can reach Sweden from Germany by train overnight or in a long day, and both work well. But the Berlin sleeper changed hands in September 2026, one of the two night trains stops for the winter, and most guides haven’t caught up.
When you need this
You want a car-free, flight-free trip to Sweden from Germany, the Netherlands, Austria or Switzerland, and you’re deciding between a sleeper and a daytime chain through Denmark. Or you’ve found an older guide that sends you to SJ for the Berlin night train, and you can’t find the train there. Or you’re booking for winter and Snälltåget shows nothing.
The two night trains from Germany
Both trains run the long way round, through Jutland. The Fehmarnbelt tunnel will open for road traffic first and trains later, and no rail opening date has been published.
| RDC EuroNight | Snälltåget | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Berlin–Hamburg–Stockholm | Berlin–Hamburg–Copenhagen–Malmö–Stockholm |
| Operator since | 1 September 2026 (took over from SJ) | Snälltåget’s own train |
| Season | All year | Seasonal: no trains from 7 January until after Easter |
| Northbound | Mon and Fri from Berlin, Wed from Hamburg | Per the operator’s dated calendar |
| Southbound | Tue, Thu and Sat from Stockholm | Per the operator’s dated calendar |
| Classes | Seats, couchettes, sleepers | Seats, shared berths (up to six), private compartments |
| Book at | nachtexpress.de or nattexpressen.se | snalltaget.se |
RDC’s EuroNight is the train SJ used to run. SJ’s last departure was in August 2026, when its state funding ended, and the German company RDC Deutschland took over on 1 September. It runs three nights a week in each direction, but only two of the northbound trains start in Berlin. The Wednesday train starts in Hamburg. The trip takes about 15 hours. Its Swedish stops include Lund, Hässleholm, Alvesta, Nässjö, Linköping and Norrköping, and a Copenhagen South stop is due from the December 2026 timetable.
Snälltåget’s train runs through Copenhagen and Malmö and takes about 16–17 hours. Some departures start in Dresden until early December. It runs most days until late October, on fewer days from November to 11 December, and on selected dates over Christmas. After 7 January it stops until after Easter. For a winter trip, RDC’s train is the only sleeper.
The daytime route via Hamburg and Copenhagen
By day, the trip is three trains:
- Hamburg–Copenhagen: about eight direct trains a day via Flensburg and Jutland, taking about 4 hours 40 minutes. Deutsche Bahn sells tickets about six months ahead.
- Copenhagen–Malmö: the Öresundståg regional train over the Öresund Bridge.
- Malmö onward: SJ or Snälltåget to Stockholm or elsewhere in Sweden.
There is no dependable direct Copenhagen–Stockholm train at the moment. SJ suspended its direct trains in June 2025 and said it would restart them in autumn 2026, but none had been confirmed running when we checked. Plan to change in Malmö until SJ’s timetable shows the train.
Track work also removes trains. Two morning departures from Hamburg to Copenhagen were cancelled from 31 August to 31 October 2026, so always check your exact date in the operator’s planner.
How to book the trip, step by step
- Pick day or night. The sleepers take about 15–17 hours from Berlin or Hamburg to Stockholm. The daytime chain means changes in Copenhagen and Malmö.
- Check the days of operation on the operator’s own site. On some nights only one sleeper runs.
- Book the sleeper first, directly with RDC or Snälltåget. With an Interrail pass, buy the compulsory reservation from the same operator.
- For the daytime chain, book Hamburg–Copenhagen with DB. Seat reservations were compulsory in peak summer 2026 (26 June to 16 August). Then book the Swedish leg with SJ or Snälltåget.
- Ask whether your ticket is a through-ticket. The seller has to tell you before you buy.
- Buy the Copenhagen–Malmö leg as an Øresund ticket from a DSB machine or 7-Eleven at the station, or in Skånetrafiken’s app. A bike needs its own ticket across the bridge.
- Keep your passport or ID card handy for the check at Hyllie.
- If you miss a connection, get a delay confirmation from the late train’s staff.
Separate tickets and missed connections
This is where most chains go wrong. EU rules protect you only if the whole journey is one through-ticket, called a direktbiljett in Swedish. Then a missed connection that makes you 60 minutes late earns 25% of the fare back, or 50% from two hours, and you can choose a refund or rerouting.
Most Germany–Sweden chains are separate tickets, and on separate tickets those EU missed-connection rights do not apply. What does help is the Agreement on Journey Continuation (AJC), a voluntary arrangement between railways:
| Through-ticket | Separate tickets, AJC operator | Separate tickets, other operator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next train at no cost | Yes, by law | Yes, the missed operator’s own next train | No guarantee |
| Compensation | 25% at 60 min, 50% at 120 min | None | None |
| Refund or rerouting | Your choice, by law | Rerouting on that operator only | None |
| Meals, hotel, taxi | See train travel in Sweden | None | None |
AJC members include DB, DSB, SJ, Snälltåget and Vy. RDC and VR, which runs Öresundståg, are not on the August 2026 list. The AJC only puts you on a later train of the company you missed, not a competitor’s. Show that company’s staff the delay confirmation with your original ticket, and screenshot the delay on the board or in the app.
The AJC also expects a “reasonable connecting time”. Use the official planner’s minimum and add a margin.
The ID check at Hyllie
Sweden runs temporary internal border control, and the current decision covers 12 May to 11 November 2026. Trains arriving from Denmark are checked at Hyllie, the first station in Sweden. Öresundståg’s own timetable says to bring valid ID.
- EU/EEA citizens: a valid passport or national ID card.
- Nordic citizens: a Nordic driving licence is usually accepted, but a passport or national ID card is the safe choice.
- On Snälltåget’s night train: every passenger needs a passport, or an EU/EEA national ID card, with a machine-readable zone or chip.
For how this check relates to the EU’s Entry/Exit System, see our EES and border checks guide.
Arriving from Norway or Finland
| From | Train | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oslo → Gothenburg | Vy | About 3.5 hours, daily |
| Oslo → Gothenburg → Malmö | Snälltåget | Daily since 15 June 2026; connects into its Berlin sleeper |
| Oslo → Stockholm | SJ | Five trains a day each way |
| Narvik → Stockholm | SJ night train | Daily; Snälltåget adds a Malmö–Narvik night train from late November 2026 |
| Oulu → Haparanda | VR | 28 trains a week since 10 August 2026; Norrtåg onward |
The Oslo–Stockholm line is slow. It takes about 2.5 hours longer than Stockholm–Gothenburg over a similar distance. Finland is an hour ahead of Sweden, so check the time on your ticket. For the far north, see night trains to Lapland.
Mistakes to avoid
- Booking the Berlin sleeper at SJ. RDC sells it now, through nachtexpress.de and nattexpressen.se.
- Assuming a daily sleeper. RDC runs three nights a week, and Snälltåget stops in winter.
- Counting on the Fehmarnbelt tunnel. It has no rail opening date. Plan via Jutland.
- Leaving 15 minutes in Copenhagen between separate tickets. Use the planner’s minimum plus a margin.
- Bringing a full-size bike on Snälltåget’s sleeper. It takes folded bikes only, as luggage.
- Traveling on a driving licence alone. Carry a passport or national ID card.
Practical information
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Night-train fares | Dynamic by class; live price at nachtexpress.de, nattexpressen.se or snalltaget.se |
| Hamburg–Copenhagen | Dynamic DB fares, sold about six months ahead; about 8 trains a day, about 4 h 40 min |
| Copenhagen–Malmö | Zone-based Øresund ticket; separate bicycle ticket |
| Interrail | Valid on both sleepers with a paid reservation, priced by the operator — see Interrail in Sweden |
| AJC continuation | Free, on the next train of the operator you missed |
| Border control | In force to 11 November 2026; check at Hyllie |
We publish no fares. Every one of them is dynamic.
FAQ
Is there a night train from Germany to Sweden?
Yes, two. RDC Deutschland has run the EuroNight Berlin–Hamburg–Stockholm since 1 September 2026, three times a week each way, all year. Snälltåget runs Berlin–Hamburg–Copenhagen–Malmö–Stockholm on a seasonal calendar that pauses from early January until after Easter. Both take roughly 15 to 17 hours and sell seats, couchettes and sleeper compartments on their own sites.
Does SJ still run the Berlin–Stockholm night train?
No. SJ’s last EuroNight ran in August 2026 when its state funding ended. RDC Deutschland took over on 1 September 2026, and tickets are sold through nachtexpress.de and nattexpressen.se rather than SJ. The train runs three times a week in each direction; the Wednesday northbound train starts in Hamburg rather than Berlin.
How long does the train from Hamburg to Copenhagen take?
About 4 hours 40 minutes, with around eight direct trains a day. The route runs via Flensburg and Jutland because the Fehmarnbelt tunnel has no rail opening date yet. From Copenhagen, Öresundståg crosses to Malmö, where you change to SJ or Snälltåget for the rest of Sweden. Check track-work cancellations for your date.
Can I travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm without changing?
Not dependably at present. SJ suspended its direct trains in June 2025 and said it would restart them in autumn 2026 with a few departures, growing from December. Until SJ’s timetable shows them, take Öresundståg to Malmö and change there. Snälltåget’s night train from Berlin does run through Copenhagen to Stockholm when it operates.
What happens if I miss a connection on separate tickets?
EU missed-connection rights apply only to a through-ticket. On separate tickets, the AJC often helps: DB, DSB, SJ, Snälltåget, Vy and other members let you take their next train free after a delay on an international journey. RDC and Öresundståg’s operator VR are not members. Get a delay confirmation from the late train’s staff.
Do I need my passport on the train to Sweden?
Carry a passport or national ID card. Sweden’s temporary internal border control runs to 11 November 2026, and trains from Denmark are checked at Hyllie. A driving licence is usually enough only for Nordic citizens, and Snälltåget requires a passport or ID card with a machine-readable zone on its night train.
Can I take a bike on the train to Sweden?
Only on some trains. Snälltåget’s night train takes no full-size bikes, only folded ones as luggage. On Öresundståg a bike needs its own ticket across the bridge. Under EU rules each operator must publish its bicycle capacity and rules, so check them for every leg before booking a chain.
Related guides
- Getting to Sweden: every route compared — when flying, the ferry or the car beats the train
- Train travel in Sweden — operators and delay rights once you’re across the border
- Copenhagen Airport to Sweden — Öresundståg tickets and the Hyllie stop in detail
- The Öresund Bridge — the crossing every southern route uses
- Interrail in Sweden — whether a pass beats point-to-point tickets
Facts verified 2026-09-24. Sources: RDC Deutschland, Snälltåget, Öresundståg, DSB, Skånetrafiken, Vy, VR, the European Commission, the AJC railways, Regeringen, Polismyndigheten, Trafikverket and Femern A/S — full register in this topic’s source file. This page is due for review after the border-control decision expires on 11 November 2026 and again at the 13 December 2026 timetable change. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.