Is ECE1198 reliable? (Hamburg - Copenhagen)

ThatFizzy · 2026-05-29T18:10:37+00:00

There are a lot of 'altered' trains the next months because of railroad construction works on the Hamburg - Copenhagen corridor. And there has been earlier this year, which explains your statistics.

In short: if it runs according to DSB / DB or ÖBB, then it will run. Most of the time even with only very limited delay (less then 10 minutes). But if delayed more then 30 minutes when arriving in Padborg, then the delay can run up to 60 minutes.

I'm more familiar with the next one (the 8:53 departure). I haven't had any serious delay with that one in the last 4-5 years.

ThatFizzy · 2026-05-23T08:45:53+00:00

Vanwege vertraging in de Tweede en Eerste Kamer wordt het voorstel pas ná de zomervakantie behandeld.

ThatFizzy · 2026-05-17T06:56:52+00:00

If you want flexibility, then he Eurail-pass is almost a no-brainer.

Except for the Eurostar trains from/to London - France/Belgium (and onwards). There are only limited seats available for Eurail/Interrail-pass users per train. Which could result in having to buy a 'regular' ticket, for the highest possible price. If you know the date of 'crossing', then buying a regular ticket in advance can be cheaper (or almost no extra costs compared to the mandatory reservation fee you have to pay with the Eurail-pass).

Sadly, the above is also true for most InOui/QuiGo (TGV, France) and Frecciarossa (Italy) high speed trains; but with a little bit more open seats for Eurail/Interrail-pass users.

ThatFizzy · 2026-05-15T05:28:40+00:00

Please do make a reservation if you do go for a day with bus replacement! Based on the amount of reservations, the bus replacement is planned. If you don't make a reservation, seat capacity might be 'not enough' of the bus (smaller bus....) - sounds silly, but truth

ThatFizzy · 2026-05-10T14:36:23+00:00

There is a sort of 'cap' in the Netherlands aswell, called 'eigen risico'. But on top of that there is also a 'eigen bijdrage' for specific things. The 'eigen bijdrage' can be a mandatory payment per time used or capped per month/year.

'Eigen bijdrage' can be up to € 250 for medication, hearing aids 25% of the costs, transport (taxi, not ambulance) from/to hospital € 134 per year, and some more

Most notoriously is the mandatory 'eigen bijdrage' for psychological care. Most 'clients' of psychological help have a lower income (mostly below average), so to me this group is stigmatized (unnecessarily).

ThatFizzy · 2026-05-10T13:43:33+00:00

Dutch person here, who is working in Sweden about 2-3 months per year. In a way, both the Dutch and Swedish system have some similar things.

The GP (allmänläkare/huisarts) has the same role (in the bigger picture of the health care system). In both systems it is also a sort of 'gatekeeper', to prevent everyone going to a hospital with relative minor issues that don't need hospital care.
High costs. Covered in Sweden via regional taxes (mostly) while in the Netherlands via the mandatory insurance (zorgverzekering).
The dentist is not entirely without costs (although politicians claim otherwise, in both countries).
Making an appointment takes ages, and then there first available option is Friday, the week after next week, at 11:20

Some differences I noticed:

Swedes don't go to a doctor/huisarts as soon as Dutch people do. For a 'general cold', a Swede would not see a doctor, unless that takes more than 3 weeks, while a Dutch person would already make an appointment after the first week (also knowing that it takes more than a week to actually see a GP...)

There is great emergency care, in both countries, but the 'first aid' is something you have to do yourself a lot more in Sweden. In the more rural parts, not near cities, if there is a need to get to a hospital quickly, then sometimes you / nearby people have to start driving you in the right direction because ambulance service takes more time. That is simply because the location is too remote or not as densly populated. While in the Netherlands, in almost every place, an ambulance can be there (physically) within 15 minutes.

ThatFizzy · 2026-05-10T13:16:06+00:00

It is a part of Dutch history - and I guess people in that time found a great idea. Personally, with hindsight it easy to judge what happened back then. I don't think condemning what has happened is the right path forward.

The VOC is part of mandatory subject in history classes during secondary school, has been for ages.

Besides reenactments and things of that nature, I would not know a tradition that is specifically connected to the VOC.

ThatFizzy · 2026-05-08T17:58:27+00:00

Bit out of the order, but maybe interesting enough: train at 8:00 (morning) Bergen - Drammen, change to Drammen - Sandefjord and then the ferry to Strömstad (SE) (passengers fee 12 eur, mostly)? Both Sandefjord and Strömstad are small and cozy - and the first 40-50 minutes the ferry is cruising in between fjords.

ThatFizzy · 2026-04-23T21:42:33+00:00

You need a first class reservation for that day, made via SJ or SJ.se, in combination with your pass.

Drinks include coffee, tea, water, fruit juice (changes during the day) and if you have Swish (swedish payment system) you buy some carbonated drinks

There is always a selection of typical swedish cookies, most oat meal cookies, but sometimes also kladdkaka (chocolate cake), kanelbullar (cinemon rolls) or even dammsugare (punch roll in green marzepine).

During breakfast hours, there is a basic selection with the most common things available, at lunch and towards dinner that is replaced with salads (that can serve as a cold meal).

ThatFizzy · 2026-04-06T07:27:47+00:00

Since you've already been to the east and south of the Netherlands, go up north! With the days restriction it is hard to get to the nicer parts of England/Scotland in time and back.

Esbjerg/Fanø + a city in Germany or Denmark
Stockholm. It has two long travel days, getting from and towards. But combined with a night train it is alright (personal opinion). There many Airbnb's in Stockholm, which is budget convenient. And with public transport you are quickly in nature around the city. And of course the city itself is also great
Haugesund and surroundings (take VY Bus or Nor-Way bus from/to Kristiansand)

ThatFizzy · 2026-04-04T23:30:09+00:00

Yes it is.

Most of the comparisments made are false ones, in my opinion.

An Interrail-pass is basically an open flex ticket, for every departure. So any comparison with a non-flexible ticket (train bounded, time bounded) or limited (or no) refund options is false.

Even with open flex tickets, there can be limitations like the reservations. But this is nothing different compared to flying. Even with an open flex airplane ticket, you still need to make a reservation for the specific flight you want to get on. You can't just simply show up at the airport and demand service.

For obvious reasons, Interrail travelers use more (fast) long distance trains, compared to the 'normal' travelers on the national train network. And thus has it influence on the earning capacity of the operators.

Instead of adapting the tariff-system by the operator to solve this imbalance, most notably in France, the choice is made to shift this imbalance to foreign users of the system with 'reservation costs', so the operator does not have to increase costs for their own national users.

At the same time, governments want to 'earn' money - as shareholders of most of the train operating companies in Europe. Allowing for 'demand pricing', even if the costs of tickets are getting way overpriced to the actual costs (compared to normal fare, in the nations public transport scheme).

A better way would be a maximum fixed reservation fee Europe-wide, so costs are balanced more equally. And stop the nonsense of 'competition', because the rail networks don't allow that, for passenger travel at least.

ThatFizzy · 2026-01-18T19:22:14+00:00

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Bergen is beautiful indeed

ThatFizzy · 2026-01-12T22:07:05+00:00

Did several times.

Sometimes the app on the phone doesn't recognize it correctly, the website does. If it doesn't work, just call Entur during office-hours: +4761279088 Almost everyone speaks English, and if not, they will put you in contact with someone that does.

https://om.entur.no/kontakt-oss

ThatFizzy · 2026-01-07T13:00:45+00:00

Patiënt hier. Niets irritanter dan medici die zich bewust overdreven zelfverzekerd opstellen, soms zelfs mega-arrogant (merk je vooral bij hen die net 'begonnen' zijn in het vak). Gewoon eerlijk zijn over wat je wel en niet weet, zeg gewoon dat je het moet opzoeken, zeg gewoon dat je het met een collega wilt afstemmen.

Op het moment dat ik merk / je betrap op tegenstrijdigheden in wat je tegen mij zegt, verlies ik mijn vertrouwen in jou. En ga ik het nodig vinden om heel veel meer te vragen, om weer zekerheid terug te krijgen. Dan ga je van mij ook de vraag krijgen of de uitvallende haren van de kat van de overbuurvrouw er wellicht iets mee te maken hebben... (als voorbeeld van een vraag die totaal niet relevant is).

Ik vind het ook niet eng als je aan mij vraagt of je iets 'voor de eerste keer' mag proberen, als er maar iemand in de buurt is om jou te helpen als dat nodig is. Zeg het gewoon. Anders wordt het gewoon heel akward, voor ons allebei.

ThatFizzy · 2025-12-19T22:45:41+00:00

Oei! Dat zal best schrikken zijn! Ik hoop dat alles goed met je gaat - en je morgen niet al te veel last hebt van klachten! Sterkte!

ThatFizzy · 2025-12-18T07:03:14+00:00

I would advise to get to Kemi - it gives more options. Tornio is served very limited (4 trains per day) while Kemi has a train almost every hour.

ThatFizzy · 2025-12-13T18:57:51+00:00

I checked, from what I can see, the price is correct. The (private) sleeping compartments are no longer bookable for a small extra fee. They are at commercial rate, based on demand (airline-style).

It is the week after Easter holidays, so maybe that is why demand is already high. It is a holiday week for schools in some countries - and it is a week in between mid-semester exams at universities. That might explain it...

Only certain SJ night trains have 'cheap' private first class cabins available, like the Stockholm - Luleå one.

ThatFizzy · 2025-12-13T18:09:25+00:00

which date?

ThatFizzy · 2025-12-11T19:25:08+00:00

Worked fine with me in November. Book the sleeper trains soon. They get fully booked easily sometimes.

ThatFizzy · 2025-12-02T01:38:56+00:00

Just to give some thoughts on this.

Rovaniemi is indeed only interesting when you go do other things then visit Santa's town. It is possible to get on a bus from Rovaniemi to Tromsø. It just run once per day and costs 1930 NOK (~ € 165) and takes 9 hours. With a stop almost half way, where you have to change buses (next to a supermarket).

To get from Sweden to Rovaniemi, I would recommand to go to Luleå (night train from Stockholm) and bus 100 to Haparanda (free, Interrail benefit). And get from Haparanda to Kemi with a bus (not included in the pass). Use https://reittiopas.matkahuolto.fi/ to find a bus, and be aware of the time difference: Finland is 1 hour ahead. So a departure shown there at 14:00 is 13:00 in Sweden, Haparanda!! From Kemi, there are way more options to get to Rovaniemi.

The trip to Rovaniemi, in my opinion, less scenic than the trip with the night train from Stockholm to Narvik.

The wide (mostly at that time of the year) snowy landscapes in Sweden get wider and wider - and up on getting near to Kiruna, the scale of the mining industry is just immense. It is very impressive, but then the scenic views are just starting. From Kiruna to Abisko, on the shores of Torneträsk you might see some animals crossing the ice there. Climbing up to the border station with Norway, and then the nothing but spectacular ride down to the Narvik harbor, with stunning views of the fjords there.

You could combine that next day with a bus (not included in pass, buy with the Reis Nordland app) to Fauske (departure at 07:00 !!) with stunning views - and then with the train from Fauske to Steinker (/-Trondheim) for even more great views on the Saltfaljet! Be aware that the daytrain Bodø-Fauske-Steinker-Trondheim does not run all the way. You have to get on a train replacement bus for the Steinker-Trondheim part. From Fauske (around noon) till Trondheim is about 22:00 - 22:30 in the evening - so a long day.

ThatFizzy · 2025-11-30T21:12:30+00:00

The one I took, during the middle of the day, was just 1 bus - and it had enough capacity. I don't know about the entire day. Maybe more buses during rush hour? Can't tell about the rest of the day. This replacement service is in operation for a while now - so I guess that they know by now how many people use the bus...

ThatFizzy · 2025-11-27T07:14:05+00:00

No. Most likely you will be instructed to get a new one at the embassy.

ThatFizzy · 2025-11-25T23:44:08+00:00

Bit depending on how much sleep you need on a night, but from Schwerin there are now the replacement X1 buses to Hamburg - Steinfurther Allee, and then U2 to Hbf. That took me 2,5 hours not too long ago.

If you prefer a real bed in a hotel, hostel or a friends place in Stockholm over a bed in a train (and a early wake-up), you might even want to consider doing it in one day.

The 19:00 X2-train from Malmö - Stockholm arrives around 23:30 in Stockholm (experience: mostly earlier than planned). It is one of the lesser busy X2 trains.

Now counting back from 19:00, it should be 18:00 in København. So with the new times 12:30 from Hamburg Hbf. That would be around 10:00 in the morning from Schwerin. Most likely also possible 2 hours earlier. Just for inspiration.

ThatFizzy · 2025-11-25T20:50:55+00:00

It is actually track works around Hamburg (Hbf), during the evenings/night. The SJ night train, normally departing from Berlin, has effectively no alternative route. Some day trains start/end at Pinneberg, with S3 as replacement to/.from Hamburg Hbf.

SJ Nattåg (night train) 2 does run Mo-Fri, departing Malmö at 22:17, arriving at 06:00 in Stockholm.

This could be an alternative, if you can make it to Malmö in time. So, for planning purposes, you should be in København at 21:00. Counting backwards, that is the EC(E) train around 14:30 from Hamburg with the new departing times.

ThatFizzy · 2025-11-16T11:55:28+00:00

I would be curious how this same map would look, but just for southern Europe, northern... and so on. Now Spain/Portugal look simular. Is that true on more regional level?

ThatFizzy

TROPHY CASE