How do you choose between visiting two incredible Scandinavian cities or two fantastic countries for that matter?
A trip to Scandinavia could include anything from days exploring Gothenburg — the second largest city in Sweden, to an afternoon learning about Hans Christian Andersen in Copenhagen.
Every part of the Nordic landscape has something unique to offer. That’s why many people visiting Scandinavia book multi-destination trips to help them see as much as possible.
If you’re keen to see the fjords and mountains of Norway with a visit to Oslo, but you don’t want to miss out on the heritage or history of Copenhagen either, then why not combine the two?
The journey between Oslo and Copenhagen is a little lengthier than the trip from Copenhagen to Stockholm, for instance — but it’s well worth the effort.
Here are some of the ways that you can get to Oslo from Copenhagen.
How to get from Oslo to Copenhagen
Copenhagen and Oslo are both beautiful Scandinavian cities, and the capitals of their respective countries, Denmark, and Norway.
Oslo is a wonderful place to visit if you’re looking for live music festivals and art exhibitions. In this natural wonderland, you can hike through the mountains, explore the fjords, and even check out some amazing architecture.
In Copenhagen, you might spend an afternoon checking out one of Denmark’s incredible historical castles. Or you could check out the story of some of Denmark’s most famous residents, like Hans Christian Andersen.
Unfortunately, since Oslo and Copenhagen are around 600km apart, you probably won’t be able to jump between the two locations on a day trip.
However, there are plenty of ways to travel if you’re willing to spend a bit more time. We’d recommend setting aside at least a few days for both Oslo and Copenhagen to make the most of your visit.
How to get from Oslo to Denmark by bus
The bus from Oslo to Copenhagen starts at the Schweigaards gate and ends up in Ingerslevsgade. This is the most direct route, available from companies like Flixbus and Nettbuss.
Both of these companies are popular choices for Scandinavian travel, as they offer comfortable busses with tons of extra features.
A Nettbuss or Flixbus ticket will come with access on an on-vehicle toilet, as well as free Wi-Fi connectivity, electrical sockets for your devices, and tons of legroom. The price of a trip is quite low, often starting at around £22, depending on when you book.
If you want to save some cash on your cross-country journey, we recommend taking one of the evening trips.
Sleeping on the bus from Oslo to Copenhagen will save you the cost of paying for another night in a hotel. On average, the journey will take around eight hours — which is plenty of time for a nice snooze.
Most busses will also give you an occasional break so you can grab some food and stretch your legs.
How do I get from Oslo to Copenhagen by train?
Getting from Oslo to Copenhagen by train often means that you get to see a lot more scenery than you would on a bus. However, it’s worth noting that there’s no direct train between Oslo and Copenhagen.
You’ll need to split your journey into two legs, often with a stop somewhere in the middle, at Gothenburg.
Trains from Oslo to Copenhagen take around as long as a bus journey, with each leg lasting around four hours (eight in total). Your journey might be a little longer if you decide to stick around and see some of the sights in Gothenburg, of course.
Tickets for an Oslo to Copenhagen train are often a little more expensive than those for a bus, as you get a lot more comfort from the train. However, booking an advance can save you some cash.
There are usually around 7 trips between Oslo and Copenhagen every day on the rail lines. Your choice of train companies will include InterCity, X2000, and Intercités.
Taking the Oslo to Copenhagen ferry
If you’ve got plenty of time to spare, and you don’t mind traveling overnight, then you could consider going from Oslo to Copenhagen by ferry.
Ferries run from Oslo to Copenhagen on a regular basis, often for a price of around £80 per person, depending on the cabin you want, and the time of year you’re booking for.
DFDS Seaways offers a regular overnight ferry that can take up to 17 hours to get from one destination to the other. However, you do get the comfort of traveling in your own cabin here.
Many of the DFDS ferries are also pet friendly and come with restaurants on board where you can enjoy a meal during your trip.
If you feel like spicing up your trip even more, DFDS ferries also covers various other water-based crossings around Scandinavia too. You could go from Oslo to Fredrikshavn, to Copenhagen, to Kiel, and more.
Can you fly from Oslo to Copenhagen?
If you’re tight on time and you want to spend as much time in Copenhagen as possible, you might prefer to travel by air. The Oslo to Copenhagen flight is the shortest way to travel between Denmark and Norway.
Usually, a non-stop flight from Norwegian Airlines or SAS will take around an hour and ten minutes to reach its destination.
If you book outside of peak times, then you should be able to get a flight ticket for just a little more than you’d spend on a ferry trip. Although flights from Oslo to Copenhagen will cost you much more than a bus or train, you’ll get where you need to be a lot faster.
Can you drive from Oslo to Copenhagen?
If time isn’t an issue, and you’re keen to soak up as many sights and experiences as possible on your journey from Oslo to Copenhagen, travel by car.
When you drive from Oslo to Copenhagen yourself, you can stop wherever you want and check out places along the way. You also have the freedom to rest between the legs of your trip if you like.
Getting from Oslo to Copenhagen by road will usually take you between six or seven hours.
Remember, if you’re going through toll roads, you’ll need to keep some spare cash handy. It’s also essential to make sure you know how much fuel you need for the journey.
Be careful if you’re hiring a car to drive from Oslo to Copenhagen. Some companies will ask you to pay more if you aren’t planning on driving the car back to the place you rented it from. You may also need to pay extra for taking a vehicle between countries.
Tips for getting from Oslo to Copenhagen
The cheapest way to get from Oslo to Copenhagen is usually to buy a bus ticket. It takes around 8 hours to complete your journey, but the busses in Denmark and Norway are often quite impressive.
You could always look for opportunities to stop along the way too.
If you’re looking for speed, then the quickest way to get from Oslo to Copenhagen is to fly. Following that, your best choice will be to drive. This will give you complete control over how often you stop.
The distance between Oslo and Copenhagen is around 375 miles, so there’s plenty of opportunities to take a break and see some extra sights along the way.
Train journeys offer a cheap and easy way to get between Norway and Denmark, but there’s no direct route between Oslo and Copenhagen right now.
Good luck planning the perfect multi-destination trip throughout Norway and Denmark. To learn more about the places you should visit, check out the other articles here at Scandification.
Scandification: Discovering Scandinavia.
