How to Book Train Travel From Bern to Hamburg

As the second-largest city in Germany and a major European port city, Hamburg is a popular destination for leisure and business travelers alike. By rail from Bern, the InterCity Express (ICE) train will take you through the heart of Germany before arriving at this historic city on the Elbe. Follow these steps to start planning your trip.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A passport
• An Internet connection

Plan Your Trip from Bern to Hamburg

1. Look at the Swiss Railways timetable for this route to determine which trip works best for your schedule. Pay attention to arrival times as well as the departure times for each train listed. Some trains will leave earlier yet arrive later due to different connections and layovers.
2. Look at several of the trip possibilities and the layover cities featured on each route. Because this is such a long trip (nearly 8 hours at a minimum), a side-trip to a city along the way may be worth checking out. Cities like Mannheim and Frankfurt are popular destinations that can be easily accessed along the route to Hamburg. They're already connection cities where you'll be stopping anyway.

Book Your Trip from Bern to Hamburg

3. Access the Rail Europe site (see Resources below) before you leave on your European vacation if possible. This site is made for American train travelers in Europe. Rail Europe can mail your tickets or rail passes to your home address in less than a week.
4. Log onto the English-language version of the Swiss Railways Web site if you're currently in Switzerland and would like to book your tickets online. This Web site provides all pertinent information, including timetables, booking information and services available on the train. Book your ticket here, print it out and you're ready to travel.
5. Travel to Basel first and then take the "CityNightLine" train for an overnight travel experience to Hamburg. The overnight train glides smoothly through the night and features several different sleeping accommodations for travelers of different means. For the budget minded, a 6-bunk couchette will be the best option. Those with a bit more expendable cash may choose an upgrade to a single-bed private cabin.
6. Call Rail Europe at 877-257-2887 to book train tickets from Bern to Hamburg by phone.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan on taking a night train, make sure and book early to ensure availability of sleeping accommodations.
• Travel by day unless you want to spend a few middle-of-the-night hours in a German train station!