Copenhagen and Stockholm itinerary: 5, 7 and 10 days, planned from Copenhagen.

Train times, fares and ticket prices below are "from" figures or examples checked between 22 and 27 October 2026 against the sources at the foot of this page. Prices change, so treat them as planning numbers. Conversions are rough: US$1 ≈ DKK 6.65 ≈ SEK 9.9 (ECB reference rates, 21 October 2026).

How many days in Copenhagen and Stockholm?

Count the travel day honestly. The train between the two cities takes most of a morning or an afternoon, so on a short trip one day goes to moving. Here is how we would split the nights:

Fewer than five days? Then we would pick one city. Two nights in each with a train day in the middle leaves barely a full day anywhere, and our 3 days in Copenhagen plan will give you more than a rushed double.

The one we would book: 7 days, Copenhagen first

If a friend in the US asked us, we would say: fly into Copenhagen, spend four nights here, take the morning train to Stockholm, spend three nights there and fly home from Arlanda. Four nights in Copenhagen leaves room for the castle day trip most people regret skipping, and three nights in Stockholm covers the old town, Djurgården's museums and an afternoon on the water. Seven nights is also the point where the long flight starts to feel worth it.

Why Copenhagen first? Three reasons. Copenhagen Airport has the wider choice of nonstop flights from the US (SAS, Delta and American Airlines flew 12 routes between Copenhagen and 10 US destinations in September 2026), so landing here usually gives you more flight options and times. Copenhagen is compact and flat, which makes it the gentler city for jet-lagged first days. And the SAS nonstop from Stockholm Arlanda to Newark leaves in the late morning, which suits a last-night-in-Stockholm finish.

The cost of getting it wrong is mostly time. A round-trip ticket into and out of Copenhagen means a second five-and-a-half-hour train ride back from Stockholm, or a short extra flight, on what should be a sightseeing day. An open-jaw ticket avoids that, and it often costs about the same as a round trip.

Flights: book an open-jaw ticket

An open-jaw ticket (also called multi-city) flies you into one city and home from another. Search "US city to Copenhagen" out and "Stockholm to US city" back on the same booking.

• Into Copenhagen (CPH): SAS, Delta and American Airlines fly nonstop from several US hubs. Some routes are summer-only, and the winter schedule started on 25 October 2026, so check the airline's timetable for your dates. Our guide for US travelers covers arrival, money and plugs.
• Home from Stockholm Arlanda (ARN): SAS flies nonstop to Newark six days a week in the winter schedule (SK903, about 8½ to 9 hours), and Delta flew New York–Stockholm in the summer 2026 season. From other US cities you will connect, often in Copenhagen, Amsterdam or London.
• Price: round trips to Copenhagen from New York started from about US$550 on the cheaper dates when we checked in October 2026; our Copenhagen trip cost guide has the full fare ranges. Open-jaw fares move with the same seasons: June and July cost most, January to March and September least.

Compare open-jaw flights to Copenhagen and home from Stockholm (Kiwi.com) →

Copenhagen to Stockholm: the train in the middle

The everyday option is SJ from Copenhagen Central Station: an Öresund train over the bridge to Malmö, then an X2000 high-speed train to Stockholm Central. On the dates we searched, journeys left at 59 minutes past most hours, and the fastest took about 5 hours 35 minutes. For example, the 07:59 from Copenhagen arrived at 13:32 on 19 November 2026. SJ fares for morning trains on our sample dates ran from SEK 646 to SEK 938 one way (about US$65–95).

• No change at all: Snälltåget's one direct train a day leaves København Syd (not Central Station) at 14:57 and reaches Stockholm at 21:17, from SEK 299 (about US$30) if you book 2–3 weeks ahead.
• Short on time: fly. SAS and Norwegian take about 1 hour 10 minutes in the air, but centre to centre it is still 3½ to 4 hours once you add the airports.
• Carry your passport on the train. Sweden checks travellers arriving from Denmark, and its current border-control notice runs to 11 May 2027.

Every option, with the bus and the night train, is in our Copenhagen to Stockholm train guide. Our tip: take a morning train, so you arrive in Stockholm with the afternoon still ahead of you.

The 7-day Copenhagen and Stockholm itinerary, day by day

Day 1: land in Copenhagen, harbour and Nyhavn

Most flights from the US land in the morning. The M2 metro runs from the airport to the centre in about 15 minutes for DKK 30 (about US$4.50), 24 hours a day. Drop your bags, then keep the first day gentle: walk to Nyhavn, take a one-hour canal tour (you can sit down and still see half the city), and have an early dinner. Our airport guide covers the metro and the train.

Arriving tired with children or a lot of luggage? A pre-booked driver at a fixed price is the easier start.

Price a fixed-fare Copenhagen Airport transfer (Welcome Pickups) →

Check Stromma canal tour times and prices (Tiqets) →

Day 2: castles, crown jewels and Tivoli

Start at Rosenborg Castle (DKK 140 online) for the crown jewels and the King's Garden, walk through the old town to Amalienborg for the changing of the guard at noon, and spend the afternoon at the National Museum. In the evening, go to Tivoli Gardens if it is open: its Christmas season runs from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 (closed 24 December), and the next summer season starts on 30 March 2027. Our Tivoli guide has the ticket options.

Check Tivoli Gardens entry tickets for your date (Tiqets) →

Day 3: Kronborg, Hamlet's castle

Take the coastal train to Helsingør (about 45 minutes) for Kronborg Castle, the setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet, and look across the water to Sweden. Back in the city, have dinner in Vesterbro. If castles are not your thing, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is on the same train line. See our Kronborg day trip guide.

A busy day like this is when the Copenhagen Card can pay for itself, because it covers the train and the castle. The 72-hour card costs DKK 1,039 (about US$156); run your own list through our Copenhagen Card calculator before you buy.

Check Copenhagen Card DISCOVER prices (Tiqets) →

Day 4: Christianshavn and a slow neighbourhood day

Cross to Christianshavn for the canals, the free town of Christiania and the spiral tower of the Church of Our Saviour. Eat lunch at a food hall, then spend the afternoon however you like best: a bike ride, a harbour bath in summer, or shopping in the old town. Keep this evening for the one dinner you most want in Copenhagen. Our restaurant reservations guide says which places need booking weeks ahead.

Day 5: the morning train to Stockholm, then Gamla Stan

Take a train at about 08:00 from Copenhagen Central Station and you arrive at Stockholm Central by about 13:30. Check in near the station, then walk ten minutes south to Gamla Stan, the old town: the Royal Palace, the narrow lanes around Stortorget and a fika (coffee and a cinnamon bun) on the way. In the evening, cross to Södermalm for the view back over the water from Monteliusvägen.

Day 6: Djurgården, the Vasa and Skansen

Djurgården is Stockholm's museum island. Start at the Vasa Museum, home of a warship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised almost whole; adults pay SEK 195 from October to April and SEK 240 from May to September (about US$20–24), and under-19s go free. Allow 90 minutes. Then walk to Skansen, the open-air museum with historic houses and Nordic animals (adults from SEK 240 online in autumn; children up to 15 go free). The commuter ferry from Slussen to Djurgården is included in an SL travelcard.

See Stockholm tours, boat trips and tickets (GetYourGuide) →

Day 7: the water, then a last dinner

Stockholm is built on 14 islands, so spend the last full day on the water: a canal or archipelago boat from the city centre (the archipelago timetables are fullest in summer), or the City Hall and Kungsholmen waterfront if the weather turns. Have a farewell dinner, and if your flight leaves in the morning, buy your Arlanda Express ticket ahead.

Day 8: home from Arlanda

The Arlanda Express runs nonstop from Stockholm Central to the airport in 18 minutes. An adult ticket is SEK 340 one way (about US$34), or SEK 199 with an early-bird ticket booked at least 5 days ahead, and children travel free with a paying adult.

The 5-day version

Fly into Copenhagen. Day 1 is the harbour and Nyhavn. Day 2 combines Rosenborg, the old town and Tivoli in the evening (when it is open). Day 3 is Christianshavn in the morning and a free afternoon. Take the 07:59 to Stockholm on day 4 and spend the afternoon in Gamla Stan. Day 5 is Djurgården and the Vasa Museum, and you fly home from Arlanda the next morning. You lose the castle day trip and the slow days, which is the honest price of a short trip.

The 10-day version: add Oslo

With ten nights, turn the trip into a loop of three capitals that never doubles back:

1. Copenhagen, 4 nights, as in the 7-day plan above.
2. The Oslo boat, 1 night. The overnight ferry leaves Copenhagen every day at 16:30 and docks in Oslo at 10:00 the next morning. Every ticket includes a private cabin with its own bathroom, and one-way fares on foot start from DKK 310 per person (about US$47) with two sharing a cabin. It saves a hotel night and is a highlight in itself. Our Copenhagen to Oslo ferry guide covers cabins and check-in. Note that the route has no sailings from Copenhagen on 4 and 6 January 2027, while a ship is in dry dock.
3. Oslo, 2 nights. The Opera House roof, Akershus Fortress, the Munch Museum and the Viking-age collections are the classics.
4. The train to Stockholm. Direct trains from Oslo S to Stockholm Central take about 5½ to 6 hours, with a few departures a day; timetables vary by day of the week, so check SJ and Vy for your date.
5. Stockholm, 3 nights, then fly home from Arlanda.

Compare Copenhagen–Oslo sailing dates (Direct Ferries) →

Where to stay in each city

In both cities, stay close to the main station or the old centre. You will arrive and leave by train, and a hotel within walking distance makes the travel day much easier.

• Copenhagen: Indre By (the old centre) puts you within walking distance of most sights. Vesterbro, right by Copenhagen Central Station, is handy for the Stockholm train and has better-value restaurants. Compare the areas in where to stay in Copenhagen.
• Stockholm: Norrmalm, around Stockholm Central, is a short walk from the train and the Arlanda Express. Gamla Stan is the atmospheric choice, one metro stop south. Södermalm is the relaxed, local-feeling island with good food and views.

Money, transport tickets and passports

• Two currencies. Denmark uses the Danish krone (DKK) and Sweden the Swedish krona (SEK). You rarely need cash in either: cards work almost everywhere, and the Vasa Museum and Skansen are cash-free. Pay in the local currency, not in dollars, when a card terminal asks.
• Copenhagen transport: a City Pass Small covers the metro, buses and trains in zones 1–4, airport included, from DKK 100 for 24 hours.
• Stockholm transport: SL has no zones in the city. A single ticket is SEK 43, a 24-hour travelcard SEK 180 and a 72-hour travelcard SEK 360 (adult fares). The Arlanda Express is separate and not included.
• Passports and entry. Both countries are in the Schengen area, so the same entry rules apply to both, and Sweden also checks passports on trains from Denmark. Check the current rules for US passport holders, including the EU's Entry/Exit System and ETIAS, on the official sites listed in our US travelers guide before you book.

On the ground, we would plan roughly the same daily budget in Stockholm as in Copenhagen. Our Copenhagen trip cost guide has per-day figures and full 3, 5 and 7-day totals in US dollars.

When to go, and the dates that matter

• Christmas (mid-November to December): the most atmospheric time for this pairing. Tivoli's Christmas season runs from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, Copenhagen's Christmas markets fill the old town, and Skansen's Christmas market in Stockholm is open Friday to Sunday from 27 November to 20 December 2026. Days are short, though: plan sightseeing for the daylight hours and markets for the evening. See our Copenhagen Christmas markets guide.
• Summer (June to August): long light evenings, harbour swimming and the best archipelago boats, but the highest flight and hotel prices. Book rooms early for June.
• Spring and September: our favourite value window, with milder weather and kinder fares than summer.
• Train fares: SJ prices move like airfares, so book once your flights are fixed; Snälltåget suggests booking its cheap fares 2–3 weeks ahead.

Not sure about the season yet? Our best time to visit Copenhagen guide goes month by month.

Your next step

Fix the two things that decide the whole trip: the open-jaw flight and your Copenhagen room. Book the flight into Copenhagen and home from Stockholm first, then reserve a room with free cancellation for your Copenhagen nights, before the train and the Stockholm hotel. If you would like the Copenhagen days planned for you, our Copenhagen in 5 Days PDF (€9.97, ≈ US$11.20) has day-by-day plans you can trim to four days, or we can build a custom trip plan around your flight times.

Quick answers

How many days do you need in Copenhagen and Stockholm?

Seven nights is the sweet spot: 4 in Copenhagen and 3 in Stockholm, with the train in between. Five nights works as 3 and 2 at a brisk pace. With fewer than five days, we would choose one city.

Should I visit Copenhagen or Stockholm first?

From the US, we would start in Copenhagen: it has more nonstop routes from US cities, it is a gentle first city when you are jet-lagged, and SAS flies nonstop from Stockholm Arlanda to Newark for the trip home. Book an open-jaw ticket so you do not travel back to where you started.

How long is the train from Copenhagen to Stockholm?

About 5 hours 35 minutes on the fastest SJ journeys from Copenhagen Central Station, with a change in Malmö. Snälltåget's one direct train a day from København Syd takes about 6 hours 20 minutes.

Can I add Oslo to a Copenhagen and Stockholm trip?

Yes, with about 10 days. Take the overnight boat from Copenhagen to Oslo (16:30 to 10:00 the next day), spend 2 nights in Oslo, then take the direct train to Stockholm, about 5½ to 6 hours.

Do I need a passport between Denmark and Sweden?

Yes, carry it. Both countries are in Schengen, but Sweden runs border checks on travellers arriving from Denmark, currently notified until 11 May 2027, and the train companies ask every traveller to be able to show a passport or national ID card.

Sources, checked 22–27 October 2026: train times and fares from SJ's journey planner and Snälltåget, as set out in our Copenhagen to Stockholm train guide (checked 22 October 2026); Sweden's border-control notice from the Council of the EU; Copenhagen nonstop routes from Copenhagen Airport's September 2026 figures, as set out in our US travelers guide; the Stockholm–Newark nonstop from Directflights.com (schedule updated 26 October 2026) and the Swedish Transport Agency's summer 2026 route list; Vasa Museum prices from vasamuseet.se; Skansen prices and Christmas market dates from skansen.se; SL fares from sl.se; Arlanda Express fares from arlandaexpress.com; Oslo–Stockholm trains from SJ and Vy; Oslo ferry from Go Nordic Cruiseline, as set out in our Oslo ferry guide; Tivoli, Rosenborg, Kronborg, Copenhagen Card, City Pass and metro prices as checked on our Copenhagen guides in October 2026. Conversions use ECB reference rates of 21 October 2026.

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