Hamburg to Copenhagen - 4th August

[MalaiseForever]

Hi,

I'm trying to make a seat reservation on the 0703 service from Hamburg to Copenhagen on 4th August. However, the DSB website isn't working, nor is the DB website. I also can't get through to DSB on the phone. Does anybody have any suggestions for how I can get a seat reservation on this service as it is compulsory reservation sadly?

I wonder if they haven't confirmed the timetable yet as I know there is engineering works the previous day as the sleeper is cancelled - but they're leaving it pretty late now!

Any wisdom would be gratefully received.

Thank you

 

[stuu]

DB website works fine for me, reservations available on that train

 

[MalaiseForever]

DB website works fine for me, reservations available on that train

Not working for me, do you have a screenshot please?

(Alt text: Image below shows the error message I receive when trying to book the seat reservation)

 

[rvdborgt]

ÖBB gives a clearer overview (and is also cheaper). Only the last 2 departures of that day seem to have availability (16:51, 18:55).
There are earlier options with changes in Flensburg and Fredericia to avoid the mandatory reservations.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Even those trains show as full for me.

Sadly, it has to be the 0703 to make later connections that day to Helsinki.

If the train isn’t running then alternative plans will have to be made, but lack of clarity from the operators is so poor.

 

[rvdborgt]

Even those trains show as full for me.

On tickets.oebb.at? I could get to the payment page there. Although that doesn't necessarily mean success.

Sadly, it has to be the 0703 to make later connections that day to Helsinki.

If the train isn’t running then alternative plans will have to be made, but lack of clarity from the operators is so poor.

Ask them (DSB / DB) via social media whether the trains are fully booked, or whether they're not open for reservation yet.

 

[MalaiseForever]

Ask them (DSB / DB) via social media whether the trains are fully booked, or whether they're not open for reservation yet.

Tried that - waiting for a response and couldn’t get through to them on the phone.

Thanks for the advice, I’ll wait for the rest of the week and then have to plan something else.

 

[BottleTheWater]

It gives me an error on the SBB and DSB websites as well. SBB said that the seats were sold out but then gave me a generic error, whereas DSB initially said that there were problems with the international reservation system (but I clicked on the 3rd by mistake), and when I went through the reservation for your booking it said that the seats might be sold out.

I tried for a different date on DSB and it didn't give me an error up to the payments page. Same for SBB. So it might be that the seats are actually full.

 

[MalaiseForever]

It gives me an error on the SBB and DSB websites as well. SBB said that the seats were sold out but then gave me a generic error, whereas DSB initially said that there were problems with the international reservation system (but I clicked on the 3rd by mistake), and when I went through the reservation for your booking it said that the seats might be sold out.

I tried for a different date on DSB and it didn't give me an error up to the payments page. Same for SBB. So it might be that the seats are actually full.

Yes, I’ve seen the two different errors also. I’m wondering if they haven’t released seats yet due to engineering works the day before and the timetable not being confirmed but the websites are of no use.

 

[BottleTheWater]

Yes, I’ve seen the two different errors also. I’m wondering if they haven’t released seats yet due to engineering works the day before and the timetable not being confirmed but the websites are of no use.

DB shows that the service is expected to be very busy, and DSB warned that the service might be sold out before I went through to try and book it, so there is every chance that the train is fully booked.

 

[MalaiseForever]

DB shows that the service is expected to be very busy, and DSB warned that the service might be sold out before I went through to try and book it, so there is every chance that the train is fully booked.

“Might be sold out” why is so difficult for them to confirm either way? I’ve been trying to book tickets on this service for weeks!

 

[BottleTheWater]

OBB tells me that there are no tickets available on that day between Hamburg and Copenhagen until 16:55.
I managed to go to the payments page on SNCF so maybe try there?

 

[nwales58]

To avoid the res comp you can leave 90 mins earlier, yup 0536, on RE7 to pick up the IC at Padborg or better Kolding.
then danish trains via Fredericia

Ive just booked it for this week, there is as no choice of seats on DB

Edit:wrong advice, this year res comp Schlewswig-Copenhagen rather than Padborg

 

[MalaiseForever]

To avoid the res comp you can leave 90 mins earlier, yup 0536, on RE7 to pick up the IC at Padborg or better Kolding.

Ive just booked it for this week, there is as no choice of seats on DB

Still can't book a seat on it from either Padborg or Kolding

 

[87015]

Have you checked the DSB engineering pages?

 

[MalaiseForever]

Have you checked the DSB engineering pages?

Do you have a link please? The journey planner I see is still staying there are direct bihourly direct trains on the 4th August.

 

[BottleTheWater]

It is possible to get to the payments page on DSB to buy a ticket on your train service E1198 by departing from Ringsted st, so the service is probably still running. I also checked for departure from Padborg St.

Have you tried the SNCF website?

You can buy a train-specific ticket from Hamburg to Schleswig without a seat reservation on DB, and then you can buy a ticket from Padborg St to Copenhagen with a seat reservation on the DSB website. It's just the part between Schleswig and Padborg St that crosses the border which is the problem.

 

[rvdborgt]

Have you tried the SNCF website?

SNCF can't book anything anymore they're not involved in.

You can buy a train-specific ticket from Hamburg to Schleswig without a seat reservation on DB, and then you can buy a ticket from Padborg St to Copenhagen with a seat reservation on the DSB website. It's just the part between Schleswig and Padborg St that crosses the border which is the problem.

This summer, reservations in the Hamburg-Copenhagen ECs are mandatory between Schleswig and Copenhagen, according to the timetable data. It used to be just Schleswig-Padborg, but not anymore. DSB also show that.
However, reservations seem to be open. For the 7:03, I can get to the payment page via ÖBB for Hamburg-Padborg, but not any further (e.g. Kolding).
For Padborg-Copenhagen, I can also get to the payment page on DSB (choose 0 persons and 1 seat on their domestic booking page). Only "family seats" are left it seems.
So don't wait and book now.

 

[MalaiseForever]

SNCF can't book anything anymore they're not involved in.

This summer, reservations in the Hamburg-Copenhagen ECs are mandatory between Schleswig and Copenhagen, according to the timetable data. It used to be just Schleswig-Padborg, but not anymore. DSB also show that.
However, reservations seem to be open. For the 7:03, I can get to the payment page via ÖBB for Hamburg-Padborg, but not any further (e.g. Kolding).
For Padborg-Copenhagen, I can also get to the payment page on DSB (choose 0 persons and 1 seat on their domestic booking page). Only "family seats" are left it seems.
So don't wait and book now.

Amazing - this worked! Thank you so much - I now have a reservation from Hamburg to Padborg with ÖBB and then Padborg to Copenhagen with DSB in the family zone.

This has saved my trip!

Thanks again!

 

[bananas]

For anyone else struggling to book seat reservations along the Hamburg - Copenhagen route, I managed to succeed using DSB's international booking page (https://www.dsb.dk/en/international/) and by splitting the booking at Padborg. I tried various other split points but Padborg seems to be the only one that worked. (Or maybe I just got lucky?).

This means you have to pay for two seat reservations, but it's only 30 DKK each (~£3.50).

I didn't need to choose a "family zone" ticket. It even gave me the same exact seat for both reservations so I don't have to move!