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Tailor Made Rail · Tailor-made independent rail holiday

London to the Arctic Circle by Rail

London to Bodø on rail and ferry, crossing four countries northward.

Illustration of London to the Arctic Circle by Rail

London to the Arctic Circle by Rail is an 11-day independent journey operated by Tailor Made Rail that carries you overland from London northward through Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, then into Norway and above the Arctic Circle. You depart London on Eurostar and an ICE train, cross the Oresund Bridge into Sweden, and arrive in Oslo for a two-night stay, where you can visit the Royal Palace and the Viking Ship Museum. From Trondheim, you board the Hurtigruten Coastal Express for an overnight cruise in a Polar Inside cabin, sailing past coastal scenery to the Arctic town of Bodø. All train travel in standard class, nine nights of hotel accommodation with breakfast, and seat reservations are included; Tailor Made Rail sends tickets by email and will reroute you if strikes disrupt your journey. The package suits repeat rail travellers comfortable with multiple train changes and independent explorers who value free time in cities to discover on their own. Low-season departures run November through March; high-season runs April through October.

What to know before you look closer

  • The return flight from Bodø to London is not included; you arrange and pay separately.
  • Hotels are listed as examples ('or similar'); your final accommodation depends on what Tailor Made Rail secures for your dates.
  • Single supplements apply if you travel alone and occupy a room solo; the exact cost is not stated in the pack.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Hotel Mondial am Dom MGallery (or similar), Cologne

    London to Cologne

    Late-morning Eurostar from St Pancras to Brussels, then a German ICE train east into Germany, arriving in Cologne in time for dinner.

  2. Day 2railovernight: First Grand Hotel (or similar), Odense

    Cologne to Odense

    InterCity train north, changing at Hamburg Hbf and continuing through Schleswig-Holstein into Denmark, arriving at Odense.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Hyatt Place Gothenburg (or similar)

    Odense to Gothenburg

    Danish domestic service to Copenhagen, then a train over the Oresund Bridge into Sweden, up the west coast to Gothenburg.

  4. Day 4overnight: Thon Opera Hotel (or similar), Oslo

    Gothenburg to Oslo

    Twice-daily service out of Gothenburg into Norway, arriving by evening in Oslo for a 2-night stay.

  5. Day 5overnight: Thon Opera Hotel (or similar), Oslo

    Oslo

    Full day in Oslo, capital of Norway since the 14th century, including the Royal Palace and the Viking Ship Museum.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Clarion Hotel Trondheim (or similar)

    Oslo to Trondheim

    Domestic Norwegian train north past Lillehammer into the port-city of Trondheim for a 2-night stay.

  7. Day 7overnight: Clarion Hotel Trondheim (or similar)

    Trondheim

    Explore the Nidelva River, the Trondheim Museum of Arts and the medieval Sverresborg Fort.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Aboard Hurtigruten (Polar Inside cabin)

    Overnight cruise Trondheim to Bodø

    Head to the port for an overnight sailing with the Hurtigruten Coastal Express, enjoying the passing scenery from the lounges.

  9. Day 9overnight: Home Hotel Grand Bodø (or similar)

    Arrive Bodø

    Arrive into the city of Bodø the next day.

  10. Day 10overnight: Home Hotel Grand Bodø (or similar)

    Bodø

    Explore Bodø's mountain backdrop; kayaking, golfing or a boat tour through the archipelago, or visit Kjerringøy.

  11. Day 11

    Bodø to London

    Final morning in Bodø before making your way to the airport for the flight home (not included).

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Late-morning Eurostar departs St Pancras for Brussels, then an ICE train carries you east into Cologne, arriving in time for dinner.
  • Day 5Full day in Oslo, capital of Norway since the 14th century, including the Royal Palace and the Viking Ship Museum.
  • Day 8Overnight sailing aboard the Hurtigruten Coastal Express in a Polar Inside cabin, watching coastal scenery pass from the lounges as you sail north toward the Arctic Circle.
  • Day 10Explore Bodø under the mountain backdrop; choose kayaking, golfing, a boat tour through the archipelago, or a visit to the fishing village of Kjerringøy.

Included

  • All rail journeys, in standard class
  • Seat reservations where required
  • 9 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • An overnight journey aboard Hurtigruten in a Polar Inside cabin
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email
  • Proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions

Not included

  • Return flight from Bodø (not included)

Questions travellers ask

What trains are included?
All rail journeys between London and Bodø in standard class with seat reservations where required. Named trains include Eurostar (London to Brussels), ICE (Brussels to Cologne), Danish and Swedish domestic services, Norwegian domestic service to Trondheim, and the Hurtigruten overnight cruise from Trondheim to Bodø.
Is this guided or independent?
Tailor Made Rail describes it as a tailor-made independent rail holiday. You receive tickets and documentation by email; days in Oslo and Trondheim are free to explore on your own. There is no group escort.
What accommodation is included?
Nine nights in handpicked hotels (Mondial am Dom MGallery in Cologne, First Grand Hotel in Odense, Hyatt Place Gothenburg Centre, Thon Opera Hotel in Oslo for two nights, Clarion Trondheim for two nights, and Home Hotel Grand in Bodø), plus one night aboard Hurtigruten in a Polar Inside cabin. All include breakfast except the ship.
When can I travel?
The package runs year-round, with low-season pricing from November to March and high-season pricing from April to October.
How much does it cost?
From GBP 1,449 (approximately USD 1,935) per person in low season; from GBP 1,649 in high season. Prices are based on two people sharing a room. First-Class upgrades on all rail legs cost from GBP 200 per person.
What is not included?
The return flight from Bodø to London. Meals other than hotel breakfast are not included.

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