Helsingor, Sweden to Helsingborg, Denmark

[dbh62ark]

Northbound, I hope you and some of your country mates that have been so helpful in providing info on these boards can help me with some questions for this port.

 

I have heard about the ferry from Helsingor to Helsingborg, and we want to try to go to Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark. I don't know whether or not this will be feasible--we're in port from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.--and I'm hoping to obtain the info I need to make a decision.

 

I can't find the ferry schedule on the web. Do you have a site for the ferry schedule? Also, after we arrive in Helsingborg, would our best alternative for transportation from Helsingborg to Hillerod be the train?

 

I assume that we will have our passports back since this will be near the end of the cruise, and I’m also assuming that we will need our passports upon arrival in Helsingor, Denmark even though it is just a 20-minute ferry ride???

 

I was surprised to note that Celebrity is not offering shore excursions, which I want to avoid anyway, to Fredericksborg for our 8/27 sailing. I think Fredericksborg is usually open on Thursdays (we will be there on September 9), so do you know if the castle is closed or if there is another problem?

 

I hope the passengers who are visiting this port in May will post some independent sightseeing info since there isn’t much on CruiseCritic now, but I thought this thread might be helpful in the meantime and might help them to plan their visit.

 

As an alternative, what do you think of Sofeiro Castle? I think I would like Fredriksdal open-air museum and gardens. Are either of these attractions within easy access of the cruise ship docks in Helsingborg?

 

If you have any other advice for sightseeing in this port, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Donna

[swdke]

Hi Donna, I think I can help you out. First, to clarify, I am assuming you're on a celebrity ship that makes a stop in Helsingborg, Sweden? If I am wrong, then I guess what I'll have to write may not fit what you're asking. Also, unless I misunderstood, I think you have the cities mixed, which is very easy to do. To clarify, Helsingborg is in Sweden, and Helsingor is in Denmark. The names of both cities are obviously very similar, plus, you can be in one city and look across the water and see the other, therefore they're easy to get confused.

 

Yes, there are ferries to Denmark from Helsingborg Sweden, and they depart every 30 min. One ferry company is called HH-ferries, and another is Scandlines.

 

If your ship is in Helsingborg from 8 am to 5 pm, you will have plenty of time to get from Helsingborg Sweden to Helsingor Denmark, then go to Hillerod and visit Frederiksborg castle, and back to Helsingborg to visit Kronborg castle in Helsingor, and have time for an ice cream before you take the ferry back to your ship.

 

After your ferry arrives in Helsingor, you'll need to go to the train station, which is conveniently located across the street from the Helsingor train station. How easy is that! The train ride from Helsingor to Hillerod is about 30 min. In taking a brief look at the Danish train schedule, it looks like the train to Hillerod departs every hour, and at 48 min. after the hour. So if you depart at 8:48 am, you’ll arrive at 9:20 am, making it a 32 min. ride. For the return, the train departs at 58 minutes of the hour, and if you were to depart Hillerod at 11:58 am, you would be back in Helsingor at 12:28 pm. These times are according to the current schedule. Come summer, the schedule could change, and maybe there might be more frequent trips, we’ll have to check back then.

 

If you arrive in Helsingor and you missed the train to Hillerod, and have to wait for the next train, no problem. There are pedestrian streets to walk around in Helsingor, and you have to get ice cream at a small ice cream shop called Brostræde Is. http://www.femalenerd.com/denmark/elsinore/brostraede.html It’s located in a narrow alley right by the Hillerod train station. Same situation in Hillerod. If you find yourself finished with Frederiskborg castle, and you have time to kill, then just walk around the pedestrian streets in Hillerod.

 

The walk from the Hillerod train station to Frederiksborg castle is only a 15 min walk. Just look for the signs that have the word "slot." which is the Danish word for castle. Plus, you can ask anyone for directions. I never met a Dane who couldn't speak English.

 

Frederiksborg castle is open every day at 10 am. Frederiksborg is a beautiful castle on a lake, it’s my favorite castle in Denmark, and I can’t wait to go back myself this summer.

 

When you get back to Helsingor, you can walk to Kronborg castle, it’s about a 15-20 min. walk. Be sure to tour the casemates too.

 

The journey from Helsingborg Sweden to Helsingor Denmark, and then on to Hillerod is extremely easy to do. You should have no doubt in being able to easily do this. What makes this so easy is that everything is so close and convenient. In Helsingor, the ferry terminal is next to the train station. In Hillerod, the train station is a short 15 min. walk to Frederiksborg castle. Hence, this is such an easy self-excursion, and a great idea. Have fun!

 

Steve

[dbh62ark]

Steve, do you have a fan club? If so, sign me up! Hee hee hee.

 

Yikes—we are docking at Helsingborg, SWEDEN. Duh—I wish I could change the name of this thread. And I was trying so hard to keep those names straight. We are sailing on the Constellation on August 27, but I think the Constellation calls at that port on other sailings and maybe Princess or Holland calls there too.

 

I am so relieved to know that Frederiksborg is going to be an option because I would much rather go there than anywhere else. Thank you for the detailed information, and it is very helpful. It looks like you sail before us, so if you have links to train schedules or other info after you return, that would be great.

 

Happy travels to you and thanks again.

Donna

[swdke]

if you have links to train schedules or other info after you return, that would be great.

 

Hi Donna,

 

Glad I was able to help. If your ship is in Helsingborg, Sweden from 8-5, you should have no difficulty visiting Frederiksborg castle, as well as Kronborg Castle, and get an ice cream too. You gotta have the ice cream. But I recommend you get off the ship as soon as you can, and make your way to the ferry to Helsingborg, Denmark. Again, the ferries depart about every 20-30 min., and the journey accross is only about 20 min.

 

Sorry that I didn't include it in my first reply to you, but here is the link to the Danish rail/bus travel planner. http://www.rejseplanen.dk/bin/query.exe/en

 

Fortunately, it's in English. Where it says "From:" you can simply type in Helsingor, and in where it says "To:" you can write in either Hillerod, (where Frederiksborg Castle is located) or you can type in Frederiksborg slot. Slot is the Danish word for Castle. Assuming you enter Helsingor as your departure point, and Frederiksborg slot as your destination, next enter the date. However, the date range only goes up to June 30. Remember, in Europe, they enter the date of the week first, followed by the month, then year. Also, for this schedule planner, the day, month, and year are separated by a period. Also, you can select a time. This schedule used the 24 hour time period. So 1:00 PM is written as 13:00. Then click on "Search connection." After you do this, the next screen will indicate, in red, "Your input is ambiguous." Don't worry, this is normal. Back up at the "From:" section, you can click on the down arrow to bring up a pull down list. You can click on "Helsingor Faerge," or "Helsingor Station." Either one works, Faerge is the Danish word for Ferry. If you select Helsingor Faerge as your From location, it's just going to bring up a schedule that indicated you have a 15 min. walk from the ferry to the train station. Remember, I previously indicated the ferry is accross the street from the train station. Now, back up to the "To:" section, bring down the scroll bar and you can either select Hillerod station, or Frederiksborg Slot. If you choose Frederiksborg slot, you will be provided with a schedule which includes a bus number and time from the Hillerod station, to Frederiksborg Slot (Castle). However, Frederiksborg is only about a 15 min. walk. So, I suppose if the bus is there, you could hop on the bus, but if not, it's no big deal to walk.

 

For the travel planner to get back to Helsingor, just do the opposite for directions.

 

I used to live in Denmark, in the Copenhagen area, and have visited Hillerod/Frederiksborg castle, and Helsingor, numerous times. I've even taken the train from Hillerod to Helsingor. I think you should be able to do both castles, Frederiskborg, and Kronborg, in Helsingor. Frederiksborg is more decorative, both on the inside and out. Kronborg is definately more barren on the inside as a comparative. Still, I highly recommend both castles.

 

Now, back in Helsinsborg, Sweden, there is a Keep or tower to view. Also, this past weekend, I discovered there is also the Frederiksdal open air museum and garden, about a 20 min walk from or withing Helsingborg. Here is Frommer's write up: This is among the largest and most complete open-air museums in Sweden, covering some 28 hectares (70 acres) of rolling land within a 20-minute walk east of the town center. The park was built around a manor house constructed in 1787. After going through the main entrance, you can explore the rose garden, which has about 450 different types of roses, all part of one of Sweden's most remarkable botanical gardens. An open-air theater was built in 1927. You also can wander through the French Park and the English Park.

 

Have fun,

Steve

[dbh62ark]

This is just what I was looking for! I've seen the photos of Kronberg castle too and the references to Shakespeare.

 

I was also interested in the open-air museum. We LOVED Skansen in Stockholm and enjoyed the Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo too, so we are very interested in the open air museums. If your ship calls in Tallinn, there is one in Tallinn too.

 

I really appreciate the detailed instructions for using the site to check schedules. It's also great to get personal recommendations from someone who has been there to back up the information in the guidebooks.

 

I have the 2003 Frommers Scandinavia guide, and it was like my bible on a previous trip. I'm a huge fan of the Frommers guides. The 2005 version is coming out in June, so I'll be ordering that prior to our August trip.

 

Oh, I see one of the reasons the names are so confusing. We leave Copenhagen, Denmark at 6:00 a.m. one morning and sail to Helsingborg, Sweden to arrive at 8:00 a.m. in Helsingborg.

 

Thanks again for the time you took to write this for me, and I hope you have a great trip.

 

Donna

[dbh62ark]

If anyone has been this year and has any updates or additional suggestions, I would love to hear them. We leave in a little over two weeks.

 

Thanks,

Donna

[swdke]

If anyone has been this year and has any updates or additional suggestions, I would love to hear them. We leave in a little over two weeks.

 

I am very familiar with Helsingor and have just returned myself. Do you have specific questions that I might be able to help you with?

 

Steve

[swdke]

If anyone has been this year and has any updates or additional suggestions, I would love to hear them. We leave in a little over two weeks.

 

I am very familiar with Helsingor and have just returned myself. Do you have specific questions that I might be able to help you with?

 

Steve

[dbh62ark]

I hope you had a great trip. Did you follow the itinerary above? Did you have any timing issues? What did you like best and least? I am looking forward to Fredericksborg castle and then will have to choose between Kronborg and the Frederiksdal open-air museum. I'm leaning toward that open-air museum because I'm an avid gardener and would love to see those gardens. Did you go to the open-air museum? Or did you stay with the plan of Kronborg and Fredericksborg?

 

Thanks for answering the request for an update, and I look foward to your reply.

 

Donna

[swdke]

I hope you had a great trip. Did you follow the itinerary above? Did you have any timing issues? What did you like best and least? I am looking forward to Fredericksborg castle and then will have to choose between Kronborg and the Frederiksdal open-air museum. I'm leaning toward that open-air museum because I'm an avid gardener and would love to see those gardens. Did you go to the open-air museum? Or did you stay with the plan of Kronborg and Fredericksborg?

 

Hi Donna, yes, it was a fantastic trip, but very exhausting. Still, I'd do it all over again. We did visit Frederiksborg, and Kronborg, but we rented a car. There was just so much I wanted to see in a day, that for us, renting a car was the best option. We did a pre-stay in Copenhagen before the cruise, and it was during a day before the cruise when we rented the car from the hotel's location. But for you, if I recall, your ship stops at either Helsingor in Denmark, or maybe it was Helsingborg in Sweden for a day. If your ship does stop in Helsingborg, Sweden, the ferry will take you to Helsingor, Denmark. Ferries depart every 30 minutes, and there are two ferrie companies offering this ferry service. The ferry for the Scanlines service, has a walkway to the train station which is just accross the street, but the other ferry company is also very close by.

 

There is an small, narrow, alley accross from the train station with a "hole-in-the-wall" size ice cream shop. You'll need Danish Kroners as they don't take credit cards or any other currency. Have them put the whipped cream on top, with the strawberry jam, and ask for the chocolate cream ball on top too.

 

Of the two castles in Denmark, Frderiksborg in Hillerod, and Kronborg in Helsingor, Frederiksborg is my favorite. But Kronborg has the casemates which is like the dungeon which was cool too.I am not familiar with the open-air museum, but you should go with your interest. If you enjoy gardens, then you may want to make visiting the open-air museum a priority.

 

I'd be glad to help you with specifics and any other questions.

 

Steve

[karenam]

Steve,

How do you pronounce Kroners? I have looked everywhere and cannot find the correct pronouncation. Also, which car rental agency did you use in Copenhagen and approx. what is the cost?

 

We will be in Copenhagen 5 weeks from today. We sill sail on the Westerdam on 9/18.

 

Thanks, Karen

[swdke]

Steve,

How do you pronounce Kroners? I have looked everywhere and cannot find the correct pronouncation. Also, which car rental agency did you use in Copenhagen and approx. what is the cost?

 

We will be in Copenhagen 5 weeks from today. We sill sail on the Westerdam on 9/18.

 

Hi Karen, the Danish currency is called the "Kroner." Sweden also calls their currency Kroner too, but it's a different currency. Kroner is pronounced pretty much the way it looks, pronounced "crow ner"

 

We rented with Hertz, but the hotel's concerge made the reservations for us, and we were able to get a little better rate than through the web site. I just emailed the hotel, asked for the concerge and they were very helpful. We stayed at the Copenhagen Marriott, which was a wonderful hotel. We rented the car for one day, and get ready for a shock, the rate is was $158 for one day. I knew in advance it was going to be this expensive.

 

Denmark has an excellent transportation system. Are you sure you might need a car? The reason I did was because I used to live in Denmark, and wanted to show my parents where I once lived, plus, I had a long list things I wanted to show my parents, therefore, getting around for us required a car. But for the normal tourist, visits to the country to places like Hillerod to visit Frederiksborg castle, or to Helsingor to visit Kronborg castle, you can do this far cheaper and easier by train.

 

If you have further questions, just ask, I am happy to help.

 

Steve

[karenam]

Steve,

Thank you for the clarification. I was told it was pronounced "crown".

We are planning on using the trains & buses. The day we arrive we are going to Dragor for dinner. Wednesday we will go to Roskilde and Thursday to see the northern castles. Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning we will see Copenhagen with friends.

I have already gone to "Rejseplanen" website and printed our itineraries with trains and buses. We are staying at a Bed and Breakfast a 2min walk from the Legravsparken Metro Station. Thanks again, Karen

[dbh62ark]

But for you, if I recall, your ship stops at either Helsingor in Denmark, or maybe it was Helsingborg in Sweden for a day. If your ship does stop in Helsingborg, Sweden, the ferry will take you to Helsingor, Denmark. Ferries depart every 30 minutes, and there are two ferrie companies offering this ferry service. The ferry for the Scanlines service, has a walkway to the train station which is just accross the street, but the other ferry company is also very close by.

 

There is an small, narrow, alley accross from the train station with a "hole-in-the-wall" size ice cream shop. You'll need Danish Kroners as they don't take credit cards or any other currency. Have them put the whipped cream on top, with the strawberry jam, and ask for the chocolate cream ball on top too.

 

Steve

Yes, the Constellation is docking in Helsingborg, Sweden. Thanks to you and my Frommers guide, I'm really looking forward to this port. Thanks again for all the great information, and I'm now looking foward to that ice cream!

 

:) Donna

[swdke]

Steve,

Thank you for the clarification. I was told it was pronounced "crown".

We are planning on using the trains & buses. The day we arrive we are going to Dragor for dinner. Wednesday we will go to Roskilde and Thursday to see the northern castles. Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning we will see Copenhagen with friends.

I have already gone to "Rejseplanen" website and printed our itineraries with trains and buses. We are staying at a Bed and Breakfast a 2min walk from the Legravsparken Metro Station. Thanks again, Karen

 

Hi Karen, the "crown" is the English translation of Kroner. I am impressed with your plans, you have done a great job. You're going to have a great stay, enjoy Denmark.

 

Steve

[Mapu]

We will be in Copenhagen for 3 days prior to our cruise. We spent a full day in the city a few years ago at the end of a cruise so I am thinking that it might be fun to do a day trip from Copenhagen on the Sunday prior to boarding the ship . Any suggestions? Helsingor could be an option. Thanks for your help.

[north-bound]

Steve, I am so happy that you were here to answer this question. Never could I have given such great answers in this case.

 

I live in Stockholm and although of course I have been to southern Sweden and to Denmark I am not at all as familiar with this part of the world as Steve is. Usually I try to answer questions about all Sweden as well as I can, but my main knowledge is about Stockholm and the area around the city.

 

Hope everybody visiting my country will have a good time here.

[dbh62ark]

My husband and I are thrilled to be returning to your city this year, and what a glorious place to visit! You've been a great ambassdor for your city on these boards. Thank you for the advice that you provided on other threads, and we are very grateful to Steve for his advice too.

 

Donna

[Mapu]

Steve, I am so happy that you were here to answer this question. Never could I have given such great answers in this case.

 

I live in Stockholm and although of course I have been to southern Sweden and to Denmark I am not at all as familiar with this part of the world as Steve is. Usually I try to answer questions about all Sweden as well as I can, but my main knowledge is about Stockholm and the area around the city.

 

Hope everybody visiting my country will have a good time here.

 

What are our transportation options from Nynashamn into Stockholm other than the train? Is there a bus?

[swdke]

We will be in Copenhagen for 3 days prior to our cruise. We spent a full day in the city a few years ago at the end of a cruise so I am thinking that it might be fun to do a day trip from Copenhagen on the Sunday prior to boarding the ship . Any suggestions? Helsingor could be an option. Thanks for your help.

 

If you'd like more information on Copenhagen, and suggestions on what to see and do, this "Wonderful Copenhagen" board has some good information. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=120370

[dbh62ark]

I hope I can impose on you to answer one more question. My husband and I were in Copenhagen a couple of years ago for two days and got to see all the highlights, so when the Constellation docks in Copenhagen the day before our stop in Helsingborg, my husband is thinking that he would like to take a train from Copenhagen to Helsingor to go to the Technical Museum of Denmark (Danmarks Tekniske Museet). Since we already have a full day planned for Helsingor/Helsingborg, I think this is a good way for him to see some additional sights in Helsingor while I'm at the Glyptotek art museum, which is under renovation but still has a lot of Impressionist paints on display, and other things that he probably won't enjoy as much.

 

Since this will be a different routing to Helsingor from Copenhagen (instead of from Helsingborg where we will be the next day), I'm looking at this from a different perspective. I see a Central Railway Station near Tivoli on my map, so is that where he would need to go to catch the train to Helsingor? I've been using the rail web site that you listed for scedules, and I'm also wondering if RE 2053 is a train number???

 

Also, if you have been to the technical museum and have an opinion, I'd love to hear what you think.

 

Thanks for all your help because some planning in advance helps us to make best use of our time in port.

 

Donna

[Alessandro]

Here´s the link to the Helsingör-Helsingborg ferries http://www.hhferries.se/index.asp?IdSection=236&show=news