Speed your way to London on these swanky new sleepers!
If you love London but can’t help but feel the shame of catching a polluting flight, then hold on, because your day is about to get a whole lot better. Swedish authorities have announced new railway plans, which mean you could easily eat dinner in Copenhagen and make it to London for brunch the next morning. And we can only assume that it works in reverse, too.
Plans are now set for these swish overnight sleeper trains to whizz you from Malmö to the German city of Cologne in no time at all. The new timetable proposes passengers leave Malmö at 7.40pm, cruise into Copenhagen at 8.40pm (that’s where our interest begins!), and then arrive in Cologne for 6am, after a good night’s sleep.
Followed by a little help from the trusty Eurostar, you could find yourself in the Big Smoke—at London St. Pancras, to be exact—by 11.57am: the perfect time for a poached egg and a cup of artisan coffee, I’d say.
These railway developments come as part of the Swedish government’s initiative to aid the climate crisis. Set to start in 2022 or 2023, these super-speedy trains are hoping to serve as an alternative to short-haul flights. According to independent research, choosing to travel by train rather than by plane can vastly reduce your carbon-footprint and the damage done to the environment.
Since the ferry service between the UK and Denmark is no more, a plane became the most convenient way of getting to London – unless you were prepared to endure two full days of rail travel. But thankfully, that’s all about to change!
While Trafikverket, Sweden’s rail infrastructure manager, iron out all the details, you might be after some inspiration to get planning your trip to London. So, here are Secret London’s 500 best things to do in London, which should be more than enough to go on until these sleeper trains are ready and raring to go!