Train Travel on the Baltic Sea
There are many ways to travel to your holiday destination on the Baltic Sea. Travelling by train to the Baltic coast is one of these options, and one of the oldest. Before the widespread use of automobiles, most holidaymakers of the time travelled to the Baltic coast by train. For example, at the beginning of the 20th century, the island of Usedom could be reached from Berlin by rail in less than three hours. There were similarly fast connections from Berlin to Rostock and from Hamburg to Lübeck Bay. At the same time, narrow-gauge railways were built along the coast on the island of Rügen and from Bad Doberan to Kühlungsborn, as well as in what was then Farther Pomerania, now the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Today, most of these small railway lines are chiefly attractions; in terms of transport, they could easily be replaced.
Schmalspurbahn Molli in Bad Doberan
Photo: © Wikimedia / simon tunstall CC BY-SA 3.0
Train travel today
Some regions of the Baltic coast are served as termini by long-distance train routes from southern starting points only during the summer season. These include the Baltic islands of Rügen and Usedom, as well as coastal cities such as Rostock. However, with the growing number of cars, coastal and local rail services around the Baltic Sea and its various regions are becoming attractive again. Rail operators are also catering to holidaymakers’ specific needs, for example by allowing bicycles on board or offering combined tickets that can be used on other local transport services or even on excursion boats. There are also special ticket deals for travel to the Baltic coast, including time-limited offers for groups.
