Bicycles are the most popular means to get around in Denmark. Bike paths cut across the country, and all Danes are used to bikes as a means of transportation. You can rent a bicycle for a short stay in Denmark or buy a second hand bike. Major supermarkets offer new but cheap bikes from around DKK 1,500. You can also buy a second-hand bike at police auctions around the country. For the times and locations of the next auction, contact your local police station. During the summer, Viborg, Aarhus and Copenhagen provide city bikes parked in the city centre which you can use free of charge.
In Denmark, cycling is a practical means of transportation. We cycle to work, to school, when we bring the kids to kindergarten, to keep in shape and not least - we cycle because it is fun. Therefore, there is a vast network of cycle paths and routes throughout Denmark which makes life easier and better for cyclists.
Find out more about cycling in Denmark at Visit Denmark or find information on where and how to buy a bike here.
Abildskou Coaches operates within Denmark and offers a cheaper alternative than the train. The service between Copenhagen and Aarhus, Silkeborg and Viborg is the Line 888 which runs several times a day, with certain buses going directly from Copenhagen Airport, others from Valby train station west of Copenhagen. Valby station is easily reached by S-trains and regional train connections.
City buses (easily recognised by their yellow colour) are run by the five regional public bus companies. You can buy multi-ride tickets and season cards in most kiosks and supermarkets. In Aarhus you can only buy multi ride tickets online via the Midttrafik app. Please note that city buses usually don’t accept credit cards, so you will need to have cash to hand. Usually, you can buy the ticket in a self-service ticket machine in the bus. A train ticket often includes a free ride with connecting city buses – ask the bus driver if your train ticket is valid for the bus. The Rejsekort (electronic travel card) can be used in a growing number of regional buses. Please note that you cannot bring a bike with you in a city bus.
Regional buses are also run by the five regional public bus companies. Regional buses connect smaller cities and the countryside with public transport to major cities, train stations etc. The frequency of regional buses varies a lot depending on the day of the week, time of the year and whether it is day or night. Multi-ride tickets and season cards can be purchased in most kiosks and supermarkets. Please note that regional buses don’t accept credit cards, so you have to pay in cash. The Rejsekort can be used in a growing number of regional buses.
DSB runs national train connections throughout the country with frequent services.
When travelling on a weekend or with lots of luggage, you are strongly advised to pay a small additional fee to book a specific seat. Tickets can be bought at the station (in the kiosk or at self-service ticket-machines), online or through the DSB mobile app. Please note that it is not possible to buy tickets on the train. It is important that you purchase your ticket before boarding the train. Otherwise, you risk being fined DKK 750.
You can buy discount tickets called DSB Orange which are considerably cheaper (but less flexible) than regular tickets. The DSB Orange should be bought well in advance.
For information on ticket prices and timetables, contact the DSB Customer Centre at +45 7013 1415 or book your tickets online at: www.dsb.dk or via the www.journeyplanner.dk.
Here are the best ways to get from Copenhagen (Kastrup Airport) to various places in Denmark:
The easiest way to determine the quickest mode of transportation is to use the journeyplanner (Rejseplanen).
Alternatively, visit the websites of the national railway network DSB or the regional public transport companies. Their websites gives you information on public transportation within the area including individual bus timetables:
The journeyplanner website (www.journeyplanner.dk) provides information on travel within Denmark. This site can help you find the best possible travel options by bus, train, metro and walking when you type in departure and destination points.
In order to obtain a discount on bus travel, S-train and Metro, a 10-ticket card (Klippekort) or an electronic payment card (Rejsekort) is advisable. Using a Rejsekort allows you discount depending on how frequently you travel, when you travel and where you are travelling from and to.
When using trains, S-trains and the Metro the 10-ticket card must be stamped in the yellow or red boxes before boarding. The Rejsekort must be activated both before and after the travel at the blue dots on the platforms, and must always have a minimum of 50kr on it.
Denmark is divided into five regional public transport companies providing bus, city bus and commuter train services. Within the regional public transport companies there are an integrated ticket system covering transport by bus, city bus and trains (both commuter and national trains) within the area. In Copenhagen, the metro is also covered by the integrated ticket system. Tickets are therefore valid for all three modes of transportation. Please notice that the national bus connections are not necessarily covered by the integrated ticket system, i.e. Flixbus, which is not part of the system.
Rejsekort (travel card) is an electronic ticketing system for travelling by bus, train and metro. Rejsekort unites the different transport operators, travel zones, ticketing systems and discount schemes into a common system, which makes it easier for passengers to use public transport services in Denmark.
Read more about how to use and buy your own rejsekort
Watch a video about how to use the rejsekort.
If you can't find the answer to your questions
regarding rejsekort on rejsekort.dk, you can call:
Rejsekort Customer Service on weekdays from 07.00 - 22.00 at 70 11 33 33.
Leasing is like long-term rental, where you pay a given amount a month for using a car. Repairs, insurance etc. is included in the price. The only thing you pay extra is the mileage. In recent years, leasing cars to privates has become widespread, perhaps because of the flexibility of changing cars every 2-3 years and predictability of the expenses.
You lease a car by contacting a leasing service and putting down a payment of approx. 10.000 DKK – 20.000 DKK. You pay a monthly fee of approx. 1500-3500 DKK a month, depending on the cars original price and how much you intend to drive. For each car, an average monthly mileage is set, based on your own assumptions. If you exceed the predefined mileage, you will need to pay an extra fee. If you driver less than approximated, you will get a refund. Often discount cards on gas are included in the price, reducing your expenditure. The leasing contract often runs for a period of three years.
Several Danish sites offer car-pooling. The point of car-pooling is to use the empty seats in cars going a longer distance, by matching people driving with empty seats and people needing a ride. This approach is environmentally friendly and money saving. You need to register with the different sites in order to use their pooling services.
The following websites in English offer carpooling services:
Generally, you need to be at least 23 years old and have had your driver’s license for at least 6 months to be able to rent a car. Here are some examples of car rental companies:
One of the cheapest ways to have access to a car in Denmark is through a car sharing association. The car sharing association is like a club, where you become a member and gain access to the common pool of cars. The association is non-profit, so the expenditure is kept to a minimum.
There is a fee for joining a car sharing association and an insurance fee as well. These fees are only paid once, when joining. The rest of the time, you only pay a low monthly fee, and gas when using the cars. In order to join an association, you must be over 23 years old and have had your driver’s license for at least a year.
We recommend the car association LetsGo. They have cars placed in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, in Aarhus, Greve and Herning. You make a reservation online and pick up the car from a parking lot near you.
Read more about LetsGo membership and prices
There are many upsides to car sharing. The cost for one. Owning a similar car would cost 40.000 – 50.000 DKK a year, whereas you only pay the annual fee. The environmental effects are also significant. Car sharing reduces the amount of cars polluting, as approx. five users can share one car.
If you need to drive everyday, it might be a better and cheaper solution to buy your own car. Also if you only need the car few times a year, then you might be better off renting a car those few times. All in all car sharing is a great alternative to buying a car.
If you take up residence in Denmark and bring a vehicle, you must register your foreign registered vehicle within 30 days of arrival and you must pay a registration tax. The expenses in relation to bringing your car to Denmark are considerable, and for this reason many people choose not to bring their car with them to Denmark.
If you are staying in Denmark for a limited period of up to 185 days, you may drive a foreign registered vehicle during your stay in Denmark without paying the registration tax.
If your stay exceeds 185 days, but you are on a fixed-term assignment in Denmark, you may pay a portion of the normal vehicle registration tax on a quarterly basis.
Before the vehicle can be registered to Danish number plates, an ordinary technical inspection and a customs inspection must be performed by a vehicle inspection authority to determine the identity, the number of kilometres on the odometer, features and general condition of the vehicle.
When the vehicle has passed this inspection you must ask for a valuation of the vehicle in the Danish Register of Motor Vehicles (Motorregistret) in the Danish Customs and Tax Administration's self-service system E-tax (TastSelv).
The Danish Customs and Tax Administration will then assess the value of your vehicle and determine the registration tax to be paid. You will receive the Danish Customs and Tax Administration's valuation in E-tax.
You pay the registration tax to one of the Danish Customs and Tax Administration's four motor registry offices via online banking, a manual bank transfer at your bank or at the post office.
When you have paid the registration tax, you can buy number plates from one of the Danish Customs and Tax Administration's motor registry offices.
Read more about car registration and number plates on the website of the Danish tax authorities (the Danish Customs and Tax Administration) and in the Work in Denmark Welcome guide on the Workindenmark website under Publications
Owners of motor vehicles in Denmark are required by law to take out liability insurance. Read more about liability insurance for motor vehicles in the insurance guide Insurance and pension for everyday needs.
If your vehicle has been registered in another EU country and it is a used car, you may bring the vehicle to Denmark without paying VAT. Customs duty (10%) and VAT (25%) are usually charged on vehicles imported from non-EU countries.
If you have a car registered in Denmark, you will need to de-register the vehicle in Denmark when you leave. In certain cases, you may be entitled to a refund of the registration fee. It is also possible to buy a new car with border plates (no tax or VAT).
Read more on the website of the The Danish Customs and Tax Administration.
Read more
Read more about how to register your car and which documents to bring at the different stages on the skat.dk website.
When relocating to Denmark with a non-EU/EEA driving licence, you may be required to exchange your licence for a Danish equivalent within 90 days and complete a driving test (consisting of a theoretical and a practical part) prior to the exchange. It depends on where your driving licence was issued whether you need to change your licence or not. Please notice that there are Group 1 countries, Group 2 countries and Other countries. Read more about Group 1, Group 2 and Other countries
You do not need to convert a driver’s licence issued in an EU country, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Switzerland or Norway. However, please be aware that if you lose your original driving licence, it can be difficult to acquire the documentary proof required to apply for a new driving licence from the country that issued your licence.
You can obtain a Danish driving licence at your local Citizen Service (Borgerservice).
You must bring along your:
The exchange fee is DKK 280 (2016 rate).
If your current driving licence is not in the Latin alphabet, you must present a certified translation of the licence. If you have any questions, or need to find a certified translator, contact your local Citizen Service for help.
For more details on the process of exchanging your licence, see Færdelsstyrsen or International Community
In Denmark, taxis are relatively expensive in comparison to other countries. However, they are safe, reliable, and comfortable. There are several taxi companies in the larger cities – ask your colleagues for the local taxa-companies. Read more about taxi travel in Denmark