Transportation in Aarhus and Denmark

Denmark is an easy country to travel in, and public transport is convenient and safe. Besides that there are many ways of going by car in an environmentally friendly and affordable way. 


Bicycles

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 on Facebook Marketplace or DBA. You can buy bikes in bikeshops, but you can also get new but cheap bikes in major supermarkets.

Buses and local transportation

Different bus companies operate within Denmark and offers a cheaper alternative than the train. There are numerous connections between Aarhus and Copenhagen (both central station and airport).

City and regional buses

You can find the bus schedules and information about tickets on Midttrafik. The Rejsekort can be used in all buses. Please note that buses usually don’t accept credit cards. Usually, you can buy the ticket in a self-service ticket machine in the bus. 

Trains and national transportation

DSB runs national train connections throughout the country with frequent services.

For information on ticket prices and timetables, please visit DSB or JourneyPlanner.

Please note that the seat reservations are not included automatically in the ticket, but you can add them to your ticket. It is not possible to buy tickets on the train, but you can buy them in kiosks, ticket-machines and online through DSB. If you do not have a ticket, you risk being fined.

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.

You can plan your journey on JourneyPlanner, but we also collected the best ways to get from Copenhagen to various places in Denmark:

By train or bus to Aarhus

  • You can either take a direct train from Kastrup airport to Aarhus. The train ride takes 3–4 hours and outside the Aarhus train station you will find a taxi rank and bus stops for most city buses. It is also possible to take a bus from the airport to Aarhus, like Kombardo or Flixbus.

By bus or S-train to Campus Emdrup

  • From Copenhagen Central station there are direct trains (S-train) to Emdrup Station, connecting Emdrup to national train and bus connections from Aarhus (among other cities).

By train to Roskilde and Slagelse

  • There are frequent services from Kastrup Airport to Roskilde and Slagelse, although you will most likely have to switch. Both of them can be reached by national train connections from Funen and Jutland.

By train to Viborg

  • The train ride takes 4.5 - 5 hours and you will have to change trains at Aarhus Central Station.

Planning your journey

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:

  • Midttrafik covers the mid-Jutland (Midtjylland) area (covering Aarhus, Viborg/Foulum, Silkeborg, and Herning). You can get free bus timetables (Køreplan) for all the city buses at the main bus station (rutebilstation) in Aarhus.
  • Fynbus covers Funen (Fyn). Buses 800 and 801 serve Odense train station and Aarslev.
  • Movia covers the Copenhagen and Sealand area (including Roskilde and Emdrup and Slagelse).
  • Sydtrafik covers the southern part of Jutland.
  • Nordjyllands Trafikselskab covers the northern part of Jutland.

Rejsekort (Travel Card)

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.

Car leasing, pooling, rental and sharing

Car leasing

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.

Here are some companies where you can lease a car from:

Car-pooling

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:

Car rental

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:

Car sharing

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

Taxi

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. Find a list of taxi companies in Denmark here.