Travel information for Denmark
Please find some useful information on travelling to Denmark below.
Border controls and necessary documents
Denmark carries out random border controls on the German-Danish border, which can lead to waiting times in cross-border traffic. If the vehicle's occupants do not have valid identification documents that allow them to stay legally in Denmark, the car driver can expect to be arrested for human smuggling. Do not take hitchhikers, other people you do not know, or foreign goods across the border into Denmark.
Entry into Denmark is possible for German or Austrian citizens with passport, ID card or temporary versions of these documents. There is no visum necessary for those groups. With regard to other nationalities, please check individually.
All travelers must have their own travel document with them at all times and it must be valid for the entire duration of the stay. Taking copies is not sufficient.
Money
The official means of payment is the Danish Krone (DKK). 1 DKK equates to 0,13 Euro (as of June 2024).
In Denmark, even small amounts are paid with debit or credit cards or with mobile devices. However, the Mobile Pay option is limited to Danish citizens / residents.
Cash remains a posssible means of payment but is rarely used and often not accepted, e.g. at parking meters or on public transport.
It is recommended that you bring an internationally accepted credit or debit card. Withdrawing cash from ATMs or paying with the EC (Maestro) or credit card are possible everywhere. Fees may apply, which you should inquire about beforehand.
If you need cash, it is best to withdraw Danish kroner directly from a Danish ATM rather than obtaining the kroner abroad, since the fees for exchange in Germany, for example, are quite expensive.In order to avoid possible “rip-offs at ATMs”, it is best to choose an ATM at a Danish bank, such as Danske Bank, Sydbank, Sparekassen, VestjyskBank, Ringkøbing Landbobank or Jydske Bank.
To be on the safe side, ask your bank whether an additional fee is charged for foreign withdrawals. It is worth comparing the prices of the various banks and providers.
When withdrawing money or making card payments, you may sometimes be asked whether you want to pay the amount in the local currency (Danish kroner) or Euros (€). The local currency - i.e. Danish kroner - is normally the best choice in order to avoid bad exchange rates or even additional fees.
In short:
Make payments with your debit card and/or Visa/MasterCard and, if necessary, withdraw or change your cash directly in Denmark.
Public Transport
Copenhagen has a well developed and efficient public transport network. The congress venue, Bella Center, can be reached within 20 minutes from the Airport or the Central Station.
Buses, trains, metro, bikes, taxis and even ferries – there are many transport options in the capital. Most tickets can be used for all forms of public transport in the city and surrounding areas. Copenhagen's transport network operates 14 hours a day, with limited services at night and early in the morning.
Itinerary
For direct train connections from Germany, please check https://www.bahn.de/angebot/sparpreis-flexpreis/super-sparpreis-europa-daenemark
Information on routes within Denmark can be found on rejseplanen.dk (some functions are also available in English or German).
Tickets in Copenhagen
Tickets for public transport can be obtained via DOT Tickets app or rather from ticket machines at the train/metro station. There are reductions for children and elderly people. For more information, see https://dinoffentligetransport.dk/en/find-tickets
Ticket prices depend on the number of zones passed, single tickets start from DKK 24,- (EUR 3,20) for 2 zones and 75 minutes. For more information, see the map under https://dinoffentligetransport.dk/media/yejh4xfo/dot-storzoner-2023.pdf
If you need public transport to get from your accommodation to the Bella Center on a daily basis, a good choice in many cases will be Day Tickets such as the City Pass Small for travel around Copenhagen including the Airport (zones 1-4)). It can be obtained for 24-120 hours at a price of DKK 90-340 (EUR 12 - 45,60) and entitles you to use buses, trains, metro and some ferries.
Metro
The metro is the newest part of Copenhagen's transport network. The driverless trains run regularly throughout the day, often even every 3 minutes. Between midnight and 5 a.m.there are fewer connections, approximately every 20 minutes. The metro is a quick way to get from the airport to the centrally located Nørreport Station in around 15 minutes.
Buses and harbor buses
Buses in the capital run regularly and cover large areas of the city in a short time.
The harbor buses are ferries operated by the same company as the road buses and all tickets are also valid here. Discover Copenhagen from the waterfront past some of the most famous sights such as the Little Mermaid, Nyhavn, Christianshavn and the Opera House.
Bikes
Copenhagen is a very bike-friendly city with a large network of bike paths all over the city. You can rent bikes from bike shops, in some hotels or use various bike sharing offers. There are also city bikes with an electric motor and GPS which you can rent at bike racks located everywhere in Copenhagen.
Travel by car
The German driver’s license is accepted. For the validity of other licenses, please check individually. It is recommended that you take your green insurance card with you when driving a motor vehicle. The alcohol limit is 0.5. Exceeding this limit is punishable by high fines, as is incorrect or illegal parking.
Cars are allowed to drive up to 130 km/h on motorways in Denmark. In many cases, however, a speed limit of 110 km/h applies. There is a speed limit of 80 km/h on Danish country roads and of 50 km/h in urban areas. You must drive with dipped beam or daytime running lights all year round, even during the day. It is mandatory to take a first-aid kit and warning triangle with you; a high-visibility vest is advisable as well.
If you come to Copenhagen by car, you should avoid taking the vehicle into the inner center due to numerous one-way streets and the large pedestrian street. It is always difficult to find a parking space. You should definitely pay attention to the many cyclists.
Health care
No compulsory vaccinations are required for direct entry from Germany. Make sure that your standard vaccinations are up to date according to the Robert Koch Institute's vaccination calendar. Please note the application instructions and help for the indication in the travel vaccination recommendations. The DTG offers detailed travel vaccination recommendations for professionals.
Healthcare In Denmark corresponds to European standards. According to European Community law, Germans and all other EU citizens who are temporarily staying in Denmark can claim benefits under Danish law in the event of illness. A proof of entitlement is a European insurance card which must be issued by your health insurance company before the start of the trip.
For risks that are not covered by statutory health insurance companies (e.g. necessary return transport to Germany in the event of illness, treatment by private doctors or in private clinics), foreign travel health insurance is recommended.
Disclaimer:
The information you find above is not legally binding or complete. For more current material on Denmark as a travel destination, we recommend the website of the German Federal Foreign Office (in German, but can be automatically translated into English in most browsers). Please consider that all regulations may change at short notice. They may also depend on your origin country and citizenship, so always check individually before your journey.