Getting Around Denmark
Getting around Denmark is refreshingly easy: it is a small, flat, well-connected country where trains link the cities, bikes rule the streets, and you genuinely do not need a car to live well – especially in Copenhagen. This guide covers your options, from the Rejsekort travel card to driving licences and the surprisingly steep cost of owning a car, and links to the detailed pages on each.
Getting around Denmark: the basics
Getting around Denmark is straightforward: distances are short and the network is dense, so most journeys are simple. Trains and buses reach almost everywhere, the cities are made for bikes, and the only road tolls you will meet are on the two great bridges. For many new arrivals – particularly in and around Copenhagen – the smartest move is to skip car ownership entirely and rely on public transport and a bicycle.
Getting around Denmark means trains and metro between and within cities, a bike for everyday trips, and a car only if you really need one – because owning one is expensive.
Public transport
National trains (DSB) connect the cities, while Copenhagen adds an S-train network and a driverless Metro that runs around the clock and out to the airport; Aarhus and Odense have light rail. Most of it is tied together by the Rejsekort, a tap-on, tap-off travel card (now also available through apps), so a single ticket can carry you across trains, buses and metro.
Cycling
Denmark is a nation of cyclists, with protected lanes on most city streets and bikes treated as serious transport, not just recreation. A few rules matter – lights are required after dark, you signal turns by hand, and fines do get issued – but it is the cheapest, fastest and most Danish way to get around town.
Driving and licences
Denmark drives on the right, with daytime running lights required at all times. An EU or EEA licence is valid as is; many non-EU licences must be exchanged, and whether you can swap without a test depends on your home country. Start here to find out what applies to you.
Owning a car
Be warned: cars are dear. A heavy registration tax can add enormously to the purchase price, there is an annual green owner’s tax based on efficiency, and third-party insurance is mandatory. If you are weighing it up, work the numbers first.
Travelling with a pet
Bringing an animal into Denmark – or moving around with one – follows EU pet rules: microchip, rabies vaccination and a pet passport for EU travel, with extra steps from outside the EU.
Questions and answers
Do I need a car in Denmark?
Usually not, especially in and around Copenhagen – trains, metro, buses and a bike cover most needs, and owning a car is expensive. A car helps mainly for rural areas and the west coast.
What is the Rejsekort?
A tap-on, tap-off travel card (also available via apps) that works across trains, buses and the metro, so one ticket carries you between systems.
Can I drive in Denmark on my foreign licence?
EU and EEA licences are valid as they are. Many non-EU licences must be exchanged, and whether a test is required depends on your home country.
Why are cars so expensive in Denmark?
Mainly the registration tax, which can add a large amount to a car’s price, plus an annual ownership tax and compulsory insurance.