A trip by camper to Denmark – by land or by ferry? 

How to get to Denmark?

To Denmark we can get two ways: by land – from Germany or Sweden – or by ferry, also from Germany or Sweden. The question is : Which option should I choose? Below are the pros and cons for above options.

Crossing by land

To be honest there are several ways to get to Denmark.  First of all we have some challenges to consider. Firstly it depends on how much time we want to spend on the ride, then whether we want to visit something on the way. Our first option will be between Germany and Denmark. Germany, as mentioned in other articles, can be reached by free motorways. This option is more economical compared to other proposal – we will get back to it in a moment – but it is longer and can be more tiring, considering the driver of course.

Our second proposal is to cross the Øresund bridge – connecting Sweden with Denmark, and more precisely 2 cities – Malmö with Copenhagen.  The potential issue of this route is definitely the high tolls on the bridge, which may increase the cost of the trip. When driving from Germany, if we decided about this route, we have to cross first southern Sweden. This will add up to travel time for the route when compared to the route Germany – Denmark. There may also be ad-hoc border controls on this stretch of track, which may add to the journey time. But it is for sure a much faster route and a route that offers us beautiful views of the strait.

Ferry crossing

The second option to get to Denmark is ferry crossing. We can sail to Denmark from Poland, Germany and Sweden. Below is the timetable of cruises broken down from the port city.

Connections Germany – Denmark

1. Puttgarden (Germany) – Rødby (Denmark):

It is a popular and fast ferry connection, operated by Scandlines. The journey time is about 45 minutes. Ferries run every 30 minutes.

2. Rostock (Germany) – Gedser (Denmark):

Second route operated by Scandlines. The journey takes about 2 hours and ferries run several times a day.

Connections Sweden-Denmark 

1. Helsingborg (Sweden) – Helsingør (Denmark) :

Call, handled by ForSea Ferries. 20 minutes. Ferries run every 15-30 minutes

2. Gothenburg (Sweden) – Frederikshavn (Denmark) :

The voyage is operated by the Stena Line, which takes about 3,5 hours. It is an ideal route for travelers to the western part of Sweden.

In summary, ferry crossings to Denmark are much shorter than overland crossings, which saves time. In addition, by choosing a ferry, we have the opportunity to rest on the ferry. We can enjoy a number of attractions. But most importantly, we don’t have to stand in traffic, especially in the summer when the roads are most crowded.

The disadvantage this option may be higher ferry fares, especially for larger vehicles such as motorhomes. We must take into account that in case of bad weather, crossings may be delayed or not available (cancelled) so it is important the time of the year we will be traveling. In addition, ferries can be crowded during the summer season and holidays but still facilities on the ferry and being able to relax not to drive can compensate any inconvenience.