Denmark

Denmark is not only the the gateway to Scandinavia in cultural terms, but certainly also geographically, and as such the country is well connected with the rest of European continent and to Scandinavia. A plethora of ferries connects Denmark with Europe and Scandinavia, and Copenhagen airport even more so serves as a the main Scandinavian hub, since its southern latitude makes it a natural stopping point for flights between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe.

By plane

Denmark is served by two major and several minor airports who nearly all offer international connections. Most European airlines offers routes to Copenhagen, and many also to Billund, but SAS Scandinavian Airlines (http://www.flysas.com) remains the dominant carrier. Key players in the low-cost market include the national Cimber-Sterling (http://www.cimbersterling.com) or Norwegian (http://www.norwegian.com/), Easyjet (http://www.easyjet.com), Transavia (http://www.transavia.com) and finaly Ryanair (http://www.ryanair.com) which has services only to provincial airports.

Copenhagen Airport

(http://www.cph.dk/CPH/UK/MAIN/) IATA: CPH, ICAO: EKCHis the largest airport in Scandinavia. The airport is located at the town Kastrup on the island Amager, 8 km from central Copenhagen. The airport is connected by train to Copenhagen Central Station and beyond as well as Malmo and other towns in Sweden. One way fare to Copenhagen Central station is 27 Danish kr. and the train leaves every 10 minutes. Buses and taxis are also available.

Billund Airport

(http://www.bll.dk/) IATA: BLL, ICAO: EKBIin South-Central Jutland is Denmark's 2nd largest airport, and the main airport for the entire peninsula. It fields flights to major European hubs; Frankfurt, London and Amsterdam, as well as most western European capitals. Located in the town Billund, 29 km from Vejle, 65 km from Esbjerg, 104 km from Odense, 100 km from Aarhus, 210 km from Aalborg, and 262 km from Copenhagen. The airport is connected by buses to major cities and towns in the region. Taxis are also available.

Aalborg Airport

(http://www.aal.dk/) (IATA: AAL, ICAO: EKYT about 7 km east of the city centre, is Denmark's 3rd largest airport with flights to around 20 European destinations, including Oslo, Reykjavik and the Faroe Islands as well as major hubs like London, Paris, Amsterdam and Istanbul. There is also a semi direct connection from New York with Iceland Express every Wednesday. Major carriers includes Norwegian, SAS, Cimber Sterling and Atlantic Airways.

Aarhus Airport

(http://www.aar.dk/) IATA: AAR, ICAO: EKAHis on the Djursland peninsula 44 km north east of Aarhus, 50 km from Randers, 90 km from Silkeborg, 99 km fra Horsens, 98 km from Viborg and 138 km from Aalborg. An airport shuttlebus connects the airport to Aarhus Central Station from where you can reach the rest of Jutland by Train. Non national carriers serving Aarhus airport are Ryanair, British Airways and Finnair.

Malmö-Sturup Airport

(http://www.sturup.com) IATA: MMX, ICAO: ESMSis located 61 km from Copenhagen and offers low-fares flights with Wizzair (http://www.wizzair.com/) to Eastern Europe. An Airport shuttlebus connects the airport with Copenhagen central station. FlyBus charges 10 pounds / 100DK for the ride.

By bus

If you are in one of the neighbouring countries, long distance buses offer a good economical alternative to trains. From Germany serveral bus companies operate routes from Hamburg and Berlin to Copenhagen and Aarhus. A trip from Berlin to Copenhagen can cost as little as 200 DKK, but normally will set you back around 300 DKK 40€ and take around 8 hours, another popular route Hamburg to Aarhus takes around 5½ hours. Try to check out the following companies; Berolina (http://www.berolina-berli...), Eurolines (http://www.eurolines-trav...), and Abildskou (http://abildskou.dk/by-bu...).

For Scandinavia there are three daily connections and a night-bus from Gothenburg 4½ hours and Oslo 8 hours, and two daily buses from Stockholm 9 hours divided into a day and a night bus, check out GoByBus (http://www.gobybus.dk) and Swebus (http://swebusexpress.com/) for prices and schedules - when searching it might be useful to know Copenhagen is Köpenhamn in Swedish.

Due to the Bosnian war in the 1990'ies there are several bus companies serving the Bosnian diaspora, which provide a cheap and clean way of getting to the other side of the European continent. Toptourist (http://www.toptourst.dk) and Autoprevoz (http://www.autoprevoz.org...) runs from various destinations in Bosnia and Hercegovina and Serbia to Denmark, Off-season approx 1000 DKK 140€ for a return ticket.

By ship

The fastest way between Norway and the continent are through the Danish highways, this has ensured frequent ferry connections to Norway, with the busiest port being Hirtshals, from where a trip to Norway takes as little as 3½ hours. Other busy routes are the Rødby-Puttgarden ferry - the fastest route between Sweden and Copenhagen to continental Europe - which remains one of the busiest ferry crossings in the world though a bridge is on the drawing board. And though it has been waning for years, with the ever increasing competition of low cost carriers, Denmark also have the only remaining ferries routed between the UK and Scandinavia Harwich-Esbjerg, 19 hours being the freight/car and passenger ferry and Immingham - Esbjerg, about 20 hours, which like the Harwich service carries freight but with no passenger services. Ferries are generally of a very high standard and safety regulations are strictly adhered to.

Bornholmstrafikken

(http://www.bornholmstrafi...) Ystad Sweden - Rønne Sassnitz Germany - Rønne

Color Line

(http://www.colorline.no/) Kristiansand Norway - Hirtshals Larvik Norway - Hirtshals

DFDS Seaways

(http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/) Oslo Norway - Copenhagen Harwich UK - Esbjerg

Fjordline

(http://www.fjordline.no/) *Bergen via Stavanger Norway - HirtshalsKristiansand Norway - Hirtshals

HH-Ferries

(http://www.hhferries.se/) * Helsingborg Sweden - Elsinore

Polferries

(http://www.http://www.pol...) Swinoujscie Poland - Ystad Sweden, with transfer to Copenhagen

Scandlines

(http://www.scandlines.dk/) Rostock Germany - Gedser Puttgarden Germany - Rødby Helsingborg Sweden - Elsinore

Stena Line

(http://www.stenaline.se/) Oslo Norway - Frederikshavn Göteborg Sweden - Frederikshavn Varberg Sweden - Grenå.

Smyril Line

(http://www.smyril-line.fo/) Seyðisfjörður Iceland via Tórshavn Faroe Islands - Hirtshals

By car

Denmark is directly connected to the German Autobahn on route E45 German route 7, which passes close to Hamburg and runs along the east coast of the Jutland peninsular, all the way to Frederikshavn in the North, passing through Denmark's second city Aarhus along the way. Many drivers going from Germany to the Danish capital opt for one of the regular car ferries, which shortens the trip by 137km from Hamburg and 309km from Berlin respectively, and avoids the 215 DKK bridge toll, so the price of the ferry crossing is nearly offset by extra gas needed to take the long way around.

Visitors without their own wheels coming in from Germany can try their luck with the German Mitfahrgelegenheit a ride-sharing website run in conjugation with the German Automotive organisation, which fairly frequently have rides to Denmark available. It is in German only but pretty self explanatory, if you know Denmark is called Dänemark and International is Ausland in German.

From Sweden catch route E20 from Gothenburg 312km or E4 from Stockholm 655km to Malmö and connect with the Øresund bridge (http://oresundsbron.com) 150 DKK. Many Norwegians also opt for this route when going to Copenhagen, but there are several car ferries crossing the strait between the two countries, especially to Hirtshals on the north tip of Jutland, which is connected to the Danish highway network.