From Aarhus to Odden by bicycle
Direct Ferries states that a bicycle cannot travel from Aarhus. Molslinjen states that it can, free of charge. This is how the procedure works.
Checked
Direct Ferries states that no ferry from Aarhus carries bicycles. The operator’s own page for foot passengers says a bicycle travels free of charge, and sets out the procedure at each of the three ports.
We made the crossing with a bicycle. The one practical difficulty was securing it on the car deck.
The ride out to the terminal
From central Aarhus it is about 20 min, and the route is easy to follow without a map. A good part of it runs along the water, so the ride out already feels like part of the day rather than a chore before it.
The approach to the terminal has cycle lanes painted through the paving right up to the control point. You will rarely meet another cyclist, but the markings run the whole way.
Buying on the day
Booking online is cheaper. But if you decide on the morning itself, as we did, you can buy a ticket at the control point and pay by card. As far as we could tell this applies to cyclists and motorcyclists only; everyone else needs a booking.
The fare is a little higher than online, but the gap is small. For that you can wait until the morning and look at the weather.
Boarding
Join the bike and motorcycle lane
There is a dedicated lane at the control point for two-wheelers. It is short, because there are rarely many of you.
You go on first
Bicycles and motorcycles board ahead of the cars. The crew handles it closely: you are told exactly where to park and exactly when to move.
Report at the ticket office in Aarhus
This is the Aarhus procedure specifically. Staff then lead you aboard by way of the car deck.
Tie it up
Two places on deck take a bicycle against the railing. Use the rope. Then leave it and go up.
Reserve the space at Odden and Ebeltoft
Coming the other way the process differs: book the bicycle space in advance, check in at the vehicle machines, and ride aboard up the car ramp yourself. Ask the loading crew if you need a hand.
The procedure is not the same at all three ports, which is the part most sources leave out.
| Port | Book the bicycle space? | Where you report | How you board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aarhus | No | The ticket office | Staff walk you aboard by the car deck |
| Odden | Yes, in advance | The vehicle check-in machines | You ride aboard up the car ramp yourself |
| Ebeltoft | Yes, in advance | The vehicle check-in machines | You ride aboard up the car ramp yourself |
In all three ports the bicycle itself is free. The only difference is whether you have to reserve a space in advance.
The crossing
Once the bicycle is secured you travel as a foot passenger, and everything on the on board page applies: several stairways up, a lift, free seating, a café and restaurant, charging points, clean toilets and free wifi.
There is a small outer deck. After 20 min of riding into the Danish wind it is a good place to spend part of the crossing, with the coast passing alongside.
Getting off, and the day at the other end
Cyclists leave last. Everyone else is up and moving 10 min before arrival; you do not need to be. We waited until most of the vehicles had gone, which made for an unhurried arrival.
The route off is signposted separately for bikes and for cars. Route 21 leaves the harbour gate immediately, so the first hundred metres are the only stretch where you ride near traffic.
We rode about 40 km around the peninsula: Odden itself, the fishing harbour at Havnebyen, and the candle workshop at Kastanielys, where you can sit on the terrace with the view or dip and colour your own candles inside. Around Odden covers what is there in more detail.
Leaving the bicycle instead
Taking the bicycle across is free, but it is not always the useful choice. If Odden is only the start of a car journey, or if you are crossing to be collected, the bike is better left in Aarhus.
There is bicycle parking at the terminal in two places: at the Kombardo Expressen stop and in front of the entrance to the Skywalk. Both are inside the harbour area rather than at the city end, so this works if you have cycled out and intend to cycle back on the same day.
For a longer trip it works the other way round: leave the bicycle in the city, near where you are sleeping, and cross as a foot passenger or by coach. See foot passengers.
What happens if you miss the sailing
Cyclists buying on the day have an advantage here that drivers do not. There is no booking to rebook and nothing to forfeit: you pay again at the control point for the next departure. On a route with up to 24 sailings a day, the wait is usually under 90 min. The exception is the last sailing of the evening, after which there is nothing until the morning.
The way back
The way back works exactly the same, in reverse and along the same signs. Buy another ticket, park in the correct lane, and get to the harbour half an hour before departure.
As a day trip by bicycle the route offers a short sea crossing, a peninsula with very little traffic, and no charge for the bicycle itself.
Questions people ask
Can you take a bicycle on the Aarhus to Odden ferry?
Yes, and it costs nothing. As a foot passenger you take a bicycle free of charge. Direct Ferries states the opposite for the Aarhus departure; Molslinjen's own page for foot passengers says plainly that you can.
Do I need to book a bicycle space in advance?
From Odden and from Ebeltoft, yes: reserve the bicycle space beforehand and check in at the vehicle machines. From Aarhus you report at the ticket office and staff take you aboard by the car deck.
Can I buy a ticket on the day as a cyclist?
Yes. Cyclists and motorcyclists can pay by card at the control point on the day. It costs slightly more than the online fare and the difference is small.
Where do you put the bike on board?
On the car deck. There are two places where a bicycle can be lashed to the railing. Bring a rope or a strap, because bicycle racks are not part of the fittings on this route.
How long is the ride from Aarhus city centre to the terminal?
About 20 min. The route is easy to follow and a good part of it runs along the water.