Aarhus to Odden by bicycle
Molslinjen carries bicycles free of charge on this crossing. The procedure differs at each of the three ports, so it is worth knowing before you ride down.
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 6 km, roughly 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 guide you aboard via the vehicle 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.
Bringing the bicycle on the car instead
Free carriage is for the bicycle you take aboard yourself. A bicycle on the car is priced differently: Molslinjen sells Extra height for one on the roof and Extra length for a rack or cargo carrier on the back, added when you book or by changing the ticket afterwards. See vehicles for the height categories those extras sit on top of.
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, 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
On our crossing, cyclists left after the cars. 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, taking in Havnebyen and Kastanielys. Around Odden sets out the route and what is worth stopping for.
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
Buying on the day has one real advantage: there is no reservation to lose.
If you already hold a Lowprice ticket, the answer from Molslinjen is blunt. A Lowprice fare can be changed up to departure for a fee, but once you have missed the sailing it is gone: it cannot be moved to a later departure that day, it cannot be converted to another ticket type, and it is not refunded. Contacting customer service before or after the departure time makes no difference. A Standard fare is the one that can be changed free of charge up to the original departure, which is what you are paying the extra for.
How long you wait for the next sailing depends on the time of day, and after the last departure of the evening there is nothing until the morning.
The way back
Coming back may not be a mirror image. Molslinjen’s own advice for Aarhus is clear enough: foot passengers scan the ticket at the machines and walk the Skywalk to the ferry. For the bicycle procedure at Odden and Ebeltoft their customer service could not confirm whether you check in at the vehicle machines and ride aboard up the car ramp yourself. If the check-in does not work, you can use the screen in the harbour. Allow half an hour before departure and ask on the spot.
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. Every foot passenger fare includes one bicycle per person, free of charge. Some external booking sites show otherwise 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 6 km, roughly 20 min at an easy pace. The route is signposted and a good part of it runs along the water.