Copenhagen to Aarhus: ferry, train, coach or car
There is no direct ferry between Copenhagen and Aarhus. The ferry runs between Odden and Aarhus, so the question is really which of four routes suits your trip.
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Let us clear this up first, because it is the single most common misunderstanding about this crossing.
There is no ferry between Copenhagen and Aarhus. No operator runs one. What exists is a ferry between Odden and Aarhus, and Odden sits at the end of a peninsula about 109 kilometres northwest of Copenhagen.
The sign at the Aarhus terminal reads den hurtigste vej mellem Aarhus og København, the fastest way between Aarhus and Copenhagen. That refers to the through journey: the Kombardo Expressen coach runs the whole way and drives aboard the ferry en route. The through journey exists; a direct ferry does not.
The four options
| Time | Cost | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train | About 3 hrs, no change | Per person, varies widely | Travelling alone or as a couple, city centre to city centre |
| Kombardo coach via the ferry | About 3 hrs 30 min | From DKK 109 per person | The cheapest way, and the only one where the sea crossing is included |
| Car via the ferry | About 3 hrs 45 min | From DKK 249 for the car and up to nine people | Several of you, or you need the car at the other end |
| Car over the Great Belt Bridge | About 3 hrs 20 min | DKK 205 toll plus about 302 km of fuel | Flexibility, or leaving at short notice |
Two things stand out. The train is faster than people expect and beats both road options on time. And the ferry is usually not the fastest route to Copenhagen, whatever the sign at the terminal implies. It is the more pleasant route, and sometimes the cheaper one.
If you take the coach
This is what most people are really looking for.
Book ahead
Fares start at DKK 109 and rise as the bus fills, so the price rewards booking early in exactly the way the ferry fare does. A bicycle space can be added for a fee, and prams travel free.
Be at the stop 15 min before
In Aarhus that is the bus station, Fredensgade 45, at bays 20 and 21. Allow 20 min with a bicycle or a pram.
Leave the coach on board
The coach drives onto the car deck at the port. You leave the bus and go up to the passenger decks for the crossing; there is free wifi on both the bus and the ferry.
Back to the bus before arrival
Get back on board while the ferry is still coming in. The driver takes it from there, and the bus rolls off with the rest of the traffic.
Odden is a stop, not the end
Southbound the coach carries on into Zealand. The Odden stop itself is at Oddenvej 388, inside the ferry harbour.
If you drive
For a car with a deadline, the ferry is not the quicker way to Copenhagen. Odden puts you 109 kilometres from the city on Route 21, and the bridge route is one road with no timetable attached to it.
The ferry is particularly useful for destinations in Odsherred: Nykøbing Sjælland, Rørvig and the peninsula itself. From Odden, Nykøbing Sjælland is about 25 min away and Holbæk about 45 min, while the same places sit well over an hour off the bridge route. It also wins on money if you can book a Lowprice fare, because you burn about 188 kilometres less fuel. The full arithmetic is on ferry or bridge.
Where each option leaves you
The end points are further apart than the times suggest, and for a journey of about 3 hrs that is often what decides it.
| Option | Where it sets you down in Aarhus | Onward |
|---|---|---|
| Train | Aarhus H, in the city centre | Everything walkable, all city buses |
| Kombardo coach | Aarhus bus station, Fredensgade 45 | A short walk from Aarhus H |
| Ferry with a car | The terminal in Østhavnen | About 20 min to the centre, no public bus |
| Bridge with a car | Wherever you are going | Straight through, no transfer |
The ferry terminal at Odden has no scheduled public transport connection. With a car that does not matter. Without one it decides the whole trip, which is why the coach exists.
If you are flying
Copenhagen Airport sits on the eastern edge of the city, on the far side from Odden. That makes the ferry the weakest of the four options for a flight: you add the 109 km from Odden and then cross the city.
If Jutland is your real destination, fly there instead: Aarhus Airport is 45 km northeast of the city and Billund is about 80 min from the Aarhus ferry terminal. Both beat landing in Copenhagen and driving back across Zealand. For a flight into Copenhagen, take the train or drive over the bridge.
Going the other way
Everything above works in reverse, with one difference at the ports. Route 21 ends at the harbour gate in Odden, so that approach is simple. Finding the Aarhus terminal inside a working container harbour is less obvious. See Aarhus port and Odden port.
Questions people ask
Is there a ferry from Copenhagen to Aarhus?
No. There is no ferry between Copenhagen and Aarhus. The sea crossing on this journey is Odden to Aarhus, and Odden is about 109 km northwest of Copenhagen.
Why does Molslinjen advertise Aarhus to Copenhagen?
Because the Kombardo Expressen coach runs the whole way and uses the ferry for the middle section. The through journey exists; the direct ferry does not.
What is the fastest way from Copenhagen to Aarhus?
The train, at about 3 hrs to Aarhus H with no changes. Driving over the Great Belt Bridge is about 3 hrs 20 min. The ferry route via Odden is about 3 hrs 45 min door to door.
What is the cheapest way?
The Kombardo Expressen coach, from DKK 109 per person, which drives aboard the ferry at Odden. For a car with several people in it, a Lowprice ferry ticket at DKK 249 covers the whole vehicle.
Can I do the sea part on foot?
Yes, but plan the ends. There is no public bus to the Aarhus ferry terminal, so the coach that drives aboard is usually the sensible way to travel without a car.