Ebeltoft to Odden ferry
The same destination and a shorter sea passage, but only for part of the year. Which route suits you depends on where in Jutland you start.
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Odden has two ferry routes, not one. The year-round crossing is from Aarhus. The seasonal one is from Ebeltoft, on the southern edge of Djursland, and it is the shorter sea passage.
The crossing at a glance
- Crossing
- 1 hr 15 min
- Extended by 20 min from the 2024 season
- Season
- Easter to the autumn holidays
- Tied to Easter, so the dates move
- Terminal
- Ebeltoft Havn
- About 5 km from the town centre
- In winter
- closed
- Aarhus to Odden runs all year
Why you still see 55 min quoted
The crossing takes 1 hr 15 min. If you find 55 min somewhere, that figure is out of date rather than wrong: it was the sailing time until the 2024 season.
From the season that opened on 21 March 2024, Molslinjen extended the Ebeltoft crossing by 20 min and cut the number of sailings to Ebeltoft, having increased them the year before. The operator put it down to the cost of CO2 under the EU quota system and Danish charges, which pushed it to concentrate traffic on fewer ships rather than sail faster.
So plan for 1 hr 15 min. The Aarhus crossing was not shortened in the same way and still takes 90 min.
Which route, from where
From Ebeltoft you sail less but usually drive more. The whole decision comes down to that trade.
| Starting from | Usually better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Aarhus itself | Aarhus | The terminal is 5 km from the centre and the route runs all year |
| Djursland, Grenaa, Ebeltoft | Ebeltoft | Shorter drive at the Jutland end and a shorter crossing |
| Randers, Aalborg, the north | Aarhus | Shorter drive: Randers to Aarhus is 46 km against 56 km to Ebeltoft, Aalborg 126 km against 139 km |
| Horsens, Vejle, the south | Aarhus | Ebeltoft means driving up and out onto Djursland first |
| Anywhere, November to March | Aarhus | Ebeltoft is closed |
Choose Ebeltoft if
- You are starting from Djursland, where Ebeltoft is the natural port
- You are travelling between roughly April and October
- You want the shortest time at sea
- You are travelling with a bicycle and can reserve a space in advance
Choose Aarhus if
- It is winter, when the route does not run
- You are starting in or south of Aarhus, where the detour cancels the saving
- You want the flexibility of the Aarhus route, which runs far more sailings a day and all year
- You have not booked and are hoping to turn up, which is riskier on a seasonal service
Flying into Aarhus Airport? Ebeltoft is closer
Aarhus Airport is not in Aarhus. It sits at Tirstrup, about 45 km northeast of the city, on the edge of Djursland, and a bus timed to the flights takes 45 to 50 min into town.
That location puts it nearer to Ebeltoft than to Aarhus: 16 km and about 20 min to Ebeltoft harbour, against 45 km and about 46 min to the Aarhus ferry terminal. So if you land at Aarhus with a hire car between April and October and Zealand is your destination, Ebeltoft saves you around half an hour of driving before you even reach a ferry.
Out of season the Ebeltoft route is closed and everything runs through Aarhus.
How often it sails inside the season varies. Molslinjen describes it as one departure a day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays as the usual pattern, with more in high summer. That is a different proposition from the Aarhus route, which runs every day of the year and several times a day, and it is the main reason to check your own date before planning around Ebeltoft.
The Ebeltoft end
The terminal is at Ebeltoft harbour, about five kilometres from the town centre, with paid parking in the harbour area operated by Q-Park. Unlike Aarhus, the harbour is close enough to the town that walking in is realistic, which makes Ebeltoft the easier of the two Jutland ports to use without a car.
Bicycles travel free. The procedure here is not the same as in Aarhus, but Molslinjen’s customer service could not confirm the detail: whether you check in at the vehicle machines and ride aboard up the car ramp yourself. Reserve the bicycle space when you book, and if the check-in does not work there is a screen in the harbour. Ask the loading crew when you arrive. Prams also board by the ramp. See by bike.
Staying in Ebeltoft
The harbour is about five kilometres from the town centre, and Ebeltoft itself, with its old quarter, is a reason to stop in its own right.
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The Odden end
Both routes use Odden Færgehavn, so everything on Odden port applies: Route 21 from the harbour gate, Q-Park parking, the Kombardo coach stop at Oddenvej 388, and Havnebyen a short way along the coast.
Which also means the ferry or bridge arithmetic is unchanged at the Zealand end. Only the Jutland side of the sum changes: if Ebeltoft is closer to you than Aarhus, it shifts in the ferry’s favour.
Questions people ask
How long is the Ebeltoft to Odden ferry?
1 hr 15 min. It was 55 min until the 2024 season, when Molslinjen extended it by 20 min, so an older 55 min figure is out of date rather than one of the places where Molslinjen's own figures do not agree.
When does the Ebeltoft to Odden route run?
From Easter up to and including the Danish autumn holidays. Because it is tied to Easter the dates move each year. Outside high summer there is usually one departure a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so check the current sailing dates. Through the winter the Aarhus route carries the whole crossing.
Should I use Ebeltoft or Aarhus?
It depends where you start. From Djursland or the north of Jutland, Ebeltoft is usually the shorter drive. From Aarhus itself, from the south, or from anywhere in winter, take the Aarhus route.
Can I take a bicycle from Ebeltoft?
Yes, free of charge, and reserve the space when you book. Molslinjen could not confirm whether you then check in at the vehicle machines and ride aboard up the ramp yourself, so ask on arrival; there is also a check-in screen in the harbour.
Where is the Ebeltoft ferry terminal?
At Ebeltoft harbour, about five kilometres from the centre of Ebeltoft, with paid parking in the harbour area.