Discover Denmark
Delicately balanced between Scandinavia proper and mainland Europe, Denmark
is a difficult country to pin down. In many ways it shares the
characteristics of both regions: it's an EU member, and has prices and
drinking laws that are broadly in line with those in the rest of Europe. But
Denmark's social policies and its style of government are distinctly
Scandinavian: social benefits and the standard of living are high, and its
politics are very much that of consensus.
Denmark is the easiest Scandinavian country in which to travel, both in
terms of cost and distance, but its landscape is the region's least
dramatic: very green and flat, largely farmland interrupted by innumerable
pretty villages. Apart from a scattering of small islands, three main
landmasses make up the country - the islands of Zealand and Funen and the
peninsula of Jutland, which extends northwards from Germany
Denmark consists of the peninsula of Jutland and c. 406 islands, of which
c. 78 are inhabited (2003). Of these, the largest and most densely populated
are Zealand on which the capital of Copenhagen is situated, Funen and the
north Jutland island. Denmark lies between 54° and 58° of latitude
north and 8° and 15° of longitude east. In addition to Denmark
itself, the kingdom also includes the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Getting There
The vast majority of overseas flights to Denmark arrive at Copenhagen
International Airport. A few international flights, mostly coming from other
Scandinavian countries or the UK, land at small regional airports in Arhus,
Aalborg, Esbjerg and Billund.
There are daily bus and rail services between Germany and Denmark's Jutland
peninsula, which then wind their way east to Funen and then over a
significant bridge to the island of Zealand and ultimately Copenhagen. The
completion in July 2000 of the Oresundsforbindelsen (Oresund Fixed Link), a
road-rail system stretching nearly 16km (13 mi) of bridges and tunnels
between Malmo in southern Sweden and Copenhagen, has given the Danish
capital a welcome (albeit artificial) land link with the rest of
Scandinavia.
It's also possible to arrive from Norway and Sweden by ferry. Other boat
options are the daily (high season) and weekly (berg bashing) ferries
running from Germany (Kiel, Rostock, Puttgarden, Sassnitz-Mukran and the
island of Sylt), Iceland (Seydisfjordur), Norway (Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen
and Larvik), Sweden (Helsingborg, Gothenburg, Varberg and Malmo), Poland
(Sa;winouja;cie) and the UK (Harwich). There are no departure taxes when
leaving Denmark.
By Bus
Buses in Denmark link smaller towns, where rail and air service are not
provided, to population centers where public transportation is readily
available. In recent years, long-distance bus routes have been established
between Frederickshavn and Esbjerg, both in Jutland, between Copenhagen and
Aalborg, Copenhagen and Hanstholm, Copenhagen and Ârhus, Høje
Taastrup and Århus, Odense and Nykøbing Falster and several
others. The connections listed below are only samples of what is available
and can be booked through:
* Eurolines
* John F. Kennedy Plads 1
* DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark
* Tel.: 99 34 44 44; Fax: 99 34 44 65.
By Rail
The connections listed below are only a sample of the available routes.
Domestic Rail Connections
DSB (Danish State Railways) and a few private railway companies cover the
country with a dense network of train services supplemented by buses on
quieter stretches. Hourly services on modern InterCity and "Lyntog"
(high-speed diesels) connect Copenhagen and Sealand with the main towns of
Jutland and Fyn (Funen). Train passengers cross the Great Belt with their
train on large modern ferries where they can enjoy refreshments in the
ferry's restaurant or cafeteria. Seat reservations are required on the major
part of the "Lyntog" and InterCity routes, in couchette/sleeping
cars, on night connections and on other trains crossing the Great Belt.
Bookings can be made through:
* Danish State Railways (DSB)
* Pladsbestilling indland
* Københavns Hovedbanegârd
* Bernstorffsgrade 18
* DK-1577 Copenhagen V
* Tel.: 33 14 88 00
Europe-Denmark Rail Connections
A number of international trains with sleeping, couchette, and dining cars
connect Britain and the European continent with Copenhagen.
