The practical Denmark guide
nobody writes because it's boring.

Money & payments

The currency

Denmark uses the Danish krone (DKK), not the euro. About 7.45 DKK = €1 (very stable). Some tourist shops in Copenhagen accept euros at unfavourable rates — pay in kroner whenever possible.

Cash or card?

Card. Almost universally. Including bakeries, market stalls, taxis, harbour ferries, and small kiosks. We genuinely don't carry cash. Apple Pay and Google Pay work everywhere cards do.

The one exception: tipping in cash for a hotel housekeeper or hair stylist is appreciated. Otherwise: card.

Tipping

• Restaurants: Service is included. Round up the bill, or leave 5–10% if the service was genuinely exceptional. Locals don't tip; tourists tipping 20% is being kind, not customary.
• Bars / cafés: No tipping. Pay the bill and go.
• Taxis: No tipping. Round up if you want.
• Canal tour captains: No tipping. A small 10–20 DKK tip for a particularly charming captain is appreciated but never expected.
• Hotel housekeeping: 20–40 DKK per day in cash if you'd like.

VAT refund (non-EU visitors)

Denmark has 25% VAT. Non-EU visitors can claim VAT refunds on purchases over 300 DKK in single shops via the Global Blue or Planet schemes. Worth it for hotel stays and design purchases over €500; not worth the queue for smaller items.

SIM cards & connectivity

Are EU/UK SIMs free to roam?

EU SIMs: Yes, free roaming in Denmark with no surcharge under EU "Roam Like At Home" rules. Use your normal SIM.
UK SIMs: Mostly yes — Three, Tesco, and Smarty include EU roaming. EE and Vodafone charge €2/day after Brexit. Check before flying.
US, Australian, Asian SIMs: Roaming is expensive. Buy a local SIM or your carrier's travel add-on.

Mobile data if your plan charges roaming

Start with your own carrier: many sell a travel add-on that keeps your number and needs no setup. If that's expensive, Lebara and Lycamobile sell prepaid SIMs at the airport (~€10 for 5 GB / 30 days). Pop it in and you're online.

Travel eSIMs exist too, but installing one means adding a profile and changing your phone's data settings, which is easy to get wrong in an arrivals hall. We don't recommend them as the default.

Wifi

Free wifi is everywhere — hotels, cafés, museums, metro stations, even some streets in Indre By. Speed is genuinely fast. You can travel Denmark without mobile data and only feel mildly limited.

Transport cards & getting around

Inside Copenhagen

• DOT Mobilbilletter app — buys metro/bus/train tickets per ride via phone. Most flexible. €3.20 single ticket.
• 24-hour City Pass — 100 DKK, unlimited metro/bus/train including airport. Buy at any station vending machine.
• Longer City Passes — same coverage; passes run up to 120 hours and cost up to 340 DKK. Check the exact price for your duration in the Rejsebillet app before you buy.
• Copenhagen Card — only if you'll visit 3+ attractions. Run our free calculator.
• Bikes — most hotels lend free. Otherwise Donkey Republic app (€10/24h).

Between Danish cities

• Train — DSB.dk is the main operator. Copenhagen ↔ Aarhus = 3h, ~250 DKK. Copenhagen ↔ Odense = 90 min, ~200 DKK.
• Discount tip: "Orange" tickets booked 1+ months in advance are 30–50% cheaper than standard. Set a reminder.
• Car hire — only worth it for west-coast Jutland or multi-stop trips. Compare car hire on Auto Europe. Rules, tolls and drive times: driving in Denmark.

Airport transfers

• Metro M2 — 14 min direct to Kongens Nytorv, every 4–10 min. 43 DKK. The best option for almost everyone.
• Taxi — €40–€50 from airport to central Copenhagen. Worth it only with heavy luggage or 4+ people.
• Be careful with private "airport transfer" services. The metro is faster, cheaper, and runs 24/7. A pre-booked driver only makes sense for a very late landing or small children with heavy bags. If that is you, Welcome Pickups lists Copenhagen Airport pickups (affiliate link).

Affiliate link: if you book through Welcome Pickups, NordGuide may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.

Full airport-to-city guide →

Get the full pre-departure checklist (free) →

Scams to avoid (Denmark is very low-scam, but)

Denmark has one of the lowest tourist-scam rates in Europe. The few that exist:

• Unmetered "taxis" at the airport. Only take taxis with visible meter + company logo (TaxA, 4x35, DanTaxi are the legitimate operators). The unmarked black cars charging €100 to central Copenhagen are operating illegally.
• Airport bike rentals. Some are €15/day genuine; some hand you a broken bike and refuse refunds. Use your hotel's bikes or Donkey Republic.
• "Free" handshake bracelets in Strøget. Rare in Copenhagen but it happens — someone puts a bracelet on your wrist then demands payment. Walk on.
• ATMs that aren't real banks. Stick to Danske Bank, Nordea, Jyske Bank ATMs. The "Euronet" tourist ATMs charge 5–10% conversion fees on top of card fees.
• Restaurants on Strøget displaying prices in tiny print. Many are not scams, just expensive. But check the bill before paying — kr. 250 for a cocktail in a basic café is a sign you're being upcharged for the location.
• Pickpockets: rare but exist on the metro between Central Station and Nørreport, and in Strøget. Standard precautions.

What's not a scam: Copenhagen restaurants and bars are expensive. A €15 beer is not a scam, it's normal. A €4 espresso is not a scam, it's normal. Budget accordingly.

Cultural etiquette

Things to do

• Say "tak" (thank you, pronounced "tag") at the right moments. Genuinely appreciated.
• Show up on time. Danes are punctual. "Around 19:00" means 19:00.
• Queue. Properly. Cutting is offensive.
• Take off your shoes when invited to a Danish home.
• Toast eye-contact. When clinking glasses, make eye contact with each person individually. "Skål".
• Cycle in the bike lane, walk on the sidewalk. The lines matter.

Things not to do

• Don't tip excessively. 20% is being kind, not customary. Don't make a show of it.
• Don't be loud in public. Especially on trains and in restaurants. Volume is much lower than in the US, UK, or southern Europe.
• Don't try to bargain. Prices are prices. The market stalls aren't markets in the negotiating sense.
• Don't expect customer service in the American sense. Servers will be efficient, polite, and not particularly attentive. They're respecting your space, not ignoring you.
• Don't compliment strangers' children. It reads as creepy. Reserve compliments for parents you know.
• Don't bring up "happiness" in conversation. Denmark gets ranked World's Happiest Country every year and Danes are tired of hearing it.

Dress codes

Copenhagen is design-conscious but not formal. No dress code at most restaurants — including Michelin-tier (smart casual is fine). Tivoli's restaurants are slightly smarter. Beaches are very casual; topless sunbathing is normal at the harbour bath. Saunas are mixed-gender and traditionally nude (most have towel rules).

The weather clearly

The Danish weather forecast is famously unreliable. We pack for two seasons in every trip, year-round.

Month	Realistic temp	What to pack
Nov–Feb	0°C to 5°C	Proper winter coat, hat, gloves, waterproof boots. Sun: maybe 7 hours.
Mar–Apr	4°C to 12°C	Layers — light coat + scarf. It can hail or be 20°C in one day.
May	10°C to 17°C	Light jacket. The best month for cherry blossom in King's Garden.
Jun–Aug	16°C to 25°C	Summer clothes + a layer for evenings. Harbour bath season.
Sep	13°C to 18°C	Similar to May — light jacket. Best month for outdoor dining.
Oct	8°C to 14°C	Autumn layers. Beautiful colours in Frederiksberg Have.

Always pack a thin waterproof. Even in July. Copenhagen rains 170+ days a year — usually for 20 minutes at a time, then the sun returns.

Safety

Copenhagen is genuinely one of the safest cities in Europe. Solo women walking home at midnight; families with sleeping babies in strollers parked outside cafés (yes, Danish parents do this); kids riding the metro alone from age 8 — all completely normal.

The two things to know:

• Bike theft is the only common crime. Always lock your bike (both wheels + frame). Never leave anything in a bike basket overnight.
• The Istedgade strip (one block of Vesterbro just south of Central Station) has visible sex-work activity. Not dangerous — just present. More detail in our where-to-stay guide.

Emergency numbers

• 112 — all emergencies (police, ambulance, fire). Operators speak English.
• 114 — non-emergency police.
• 1813 — non-emergency medical (a doctor will advise; they'll send help if needed).

Travel insurance

Strongly recommended for non-EU travelers. Denmark medical is excellent but not free for tourists. Our insurance recommendations.

Denmark for LGBTQ+ travelers

One of the most welcoming countries in Europe. Denmark legalized same-sex partnerships in 1989 (first country in the world), full marriage in 2012. Copenhagen Pride is in August; the whole city participates, not just the queer community.

All our hotel and restaurant recommendations are pre-vetted for genuine warmth — none will hesitate or comment on a "two queens" booking. Holding hands in public is normal everywhere.

Denmark has been very welcoming to trans travelers historically. The country uses official non-binary gender markers; airport security accommodates trans travelers without scenes.

Live links — the apps and sites worth installing

• DOT Mobilbilletter — transport tickets via phone (Apple App Store / Google Play)
• Donkey Republic — bike rentals if your hotel doesn't lend
• Rejseplanen — Denmark-wide journey planner (better than Google Maps for trains)
• MobilePay — the Danish equivalent of Venmo. Visitors usually can't sign up (it needs a Danish MitID and CPR number), and most places that show it take cards too. Travelling from the US? See our Copenhagen guide for US travelers.
• DSB — Danish state rail tickets (use the website for "Orange" advance discounts)

The single most useful website: visitcopenhagen.com for current museum opening hours and event listings.