Puttgarden ⇄ Rødby · 45 min · about 19 km
Puttgarden Rødby ferry: Germany to Denmark in 45 minutes
The Scandlines ferry across the Fehmarn Belt links Puttgarden on the German island of Fehmarn with Rødby on the Danish island of Lolland. It is the shortest route between Germany and Denmark, and it sails around the clock.
Driving from Hamburg or anywhere west of it to Copenhagen, Zealand or southern Sweden, this is usually the way: the motorway runs right up to the ferry on both sides, and from Rødby it is about 160 km on the E47 to Copenhagen. Heading for Jutland or Funen, the land route via Flensburg makes more sense. Here you will find how the crossing works, what a ticket costs, what to expect in the two ports and how to continue to Copenhagen and Sweden.
- Germany ⇄ DenmarkFehmarn to Lolland, 45 minutes
- TimetableBoth directions, for any date
- Fares checked 28 September 2026By hand, against scandlines.com
- Independent guidePart of the FerryGoGo network
The Puttgarden Rødby ferry in short
Forty-five minutes. That is all the sea there is between Germany and Denmark if you take the Scandlines ferry from Puttgarden, on the German island of Fehmarn, to Rødby on Lolland. For anyone driving up from the Channel ports through the Netherlands and Hamburg it is usually the quickest way to Zealand and Copenhagen: motorway to the ramp on one side, motorway off the ramp on the other, and a departure about every 40 minutes by day. The Scandlines hybrid ferries keep it going all year, day and night.
Our own photos from the crossing. Click to enlarge.
Why you can trust this page: the text and photos are by the PuttgardenRodby.com team, part of FerryGoGo. In February 2025 Bram and Robbert drove onto the ferry in Puttgarden and arrived in Rødby at sunset, the first leg of a test trip through Denmark and Sweden that also took in the Øresund Bridge, the Helsingør Helsingborg ferry and the way back via Gedser Rostock. Every photo on this page is our own. The departure times come from the timetable, and every fare carries the date we checked it. Who we are and how we earn money is on the about page.
Today’s sailings from Puttgarden to Rødby
The next eight departures from Germany to Denmark, or pick another date. Sailings in the other direction and more days are on the full Puttgarden Rødby timetable.
All departures today and tomorrow
Scheduled sailings from the timetable. Tags such as “sailing” and “arrived” are worked out from those times and the clock, not live ship data. If the table does not load, or to check delays and cancellations, use the Scandlines departure board.
What a ticket costs and which one to pick
One fare covers a car up to 6 m and up to 9 people. Low Price is the cheapest but only valid for the departure you book; Standard is valid on any departure with space that day, and its lowest price needs booking at least three days ahead. Online is usually cheaper than at the harbour.
Puttgarden Rødby, Rostock Gedser or the bridges?
Scandlines runs both Denmark routes. Puttgarden Rødby is the short one: 45 minutes, a sailing about every 40 minutes by day, and from Hamburg it is the natural way to Copenhagen. Rostock Gedser takes about 2 hours and starts 150 km further east, which makes it the better choice from Berlin, Dresden or Poland. Driving all the way round via Jutland and the Great Belt Bridge avoids the ferry but costs a bridge toll and about 200 km more from Hamburg. Call it an occupational hazard, but we would rather spend 45 minutes on a boat than another hour at the wheel. Compare the alternatives, and in bad weather check our weather and sea state page before you leave.
Where do you start?
Distances and driving times: route calculation on OpenStreetMap data (OSRM), 21 September 2026, centre to centre, without traffic or stops. Total time is driving plus the crossing (45 minutes or 2 hours) plus 30 minutes for check-in. Overland runs via Flensburg, Kolding and the Storebælt Bridge.
Why Puttgarden Rødby: the honest comparison
| Puttgarden Rødby | Rostock Gedser | Overland via Storebælt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossing | 45 minutes | about 2 hours | no ferry, toll bridge |
| Departures | about every 40 minutes by day | 8 to 9 a day each way | whenever you like |
| Hamburg to Copenhagen | about 315 km, about 5 h | about 350 km, about 6.5 h | about 515 km, just under 6 h |
| Berlin to Copenhagen | about 560 km, just over 7 h | about 390 km, just under 7 h | about 790 km, over 8.5 h |
| Car, one way, from | €48 | €65.30 | about €27.50 toll, plus about €27 fuel for 200 km more from Hamburg |
| Suits best | from Hamburg, Bremen and the west to Copenhagen and southern Sweden | from Berlin, Saxony, Poland and Czechia | for Jutland and Funen, or if you do not want to be tied to a departure |
In short: from Hamburg and the west, Puttgarden Rødby is usually the shortest and quickest way to Copenhagen and southern Sweden. On cost, ferry and overland route are close: with Low Price the ferry is a few euros cheaper than toll plus fuel, with Standard a few euros dearer. From Berlin and the east, Rostock Gedser saves about 170 km of driving for a dearer ticket. For Jutland and Funen the overland route is the natural choice.
Full route comparison with costs
Kilometres and hours: route calculation on OpenStreetMap data, 22 September 2026, centre to centre, with 30 minutes for check-in. Fares: lowest online car fare on scandlines.com, checked 28 September 2026. Bridge toll: 2026 tariff, 205 DKK. Fuel: worked example at 7 litres per 100 km and about 1.90 euros per litre.
The two ports
Puttgarden ferry port
The A1 from Hamburg turns into the E47, crosses the Fehmarnsund Bridge and ends at the check-in lanes in Puttgarden. Your booking is read at a self-service booth and a traffic light sends you to a numbered waiting lane. Check-in for cars closes 15 minutes before departure. The Scandlines BorderShop, a multi-storey border shop (German prices, not duty-free), stands right next to the lanes; parking there is limited to one hour with a parking disc. More about Puttgarden ferry port.
Rødby ferry port
Rødbyhavn is the small ferry town at the southern tip of Lolland, and the check-in sits right at the end of the E47 motorway. From the ferry you drive straight onto the E47 towards Copenhagen, about 160 km away. Scandlines gives the address as Færgestationsvej 5, 4970 Rødby, and suggests “Rødby-Puttgarden Scandlines Check-in” as the sat nav destination. More about Rødby ferry port.
45 minutes on board
The route has four sister ferries, three of them in service at the moment. They were built in 1997 and converted to hybrid drive in 2013 and 2014; upstairs there is a cafeteria, a coffee bar, a shop and a sun deck, and you cannot go back to your car during the crossing. More on our on board page.
Where you go from here
To Copenhagen: from Rødby it is about 160 km on the E47, roughly an hour and a half to two hours by car. We arrived in Rødby at dusk and were at our hotel in Copenhagen about 90 minutes later. A day trip to Copenhagen from Germany is realistic with the early sailings.
To Sweden: after Copenhagen you choose between the Øresund Bridge to Malmö and the Helsingør Helsingborg ferry further north. Scandlines sells both together with the Puttgarden Rødby crossing in one booking: ferry plus Øresund Bridge or ferry plus Helsingør Helsingborg. We used the bridge on the way out and the ferry on the way back.
The Fehmarnbelt tunnel: a road and rail tunnel is being built between Puttgarden and Rødbyhavn. It is not open yet. According to the plan Femern A/S published on 17 May 2026, the road opens first, at the earliest in 2031, and the railway later; that is a plan, not a guaranteed date. What it means for the ferry is on our page about the Fehmarnbelt tunnel.
Puttgarden Rødby ferry FAQ
How long does the Puttgarden Rødby ferry take?
45 minutes for the crossing itself. Add 15 to 30 minutes for check-in and boarding in Puttgarden, and a few minutes to drive off in Rødby.
How often does the ferry sail?
About every 40 minutes during the day and less often at night, in both directions. The exact departures for your date are in the timetable.
How much is the ferry with a car?
From 48 euros one way with a Low Price ticket booked online, from 61.10 euros for Standard, checked on scandlines.com on 28 September 2026. The fare covers the car and up to 9 people. A same-day return costs from 72 euros with the 1-day ticket. All fares are on the prices page.
Do I need to book in advance?
No, but booking online ahead usually saves money: on the day we checked, a Standard ticket cost from 111 euros at the harbour and from 61.10 euros online, the price for booking at least three days ahead. Booked on the day itself the online price is higher, so compare. Low Price tickets are only sold online, and online booking is possible up to two hours before departure.
Can I go as a foot passenger or with a bike?
Yes. A 1-day return ticket for foot passengers costs from 11 euros, a bike 3 euros extra, according to scandlines.com on 28 September 2026. Foot passengers use the footbridge to the terminal in Puttgarden.
Will the ferry stop when the Fehmarnbelt tunnel opens?
The tunnel is under construction. According to the plan Femern A/S published on 17 May 2026, the road opens first, at the earliest in 2031, and the railway later; that is not a guaranteed date. Scandlines has said publicly that it plans to keep sailing the route with a smaller fleet after the tunnel opens. We keep this answer updated on the tunnel page.
Is this site run by Scandlines?
No. PuttgardenRodby.com is an independent guide by FerryGoGo. We earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. The operator is Scandlines. More on who we are and how we work.
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