Puttgarden ⇄ Rødby · 45 min · about 19 km

Taking your dog on the Puttgarden Rødby ferry: in the car or up on deck?

Car or deck? Both are allowed on the Puttgarden Rødby ferry: your dog can stay in the car for the 45 minutes or come up with you on a lead into the passenger areas without carpet. The one thing to settle before you get out is that the car deck is closed during the crossing, so there is no popping back down to check on it. The Scandlines rules are short; Denmark's entry rules are the part that needs a bit more attention.

Updated 23 September 2026 · Written and photographed by the PuttgardenRodby.com team

Check prices and book Car Standard: online from €61.10 · at the harbour from €111 See the price example

The sun deck of the ferry with its blue floor and stairs to the upper deck — The sun deck: no carpet, room to walk, fresh air

Lounge with tables and panorama windows on the ferry — The lounge with its tiled floor, dogs on a lead are allowed here

Tables on the sun deck and the lounge windows of the ferry

The Scandlines rules at a glance

The rules are the same on both Scandlines routes to Denmark, and they would fit on a beer mat. We checked them on scandlines.com on 18 September 2026 for our sister site RostockGedser.com; nothing differs for Puttgarden Rødby. Scandlines gives no price for dogs, and in the car the dog does not count as a passenger anyway.

Pets are allowed in all areas without carpet
Always on a lead or in a closed carrier
At least two metres away from buffets and food counters
The dog may stay in the vehicle, but you cannot visit it while at sea
You can borrow a water bowl at the Food Express
There is no dog toilet on board

The Scandlines page says nothing about a muzzle requirement, a limit on the number of dogs or special rules for foot passengers with a dog. If that matters to you, for example with a breed that is on a restricted list, ask customer service before you book. Denmark also bans certain breeds from entering the country, see below.

Car or deck: how to decide

Leaving the dog in the car

Forty-five minutes is not long. For a calm dog that is used to the car this is the easy option. The car deck is enclosed and noisy during loading and unloading: engines, ramps, car alarms. Leave a window open a crack, put out water and switch off the car alarm, because motion sensors go off on a ferry. Keep in mind that once you are upstairs you cannot get to the dog until Rødby.

Bringing the dog upstairs

The better choice for most dogs, and on this ferry there is plenty of floor without carpet: the lounge with its tiled floor, the area around the Food Express and the whole sun deck around the funnel. In calm weather the sun deck is the place, with tables and benches sheltered behind the superstructure. Carpeted areas, parts of the restaurant and the shop, are off limits. The crossing is over before a restless dog gets bored.

Plan the last walk before boarding. In Puttgarden the BorderShop car park and the green strips along the port road are the only options; the village of Puttgarden itself is a few minutes away. In Rødbyhavn there is more space around the harbour.

Entering Denmark with a dog

EU pet passport with a valid rabies vaccination. Scandlines points this out explicitly, and there are spot checks at the port exit.
Microchip that matches the passport.
Breed ban: Denmark bans keeping and importing certain dog breeds. The current list is kept by the Danish veterinary authority (foedevarestyrelsen.dk). Check this before you travel, the ban also applies to holidaymakers.
Leads required: on Danish beaches dogs must be on a lead from 1 April to 30 September, in forests all year round.
The same papers apply for the journey back to Germany.

In practice: 45 minutes on board with a dog

Take the lead, water, a blanket and poo bags upstairs with you before you lock the car. Find a spot along the side early on, not in the passage to the shop. In rough seas it is calmest midships and low down, which goes for dogs as much as for people; there is more on this on our page about weather and sea conditions. When the ferry docks, the stairwell gets crowded and loud: wait until the first rush has gone down, the car deck does not open any faster.

It works without a car too: foot passengers in Puttgarden reach the terminal over the footbridge, and the 1-day ticket costs 11 euros return. Check with Scandlines whether the dog needs a ticket as a foot passenger; the website does not say.

TimetableQuiet departures outside peak times Prices and ticketsEvery fare with its conditions With a motorhomeLength bands, lanes, boarding Puttgarden ferry portWhere to walk the dog before departure

FAQ: ferry with a dog

Can my dog come up on deck on the Puttgarden Rødby ferry?

Yes, on a lead or in a carrier, in all areas without carpet and two metres away from buffets.

Can the dog stay in the car?

Yes. But you cannot visit it during the crossing, because the car deck is closed while at sea. At 45 minutes that is a short wait.

Does a dog cost extra?

Scandlines does not give a price on its page about animals on board. In the car, the dog is included in the vehicle ticket. As a foot passenger, check what the booking says.

Does my dog need a muzzle?

The Scandlines page says nothing about it; what is required is a lead or a carrier. With large dogs or restricted breeds, ask customer service beforehand.

Which papers does the dog need for Denmark?

EU pet passport, microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. Also bear in mind the Danish ban on certain breeds.

Is there a dog toilet on board?

No. Go for one more walk before boarding; in Puttgarden the green strips by the BorderShop car park are the closest option.

Bringing the dog? In the car it travels at no extra charge. You will see the price for your departure in the booking.

Check prices and book Car Standard: online from €61.10 · at the harbour from €111