Denmark
How to get to Denmark: airports, flights and border crossings
Fly into Copenhagen (CPH) for the widest choice of long-haul and European flights and a 15-minute metro ride to the centre. Choose Billund (BLL) if Legoland or Jutland is the point of the trip, and Aalborg (AAL) for the north. Land borders from Germany and the Øresund bridge from Sweden work well by train or car.
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- Plan calculated
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GuideDenmark
Key facts
- Main gateway
- Copenhagen Airport (CPH), metro M2 to the centre in about 15 minutes
- Second gateway
- Billund (BLL) for Legoland and Jutland; Aalborg (AAL) for the north
- US flight timecheck
- About 8–9 hours nonstop from the East Coast; 11–13 hours with a European connection from the West Coast
- UK and Irelandcheck
- About 1h 45m–2h from London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin
- Canadacheck
- About 8 hours nonstop from Toronto in season; otherwise one stop
- Australia and NZcheck
- About 22–26 hours with one or two stops in the Gulf, Istanbul or a European hub
- Land entry
- Train or car from Germany via Flensburg or Padborg; Øresund bridge and train from Malmö, Sweden
- Ferriescheck
- From Germany, Sweden, Norway and Poland; also Bornholm routes
- Border checkscheck
- Schengen internal border checks have been in place on the German land border; carry your passport
- Entry rulecheck
- Schengen 90/180 days for most Western passports; check your own
Quick answer
Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is the best airport for a first trip: the most nonstop routes from North America and Europe, and a metro that puts you at Kongens Nytorv in about 15 minutes. Pick Billund (BLL) if Legoland, the Lego House or Jutland villages are the plan, and Aalborg (AAL) only if the north is your base. Trains from Hamburg and Malmö, and the Øresund bridge by car, are the practical land options.
Summary table
Match the airport to the trip, not to the cheapest fare alone. A cheap flight into Billund costs you a 3-hour train ride if Copenhagen is where you are staying.
| Gateway | Best for | To Copenhagen centre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copenhagen (CPH) | First trips, Zealand, Malmö day-trips | Metro M2, about 15 min | Largest route network; train station in the terminal |
| Billund (BLL) | Legoland, Lego House, Jutland | Train via Vejle, about 3h | Small airport, mostly European routes |
| Aalborg (AAL) | North Jutland | Train, about 4h 30m | Useful only if the north is your base |
| Aarhus (AAR) | Aarhus and east Jutland | Train, about 3h | Few international routes |
| Malmö (MMX), Sweden | Copenhagen via the Øresund bridge | Train, about 35–40 min | Good for low-cost European flights |
| Hamburg (HAM), Germany | Jutland by train | Train, about 4h 30m | Cheap fares, longer transfer |
Step by step
Start with the airport. If your trip is Copenhagen, Roskilde, Helsingør or a Malmö day-trip, book CPH. If it is Legoland, Billund or the west coast, book BLL. If it is Skagen, Aalborg or the north, book AAL. Flying into Malmö and taking the train over the bridge is a legitimate way to reach Copenhagen, and often cheaper on low-cost carriers.
- Check whether your passport needs a Schengen visa before booking anything non-refundable.
- Compare a nonstop to CPH against a cheaper one-stop into Billund or Malmö, then add the train fare and time.
- Book the onward train at the same time as the flight if you are heading straight to Aarhus, Odense or Aalborg.
- For land entry from Germany, the Hamburg–Copenhagen train and the Flensburg/Padborg road crossing are the main routes.
- For Sweden, the Øresund bridge carries both cars and trains between Malmö and Copenhagen.
- Ferries link Denmark with Germany, Sweden, Norway and Poland, and connect Bornholm to the mainland.
Notes
Denmark is in Schengen. Most US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Irish passport holders can stay 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, but confirm your own case before booking. Internal Schengen border checks have been in place on the German land border at times, so carry your passport even on a train from Hamburg.
- Copenhagen Airport has its own metro and train station; no bus transfer is needed.
- Baggage and bike rules differ by airline; Danish trains take bikes with a reservation on many routes.
- Book summer flights early: June to August is peak, and fares into CPH rise fastest.
- Travel insurance is worth arranging before you fly, especially for connections and delays.
FAQ
Sources and verification
Questions people ask
What is the best airport to fly into for Denmark?
Copenhagen (CPH) for a first trip: the most routes and a 15-minute metro to the centre. Billund (BLL) if Legoland or Jutland is the plan, Aalborg (AAL) for the north, and Malmö (MMX) in Sweden if a cheap fare plus a 35–40 minute train over the Øresund bridge suits you.
How long is the flight to Denmark from the US, UK, Canada, Australia and NZ?
About 8–9 hours nonstop from the US East Coast and roughly 11–13 hours with a connection from the West Coast. UK and Ireland: 1h 45m–2h. Canada: about 8 hours nonstop from Toronto in season. Australia and NZ: 22–26 hours with one or two stops. All 2026 estimates (check).
Can I enter Denmark by land or sea?
Yes. Trains and cars cross from Germany at Flensburg/Padborg, and the Øresund bridge and train link Copenhagen with Malmö, Sweden. Ferries run from Germany, Sweden, Norway and Poland, plus Bornholm routes. Carry your passport: Schengen internal border checks have been used on the German land border.
Do I need a visa to enter Denmark?
Most US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Irish passport holders can stay 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa as part of Schengen. Other nationalities need a Schengen visa. Check the official rules for your passport before booking.
Is Billund a good airport for Copenhagen?
No. Billund (BLL) is in Jutland and about 3 hours by train from Copenhagen via Vejle. It is the right airport for Legoland, the Lego House and west Jutland, not for a Copenhagen-based trip.
How do I get from Copenhagen Airport to the city?
The metro M2 runs from the airport to the centre in about 15 minutes, and there is a train station in the terminal for onward journeys to Malmö and the rest of Denmark. Tickets are bought from machines or the app before boarding.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialVisitDenmark
- officialCopenhagen Airport
- officialBillund Airport
- officialAalborg Airport
- officialDSB (Danish State Railways)
- officialØresundsbron
- officialDanish Police – border controls
- officialNew to Denmark (Schengen and visas)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Denmark