In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Denmark
Roskilde
Day-trip from Copenhagen (25 min by train) unless you're here for the late-June festival: then sleep in town and book beds months ahead.
Roskilde is a 1,000-year-old market town 35 km west of Copenhagen, small enough to walk in an afternoon. Two UNESCO-grade draws anchor it: the cathedral where Danish kings and queens are buried, and the Viking Ship Museum on the inlet. Most travellers come as a day-trip; the Roskilde Festival in late June and early July is the one reason to stay.
- Country
- Denmark
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Late Jun–early Jul (festival crowds and prices), Nov–Feb (short, grey days)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- DKK
- Money
- Currency is the Danish krone (DKK, kr); the euro is not used, though some tourist shops accept it at a poor rate.
- Daily spend
- Budget 350–550 kr excl. bed · Mid 550–950 kr excl. bed · High 950 kr+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU roaming applies: EU and EEA SIMs work at home prices.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Police non-emergency 114 · Medical helpline 1813
- Plugs
- Types C, F, K · 230 V · 50 Hz · Two-pin European plugs fit; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Service included; round up or leave 5–10% for excellent service.; Café and bar: Nothing expected.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Nothing expected.; Guided tour: Optional; DKK 50–100 for a good private guide.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent everywhere; restaurants serve it free or for a small charge per carafe.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are common in Copenhagen; stations charge DKK 5–10 or take cards.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 35–55 kr |
| Lunch main (steakhouse or café) | 100–200 kr |
| Beer: draught / supermarket can | 50–70 kr / 10–20 kr |
| Train Copenhagen–Roskilde, one way | about 80 kr |
| Cathedral entry | 60 kr, students and pensioners 40 kr, children free |
| Viking Ship Museum entry | 80–115 kr, students 70–100 kr, children free |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | 70–150 kr |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CPH · Copenhagen Airport
- Trains to Roskilde run from the airport on weekdays, bypassing Copenhagen Central; check times, they are infrequent
- RKE · Roskilde Airport
- General aviation and taxi flights only; no scheduled passenger service to plan around
Typical fares
- Copenhagen H → Roskilde, regional train
- about 80 kr, about 25 min
- Roskilde station → Viking Ship Museum
- walk, about 15 min
- Festival train, station → camp
- 20 kr during the festival
Get around
The centre is about 1 km² and flat: walk from the station to Stændertorvet, the cathedral and on to the Viking Ship Museum via Bypark. Local buses serve the station and outer districts; the festival site is 4 km south and has its own train stop and shuttle buses during the event.The centre is about 1 km² and flat: walk from the station to Stændertorvet, the cathedral and on to the Viking Ship Museum via Bypark. Local buses serve the station and outer districts; the festival site is 2.5 mi south and has its own train stop and shuttle buses during the event.
See and do
Known for
- Roskilde Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Viking Ship Museum
- Roskilde Festival
- Denmark's oldest railway station (1847)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Copenhagen | Regional train from Roskilde station to København H | About 25 min |
| Lejre (Land of Legends and Ledreborg Palace) | Train to Lejre, then bus 233 | About 45–60 min |
| Kalundborg | Train via Roskilde's regional lines | About 1 h 15 min |
| Holbæk | Regional train west from Roskilde | About 40 min |
Sleep
- City centre (around Stændertorvet and Algade)
- Walk to cathedral, station and restaurants; the only area worth basing in for a short stay.
- Near the station / RO's Torv
- Practical for early trains and the mall; 10 min walk to the cathedral.
- Festival camp (Dyreskueplads, 4 km south)
- Late Jun–early Jul only; tents, not hotels, and the walk to town is long.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hejhi |
| Thank you | Taktak |
| How much is it? | Hvad koster det?va koster deh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan jeg betale med kort?kan yai betaleh meh kort |
| Where is the toilet? | Hvor er toilettet?vor er toilettet |
| One ticket, please | En billet, taken billett tak |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Firm handshake and eye contact; first names at once; avoid: Titles and small talk that goes on too long
- Punctuality: Arrive on time for meetings and dinners; avoid: Being 15 minutes late without a message
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers or wine; say 'tak for mad' after the meal; avoid: Leaving right after eating
- Conversation: Dry humour, directness and self-deprecation; avoid: Boasting — Janteloven frowns on it
- Queues: Take a number (kølapper) where there is a machine; avoid: Pushing to the counter
- Cycling: Signal stops and turns with your hand; keep right; avoid: Riding side by side in busy lanes
- Toasts: 'Skål' with eye contact before and after drinking; avoid: Looking away mid-toast
Scams and watch-outs
- The cathedral has limited access during ceremonies and services: check the official site before you go.
- Festival week sells out accommodation across the region: book months ahead or stay in Copenhagen.
- Intercity buses from Jutland stop at a petrol station on Darupvej, well outside the centre; you need a local bus to reach town.
- Some museum and shop listings in older guides are out of date: confirm opening hours on official sites.
Roskilde is a small, safe town; the real risks are pickpockets in festival crowds, bicycles on shared paths, and assuming you can find a bed during festival week without booking.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Roskilde yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Roskilde Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Viking Ship Museum
- Roskilde Festival
- Denmark's oldest railway station (1847)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Roskilde, revision 5330060 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5330060
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Roskilde
Til denne adresse, tak
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Roskilde; most countries keep embassies in Copenhagen (check your own country's address).
English is spoken almost everywhere; cards are accepted widely, but carry a card for small kiosks.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/roskilde). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.