Scandlines runs this crossing every 30 minutes, 24/7, year-round. It's the most-used car route between Denmark and Germany — and the only direct one until the Fehmarn Belt tunnel opens in 2029. Here's what it costs in 2026, how to halve the price, and when the ferry still beats driving around through Jutland.
Last updated ·Verified 2026-05-24
The Scandlines ferry between Rødby (Denmark) and Puttgarden (Germany) is the workhorse of the Denmark-Germany car corridor. Forty-five minutes across the Fehmarn Belt, a ferry every thirty minutes around the clock, and onboard EV charging that's actually free. Here's the full 2026 picture — pricing, booking strategy, the comparison against driving via Storebælt, and what changes when the Fehmarn tunnel opens in 2029.
| Ticket type | Price (EUR) | Approx DKK | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Price (online, restricted) | from €48 | ~360 DKK | Cheapest. Book ahead, locked to a specific departure window. |
| Flexible Standard (online) | from €61 | ~455 DKK | Flexible departure, valid all day. The default choice. |
| 1-day Return (online) | from €72 | ~535 DKK | Same-day return, flexible. Best value for shopping trips. |
| Easy Return (open return) | from €168 | ~1,250 DKK | Open return valid up to 30 days. For longer trips. |
| Standard (walk-on at terminal) | from €111 | ~825 DKK | No booking, pay at the gate. Almost double the online price. |
Price per car up to 6 m with 1–9 passengers. Verified 2026-05-24 against scandlines.com. Prices fluctuate seasonally — peak summer is 30–50% above off-season.
The single biggest cost variable is whether you book online or walk on at the terminal. The difference is roughly the cost of a tank of diesel.
Book directly at scandlines.com or compare via Direct Ferries — both reliable, both clear about return policy.
“A ferry that runs every half hour is a ferry that respects your time. Show up, board, eat a sandwich, charge the car, drive off. It's the closest thing to a moving rest stop that Europe has built.”
— Bo Nexø
Two practical routes from Copenhagen to Hamburg. The numbers below assume a single passenger car, no roof box, and average traffic — not Sunday-after-summer-holiday traffic.
| Route | Distance (CPH → Hamburg) | Time | Toll / ferry | Fuel cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rødby–Puttgarden ferry | ~290 km + 45 min ferry | ~5 hours | €48–72 ferry | ~€30 | ~€80–100 |
| Storebælt + Jutland route | ~480 km drive | ~5–6 hours | ~270 DKK (~€36) Storebælt | ~€60 | ~€95–100 |
Total cost is almost identical. What you actually buy with the ferry is 190 km less driving and a 45-minute built-in rest stop. With kids in the back, that\'s the deciding factor every time. For EVs, the onboard charging tilts the balance further — you arrive in Germany with a fuller battery than you left Denmark with.
Cross-Nordic context: see our Denmark tolls 2026 guide for the full Storebælt breakdown, or our Bornholm ferry comparison for the other end of the Scandlines map.
Boarding takes 15–20 minutes from gate to engine-off. You stay in line, roll into the cargo deck (multiple levels on the larger ferries), park where directed, kill the engine, leave the car.
Onboard, on a typical crossing:
Scandlines has invested heavily in onboard EV charging — it\'s now a marquee feature, not an afterthought. Current setup on most ferries:
To use: when checking in, indicate you have an EV. The terminal directs you to a charging-equipped lane. Plug in immediately after parking — chargers are first-come, first-served on the slower lanes.
For Tesla owners specifically: Scandlines is CCS-only — no Tesla destination chargers onboard. Most newer Teslas have native CCS. Recommended sandwich: Næstved Supercharger (~50 km north of Rødby) → free top-up onboard → Lübeck Supercharger (~20 minutes south of Puttgarden) if needed. For the full Copenhagen → Croatia route built around this ferry, see Tesla to Croatia.
Outside those windows the ferry runs every 30 minutes and you\'ll catch the next one regardless of when you arrive.
Rødby itself is small — basically a ferry terminal plus a service area. If you arrive early:
The Fehmarn Belt fixed link is under construction now — an 18 km immersed road-and-rail tunnel between Rødby and Puttgarden. When it opens (current target: 2029, realistic: 2029–2030):
Until 2029, Scandlines remains the only direct option for this crossing. The pricing battle starts the day the tunnel opens.
For trips to Hamburg, southern Germany, or onwards to Italy, Spain or Croatia — the ferry is the better choice almost every time. It\'s shorter total time, the crossing doubles as a real meal break, and the EV charging is genuinely useful. The Storebælt + Jutland routing only wins if you specifically want to visit Funen on the way, or if storm closures force the ferry to skip a sailing.
If you\'re comparing crossings on a different leg of the trip, our sister site has a useful piece on bridge vs. ferry to Sweden that walks through the same calculation logic for the Øresund crossing. The conclusion ends up surprisingly similar.
Other guides worth reading before you cross:
45 minutes from cast-off to docking. Add 15–20 minutes for boarding and disembarking. Plan ~75 minutes door-to-road.
No — walk-on is possible at the terminal. But you pay double. Standard walk-on is around €111 versus €48–61 for an online ticket booked a few days ahead. In peak summer (July–August) or holiday weekends, booking online saves 30–50% and guarantees a slot.
Yes. Scandlines ferries have CCS DC chargers on the car deck. A 45-minute crossing adds roughly 15–25 kWh — useful but not always essential, since Lübeck Supercharger is about 20 minutes south of Puttgarden.
Every 30 minutes, 24/7, year-round. One of the most frequent ferry routes in Europe. Even at 03:00 there are crossings.
Yes, around 2029. The tunnel will drop crossing time from 45 minutes to roughly 10 and will likely carry a toll in the €50–60 range for cars. Scandlines will almost certainly reduce service after the tunnel opens. Until then, the ferry is the only direct option.
Yes — cafeteria, restaurant, tax-free shop and BorderShop. Food is service-station quality, not gourmet. Many regulars bring their own snacks and use the BorderShop on the way back for cheap German beer and groceries.
Every Danish toll bridge in 2026, what BroBizz actually saves, and when a ferry beats the bridge.
The two routes to Bornholm compared — and why the Swedish detour usually wins.
The full Copenhagen → Split route, charger by charger, that starts with this ferry.