FERRY BOOKING
DRIVERS MANAGEMENT
VAT & EXCISE DUTY REFUND
English
FERRY BOOKING
DRIVERS MANAGEMENT
VAT & EXCISE DUTY REFUND
English
Book your Puttgarden to Rødby ferry, or the return Rødby to Puttgarden crossing, for trucks and HGVs with Scandlines. Get an instant quote, and with up to 100 sailings a day, you’re rarely more than 30 minutes from the next departure. There’s no customs paperwork to file between Germany and Denmark, so booking is as simple as this crossing gets.
If you’re not a transport company but just a traveler, you can book your Puttgarden to Rødby ferry ticket with smartferry.com.
| Crossing time | 45 minutes |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Up to 100 sailings a day, every 30 minutes |
| Operator | Scandlines |
| Distance | 11.6 nautical miles (21 km) |
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Yes. Scandlines runs the same 24/7 schedule in both directions, so whether you’re booking a Puttgarden Rødby ferry heading north into Scandinavia, or a Rødby to Puttgarden ferry coming back south into Germany, it’s the same operator, the same 45-minute crossing, and the same near-continuous departures.
This is one of the busiest freight corridors in Europe, part of the historic Vogelfluglinie (“Bee Line”) connecting Germany and Denmark, and it’s built entirely around keeping HGVs moving rather than making them wait. Move Expert puts the booking in the same system you already use for your other European ferry crossings, so your fleet isn’t managing a separate account for every corridor.
With close to 100 sailings a day, there's rarely a reason to plan your route around a fixed sailing time.
Vehicle length and travel time set your fare, shown clearly, including any fuel-related surcharge Scandlines applies.
Germany and Denmark are both EU and Schengen states, so unlike our UK-related routes, there's no GMR, ENS or customs declaration required for this crossing.
If your fleet also runs Channel or Irish Sea crossings, book Puttgarden-Rødby from the same Move Expert account, one login for every corridor.
| Crossing time | 45 minutes |
| Distance | Around 11.6 nautical miles (21 km), one of the shortest international ferry crossings in Europe |
| Frequency | Up to 100 sailings a day, roughly every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year |
| Operators | Scandlines, the sole operator on this crossing |
| Vessel type | Hybrid-propulsion double-ended ferries, built for fast loading and unloading |
| German terminal | Puttgarden, on the island of Fehmarn, direct access from the B207/A1 |
| Danish terminal | Rødby, on the island of Lolland, direct access from the E47 |
| Customs status | None required, both countries are EU and Schengen members |
| Future development | The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel, currently under construction beneath this same strait, is targeted to open in 2029 |
Sits on the German island of Fehmarn, connected to the mainland by bridge, with direct access from the B207 and onward to the A1 motorway toward Hamburg and central Germany. Purpose-built for high-turnover freight handling, given the volume passing through here every day.
Located on the Danish island of Lolland, feeding directly onto the E47 motorway, the main road link running north through Denmark toward Copenhagen and, from there, onward into Sweden via the Øresund Bridge.
Puttgarden Rødby ferry is operated exclusively by Scandlines. It runs a fleet of hybrid-powered double-ended ferries specifically built for this corridor’s volume. There’s no operator to compare here. The value of this route lies in Scandlines’ frequency.
With roughly one departure every 30 minutes around the clock, this functions more like a conveyor belt than a scheduled sailing. This is precisely why it’s become the backbone crossing for freight moving between Central Europe and Scandinavia.
Enter your truck's length, height and width, plus the number of people travelling. No fixed departure to commit to in advance, just a travel window.
See the fare for your vehicle, including any Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) or currency-related surcharge Scandlines applies, shown as its own line.
Your booking reference arrives immediately by email, ready for the automated check-in at either terminal.
Tip: with departures roughly every half hour, there’s little reason to book far in advance for availability, most transport companies use this route as a flexible link in a longer journey rather than a fixed appointment.
Unlike a Channel or Irish Sea crossing, moving freight between Germany and Denmark doesn’t involve a customs border, both countries are EU and Schengen members, so there’s no export or import declaration to file for this leg of the journey. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing to manage:
Still your standard proof of contract for international road haulage, required regardless of the ferry crossing.
Still required if you're carrying dangerous goods, exactly as on any other route.
International road transport within the EU can trigger driver posting declarations through the IMI system, along with the usual driving and rest time rules. These apply to the road journey itself, not the ferry crossing, but they're often overlooked by hauliers used to thinking in terms of "customs paperwork" for cross-border work.
Germany applies its LKW-Maut on motorways either side of Puttgarden; Denmark's road network is currently untolled for most routes, though the future Fehmarnbelt Tunnel is expected to introduce its own toll once open.
Puttgarden Rødby sits on the Vogelfluglinie, literally the “Bee Line”. It is the most direct road and rail corridor between Central Europe and Scandinavia.
It was built specifically to avoid the long detour around the Jutland peninsula.
For freight continuing north, the E47 leads straight on to Copenhagen. From there, it continues across the Øresund Bridge into Sweden, while freight coming from Germany can also reach Denmark further east via Scandlines’ Rostock-Gedser crossing, better suited to routes from East and South Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic or Austria
At 45 minutes, the Puttgarden Rødby crossing also lines up neatly with a short driver break. It does not meaningfully add to your overall journey time, unlike a longer sailing.
Your fare depends mainly on vehicle length, plus any fuel-related surcharge Scandlines applies at the time of travel. Get an instant quote through our booking tool before confirming.
The process is the same in either direction: enter your truck’s dimensions, get a quote, pay online, and receive your booking reference immediately, ready for check-in at either terminal.
No. Germany and Denmark are both EU and Schengen member states, so there’s no customs declaration, GMR or ENS filing required for this crossing, unlike our UK-related routes.
Scandlines runs up to around 100 sailings a day between the two terminals, roughly one every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
45 minutes, one of the shortest scheduled international ferry crossings in Europe.
No, Scandlines operates this crossing exclusively, running a dedicated fleet of hybrid-powered ferries built for its high frequency.
Not yet. The tunnel is under construction beneath the same strait and is currently targeted to open in 2029, though the project’s timeline has shifted more than once since it was agreed in 2007. Scandlines has confirmed the ferry service will continue throughout the construction period.
No customs declaration is required for this intra-EU crossing. Standard road transport documents, your CMR consignment note and any ADR paperwork for dangerous goods, are still needed as usual.
It can. International road haulage between EU member states may trigger driver posting declarations through the IMI system, along with standard driving and rest time rules, separate from anything related to the ferry crossing itself.
Given departures roughly every 30 minutes, there’s little need to book far ahead for availability. Most hauliers book shortly before travelling, though a contract rate is worth arranging if you run this corridor regularly.
Generally no. At 45 minutes, it’s on the shorter end for a qualifying break under most tachograph rules, though it can still offer a useful short pause within a longer Scandinavia-bound journey. Check current regulations for your fleet’s home country.
Yes, subject to standard declaration and acceptance by Scandlines, the same process as any other ADR-classified load.
Standard articulated combinations are accepted without issue; longer or abnormal loads should be confirmed with Scandlines or our freight team before booking.
Yes. If this corridor is part of your regular Scandinavia route, our freight team can help set up consolidated invoicing and negotiated rates.
No. Scandlines also operates the Rostock-Gedser crossing further east, an alternative depending on where your journey starts and ends in either country.
From Rødby, the E47 leads north to Copenhagen, from where the Øresund Bridge provides a direct road and rail link into Sweden.
Rarely, given the short, sheltered strait, though severe storms can occasionally affect sailings, as with any sea crossing. This route is generally one of the most reliable in our network.
It’s the historic name, meaning “Bee Line” or “Bird Flight Line”, for this corridor connecting Germany and Denmark by the most direct road and rail route, avoiding the longer detour around the Jutland peninsula.
Get an instant quote, book in minutes, and manage this crossing from the same platform as the rest of your European routes, no customs paperwork, no separate account, trusted by 14,000+ transport companies across 35+ countries.
Rostock to Gedser ferry is the alternative Scandlines corridor further east, built for East/South German, Polish, Czech and Austrian freight.
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