Taking the Puttgarden–Rødby ferry on foot or by bicycle

You can use the Vogelfluglinie without a car: Scandlines carries foot passengers and bicycles on every departure. Foot passengers can buy a dedicated day ticket for an outward and return journey on the same calendar day. Bicycles travel for a small supplement added to the passenger ticket. Current amounts, dates and sources are listed on the Prices & fares page.

This also makes the ferry suitable for a simple day trip: a 45-minute crossing, time for cross-border shopping or a cycle ride around Lolland, then a return journey in the evening. The steps below explain how to reach both terminals and board the ferry.

Which ticket do I need?

• Foot-passenger day ticket: valid for an outward and return journey on the same day and not tied to a particular departure. You can take the ferry that suits you.
• Bicycle supplement: added to the passenger ticket. Check non-standard cases such as e-bikes, cargo bikes or bicycle trailers with Scandlines before booking.
• Motorbikes have their own vehicle fare and use the same check-in process as cars; see Prices & fares.

Tickets are available online and at the terminal. The online booking flow immediately shows which products are available for your travel day.

Check-in at Puttgarden

Without a car, the easiest way to reach the terminal is the X85 express bus from Lübeck ZOB, which stops directly at the ferry port. The Puttgarden ferry port page covers the full journey. The terminal hall is only a few steps from the bus stop.

Inside the hall, scan your ticket at the entrance to the boarding bridge, then take the stairs and walk directly aboard. The deadline matters: you must be at the boarding bridge no later than 15 minutes before departure, and the walk from the hall to the bridge takes five to ten minutes. It is therefore best to arrive half an hour early.

If you are travelling with a bicycle, do not check in inside the hall. Instead, ride into the yellow lane at vehicle check-in at least 15 minutes before departure. Staff will process your ticket, and you roll aboard via the vehicle ramp like the cars.

Check-in at Rødby

The process is the same on the Danish side: foot passengers check in inside the terminal hall and use the boarding bridge, while cyclists take the yellow lane. Without a car, take the train to Maribo, then bus 720R to Rødby Færge at the port; trains do not currently run all the way to the terminal. Check connections for your travel day with Denmark's Rejseplanen journey planner. The Rødby ferry port page has further details.

On board

Your bicycle stays on the vehicle deck during the 45-minute crossing. Secure it as directed by the crew and take valuables upstairs, as the deck is closed during the journey. Upstairs you will find the Food Express, Scandlines Coffee and the onboard shop. There is no checked-luggage service: you carry everything aboard yourself, so pack in a way that makes the stairs and boarding bridge manageable.

Continuing without a car

From Puttgarden, the X85 takes you towards Lübeck for your onward journey in Germany. From Rødby, bus 720R runs to Maribo, with rail connections towards Nykøbing Falster and Copenhagen. The Fehmarn to Copenhagen page describes the complete route to the capital. Check the timetable when planning your return and do not rely on the final connecting bus in the evening without confirming it in the journey planner beforehand.