Across the Fehmarn Belt on foot or by bike

The Vogelfluglinie works without a car too: Scandlines takes foot passengers and bicycles on every departure. Foot passengers have their own day ticket for the outward and return crossing on the same calendar day, and bikes travel for a small supplement on top of the passenger ticket. Current prices are on the Tickets & prices page.

That makes the ferry an easy day trip: a 45-minute crossing, border shopping or a bike ride around Lolland on the other side, and back in the evening. Here is how to get to both terminals and how boarding works, step by step.

Which ticket do I need?

• Foot passenger day ticket: valid for the outward and return crossing on the same day and not tied to a single departure. You take whichever ferry suits you.
• Bike supplement: added on top of the passenger ticket. Check special cases such as e-bikes, cargo bikes or bike trailers with Scandlines before booking.
• Motorcycles have their own vehicle fare and check in like cars; see Tickets & prices.

You can buy online or at the terminal; online you can see straight away which tickets are available for your day of travel.

Check-in at Puttgarden

Without a car, the easiest way to reach the terminal is the X85 express bus from Lübeck ZOB (central bus station), which stops right at the ferry port; the full journey is on the Port of Puttgarden page. From the bus stop it's only a few steps to the terminal building.

Inside, scan your ticket at the entrance to the boarding bridge and take the stairs straight on board. The deadline matters: you must be at the boarding bridge no later than 15 minutes before departure, and the walk from the building to the bridge takes five to ten minutes. So it's best to arrive half an hour early.

With a bike, you don't check in inside the building; instead, ride into the yellow lane at vehicle check-in at least 15 minutes before departure. Staff will check you in, and you board over the ramp like the cars.

Check-in at Rødby

The procedure is the same on the Danish side: foot passengers check in inside the terminal building and board via the boarding bridge, and cyclists use the yellow lane. Without a car, take the train to Maribo and then bus 720R to Rødby Færge, right at the port; there is currently no train to the terminal itself. Check the connections for your day of travel in the Danish journey planner Rejseplanen; details are on the Port of Rødby page.

On board

During the 45 minutes your bike stays on the car deck; secure it as the crew instructs and take valuables upstairs with you, because the deck is closed during the crossing. Upstairs you'll find the Food Express, Scandlines Coffee and the on-board shop. There is no luggage drop: you carry everything on board yourself, so pack light enough to manage the stairs and the boarding bridge easily.

Onward travel without a car

From Puttgarden, the X85 towards Lübeck takes you back into Germany. From Rødby, bus 720R takes you to Maribo, with train connections towards Nykøbing Falster and Copenhagen; the From Rødby to Copenhagen page covers the whole journey to the Danish capital. Check the timetable for your return, and don't count on the last connecting bus in the evening: check it in the journey planner beforehand.