Danish Diaries – Move Along!

Danish Diaries – Move Along!

Living in Denmark is a pleasure once you get used to the cold (only for the ones used to the warm weather!). Along with that, I have had the pleasure of travelling within the country too. The beauty of travel is not only when you go outside the borders of a country but also within. The wealth of knowledge and experience is always worth it. Given the freedom of the Schengen visa, it is a common practice to travel around Europe (which I took the advantage of too!) but Denmark has a lot to offer as a student traveller or a seasoned one.

Map of Denmark

The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. The area is named after the Schengen Agreement. States in the Schengen Area have eliminated border controls with other Schengen members and strengthened border controls with non-Schengen countries. Twenty-two of the twenty-eight European Union (EU) member states participate in the Schengen Area. Of the six EU members that are not part of the Schengen Area, four – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania – are legally obliged to join the area, while the other two – the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom – maintain opt-outs. The four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, are not members of the EU but have signed agreements in association with the Schengen Agreement. Three European micro states – Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City – can be considered de facto participants. When you get a visa to one of the above countries, it is an amazing opportunity to travel around.

The Schengen Area

Denmark’s location makes it an excellent gateway to the rest of Scandinavia and Europe. Berlin is just an hour’s flight away. London and Paris can be reached in less than two hours, and Barcelona, Rome, Vienna and Prague are all just a few hours away. Denmark also has excellent transport infrastructure, which makes it easy for you to explore the nation’s countryside and national parks.

Denmark consists of the peninsula of Jutland and an archipelago of 433 named islands. All 72 inhabited Danish islands are connected by ferryboat service or bridge. The two largest and most densely populated islands are Zealand and Funen. Denmark has two mega-bridges – one connecting Funen and Sealand (the Great Belt Bridge) and one connecting Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmö (the Öresund Bridge). Both are among Europe’s biggest. Bridges also connect other Danish islands, including the bridge between Jutland and Funen (the Little Belt Bridge).

The Danish motorway network now covers 1,111 km and the railway network totals 2,667 km of track. You can travel to most cities by train, bus, or ferry. Copenhagen has one of the world’s most efficient metro systems – a fully-automated system operating 24/7. Denmark has several international airports, the largest of which is Copenhagen and Billund. There are also domestic flights between Copenhagen and the cities of Aalborg, Aarhus and Rønne.

Travelling in Denmark is not a head breaking situation. Almost 80 percent of the population speaks English and people in the information centers are helpful in guiding you around. Additionally, you can download applications in Google Play and Apple store to buy tickets for the public transportation. Even though biking is popular option, (check here for more information on biking – http://www.mangalorean.com/danish-diaries-the-world-of-biking/) getting around in buses, trains, trams and flights are easy.

Rejseplanen

Rejseplanen app

Rejseplanen (pronounced rai-sa-pla-nen) is the Danish journey planner which guides you in finding your routes in all of Denmark’s busses, trains and metro. All you have to do is enter two locations or even use the GPS to pinpoint your current location. With this information, the planner will tell you how and where to board your bus or train and when will you reach your destination.You also get updated information on any delays or disruptions on the application. The app holds data from all Danish public transport companies and is one of Denmark’s biggest public interservices. It is owned by all public transport companies in the country.

Rejseplanen front view

Rejseplanen travel view

DSB

DSB, an abbreviation of Danske Statsbaner (Danish State Railways), is the largest Danish train operating company, and the largest in Scandinavia. While DSB is responsible for passenger train operation on most of the Danish railways, goods transport and railway maintenance are outside its scope.

DSB app

DSB front page

DSB runs a commuter rail system, called S-train, in the area around the Danish capital, Copenhagen, that connects the different areas and suburbs in the greater metropolitan area. DSB also operates some trains in Sweden. Buying tickets is a simple process with an app which is also called DSB and works just like the Rejseplanen. You can pay with your credit or debit card and an electronic ticket is in your hands.

DSB travel View

You might be wondering after coming to a foreign country, getting the internet is going to cost you a ton of money. No worries there, as almost all public transportation has free Wi-Fi courtesy of the Danish government! Like magic, a lot of your travel worries can be worked out with these apps. The government also further intends to make travel as cashless as possible. So, I packed my bags and travelled around Denmark to make it a memorable stay for myself. I guess, you should too! Vises naeste gang!

About The Author:

Athmika Ramachandra is currently continuing her post-graduation studies at Aarhus University, Denmark under student exchange programme of Manipal University Media and Communication Department. Athmika is Gold Medallist in BA from Mangalore University, enjoys photography, listening to music, reading novels and trying out new food. A bitten travel bug Athmika cherishes writing and poetry and she is the granddaughter of Late Padyana Gopalakishna (Pa.Go), Veteran Journalist & Kannada Columnist of yesteryears from Mangalore.

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