Budget Denmark Tips

Most travelers and expats are always on the hunt for Budget Denmark Tips and that is why I have collected these gems for you. To help you save money.

It will be no surprise that, when you visit or move to a new country, there will be lots of new things to learn. Most of the daily things that Danes take for granted can be major obstacles for someone just arriving in Denmark.

On these pages, I will try to help you learn how to do those things and save money, so you can spend more time enjoying your stay. Check back often and see what new and interesting things have been added.

If you are trying to find out about something which is not covered, please let me know and I will endeavor to get that information listed for you.

Better yet, if you have an idea that will help visitors or expats, send it in and it will be included if possible.

If you discover that something has been updated or changed recently, please let me know so I can update the information.

Budget Denmark Tips #1: Airport Transfers

One of the first obstacles that you will encounter is public transportation, like riding the trains. To learn how to decipher the train schedules, zone maps and routes, just click on the photo of the train.

Did you know that you can save 50% of your train fare from the airport to Copenhagen by doing one simple thing? Check out the tip below.

Okay, you have arrived at the main terminal of Kastrup Airport and you want to get to downtown Copenhagen the quickest, easiest and cheapest way possible.

There are several ways to get to your destination. You can catch a taxi (about 300 kroner to the city center) or an airport limo right outside the main doors of the airport. Some hotels do have a free courtesy car, so check with your hotel before you leave on your trip and see if they offer this service.

There are also buses, but if you are not sure where you are going or have not been given specific details on which bus to take, I would steer clear of them for the time being.

The best way is the train or metro. There are plenty of signs pointing to the trains. When you exit the baggage area, just go straight. When you get to the end of the hall, take a left down the escalator and the trains are there or up the stairs to the metro.

The metro has different stops than the train so find out beforehand where you want to go and whether the train or metro gets you the closest.

You can always catch a taxi once downtown to get you the rest of the way if nothing is close.  The metro or train price is much less than the taxi ride into town.

Now before you head to the trains, you'll need a ticket, and this is where you can either save some money or get taken for a ride. Think about getting a Copenhagen Card which includes free travel on public transportation within the city and also discounts and free entry to many attractions and restaurants. There are also ticket machines located at the stations, but you should learn how to use them before you get there.

There is also a ticket booth located right before you get the stairs /escalator down to the metro and trains. The booth says "DSB" on the top and is located in the center of the hall right before the escalator to the trains. You can buy a single ticket from the DSB office, which will cost 36 kroner.

The another option was a mobile klippekort, but you need to get an app from DSB. This is not always possible for tourists but if you are expat - check out this new form of klippekort.

There are several mobile apps where you can buy online tickets via your phone but it does require having a danish bank account. If you have danish friends or relatives picking you up, make sure they use these apps and you will find the tickets are cheaper than buying a regular ticket from the machines.

Budget Denmark Tips #2: Accommodations in Copenhagen

Hopefully you will have already made reservations in advance of your arrival to Denmark. There are lots of hotels available 

For the very budget minded, check out the hostels in town and also the one on Amager. Very good prices if you can handle basic.

 Denmark does have a very large home rental economy, which you can access via your favorite online app like AirBnb and Homestay.

You can also learn more about other type of accomodations available here.

Budget Denmark Tips #3: Shopping on a budget

When shopping it will help to know where you can find a bargain and where goods cost more. Of course quality does cost, so depending on your budget and needs, take a look at our Budget Shopping Tips Page.

I also have lists of many online dealers and discount shops on my shopping page, so if you got the time, check out some of the great deals available for the smart shopper.

Budget Denmark Tips #4: Eating on a budget

You will soon realize that after your accommodations, that eating will be your next highest expense, but it does not have to ruin your holiday. There are ways to cut down the cost of eating out in Denmark. Check out budget dining in Denmark.

If you are ever near an IKEA, they always have really low prices on meals. This is a marketing scheme they have for getting more people into their stores and it works.

The stores offer you two options (usually). They have a cafeteria/restaurant, where you can get a variety of meals, drinks and desserts or they have their fast food area, where you can get pizza slices, hotdogs, drinks and variety of snacks for super good prices (for example: 10 kroner for a hotdog and drink).

Many times they will also have early morning offers on Saturdays or Sundays.

Another budget eating tip is a place called China Box, which are fast food places that serve chinese food in a box. They have varying sizes and you can mix and match things. Very popular and relatively inexpensive. Found along the walking streets in most major cities.

See more budget eating tips here.

Budget Denmark Tips #5
Free City Bikes

Getting around town without public transportation can be fun, free and an experience. Cities like Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Aalborg and several others, there are free city bikes which you can loan. You need to deposit 20 kroner, but it is returned to you when you return the bike to a bike stand.

Some of the above options still exist, but most cities are now going to online apps for you to get a low cost loaner bicyle.  You will see these bikes along the streets. Follow the instructions on the signs either on the bike or on the display stand.

The process is fairly easy, yet some do require you have a Dansih bank account, but not all of them. Learn more about them at budget denmark tips on bicycling.

Budget Denmark Tips #6
Copenhagen Card

Sightseeing is a must for any visitor, but it can add up quickly, so here are a few sightseeing tips that can save you a few kroner. Many museums have FREE entrance on Wednesday (and a few on other days), so check out the Copenhagen attractions you wish to visit and see when and if they have a FREE entry day.

Second if planning on visiting several attractions, a Copenhagen Card is worth getting. The card gives you FREE entrance to many museums and discounts to others, plus free transportation on buses, trains and metro and even discounts at local restaurants.

Get a city map at the tourist office and plan your sightseeing, since nearly everything is within walking distance of the Radhuspladsen. And the experience of exploring on foot is fun and a bit tiring. Wear good shoes - we got cobblestones here.

Budget Denmark Tips #7
Cash on the Street

If you are strapped for cash and want to make some "chump change" there is literally money laying around on the streets of most cities in Denmark. And it is yours if you wish to collect it. Sound too good to be true - it isn't. In Denmark, you pay "pant" or a deposit on most bottles, be it soda, beer or even water. The "pant" is between 1 and 3 kroner per bottle. Many people just toss their bottles in the trash bins or on the street. This is especially true of beer bottles. You collect them and take them to the grocery store, put them in the return machines, get a ticket and go the cashier and get cash. You will see many people walking around collecting bottles and now you know why. They are picking up money.

Budget Denmark Tips #8
Senior Discounts

This tip is not for everyone since it will depend on your age. If you live in Denmark there are lots of discounts for both students and seniors, so make sure you take advantage of them with your student IDs and pension cards. If you are visitor, you can still get discounts on train tickets, hotels, car rental and many other things by showing your student IDs or AARP cards. Not all places give the discounts, but it never hurts to ask. My mom saved 300 kroner on a hotel room when she showed them her AARP card

Budget Denmark Tips #09
Cheap Places to Party

This tip is for the partying crowd. If you want to go out and party at bars, it is wise to search out the college crowds, because they know where all the local inexpensive bars are at.

Check out the university bulletin boards and also the announcement boards at local grocery stores. There are usually lots of small bars located near university that offer good drinking opportunities that won't break your wallet, but do not expect quiet places where you can sit an talk. They are usually crowded noisy and a bit rustic.

Budget Denmark Tips #10
Understanding Danish

 I have found that using a translation app is a great way to avoid confusion and often relieve the stress of understanding Danish. 

Try using translate.google.com app. You simply point your camera at the text and a translation appears on your screen. Now the translation is not always 100% accurate - you often get some funny words, but you can usually figure it out quite easily.

Some people also use itranslateapp.com, which I have only played around with once or twice. You either speak or write in English, what you want translated and it will give you the Danish translation. Will also translate it into other languages if you need it.

Budget Denmark Tips #11
Traveling Around Denmark

If you plan to travel around Denmark, make sure you check out rejseplanen.dk, which is a great website for finding the best way to get from point a to point b in Denmark. Put in your starting point and destination, plus dates, times and other helpful details to narrow down your bst option. You will get lots of information including the bus, train numbers, times, travel distance, costs, etc.. You can visit the above website or go to my travel page to learn about train travel in Denmark

If you found this page helpful, please give a google+ and or a facebook like at the top of the screen, so others can also find this information. Thank you.