Ferry operator
Scandlines
The German-Danish ferry operator crossing the Fehmarn Belt and Mecklenburg Bay - on the Baltic since 1903, today with hybrid ferries
- Two routes to Sweden via Denmark - Puttgarden - Rødby in 45 min., Rostock - Gedser in 2 hrs.
- Combined ticket for ferry + Öresund Bridge in one booking, bridge voucher valid for 7 days
- With a vehicle, check in at least 15 min. before departure, in Puttgarden as well as Rostock
About Scandlines
Table of Contents
About Scandlines
Scandlines is the German-Danish ferry operator on the two shortest sea crossings between Germany and Denmark - and for anyone heading to Sweden, the operator behind the route via Denmark and the Öresund Bridge. The story begins in 1903, when the first railway ferry steamed across the Baltic between Warnemünde and Gedser. In 1963 came the Vogelfluglinie (Bird Flight Line) between Puttgarden and Rødby, which had already carried its hundred-millionth passenger by 1988. In 1993 the two German ferry companies merged into DFO, in 1995 the eastern route moved from Warnemünde to Rostock's overseas port, and in 1997 the Danish DSB Rederi renamed itself Scandlines. In 1998 DFO and Scandlines A/S merged to form Scandlines AG, owned by Deutsche Bahn and the Danish Ministry of Transport; the company was privatised in 2007. Today Scandlines is owned by a consortium of three infrastructure funds - Igneo Infrastructure Partners, 3i Group and Federated Hermes. The German entity is based in Hamburg.
Ships and fleet
Scandlines operates what it describes as the world's largest hybrid fleet. On Puttgarden - Rødby, the four double-ended ferries Deutschland, Schleswig-Holstein, Prins Richard and Prinsesse Benedikte - built in 1997 as a joint German-Danish investment and converted to hybrid ferries in 2013/14 - sail in both directions without turning, two under the German flag and two under the Danish. On Rostock - Gedser, the Berlin and the Copenhagen have been in service since 2016, the world's largest hybrid ferries at the time of their launch, with a hull designed specifically for the shallow route; they were fitted with a rotor sail in 2020 and 2022. In 2026 Scandlines put one of the world's largest battery-powered ferries into service on Rødby - Puttgarden, a step towards its goal of sailing without direct emissions by 2040.
Routes covered on this page
Both Scandlines routes are worth considering as a leg of your journey to Sweden. The Vogelfluglinie Puttgarden - Rødby is the fastest crossing at 45 minutes and runs around the clock at high frequency from Fehmarn to the island of Lolland; from Rødby the E47 leads to Copenhagen and on via the E20 over the Öresund Bridge to Malmö. Rostock - Gedser takes around two hours across Mecklenburg Bay and brings you to the island of Falster, from where the E55 heads towards Copenhagen and the Öresund Bridge - the shortest route for anyone travelling from Berlin and eastern Germany. For both routes Scandlines sells a combined ticket bundling the ferry and the toll for the Öresund Bridge into one booking; the bridge voucher stays valid for seven days after your travel date, so a stopover in Denmark is possible.
Check-in, vehicles and pets
With a vehicle, you need to have cleared check-in at the port at least 15 minutes before departure on both routes; foot passengers have 30 minutes in Rostock and 15 minutes in Gedser. Port addresses for your sat nav: Fährhafenstraße, 23769 Puttgarden, and Zum Fährterminal 1, 18147 Rostock Überseehafen. If you provide your number plate at booking, it's recognised automatically at the entrance and you're directed to the right lane. The car ticket covers a vehicle up to six metres long including up to nine people; longer vehicles and trailers pay a length surcharge - details for campervans are in the motorhome guide. Dogs and cats may go, on a lead or in a carrier, into any area without carpet, keeping two metres from the buffet; staying in the car is allowed, but visiting the car deck during the crossing is not. For entry you'll need an EU pet passport with a rabies vaccination - see dogs and pets.
Tickets
Scandlines offers three fare tiers: Low Price is the cheapest, bookable online only, valid only for the booked departure, and neither rebookable nor refundable. Standard covers any free departure on the booked day and can be rebooked for a fee. Flex offers free rebooking and refunds. After booking you have a 24-hour right of withdrawal; most tickets are valid all day, so rebooking often isn't necessary anyway. The combined ticket with the Öresund Bridge comes in Standard, Flex and motorcycle variants. Departures for both routes are in the timetable, and a comparison of all Sweden routes is on the price overview page.
FAQ Scandlines
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions and answers about Scandlines and travelling to Sweden via Denmark
Which routes does Scandlines operate to Sweden? +
Scandlines itself only sails as far as Denmark, but for travellers heading to Sweden its two routes form the way in via the Öresund Bridge: Puttgarden - Rødby across the Fehmarn Belt in 45 minutes, and Rostock - Gedser across Mecklenburg Bay in around two hours. Both routes run around the clock all year; from Rødby and Gedser the motorway continues through Denmark and over the Öresund Bridge to Malmö.
How does the combined ticket with the Öresund Bridge work? +
Scandlines' combined ticket bundles the ferry crossing and the toll for the Öresund Bridge into one booking. It's available for both routes in Standard, Flex and motorcycle variants; the car fare covers vehicles up to six metres carrying up to nine people. You don't have to use the bridge voucher on the same day - it stays valid for seven days after your travel date.
Which ships does Scandlines operate? +
On Puttgarden - Rødby, the four double-ended ferries Deutschland, Schleswig-Holstein, Prins Richard and Prinsesse Benedikte are in service, built in 1997 and converted to hybrid ferries in 2013/14. On Rostock - Gedser, the hybrid ferries Berlin and Copenhagen have been sailing since 2016, fitted with rotor sails in 2020 and 2022 respectively. In 2026, one of the world's largest battery-powered ferries joined the Rødby - Puttgarden route.
When do I need to be at the port for Scandlines? +
With a vehicle, you need to have cleared check-in at the port at least 15 minutes before departure on both routes. Foot passengers have 30 minutes in Rostock and 15 minutes in Gedser. If you provide your number plate at booking, it's recognised automatically at the entrance and you're directed to the right lane.
Can I bring a car, motorhome or bicycle? +
Yes. The car ticket covers a vehicle up to six metres long including up to nine people; longer vehicles and trailers incur a length surcharge. Motorcycles have their own ticket, and bicycles travel as an add-on to the foot-passenger ticket. Everything on travelling by campervan is in the motorhome guide.
Can my dog travel on the Scandlines ferry? +
Yes, dogs and cats are welcome. On a lead or in a carrier, they may go into any area without carpet, but must stay two metres from the buffet. Your dog can stay in the car, but visiting the car deck during the crossing isn't possible. For entry you'll need an EU pet passport with a rabies vaccination - see the dogs and pets guide for details.
What tickets are available, and where do I find the timetable and prices? +
Scandlines offers the fares Low Price (online only, valid only for the booked departure, non-refundable), Standard (any free departure on the booked day, rebookable for a fee) and Flex (free to rebook and refund). You'll find the current timetable here, and a comparison of prices across all Sweden routes on the price overview page.