Denmark for German Drivers — No IDP, but Mind the Bridge Tolls & Cyclists

Coming from Germany, Denmark barely counts as foreign driving. You stay on the right, the drink-drive limit is the same 0.05, your EU licence is valid with no permit or translation, and the infrastructure is first-rate. So this is less about relearning rules and more about two Danish realities that German drivers consistently underestimate — and the first one costs money.

That is the bridges. Denmark is an archipelago stitched together by toll crossings, and they are not cheap. The Storebælt (Great Belt) linking Zealand and Funen, and the Øresund bridge across to Sweden, each charge a substantial fee per crossing — paid electronically by plate or at a booth. If your route hops between islands, factor these in before you set off rather than at the toll plaza. Estimate the fuel-plus-toll cost of your loop with our Fuel Cost Calculator.

The second is cyclists, and it is a genuine habit shift even for Germans. Danish cities are designed bike-first: wide dedicated lanes run beside the carriageway, cyclists have their own traffic lights, and they hold priority at junctions. Before any right turn, check the cycle lane on your inside — a cyclist coming up beside you has right of way. The same applies when opening a door. It becomes second nature within a day, but the first morning trips people up.

Beyond that, the differences are small. Speed limits are 50 in town, 80 on the open road and 130 km/h on motorways — note the rural limit is lower than Germany’s 100, so ease off on country roads. Cameras are widespread and a modest overage costs around DKK 1,000 (about EUR 135), paid electronically. The car must carry a warning triangle, fuel runs near EUR 2.05 a litre, and the emergency number is 112, the same as home. The full rules are on our Denmark driving guide.