Helsingør to Helsingborg ferry
Scandlines sells combination tickets for Puttgarden to Rødby plus this crossing or the bridge, which is the cheapest way to do Germany to Sweden by car.
About the Helsingør to Helsingborg ferry
The Helsingør to Helsingborg ferry is the shortest crossing between Denmark and Sweden. It takes around 20 minutes and feels more like a quick break in the drive than a full ferry journey: you roll on, step out for a short look from deck, and arrive on the other side before long.
This route is especially useful if you are heading towards Helsingborg, Gothenburg, the west coast of Sweden or further north. The Øresund Bridge is usually the most direct option for Malmö and southern Sweden, but Helsingør to Helsingborg can fit better if your route points further up the Swedish coast.
Price is another reason travellers compare the two. The ferry can work out cheaper than the bridge depending on your vehicle, ticket type and travel date, but the best choice is not only about the fare. Look at where you enter Sweden, how much you want to drive, and whether you would rather keep moving on the road or take a short ferry break.
If you are driving up from Germany, Helsingør to Helsingborg also pairs naturally with the Puttgarden to Rødby ferry. That combination brings you into Denmark by ferry first, then lets you choose between the bridge near Copenhagen or this short crossing further north.
Map: the Helsingør to Helsingborg crossing and the alternatives
Ferrygogo sailed this route
We did the Denmark to Sweden crossing and back, a short hop but one worth knowing about. Here’s what the experience is actually like.
Read our first-hand experienceThe ferry from Helsingør to Helsingborg
The Helsingør to Helsingborg ferry sits north of the Øresund Bridge on the route map. It links Zealand in Denmark with the Swedish city of Helsingborg over a very short stretch of water. Because the crossing is so brief, the main value is not the onboard experience itself, but the way it changes your driving route.
If you are heading for Malmö, the Øresund Bridge is usually the more direct option. If you are heading for Helsingborg, Gothenburg, the Swedish west coast or further north, this ferry can be the more logical crossing point. It gives you a short pause and brings you into Sweden further up the coast.
Getting to Zealand before crossing to Sweden
To use either the Helsingør to Helsingborg ferry or the Øresund Bridge, you first need to reach the Danish island of Zealand, also known as Sjælland. For drivers coming from Germany or mainland Denmark, there are two main ways to do that.
- Drive across Denmark’s bridges. You can cross via the Little Belt Bridge, which is free, and the tolled Great Belt Bridge, which together connect mainland Denmark with Zealand.
- Shorten the road route with a ferry. The Puttgarden to Rødby ferry brings you from Germany directly onto the Danish islands, which can make the route towards Copenhagen, Helsingør and Sweden feel more efficient.
That is why the best route often depends on your full itinerary. Puttgarden to Rødby plus Helsingør to Helsingborg can be a good fit if you want two short ferry breaks and are heading further north in Sweden. Puttgarden to Rødby plus the Øresund Bridge is usually more direct if Malmö or southern Sweden is your target.
Crossings to Sweden and the bridge
Puttgarden to Rødby is the way to reach Helsingør from Germany. Scandlines also sells the Øresund Bridge at a discount as part of a combination ticket.
Step by step to Sweden
The Helsingør to Helsingborg ferry
- Where: Helsingør, 45 minutes north of Copenhagen, to Helsingborg on the Swedish side.
- Duration: 20 minutes.
- Frequency: roughly every 20 minutes by day, fewer late at night, all year.
- Cost: car fares depend on the ticket type; check Øresundslinjen for current prices. For comparison, the Øresund Bridge costs 420 DKK online or 470 DKK at the toll station for a car one way.
- Check-in: be at the port 15 minutes before departure.
Getting to Denmark from Britain
For most British travellers the first step is a ferry to the Netherlands: Hull to Rotterdam, Newcastle to Amsterdam or Harwich to Hook of Holland. France works too, but the Dutch routes are shorter for Scandinavia. From there you drive through Germany to Denmark.
Three ways to reach Helsingør
- Via Puttgarden to Rødby: Scandlines Low Price tickets from €48 for a car. The ferry lands you on Lolland, joined to Zealand by bridges, and it is the route we would take: short, frequent and no detour. From Zealand choose this ferry or the bridge.
- Via Rostock to Gedser: a longer drive and a longer crossing, better from eastern Germany than from the Dutch ports.
- Driving through Denmark via Hamburg and Kolding: no ferry, but the Great Belt Bridge toll of 235 DKK for a car (205 DKK with a Bizz or number-plate agreement) and a much longer day.
Ferry or bridge?
The ferry is often cheaper, depending on your ticket, and it lands you further up the Swedish coast, which is what you want for Gothenburg and the north. The bridge is quicker for Malmö and the south, and spares you a check-in. On our own Denmark to Sweden loop we used both and would choose by destination, not by price alone.
Puttgarden to Rødby and on to Sweden
If you come in via Puttgarden, Scandlines’ combination tickets are the simplest way to book the whole route, and we checked the prices.
The two cheapest options
1. Puttgarden to Rødby plus Helsingør to Helsingborg
- Scandlines sells a combination ticket for both ferries from €99.75 for a car (October 2026).
- You can also book the two crossings separately: Puttgarden to Rødby with Scandlines and Helsingør to Helsingborg with Øresundslinjen.
2. Puttgarden to Rødby plus the Øresund Bridge
- Scandlines sells a combination ticket for the ferry and the bridge from €101.25 for a car (October 2026).
- Usually the quicker option if Malmö or southern Sweden is the goal.
Motorhomes and caravans
The same advice applies: compare both combination tickets for your vehicle length. The bridge combination saves you a second check-in.
Good to know
- Gothenburg or Jönköping? Take the ferry; it puts you on the right road north.
- Helsingør or Elsinore? The same town; Elsinore is the English name, and Hamlet’s.
- Electric ships: two of the ferries on the route, Aurora and Tycho Brahe, have run on battery power since 2018.
- Kronborg Castle stands next to the port in Helsingør. With a ferry every 20 minutes you can let a few go and visit it on the way.
- Operator: the route used to be Forsea; forseaferries.com now redirects to the ØresundsLinjen brand.
On board
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- Scandlines border shop – biggest border shop
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- Scandlines ferries in the port
Before you go
- Passport: since Brexit a driving licence or ID card is not enough for UK travellers.
- Download in advance: on the long North Sea crossings Wi-Fi is slow or paid and roaming at sea is expensive.
- Foot passengers: welcome on this crossing; on the longer ferries check first.
- Children on a night ferry: our tips for travelling with kids on the ferry.
- Drive on the right after you roll off.
- Seasickness: not an issue in 20 minutes, but for the North Sea leg see where to sit and what helps.
Luggage and pets
Luggage is not restricted within reason. On this crossing pets travel on the passenger deck with you, on a lead and without a separate ticket; they are not allowed in the shop or restaurant, except assistance dogs (Øresundslinjen rules). Country rules and company policies for dogs on ferries are in a separate guide.
Tips for ferry travellers
