eSIM for Denmark

eSIM, roaming or a Danish SIM

Holders of EU and EEA SIMs are generally covered by Roam like at Home rules in Denmark, within their provider's fair use policy. Many visitors from the UK, North America, Australia and Asia are not, and may pay daily or per-megabyte roaming fees. Check your provider's terms before you travel.

How much data you need in Denmark

Danish cities are easy to explore on foot and by bike, and a lot of everyday life runs through apps: transport tickets, restaurant bookings, museum entry and payments. The figures below are rough guides for choosing a plan, not exact values.

• Maps and cycling navigation: around 5 to 10 MB an hour with the map open.
• Transport and ticket apps: small amounts, used often.
• Social media with photos and short video: often 300 MB to 1 GB a day.
• Video calls: roughly 500 MB to 1 GB an hour.
• HD streaming: about 1 to 3 GB an hour.

Install the eSIM before you leave

Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so set it up at home. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked; dialling *#06# shows an EID on most eSIM phones. Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel.

• Label the line Denmark or Travel.
• Choose the Spidot line for mobile data and keep your home SIM for calls and texts.
• Turn off data roaming on your home SIM to avoid your provider's roaming charges.
• Install the transport apps you plan to use and sign in on home Wi-Fi.

Arriving at Copenhagen Airport and beyond

Copenhagen Airport at Kastrup, on the island of Amager, is the main gateway. The metro and trains run from the terminal into central Copenhagen in a short ride, and trains also cross the Øresund Bridge to Malmö and further into Sweden. Billund Airport in Jutland is the nearest to Legoland, and Aarhus and Aalborg have smaller airports. Many visitors also arrive by ferry from Norway, Sweden or Germany, or by train from Hamburg.

• Switch off flight mode when allowed.
• Turn on data roaming for the Spidot line; see the data roaming guide.
• Wait a minute for the phone to register, restarting once if needed.
• Open a map or your ticket app to confirm data works before you head into town.

Coverage in cities, the countryside and on the islands

In Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Aalborg and other towns, mobile data is part of everyday life. Denmark is small and low-lying, without the mountains and deep valleys that complicate coverage in Norway, but signal still varies on remote stretches of coast, on small islands and at sea.

Your eSIM connects through local partner networks; on this plan they are Telenor. Your phone picks one automatically as you travel.

The Faroe Islands and Greenland

The Faroe Islands and Greenland are part of the Kingdom of Denmark but are self-governing and are not part of the EU. They have their own mobile networks, and EU roaming rules do not apply there. A plan for Denmark should not be assumed to cover either. Check the coverage list on the plan page before you buy, and if your trip includes the Faroes or Greenland, plan your connectivity for those places separately.

The Øresund link and other border crossings

The Øresund Bridge and tunnel connect Copenhagen and Malmö by road and rail. Trains run frequently from Copenhagen Airport and Copenhagen Central Station, and many visitors do a day trip to Malmö or Lund, or continue to Gothenburg and Stockholm. Further north, a short ferry crosses between Helsingør, home of Kronborg Castle, and Helsingborg in Sweden.

Once you cross, your phone will connect to Swedish networks. Near the coast on either side, phones sometimes pick up a network across the water. Make sure your plan covers Sweden if you are going there, or use a Sweden eSIM or a Europe plan that lists both countries. Denmark also has a land border with Germany in southern Jutland and ferry links to Germany from Rødby and Gedser, so the same applies if you continue to Germany.

Trains, bikes, ferries and road trips

Denmark's trains link Copenhagen with Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg and Esbjerg, and regional trains and buses cover the rest. Ferries are part of many itineraries, and cycling is a normal way to get around both cities and countryside.

• Trains: DSB runs most long-distance trains, with tickets in its app.
• Copenhagen: the metro, S-trains, buses and harbour buses share a ticket system. Tickets can be bought in transport apps or at machines, and the Rejsekort travel card is used across the country.
• Cycling: Copenhagen and other cities have extensive cycle lanes. City bikes and rental bikes are available through apps, and map apps offer cycling routes.
• Ferries: sailings to islands and to Norway, Sweden and Germany have timetables and booking online; signal at sea can vary.
• Driving: the Great Belt Bridge and the Øresund Bridge charge tolls. Parking in cities is often paid through apps.

Hotspot and public Wi-Fi

You can share your eSIM data with a laptop or another phone by turning on Personal Hotspot (iPhone) or Mobile Hotspot (Android). This helps in a holiday cottage without broadband, or when a family wants to keep several devices online on a day out. Laptops can quietly use a lot of data on updates and cloud sync, so pause them while tethered.

Free Wi-Fi is common in Danish hotels, cafés, trains and public buildings. It is convenient, but shared networks are not always secure.

• Use mobile data for payments and banking.
• Check the exact network name with staff.
• Avoid entering passwords on pages without https.
• Turn off automatic connection to open networks.

Payments and practical tips

Denmark is one of Europe's most cashless countries. Cards and phone payments are the normal way to pay almost everywhere, from bakeries to bike rentals.

• Currency: the Danish krone. Contactless cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere.
• MobilePay is widely used by Danes, but visitors usually just pay by card.
• Emergency number: 112.
• Weather: Denmark is often windy, especially on the coasts and bridges. Check forecasts before cycling long distances or taking small ferries.

Multi-country trips and keeping track of data

Denmark is a natural hub for Scandinavian trips, with links to Sweden over the Øresund, ferries to Norway from Hirtshals and Frederikshavn and an overnight ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo, and land and sea routes to Germany. A Europe plan covers 36 countries with one eSIM. Check the country list on the plan page to be sure every stop is included. For trips that also take in Norway or Sweden, compare a regional plan with separate single-country plans.

During the trip you can check how much data is left and add more data to the same eSIM. If data stops working, check that data roaming is on for the Spidot line and restart the phone. For anything else, write to support@spidot.com with your order email.