Rostock ⇄ Gedser · 2 hours · 52 km
Day trip on the Rostock Gedser ferry: what really fits into one day
A day in Denmark from Rostock costs 15.50 euros on foot and from 86 euros by car for up to 9 people, there and back in both cases. The question is not the price but the clock: with a two hour crossing each way you get six to ten hours ashore, depending on your departure. Here are four day plans that work, with the departures we would take for them, and an honest view of when the day is not worth it.
Check prices and book Car Standard: online from €82.70 · at the harbour from €147See the price example
The two 1-day tickets
Both tickets cover the outward and return crossing on the same calendar day and are valid on every departure that day, so you do not have to commit to a return sailing. Prices from scandlines.com, checked on 17 September 2026. With four people in the car the day costs 21.50 euros a head, and you can get around in Denmark. On foot you travel cheaper, but you depend on Gedser and the bus.
Doing the sums with the clock
On a normal weekday in September 2026 the ferries left Rostock at 4:15, 6:00, 9:00, 11:15, 13:30, 15:45, 18:00, 20:15 and 22:30, and left Gedser at 1:45, 6:45, 9:00, 11:15, 13:30, 15:45, 18:00, 20:15 and 22:30. Check your day in the live timetable, because the early departures are different at weekends.
| Out from Rostock | In Gedser | Back from Gedser | Time ashore | Back in Rostock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 | 8:00 | 18:00 | 10 hours | 20:00 |
| 9:00 | 11:00 | 18:00 | 7 hours | 20:00 |
| 9:00 | 11:00 | 20:15 | a good 9 hours | 22:15 |
| 11:15 | 13:15 | 18:00 | just under 5 hours | 20:00 |
Take the check-in off your time for the return: 15 minutes before departure by car, and also 15 minutes on foot in Gedser.
Four day plans that work
1. On foot: Gedser and the southern tip of Denmark
Out on the 9:00 ferry, back on the 15:45 or the 18:00. From the terminal it is ten minutes to the village: church, harbour, Café Købmandsgården, Restaurant Bramgåsen, a Dagli’Brugsen supermarket (open daily 8 to 19 according to the sign). Two kilometres to the south is Gedser Odde, the southernmost point of Scandinavia. The old station by the harbour has a small free exhibition. To be honest, that fills four to five hours, not ten. For the whole day, bring your bike or take bus 743 to the beach at Marielyst.
2. By bike: Gedser, Marielyst and back
Gedser is the starting point of the Berlin Copenhagen cycle route. It is around 20 km to Marielyst across flat country, and about 25 km to Nykøbing Falster. Out on the 6:00 or the 9:00, back on the 18:00. The bicycle surcharge is 3 euros.
3. By car: Møns Klint
The best day trip by car. Out on the 6:00, in Gedser at 8:00, an hour and a half to the chalk cliffs of Møn. Four to five hours for the stairs, the beach and the Geocenter, then the drive back for the 18:00 ferry. It is a full day, but a relaxed one. You will find more destinations with distances on our page 10 reasons to visit Sjælland.
4. By car: Copenhagen in one day
Doable, but a stretch: out at 4:15 or 6:00, two hours of driving, six to seven hours in the city, two hours back for the 20:15 ferry. Ten hours of travel for six hours of Copenhagen. We would stay a night. The full calculation is on the page Rostock to Copenhagen.
Just the crossing: four hours on the Baltic for 15.50 euros
You can also do the day without going ashore: sail over, take a turn around the terminal in Gedser, and come back on the next ferry. Four hours at sea, breakfast or lunch on board, and the outside deck with a view of Warnemünde as you sail in and out. On board there is the Food Express self-service restaurant, a buffet, the Travel Shop and a play corner for children. In calm weather this is a good outing for children and ship fans, in a force 7 wind not so much: take a look at weather and sea conditions beforehand.
In the other direction, many Danes come to Rostock for a day: for the Scandlines BorderShop in the port, the beach at Warnemünde or the old town. How to get from the port into the city is on the page about the Rostock ferry port.
When the day trip is not worth it
- In a storm. If the return sailing is cancelled, you are stuck in Gedser. The village has a hotel and a B&B, but few beds.
- If you want to see Copenhagen. An overnight stay turns it into a trip instead of a marathon. Then you do not need a 1-day ticket but two single crossings or Easy Return, see prices and tickets.
- On foot in winter with a late departure. In January Gedser is dark and quiet by 16:00.
- If you cannot be sure of returning the same day. The 1-day ticket expires at midnight. If in doubt, Standard is the better choice, and the rules are under cancelling and changing a ticket.
Day trip FAQ
What does a day trip on the Rostock Gedser ferry cost?
On foot 15.50 euros there and back, 3 euros more with a bicycle, by car from 86 euros for up to 9 people. Prices from scandlines.com, checked on 17 September 2026.
Do I have to fix my return sailing in advance?
No. The 1-day ticket is valid on every departure that day in both directions, as long as there is space.
How much time do I get in Denmark?
Five to ten hours, depending on the departure. Out on the 6:00 ferry and back on the 18:00 ferry gives you ten hours.
Is Gedser worth a day?
For four to five hours, yes: the village, Gedser Odde, the harbour exhibition. For a whole day, bring your bicycle or take the bus to Marielyst.
Can I do Copenhagen in one day?
By car yes, with six to seven hours in the city and ten hours of travel. Without a car it does not make sense in one day.
Can I buy the 1-day ticket at the port?
Yes. Foot passengers buy it online or at the ticket machine, car drivers at the counter, but there it costs 108 euros instead of 86.
Picked your day? Book the 1-day ticket online: for a car that saves 22 euros compared with the port.
Check and book the 1-day ticket Car Standard: online from €82.70 · at the harbour from €147