Make sure you have organised a number of different ways to access your money before you arrive in Denmark. This can be in the form of credit and debit card, cash or travellers’ cheques.
You should not have any problem using MasterCard or Visa cards in Denmark, except perhaps in some supermarkets and small shops. American Express and Diners Club are also accepted, though not as widely as the previous two. In any case, with credit card payments made in Denmark you should expect to pay an extra charge.
Most purchases in Denmark are paid for either in cash or through the Danish card payment system (Dankort). You will need to have a Danish bank account in order to obtain a Dankort card,a useful means for paying for goods in almost any shop.
ATMs are widely available in Denmark, usually located outside banks, supermarkets and shopping centres. Most cash machines are available in different major European languages. It is free to withdraw money if you are using a cash machine from your own bank, though you may have to pay a transaction fee if you withdraw cash from a different bank.
Cash machines are probably the easiest way to access your money, especially outside of banking hours. However, be aware that not all ATMs in Denmark are available on a 24-hour basis. This is especially the case outside of Copenhagen, and such cash machines are often unavailable between 01:00 and 06:00.
You should check with your home bank as to whether or not your card from home will allow you to withdraw money from a cash machine in Denmark. You should also be aware of how much you will have to pay in fees for any withdrawal.
Travellers’ cheques are a very secure way to bring money into Denmark. Writing down each individual cheque’s serial number insures you against loss or theft, so you should have these kept safely at home in case you need them.
However, not all places in Denmark allow you to pay with travellers’ cheques. It is a good idea to have your travellers’ cheques cashed into an accessible bank account in Denmark, although you may have to pay a fee to do this.