Hirtshals Ferry Port

Two terminals, one port

Hirtshals is Denmark's gateway to Norway: besides the Kristiansand route, ferries to Larvik, Stavanger and Bergen also leave from here. For the Kristiansand crossing, what matters is that the two ferry companies use separate terminals. Color Line checks in at the Fergeterminalen, Norgeskajen 2, in the northern part of the port near the town centre. Fjord Line uses the Nordsøterminalen at Containerkajen 4 in the west harbour, the terminal for all Fjord Line routes from Hirtshals. Queue at the wrong terminal and you'll lose a quarter of an hour, more on a holiday weekend.

By car

From Germany, the A7 takes you via Flensburg onto the Danish E45 as far as Aalborg, and from there the E39 runs straight to Hirtshals; the road practically ends at the port entrance. It's around 500 kilometres from Hamburg and about 50 from Aalborg. From the port entrance, both terminals are signposted with the ferry company's logo; for Fjord Line keep heading towards the west harbour, for Color Line towards the town centre. The check-in barriers are right in front of the lanes; what you need there is on the Check-in page.

Motorhomes and vehicles with trailers use the same approach roads. The lanes are long enough, but the waiting area in front of the Fjord Line terminal fills up on summer weekends; plan to arrive an hour before departure anyway.

Parking

At the Color Line terminal, there's public, paid parking for day-trippers and foot passengers. At the Fjord Line terminal, space is limited and meant for short stays only. For longer stays, such as a tour of Norway without your car, the nearby Hotel Skagas offers long-stay parking at a daily or weekly rate, with no pre-booking. The rates are on the Prices & Fares page.

By train and bus

Hirtshals railway station is the end of the regional line from Hjørring, which connects with the Aalborg - Frederikshavn line. From the station it's about a ten-minute walk to the Color Line terminal. For Fjord Line, Hirtshals station is less convenient: the nearest stop, Lilleheden, is a 35 to 40-minute walk from the Nordsøterminalen, and buses link the terminal with Aalborg. Between the station and the Fjord Line terminal, a taxi is the reliable option. The whole journey without a car is described on the On Foot & by Bicycle page.

Before you sail

If you're at the port early, Hirtshals itself is on your doorstep: the lighthouse on the dune west of the port, the North Sea Oceanarium and the bunkers of the Second World War fortifications. The town centre, with supermarkets, is a few minutes from the Color Line terminal. For your arrival in Norway, see the Kristiansand Ferry Port page, and for the journey beyond, the Getting There & Onward Travel page.