New Year's Eve
Supermarkets and stores
Most supermarkets and convenience stores in Denmark will be open on New Year's Eve, which is not a public holiday. They may have reduced hours, however, with Lukkeloven, or closing law, requiring most shops to remain shuttered after 3pm.
For supermarkets, the best way to be certain is to find the opening hours (åbningstider) using the store locator on the website of whichever supermarket you want to visit. This will include information on New Year’s opening times.
Opening hours for chains including Netto, Føtex, Lidl and Rema 1000 can be found this way, while Bilka’s superstores across Denmark all close at 3pm.
Restaurants and bars
Many restaurants and bars in Denmark remain open on New Year's Eve although you might need reservations in advance for restaurants, as most popular spots will likely fill up pretty early on.
Check with your chosen venue for their specific opening hours, as a number of restaurants and bars will adjust their hours on December 31st.
Fireworks sellers
Fireworks are an integral part of Danish New Year's Eve celebrations. They can be sold from December 15th under Danish law.
Pop-up marquees on city outskirts are popular places to pick up firecrackers and rockets, and they are also sold by some normal stores including DIY stores and the Bilka hypermarket.
It should be noted that new rules which came into effect in 2024 restrict the use of fireworks to only two days of the year: December 31st and January 1st.
READ ALSO: What are the new rules for fireworks in Denmark this New Year?
Public transport
Public transportation services in Denmark are likely to operate on a reduced schedule on New Year's Eve. Many operators switch to the timetable they normally use on a Sunday.
You can check specific schedules and plan your journey using a variety of online platforms including the Rejseplanen app or in national rail company DSB’s website and app.
New Year's Day
Supermarkets and stores
Denmark has legal regulations dictating which businesses must shut down and which are permitted to remain open on public holidays. This means supermarkets typically have limited hours or may be closed on New Year's Day.
All major supermarkets in Denmark are required by law to remain closed on New Year’s Day, with only smaller local grocery shops with a turnover of less than 41.4 million kroner a year allowed to stay open.
You'll find some convenience stores from the Dagli'Brugsen and Brugsen chains open, as well branches of COOP's discount chain 365discount, and smaller shops in the Kvickly and Superbrugsen chains.
The closing law allows the Danish Business Authority to grant some grocery stores in rural areas and holiday home areas to stay open on public holidays on a case by case basis, but if you're travelling out to a rural area, don't bet on anything being open.
Petrol stations are also allowed to stay open, as are shops selling bread, dairy products and newspapers, garden centres, second-hand shops and pawnbrokers, and market stalls selling food and household products.
But even smaller shops selling durable goods like clothes, shoes, or other items other than groceries must remain closed.
As is the case on New Year's Eve, you can use store locators (found on the store websites) to check the opening hours of the individual store you want to visit, including the chains mentioned above. Keep in mind that these stores may have different opening hours.
Restaurants and cafes
Unlike December 31st, January 1st is a public holiday and many restaurants and cafes will be closed on New Year's Day, especially during the daytime.
Takeaway restaurants (including ones with sit-down areas) and fast food outlets are likely to be open.
Public transport
Public transportation services usually operate on a Sunday or public holiday schedule on New Year's Day. As above, you can check the schedule for your journey and plan travel accordingly using the Rejseplanen app or on national rail company DSB’s website and app.
In Copenhagen, the S-tog urban rail network’s lines A, B, and C run every 20 minutes on New Year's Day, and Line F maintains a 10-minute frequency. S-trains do not operate at night on New Year's Day.
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