Aalborg

Aalborg is the largest city in North Jutland, Denmark. Aalborg is an old town with many preserved buildings and important prehistoric relics, but also thriving cultural life with several institutions of national importance.

Understand
Aalborg is the capital and largest city in the region of North Jutland. A university town and a regional centre for education. The urban area's population, as of 2022, was 144,000, making it the fourth largest in Denmark. It has a long history as an industrial and port town with an international airport that also serves Copenhagen.

The Tourist Information of Aalborg has its headquarters in Nordkraft, a culture centre at the harbourfront.

Orientation
The city of Nørresundby is just across Limfjord, to the north of it.

By bus
Aalborg Busterminal on John F Kennedy Plads (the John F Kennedy square, phone: 98 12 87 13) right by the station is a large regional hub for long distance, regional and local buses. Express buses (XBus) leaves several times per day towards Aarhus (via Hadsund), Løgstør, Holstebro, Viborg (via Silkeborg) and Esbjerg. In addition regional buses (locally known as rutebil) connects to nearly every city of some size in North Eastern Jutland.

Abilskou route 888 to Copenhagen takes 5 hours, kr 250 (kr 430 return).



By train
Aalborg is on the Copenhagen, Roskilde, Odense, Aarhus Line. 4½ hours/DKK 402 to Copenhagen.

By ferry
There are ferries from Norway and Sweden coming to North Jutland (Hirtshals or Frederikshavn). From there you can take bus or train to Aalborg.

By car
From Frederikshavn: Use the E45 southbound to Aalborg.

From Hirtshals: Use the E39 southbound to Aalborg.

From Aarhus: Use the E45 northbound to Aalborg.

A low emission zone is in effect in Aalborg. Diesel-powered vehicles must have a particulate filter or be at least Euro 5 in order to be used legally in the low emission zone. Foreign registered vehicles must register with documentation for the vehicle being fitted with a diesel particulate filter or the Euro standard in order for it to be used legally in the low emission zones. There is a administrative fee kr of 1,000 for not doing so. More about the low emission zones.

Get around
In the centre it easy to walk by foot. To go further, there is a good public bus system (22 kr for 1½ hr if you pay cash), run by the Nordjyllands Trafikselskab company, which tickets can be bought online. The buses don't go at night, and taxis are very expensive. The best way is still to get around by bicycle, you can rent one close to tourist information office or at several other locations using the city-bike system. There is also a city bike scheme where you may borrow a bicycle after giving a 20 kr deposit. For longer stays, a better option is buying one. Police has auctions once per month, you can ask about them in the police station.

Aalborg habourfront
The harbourfront has been renewed and is now centre for culture and education. The entire area offers an inspiring city walk.



Do

 * Bicycle: rent a bicycle and go along the fjord.
 * Football: Aalborg BK ("AaB") were promoted in 2024 and play soccer in Superliga, the top tier. Their home ground is Portland Park (capacity 13,800) 1 km west of city centre.



Buy
Cheapest supermarkets are Netto, Fakta, Aldi, Lidl and Rema 1000. Working hours are 08:00-22:00 all week. Aldi is open 08:00-21:00 all days, with the exception of Christmas and New Years Day and Eve.



Mid-range
There are many other good places to eat. Many such along Jomfru Ane Gade where you can both eat and drink well at an affordable price.

Drink

 * is a short street with 30 restaurants/bars. Drinks are cheap and the bars are open late. You will see signs advertising 20-kr drinks and 20:00-00:00 happy hour.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.
 * Student house right across the Budolfi church hosts international evenings on Wednesdays, as well as various concerts on Fridays. Very informal.

Aalborg is also the home of De Danske Spritfabrikker which produces a great number of distilled beverages. Their most famous product is the Aalborg Taffel Akvavit, colloquially known as a "Rød Aalborg" (Red Aalborg).

Internet

 * Det nordjyske Landsbibliotek (library), Rendsburggade 2, section Nørregadehjørnet in "Team Natur".

Languages
Almost every Dane speaks English. Most people will respond in English to any question you may have. Many Danes also speak some German, Spanish or French, due to having studied them in school. Most Danes understand the other Scandinavian languages, Swedish and Norwegian. Information on public transport and in government offices is often printed in English. For the most common phrases in Danish, see the Danish phrasebook article.

Currency
The currency is Danish kroner (crowns). Visa and MasterCard are normally accepted in any restaurant, taxi or store. ATMs accept all major credit and debit cards and are available in English language.

Go next
There are lots of beautiful nature around, easily accessible only by car.


 * Bulbjerg
 * Fur island
 * Mors
 * Skagen
 * Frederikshavn
 * Hirtshals
 * Hirtshals

For beach, you can take a bus to Blokhus (around 40 km) or Hals (around 30 km) and walk some 3 km north, or take a less frequent bus that passes Hou, to, e.g., Bisnap strand.


 * Fårup Sommerland. This amusement park can be reached by bus from Aalborg Rutebilstation. The amusement park has many rides and a water park.