Instructions for using the DSB website to book / purchase your own ticket. Go to <http://www.dsb.dk/> Under the Forside (home page) tab (which should be in red), you should then see a grey tab labeled Køb og find rejse (buy and search trips). The first radio button labeled DSB Standard should be clicked on already and this is the one you want, unless you prefer first class (DSB 1 ). (First class includes free coffee and tea, wireless access, and papers but generally seems more expensive than it s worth.) It s not absolutely necessary, but it helps to click on the next box down, Vis kun rejser med tog (show only trips with trains i.e., not including buses, etc.) You ll also want to click on the Tur/retur button (with the two opposing arrows) rather than the Enkelt (one way) button. Between these two buttons are two empty dialogue boxes the first for your point of departure, the second for your destination. Departure If you are leaving from downtown Copenhagen, enter "København H" if you are leaving directly from Kastrup Airport, enter Københavns Lufthavn, Kastrup st (the rest of this should come up as an option once you start typing in the Lufthavn bit) destination enter Aarhus H Continuing down, you ll see options for setting your preferred departure Udrejse times: click on the Afg. (departure) button or arrival click instead on the Ank. (arrival) button and the same for your return journey Hjemrejse along with menu options for dates and months. NB: if you are traveling directly from Kastrup to Aarhus, you should give yourself at least 30 minutes from the time of your scheduled flight arrival to your train departure. Usually baggage claim and customs at Kastrup are quick and easy but of course, it s always possible that there will be delays, etc. Once you ve filled these preferences in, move on down to Antal billetter (number of tickets).
Click on the Voksne (adults) option, and select the number of persons traveling NB! Also be sure to indicate the number of Pladsreservation (seat reservations) you wish to make. It s not absolutely essential to have a seat reservation, but sometimes the trains do get crowded, and you don t want to have to stand for the ca. 3 hour journey. As well, this will allow you to reserve a seat in the quiet zone - complete with power outlets and (for a fee) wireless internet access. And when they say quiet they mean quiet! : no talking, much less phone conversations, etc. Once all this is in place, click on the <white arrow/green background: Fortsæt button> (a page displaying vent venligst please wait will appear briefly) You ll now see a page indicating three options for your departure (Udrejse) and three options for your return (Hjemrejse), with one each highlighted by a dark blue frame. Tip! There are several trains an hour that run from the airport to the Copenhagen main train station but then require you to change to a train that goes from there to Aarhus. Making the change in the main station is not too bad but usually requires going upstairs to the main station to find one of the information boards that will tell you when the next train to Aarhus is and what track (Spor), finding the track, etc. Especially for the jet- lagged and those whose Danish is a little rusty though more or less everyone speaks English and will be happy to help you: just ask! - you may find it more convenient to choose a train that does not require a change: these are identified under the Skift (change) column with a 0. On the right are several columns allowing you to choose your class of travel Standard should be clicked by default. You can also explore additional possibilities in both cases by clicking on the small green options labeled Tidligere afgange (earlier departures) and Senere afgange (later departures). Tip! It may be helpful to know at this stage that the ticket you re buying is valid for any train on the day it s purchased for so if you are seriously delayed, for example, you can always take a later train, but you ll lose your seat reservation. Under this circumstance, if you have time before the next preferred departure, you can go to the DSB ticket office located conveniently next to the track entrances at the airport (ca. 200 meters straight out from the customs exit) and purchase another seat reservation if you like. Once you re satisfied with your choices, click on the <white arrow/green background: Fortsæt button> This will take you to a screen titled Vælg type af plads (choose type of seat)
Click on the one(s) you prefer either standard, standard stillezone, or standard familiezone (family zone). BEFORE CONTINUING be sure to also click on the small green link se din plads i toget (see your place in the train). This will open up a seat map of the train and indicate in blue your assigned seat (din Standard [stillezone] plads); the seats backgrounded in green are also available if you prefer. For what it s worth the two very small yellow dots together indicate power outlets. The dark grey elements that show up frequently between four seats are tables useful for computers, etc.; but the seats without tables between them also have fold- down tray- tables (just like airline seats). In any event, once you ve chosen your seat for the departure journey, click on the <white arrow/green background: Fortsæt button>. This will take you to a similar screen for your return journey (Vælg type af plads in large print, pladsvalg for hjemrejse in small print). Again, chose your preferred type of seat, and again, click on the small green link se din plads i toget (see your place in the train). Once you ve completed your seat reservation for the return journey, c click on the small green link se din plads i toget (see your place in the train). After the system registers your reservation (this can take a bit of time), you then get a screen allowing you to choose how you want to receive your ticket (Vælg leveringsform) Under levering, the radio button labeled print selv should be clicked by default: this is what you want. Under the field labeled Udskrivning af billetten (printing of tickets) you need to fill in your email address (Din e- mail adresse) and confirm it (Gentag e- mail adresse) You ll be given an option to directly download your documents as PDF files later on but they will also be sent automatically to your email address. Under the field labeled Fremvisning af ID i toget (showing your ID in the train) You need to choose what kind of identification you want to use to confirm that the paper ticket is yours. Following Vælg ID (choose ID) there is an option bar labeled vælg (choose). Clicking on this will give you a range of options, including standard credit cards as well as passport (Pas). Choose whichever one you prefer. Depending on which choice you activate, you ll be asked either to provide a passport number or the last four digits of your credit card in the next field. The last field here needs your full name as it appears on the identification you have chosen. Whew! Now click on the <white arrow/green background: Fortsæt button>
Now you actually get to pay! A screen labeled Betal og godkend bestilling (pay and confirm order) should now appear. This will allow you to choose the type of card you want to use and then enter your credit card details, including expiration date (udløbsdato) and security code (Kontrolcifre). Be sure to review the various details of your ticket and seat reservation to make sure all is correct. At the bottom of the screen, you ll need to click on the button indicating that you have read and agree with the terms and conditions for the self- printing options - jeg accepterer de specielle betingelser for DSB Print Selv. These include, by the way, a right to refund up to the day before the scheduled trip. Once this is clicked on, you can then click on the <white arrow: green background Godkend bestilling> button (confirm order). Presuming all goes well, you ll then see a screen thanking you for your order - Tak for din bestilling If you like, you can directly receive the PDFs for both journeys by clicking on the two green buttons, Udskriv billet til udrejse (print departure ticket) and Udskriv billet til hjemrejse (print return ticket). But again, you ll also receive these in the confirmation email. That s it! Once you find your right car, then as you enter, you ll notice a sign on the opposite wall indicating which seat numbers are on the left, and which are on the right. (Typically, the still zone seats are on the left but check to be sure.) Once you re in the right section for your seat, you can stow luggage either on the overhead shelves or, especially if you have a large suitcase, you can stow it in the spaces between opposing seats. If you re sitting at a table, there are trash bags tucked away on a holder on the wall underneath the table. The custom is to put your trash in the bag and leave it on the holder. Train stops and times will be displayed on a large sign at the end of the section; it also shows if the WC is occupied (in red) or not (blank). All stops are also announced over the loudspeaker system (even in the otherwise quiet zone). The last stop before Aarhus ca. 15 minutes - is Skanderborg (pronounced without either the d or the g ). Depending on how much preparation you need before getting off in Aarhus, you can determine how soon you need to start getting ready. Typically, there s enough time from the time of the loudspeaker announcement before the stop itself.
Once you exit the train, find the escalator and lift to the main floor of the station these are located on the platform towards the station itself, i.e., away from the stairs that are outside the roof. The escalator or lift will get you to the main floor exit left (i.e., away from the shopping mall on the right) and head through the main station area to the exit itself. Depending on where you are staying, you can either walk to your hotel or take a taxi. Taxis are located at the stand on the left as you exit the station. Taxis take credit cards, so you don t have to worry about cash immediately.