• The area around Billund is great fishing territory, and this is best accessed by car.
• Billund has no railway station, so if you don’t rent a car, you will have to take a bus to get anywhere.
• Buses from Billund are generally slow and irregular.
• Legoland might be Billund’s most famous attraction, but that will probably only keep you occupied for a day. Even though there are other summer attractions in Billund, a rental car is going to make it much easier to explore the rest of the Jutland peninsular.
• Rent a car in Billund and drive to other cities in Western Denmark, such as Aalborg, Arhus, Esbjerg and Odense.
• Visit nearby Vejle, and enjoy its stunning modern architecture and shopping facilities, which include a great mix of old and new.
• Rent a car to access the many golf courses which are available around Billund.
• A car is ideal to explore the coastal areas in the West of Jutland, including Ringkobing Fjord and Nissum Fjord – although these fjords are shallow, and nothing like as spectacular as the fjords in Norway.
• Enjoy the white sandy beaches on Denmark’s west coast.
• Visit the Jelling Stones, and learn about the legend of Harald Bluetooth. Bluetooth is strongly identified with the creation of Denmark as a nation state and making warring tribes speak to each other, hence the origin of the Bluetooth mobile networking system.
• Flights to Billund are often much cheaper than flights to Copenhagen, as Billund is a major Ryanair base, and Copenhagen airport has traditionally been associated with high cost airlines, especially as Ryanair no longer operate flights into nearby Malmö, Sweden.
• Billund might not be much of an alternative to Copenhagen for a short weekend break, but flying into Billund as an alternative to Copenhagen and picking up a rental car at Billund airport will certainly give you many more options for exploring Denmark as a whole, rather than just the capital city.
• The drive from Billund to Copenhagen is 261 km, and should take just under three hours. This will include a trip across the fantastic great Belt link. If you are visiting Billund to appreciate Danish toy design, you might aswell appreciate Danish bridge design at the same time.
• Driving in Denmark is generally trouble-free — the roads are well engineered, spotlessly maintained, and traffic jams are rare.
• Hiring a car in Billund and driving to Copenhagen will probably be cheaper than taking a bus (to Vejle) and train, and you won’t have the hassle of changing.
• If you are arriving from outside Europe, and visiting the West of Denmark, save time by avoiding Copenhagen airport and flying to Billund via Amsterdam with KLM.
• English is widely spoken, so you should not have a problem with road signs or getting directions.

Why not?

• You are in Denmark. Public transport is well integrated, walking and cycling is a pleasure!
• There is no need at all to hire a car just to visit Legoland — Billund airport was primarily built to serve the Lego company, and is just a short bus or taxi ride from Legoland.
• Easy bus connections are available to nearby Vejle from both Billund town centre and Billund airport, taking around 45 minutes. Cost (as of November 2009) 65 Danish kroner (approximately £9).
• From Vejle, regular trains are available to Odense and Copenhagen, and also up to Arhus and Aalborg.
• Why not spend a little bit of time in Billund itself, and see how a toy has influenced the real life town. Billund is easily walkable.
• As is the case throughout Scandinavia, there are plenty of cycle paths to explore radiating out from Billund.
• If you are interested in city environments, take the bus & train to Odense, and explore the famous system of linked parks that the city offers. This is naturally best done on foot or better still on a bike – so leave the hire car at the airport!

Useful facts:

• Population: 6,000
• Station: no
• High Speed Rail: no
• Metro: no
• Tram: no
• Cycle scheme: no
• Ferry / water trips: no
• Useful info: Visit Billund
• Legoland: http://www.legoland.dk
• Billund airport: http://www.billund-airport.com/
• Danish Railways (and bus info from Billund to Vejle)
• See our partner website, Flightmapping.com for advice on finding flights to Billund and the rest of Denmark from the UK.

VERDICT YES

Simply because hiring a car at Billund airport is going to give you the widest flexibility to see different destinations, unless you really are just here to visit Legoland.