For anyone planning to move to or just visit Denmark, one thing that stands out prominently in the mind is how to move around once arrived. Outright, this should not be much worrisome because Denmark is known for its efficient and reliable public transport systems. However, when it comes to the question of convenient travel around Denmark, having a private car becomes a necessity. Now, with a private car comes the next anxiety about fuelling experience which we try to describe in brief here.
Someone may be wondering why exactly does an article go out to just describe a simple act of fuelling in Denmark. Here is the answer- not every expat arriving in Denmark has experienced self service fuelling before. Again, some people sometimes get stranded at the pump because their foreign bank cards do not function in Denmark. There are just small small issues that could be dismissed by so many but in a real sense, they matter to a first timer.
It may also be of great interest to acquaint yourself with Maintaining and servicing a private car in Denmark.
Customer experience at the Fuel Pump in Denmark
Stories are told of customers who have all their life fuelled their cars through assistance from gas station service assistants. In fact, expats arriving in Denmark from countries where automation and self service systems have not been as much embraced will find trouble getting out of their cars, inserting their card at the payment point and just lifting the nozzle to fuel their own cars. It may in fact look like a culture shock to those people used to taking the boss-like posture inside their cars as service assistants go to work.
We can all agree that businesses in a wide variety of sectors today do all they can to emphasize on enhancing the quality of the customer experience. It is now necessary for the retail industry, such as the fuel and convenience store industries, to consider the manner in which they wish to engage, interact, and transact with their customers. Failure to do this would mean that they run the risk of seeing their market share reduced. Legacy processes have made it difficult for fuel and convenience retailers to offer consistent and customized customer experience. However, we have noticed massive changes in the sector.
Pumping your own gas in Denmark
In reality, pumping your own gas is not something that you have to worry about while in Denmark. Even if you’re visiting Denmark for the first time and want to drive your car, worrying of this nature should never be an option for you. When your tank is nearly empty, you only need to pull into a nearby gas station and fill up.
In most cases, you will do this on your own, but there are some full service stations where attendants will pump gas for you. This is a completely new experience from what we used to have years back. Here, I will provide a brief discussion of what the experience of fuelling your car across gas stations in Denmark feels like. Walk with me to the next sections.
How to use the Self-service Gas Stations in Denmark
There are several gas stations in Denmark. The Covid-19 pandemic clearly deterred consumers from visiting large supermarket chains. This resulted in an increase in customers purchasing from smaller local shops – and allowing forecourt stores to act as places of convenience as well.
If you are filling up at the gas station in Denmark, it is more common to use the self-service pump. Ideally, this involves using your card to make payments for the gas. The process is simple but you will have to follow some common steps, which I am going to highlight here.
Fundamentally, a Dankort, Gas Credit Card, or International Credit Card is required. Likely, cash will also be accepted at a number of fuel stations in Denmark. You may walk into a Seven Eleven shop which is actually a signature convenience store located next to most stations in Denmark. It is possible to deposit paper money in denominations of 50kr, 100kr, 200kr, or even 500kr. In which case, you will not receive cash back if you do not use the entire amount of money, so plan accordingly. An average of 30 litres costs around 300 kr. During the day, you can pay at the cashiers inside the store. It is however imperative to go inside and inform them that you want to pay at the counter.
A Typical scenario to help you at the self-service Fuel pumps in Denmark
Step 1:
The machine, which is typically on the island, will accept your card. The black stripe on the card should be placed facing up to the right. The best way to insert the card is typically depicted in a picture or diagram. Therefore, you should not find any challenge using it.
Step 2:
If you are a first-timer in Denmark, then this is completely a new experience for you. You notice that most payment machines will give instructions on what needs to be done next in three main languages including Danish, English, or German. So, just click on the preferred language and proceed to make a payment. your gas. Should you by mistake continue in Danish and don’t want to start over again, it’s still okay to move on. The tip is that as much as one may not understand Danish, the signs on the display will be instructive enough. Again, Danish is also an easy language to follow.
Advisably, look for the machine that says “Betal med Kort,” which means pay with a card, and this only applies if you want to pay for your gas using a card. There is frequently a distinct machine that says “seddelautomat” if paying with cash. This means that you can still utilize a seddelautomat even if it is on a different island from where you parked your car. This is because stations frequently only have one of them. It is important to make sure you enter the right pump number if you choose to use it.
Step 3:
Enter the pin number for your card. You will be prompted to click “godkend.” If the code goes through, the machine shall automatically eject your card. With this, confirmation you can now continue to complete the transaction. Always ensure that your card has four digits connected to it.
Step 4:
The fourth step in this case is to choose which pump you want to pump your gas from. Here, you will notice that the numbers normally on the stand or above the pump. Pushing the screen or the number pad will activate the pump.
Step 5:
Put the pump back on the stand when you are done pumping, and then return to the machine. You should be able to find the word “kvittering,” which means receipt, on some screens. The screens are typically touch screens, so all you have to do is press a word to see your options for which pump.
A more elaborate se of information on fuelling your car in Denmark may also be found here:
Where to find cheapest gas prices in Denmark
Every motorists will always strive to find the cheapest gas price in order to save. However, in Denmark, finding the cheapest gas is more of a guessing plan because the prices of gas vary depending on a number of factors. Normally, the owners will observe the competition within the market and make their appropriate adjustments. Interestingly, the prices can fluctuate several times a day.
Buy your gas early in the morning
Advisably, it is good to buy your gas early in the morning if you want to get the best prices. Most stations will raise their prices between 9am and 10am with the difference being as high as 1 to 2 kroner for every litre. In case you are a regular driver, you will soon learn about the gas stations that have the lowest prices as well as the time of the day that are the best. In my town, Thursday and Tuesday mornings are always the best and therefore I have always tried to fill my tank on these two days.
At FDM, you can also find a list of similar prices. Ideally, this site is no longer available as of March 6, 2019, but it might reopen if there is a demand for it. Upon visiting the site, enter your zip code to find the gas stations nearby and their current prices. Always go for the one that suits your needs. Although the site is not accurate, it will provide you with a peripheral idea of where to look for the best price. However, always bear in mind that the best way to save on the gas prices is to use the local transportation and not to drive.
