Moving to Odense for work, studies or a fresh start? Here is what makes the city work, and what to do in your first weeks.
Odense is Denmark's third-largest city and the capital of the island of Funen. It has grown into one of Europe's most interesting robotics and automation clusters, drawing engineers and specialists from all over the world. Odense University Hospital is one of the largest in Denmark, the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) brings students and researchers to the city, and a modern light rail ties it all together.
Day to day, Odense is compact, green and easy to like. You cycle most places in fifteen minutes, housing costs are noticeably lower than in Copenhagen, and when you do need the capital, the train gets you there in about 75 minutes.
Everything else in Denmark depends on having an address. Sort housing before you arrive, or start at a hotel if your budget allows it. A furnished apartment with a standard Danish lease in your own name gives you a home that is ready on day one and an address that qualifies for CPR registration. Leases run from 3 months.
With your lease in hand, register for your CPR number at Borgerservice in Borgernes Hus. We wrote a full step by step guide: how to get a CPR number in Odense.
Once your CPR number is in place, set up MitID, Denmark's digital ID, by downloading the "MitID app" from the App Store or Google Play, and open a Danish bank account. You will use MitID for almost everything, from taxes to online banking to signing documents. lifeindenmark.borger.dk hosts official guides on all of it.
We recommend the "letbane" light rail, which connects the city centre with SDU, the hospital and the southern districts. Or rent a bike, the fastest way through the city; we would recommend Swapfiets, a bike subscription with service included. Most of daily life is within a short ride.
Tell us your dates and we will take it from there. We offer video viewings, digital lease signing and payment from foreign bank accounts, so your furnished apartment is secured before your flight takes off. The deposit is 3 months' rent, paid only after the lease is signed.