Welcome to Odense – the world’s leading cobot hub, birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen and so much more. Odense is a vibrant city with lots of unique cultural offers, a diverse restaurant scene, a colourful history and an air of progress.
The city of Odense
Odense is situated on the island of Funen, right in the heart of Denmark. It is the country’s third-largest city, with 200,000 inhabitants. Odense is easy to reach, easy to navigate, and easy to feel at home in.
The city of Odense has a strong vision for its continuous growth and welfare, encouraging big dreams and challenging the norms through festivals, conferences and other events on an international scale. An ambitious urban development plan is currently reshaping large parts of the city, which will be connected by an environment-friendly light rail.
This transformation further consolidates Odense’s position as a centre of innovation, knowledge and education, where strong clusters in robotics, drones, health technology, and IT are booming.
What to see
When you stay in Odense, we encourage you to take in the local sights and we think the top three must-sees are:
- the Hans Christian Andersen House – according to Lonely Planet it is among the top 12 museums to visit in Europe.
- The historic quarter – a Michelin guide favorite.
- Art Museum Brandts – featuring 10-12 internationally acclaimed exhibitions every year.
If you need further information about these attractions or some of the many other awesome things we have to offer, please visit www.visitodense.com
eat & drink
Are you attending the VIP reception at the Odense City Hall on March 13th 2023?
Odense is filled with restaurants and cafés all providing their own favorite foods and beverages. At the conference venue you can get a flier with information about the most convenient offerings during your stay. If you want to do some research before you come, head on over to www.visitodense.com/gastro for a look at the best places to dine in Odense.
Travel
How to get here
By air
Billund and Copenhagen airports are directly connected to more than 100 cities all over the world and handle 32 million passengers every year. Copenhagen Airport also offers a direct train service to Odense.
By train
Transfer by bus and train from Billund takes app. 1 hour 15 minutes. The time to get from Copenhagen Airport to Odense is app. 1½ hours on the train. From Hamburg you can travel by train directly to Odense railway station. Travel time approx. 4 hours. The Danish national railways are called DSB. Getting train tickets in Denmark is easy. Just download the “DSB APP”, or buy them at the vending machines at the stations.
By car
Several car rental services are available from both airports, and many cities including Odense.
How to get around
Upon your arrival in Denmark, you will only need to take the train to Odense once, and back to Copenhagen Airport. From Billund Airport in Jutland you have to take a bus to the city of Vejle, and then take the train to Odense. In Odense city, everything is within walking distance. You will need to take the tram from “ODEON” to “Campus Odense” once on Wednesday for the SDU TEK visit, Award Ceremony and Gala diner, and then back in the evening. That is it!
Additional site visits are in chartered busses leaving from the Odeon Venue.aving from the Odeon Venue.
Tram
The newly opened tram runs from the north to the south of the city. You can pay with Rejsekort or buy a ticket at one of the selected shops along the route. BUY TICKETS HERE
Please note, that if you pool up 3-15 persons, you get half price through the link above!
City Buses
Odense is also covered by a network of city buses that run on lines forming a star pattern with the central train station in the middle. Again, you can pay with your Rejsekort or buy tickets online (Choose English at the top of the page). For more information about the buses and a map of the lines, please visit Fynbus.
You will ONLY need the city busses if you decide to venture out on your own, or stay at a hotel not in the city center. The entire ERF program is constructed in such a manner, that the tram and your own two feet will do.
Map of erf 2023
Click here to view the .pdf version of the map
Accommodation
Where to stay
Odense has ample hotel capacity to suit every taste and budget. The city currently has over 1,000 rooms at hotels alone, with further hotel projects planned in time for 2023. On top of that comes hostels, B&Bs and other types of accommodation. Most rooms are in the city center and within a 5-10-minute walk of the train station as well as Hotel ODEON and Comwell H.C. Andersen. Meeting up with other delegates, going out for a meal or arranging brief meetings is very easy. 500+ hotel rooms have been tentatively reserved for the European Robotics Forum. It is up to the participants to make an actual booking and pay their own rooms.
Accomodation rates start at €57.
The attached PDF contains information about accomodation in Odense
The organizer makes no guarantee in terms of availability and prices of the hotels.
Click here to view hotel offers for ERF participants.
General Information
Language
Dutch is the official language. However, most (if not all) banks, hotels, airline offices, shops, and key visitor attractions have multilingual staff.
The official language of the European Robotics Forum is English. All program items will be in English. Simultaneous translation will not be available.
Insurance
The organization of the European Robotics Forum cannot be held liable for personal accidents, loss of or damage to private property of the conference participants and accompanying persons either during, or directly arising from the European Robotics Forum. Participants should make their own arrangements for health and travel insurance.
Medical Insurance
Visitors are not covered by Dutch health insurance plans. Check with your personal medical plan before leaving your home country to ensure you have adequate travel insurance.
Weather
Temperature
June in The netherlands can be very pleasant with average afternoon highs of 19°C (66°F) and usual temperatures reaching 15°C (59F), compared to July, which has average high and low temperatures of around 13°C-21°C.
Overnight low average temperatures also begin to pick up, at 11°C (52°F). Bring light and comfortable clothing, but make allowances for the evenings, which are still chilly.
Rainfall
Rainfall is on the rise in June with the occasional thunderstorm mixed in as well. Rainfall amounts throughout the month average out to approximately 60-70mm spread out over an average of 9 wet days, which does minimize your risk of encountering any wet weather.
Average Sunshine Hours
Average daily sunshine peaks at this time of year with 11 hours so this a good time to visit the city. June is also when many begin to head back to the local beaches as the sea temperatures begin to climb and averages 14°C, an improvement on May.
You can check the forecast here.
Currency, Banking, ATM & Credit Cards
The currency is the Euro. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and at foreign currency exchange offices either at the Airport or at other locations throughout the city.
Bank debit or credit cards are the most convenient means of getting cash at the many Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). ATMs are spread throughout the city and accept cards with the Interac, Plus, Cirrus, Visa, and Mastercard networks. Most are in operation 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
Most businesses accept U.S. currency and traveler’s cheque, as well as all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and (to a lesser extent) American Express).
At Rotterdam Central Station (train) you can find a GWK office that has different foreign currencies available.
Sales Taxes
Dutch VAT rates are based on the European Union’s VAT Directive. All EU member states must adhere to the Directive, and the standard VAT rate must be 15% or higher. In the Netherlands, the standard VAT rate is 21% on goods and 6% on food and non-alcoholic drinks.
Electricity
The power supply in the Netherlands is 230 volts. To be more specific: 220-240 volts AC (Alternating Current), 50-60 hertz. The same voltage is used over the rest of Europe.
Time Zone
The Netherlands has 2 time zones. The country’s European mainland, including the capital Amsterdam, observes Central European Time (CET; October 31st 2021 – March 26th 2022) as standard time. When Daylight Saving Time is in force, Central European Summer Time (CEST; March 27th – October 30th 2022) is observed.
Useful Links and Maps
The Rotterdam official website and the Official tourist site of the Netherlands contain up-to-date tourist information including public transport information and maps.
COVID-19
Tourists and travellers from foreign countries can travel to the Netherlands. Check the latest information on risk from COVID-19 for the Netherlands and know which corona rules apply per country and area when traveling to The Netherlands see the website for further advice on travel and reducing spread of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic.