Want to avoid last-minute ATM runs. Do most hostels in Denmark take card payments at check-in
Honestly, Denmark is the opposite of most places discussed here. In Copenhagen and Aarhus, I didn’t see a single hostel that allowed cash payments. They all insisted on card. ATMs are only useful if you want cash for markets or a rare small vendor, but otherwise, cards dominate everything. If your goal is to avoid last-minute ATM runs, Denmark is the dream destination - your card is all you need, from hostels to transport.
Denmark is 100% card-friendly. My hostel in Nørrebro wouldn’t even look at cash. The whole country is pushing toward being cashless, so you don’t have to think twice about whether a hostel accepts card. ATMs exist, but honestly they’re rarely used by travelers. If anything, the main concern is whether your card charges foreign transaction fees. But yes, you won’t need to scramble for Danish kroner when checking into hostels here.
I traveled through Copenhagen, Aalborg, and Odense, and every hostel I stayed in refused cash outright. Cards only. Even small shops and cafés preferred contactless payments. ATMs are around but you’ll hardly ever need them. Denmark is basically cashless now. If your main worry is last-minute ATM runs, forget it - cards are the default for hostels and most businesses. Just make sure your card has contactless enabled.
Denmark is probably one of the easiest places in Europe for card payments. In Copenhagen, my hostel didn’t even accept cash - they only swiped Visa or Mastercard. Same in Aarhus. You’ll never need to worry about ATM runs here. In fact, cash is becoming rare in Denmark. If you’re used to carrying cash as backup, you’ll probably find you won’t even use it. Hostels almost always charge your card at check-in.