Denmark is replacing the blue Rejsekort with a new system, the Basiskort. If you prefer plastic to apps or your phone battery always dies at the wrong moment, Basiskort is the way to keep using public transport without thinking about zones or paper tickets.
What is Basiskort and why is everything changing?
Basiskort is the new physical travel card that replaces the blue Rejsekort for people who do not want to or cannot use a smartphone. It works on public transport across Denmark with the current exception of Bornholm, and will later also be valid to a few stations in Malmö.
From May 28th, 2026 the old blue card and its separate “check in” and “check out” stands will be phased out, which means that you can either switch to Basiskort if you want a physical card or you can move fully to the Rejsekort app. The basic idea is the same as before, you check in at the start, check out at the end, and the system calculates the cheapest price for your combined journey.
The new yellow Checkpoints
The most visible change is the appearance of new yellow terminals, called Checkpoints or Checkpoints. These are the only stands you use with Basiskort, which means that there is no longer one stand for check‑in and another for check‑out.
You will find Checkpoints on station platforms, metro platforms and inside buses, usually near the middle doors. On the screen you will see text saying something like “Check in and out with Basic card” (check in and out with Basiskort), and below that small icons you can press to change language or add fellow travelers or extra costs like bikes or dogs. You hold your card to the white contactless symbol on the lower part of the stand, just like with the old system.
Most Checkpoints can switch between Danish and English by pressing a small circle labeled “EN/DK” in the bottom left corner of the touch area, which is helpful if you are still learning transport vocabulary.
Check in and out every time you change
Under the old system, many commuters simply checked in at the start and then only checked in again at big transfers. With Basiskort you must actively check out and in again at each change, even if you are staying within the same zone or transferring from one bus to another at the same stop. The good news is that the system still treats this as one continuous journey as long as you check in again within 30 minutes of your last check‑out, so your transfers are priced as a combined trip rather than multiple separate ones.
On Basiskort you cannot use the old Check Resort (the “check‑out later” feature) to correct an entire forgotten check‑out, and if part of your journey cannot be calculated you may be charged a standard fare according to your customer type. The responsibility for having a valid ticket at all times still lies with you, and missing a check-in will normally mean a penalty at inspection.
No more topping up
Another major change is how you pay.
With Basiskort you do not top up the card itself with money. Instead, the card is linked to a payment card, MobilePay or (in some regions) an invoice arrangement, and the day’s journeys are charged in one go. Basic card uses daily payment and receipts, not a pre-loaded balance. This means you no longer need to remember to top up at a machine, you just make sure your attached payment method has funds and the system pulls the total once per day.
You can see an overview of your trips and prices in Basiskort’s self-service portal, and if something looks wrong you can contact customer support, citing a specific journey.
Eventually, you will be able to order an anonymous card and top up with cash at certain locations.
Basic Card and Travel Card app
The new Basiskort is meant to sit alongside the Rejsekort app, not replace it. The app uses your phone’s GPS and check‑in/out function instead of a physical card, but the pricing principles are similar. A key rule is that you cannot mix Basiskort and the app on the same journey.
Crucially, you are not allowed to start a trip by checking in on the app and then check out with Basiskort, or the other way around. If you are inspected, this will be treated as an invalid ticket. Once you start a journey with one method, you need to stick with it until you have properly checked out.
Who can get Basiskort and where to order it
Basiskort is being rolled out nationwide, and adults, children, pensioners and travelers with disabilities can already order a personal card via the Rejsekort website or by phone, with commuter’s cards and anonymous cards to follow. A personal Basic Card costs about the same as the old physical Rejsekort, and in the future it will also be sold in selected 7‑Eleven stores and other retail outlets.
Note that in order to buy a Basiskort you will need to have a Danish address and MobilePay or a valid payment card.
For many internationals living in Denmark, the choice will simply be between using the app or sticking a Basiskort in the same wallet as their yellow health card. If you are the kind of person who likes a physical card or you often lend your Rejsekort to visiting parents who do not use Danish apps, Basiskort is there to keep you mobile in a system that is otherwise moving steadily onto smartphones.
