New VAT rules drive up Samsø ferry fares
Monday 17th August 2026 on 09:01 in
Denmark
New VAT rules have forced Samsø Ferry to raise fares by 25 to 40 per cent during the high season after the operator faced an additional cost of 1.9 million kroner, DR reports.
The Samsø ferry, M/F Prinsesse Isabelle, runs between Hou in Jutland and Sælvig on Samsø. In previous years, passengers could buy cheaper combination tickets for a car and its passengers during weeks 26, 27 and 32. Those lower fares were intended to encourage tourism and growth on the island.
Traffic director Carsten Kruse said the fare increases had contributed to a 5 to 10 per cent fall in passenger numbers during those weeks.
“We could certainly have used the cheaper tickets in weeks 26, 27 and 32. This year, we have seen a decline of between five and 10 per cent during those weeks,” Kruse said.
New calculation of VAT
Under the previous rules, VAT was calculated only on the car portion of a combination ticket. The passenger portion was not subject to VAT, allowing more of the ticket price to be allocated to passengers.
Under the new rules, the VAT-taxable amount is calculated by subtracting the price of one passenger from the total combination ticket. The remaining amount is treated as taxable.
Samsø Ferry is owned by Samsø Municipality, which must find the additional 1.9 million kroner. Mayor Per Urban Olsen said the amount was substantial for the island municipality.
“Compared with our neighbouring municipality of Aarhus, it would be like Aarhus Municipality having to find 200 million kroner, because it is approximately 100 times larger than us,” said Olsen, who is a Conservative mayor.
Olsen said the new VAT rules worked against the principle that travelling the same distance by ferry should cost the same as travelling by road. He warned that higher fares could reduce traffic further and hurt businesses on the island.
The new rules affect all ferries operating within Denmark’s borders. Danske Rederier, a shipping industry association, called for a political review of the rules to find a less costly solution for passengers.
“The problem is that it leads to higher prices for passengers. We would like to see passengers spared this burden,” said Jacob Clasen, deputy chief executive of Danske Rederier.