Long queues at Danish customs persist despite extended opening hours

Long-haul truck drivers entering Denmark continue to face delays of several hours at customs checkpoints, despite recent efforts to extend operating times, DR reports.

Transport companies say the persistent queues—often exceeding five hours—are primarily caused by staff shortages at the Danish Customs Agency (Toldstyrelsen). At the Padborg border crossing, data from logistics firm Ancotrans shows average wait times of over five hours in the past week.

David Nees Kynde, country manager at Ancotrans, called the figures “shocking” after verifying them multiple times. “A four-hour wait has become normal,” he said, estimating the delays cost his company over 1 million DKK (approx. €135,000) per month in lost productivity. “For the entire supply chain, the financial impact is enormous.”

The problem stems from a 2025 government decision to reduce public-sector staffing, which included cuts to customs personnel. Extended opening hours have failed to ease congestion, as the same number of employees are now spread over longer shifts. A new IT system introduced by the agency has further exacerbated delays, creating what Jesper Schimann Hansen, director of Padborg Transport Center, described as a “perfect storm.”

Drivers, many paid by the kilometre, receive no compensation for idle time. Nina Gammelgaard, a freight forwarder at Padborg Grænsespedition, recounted waiting three hours in queue before abandoning her attempt to clear customs. “It was completely insane,” she said. “Drivers don’t have the option to leave—they’re stuck.”

The delays disrupt supply chains, with knock-on effects for ports like Hamburg, where ships await Danish containers. Schimann Hansen warned that added costs would ultimately be passed to consumers. “When transport chains break down like this, someone has to pay,” he said.

The Danish Customs Agency declined to comment, stating it would not address media inquiries until a new government takes office.