Getting around · Copenhagen · Denmark
Getting around Copenhagen
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: European Commission, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
Copenhagen is flat and compact: most sights are within a 30-minute walk or a 15-minute bike ride of City Hall Square. A driverless metro runs around the clock, S-trains and buses cover the suburbs, and harbour buses cross the water, all on one zone-based ticket system. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Cycling
- Airports
- CPH
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- City Pass
Ways to get around
Cycling
Wide, separated bike lanes cover the whole city, and bikes can be rented from hotels, rental shops and app-based schemes. Locals cycle in all weather.
Signal before turning or stopping, keep right so faster riders can pass, and never ride on the pavement.
Metro
Four driverless lines run 24 hours a day: M1 and M2 cross the centre, with M2 continuing to the airport, the M3 Cityringen loop links Central Station, Nørrebro, Østerbro and Frederiksberg, and M4 branches to Nordhavn and Sydhavn.
Buy tickets in the official DOT app or at station machines, and check that your ticket covers enough zones.
Walking
The old city, Nyhavn, the palaces and Christianshavn are close together, and footbridges such as Inderhavnsbroen link Nyhavn and Christianshavn across the harbour.
Train
S-trains run to the northern suburbs and Klampenborg, and regional trains from Central Station reach Helsingør, Roskilde and Malmö.
Boat
Harbour buses run along the inner harbour between stops such as Nyhavn, the Opera House and the Royal Library, using ordinary public transport tickets.
Bus
City buses fill the gaps between metro lines, with night buses on the main routes.
Tickets and passes
City Pass
Unlimited travel on the metro, buses, harbour buses and trains in the central zones, including the airport, for 24 to 120 hours.
Copenhagen Card
A 24- to 120-hour card with unlimited public transport across the capital region, including the airport, and free entry to many museums and attractions.
From the airport
Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) is about 8 km south-east of the centre. Metro line M2 reaches Kongens Nytorv in about 15 minutes and runs around the clock, trains reach Copenhagen Central Station in about 13–15 minutes, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes.
Do you need a car?
No. Parking is expensive and limited, and cycling, the metro and trains cover the city and most day trips. Hire a car only for rural Zealand or the cliffs at Møns Klint.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Museum of Modern Art | About 35–40 minutes by train | Regional train to Humlebæk, then a 10-minute walk |
| Kronborg Castle, Helsingør | About 45 minutes by train | Regional train to Helsingør |
| Frederiksborg Castle, Hillerød | About 40 minutes by S-train | S-train to Hillerød, then a short walk or bus |
| Roskilde | About 25 minutes by train | Regional train from Central Station |
| Malmö, Sweden | About 35–40 minutes by train | Øresund train from Central Station or the airport |
| Bakken and Jægersborg Dyrehave | About 20 minutes by S-train | S-train to Klampenborg |
| Møns Klint | About 2 hours by car | Hire car or organised tour |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Copenhagen?
No. Parking is expensive and limited, and cycling, the metro and trains cover the city and most day trips. Hire a car only for rural Zealand or the cliffs at Møns Klint.
+How do you get from the airport to Copenhagen?
Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) is about 8 km south-east of the centre. Metro line M2 reaches Kongens Nytorv in about 15 minutes and runs around the clock, trains reach Copenhagen Central Station in about 13–15 minutes, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes.
+What is the best way to get around Copenhagen?
Cycling: Wide, separated bike lanes cover the whole city, and bikes can be rented from hotels, rental shops and app-based schemes. Locals cycle in all weather.