For going directly to the historic centre (Nyhavn and Christianshavn), the fastest metro is the one that runs 24/7. If you're travelling to Central Station or straight to the Little Mermaid, use the regular trains, which also run across the öresund bridge to Malmö, Sweden.
For detailed information on getting around the city, see our guide to Copenhagen.
View hotels in central Copenhagen
Connections are supplemented by a bus service that offers a direct route to, for example, the Nørrebro district. What is the best way to get to Copenhagen Airport?
| Type of transport | Travel time (Nørreport) | Frequency | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro M2 | 15 minutes | 4-6 minutes | 30 dkk |
| Train | 17 minutes | 4-20 minutes | 30 dkk |
| Bus 5C | 40 minutes | 8-20 minutes | 30 dkk |
Three main search engines can be used to plan your journey around Copenhagen, all of which find complete connections (metro, trains, buses and boats) and work on the same basis.
- dinoffentligetransport.dk - Copenhagen Public Transport Organiser website
- rejseplanen.dk - Transport planning throughout Denmark, including Copenhagen public transport
- dsb.dk - Danish Railways website, also finds Copenhagen public transport connections
Copenhagen Airport is known in search engines as "CPH Lufthavn".
All modes of transport stop outside the single central arrivals hall.
Copenhagen tickets - prices and where to buy
Tickets are integrated and valid on all modes of transport, with the price based on the number of zones. The airport is in zone 4, the centre of Copenhagen is in zone 1.
Tickets are valid for metro, buses, yellow ferries and all trains running around Copenhagen (S-tog, regional Re and long-distance IC and ICL).
Children aged 0-15 pay half fare.
The current price list can be found on the public transport website: dinoffentligetransport.dk/en/prices-and-zones/prices
- 90 minutes for zones 1-4 (any number of transfers) - 30 dkk
- 24 hours - 80 dkk
- 48 hours - 150 dkk
- 72 hours - 200 dkk
- 60 minutes for 2 zones (useful for travel to hotels around the airport, for example) - - 24 dkk
Day and multi-day passes are called CityPass Small and include zones 1-4, i.e. the whole of Copenhagen including the airport.
If you will be travelling more around Denmark, it may be worth buying a Rejsekort discount card for 80 dkk, through which you will get cheaper intercity tickets. However, for short tourist trips to Copenhagen it is not worthwhile.
Where to buy tickets?
Tickets to Copenhagen can be purchased in the public area of the arrivals hall. There are so many machines that you can't miss them.
You can buy public transport tickets from the red DSB machines in the main arrivals hall or from the square grey machines in the metro station. The smaller grey machines are for issuing Rejsekort cards.
Although DSB are the state-owned Danish Railways, their machines will issue regular tickets for Copenhagen's public transport, including metro and buses.
A more convenient way is to buy your ticket via the DOT mobile app: dinoffentligetransport.dk/dot-tickets-app. You activate your ticket on the app at the touch of a button and it's not loaded anywhere when you board. Just show it to any inspector.
Metro M2
Copenhagen's busiest metro is the M2 (yellow line) departing from the end of the airport terminal, watch the signs. You don't mark your ticket bought from a machine anywhere - it's valid from purchase.
The metro is the best option for getting to the historic centre, where it stops at Christianshavn, Kongens Nytorv (exit towards Nyhavn).
- Travel time Nørreport-airport: 17 minutes
- Fares: 30 dkk
- Frequency: 4-6 minutes (20 minutes at night)
Metro line M2 runs 24 hours a day without a night break.
The metro trains offer a panoramic view of the line as they are automatic and instead of a driver, there are seats for passengers at the front window. On the outskirts of the city the metro runs on the surface, in the centre it runs underground.
Train to Copenhagen city centre
The fastest connection to Copenhagen's main station "København H" or to Østerport station, which is closest to the Little Mermaid statue, is by regular trains.
- Travel time to Nørreport: 17 minutes
- Fares: 30 dkk
- Frequency: 5-20 minutes
- Last train from the airport: 23:53
- First train from Copenhagen H: 3:47
Do not mark the ticket from the machine anywhere, it is valid from the time it is printed. You also only show the ticket in the app when asked by the conductor.
The CPH Lufthavn station is located in the underground part of the arrivals terminal. Use track number 2 to get to central Copenhagen.
Bus 5C
Bus line 5C is the slowest service. However, these can be useful for a direct journey without changing trains to some parts of the city centre or Nørrebro district.
From the airport, all services go to the centre and Nørrebro, with only every other service going to the airport on the way out of the centre. Buses with the sign "Sundbyvester Plads" do not go to the airport.
- Travel time Nørreport-airport: 40 minutes
- Fares: 30 dkk
- Frequency: 5-10 minutes (30 minutes at night)
Bus 5C runs 24 hours a day.
No need to mark the ticket, it is valid from the time it is printed in the machine. Boarding is by all doors and if necessary only show the ticket to the ticket inspector, the driver is not interested.
The bus stop is to the right of the arrivals hall, the exit is just below the escalators leading to the metro station.
There are also bus lines 35 and 36 to the airport, but these only go to the surrounding neighbourhoods and are only used if you are staying near the airport.
Train to Sweden
Copenhagen Airport is next to the Öresund Bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden across the sea. Øresundståg trains run on the route several times an hour and continue from Malmö either without a change or with one change to the whole of Sweden.
The underground station is right in the only arrivals hall. For travel to Sweden, use track number 1.
- Travel time to Malmö C: 25-30 minutes
- Fares: 135 sek
- Frequency: 10-20 minutes
Trains run 24 hours a day on the route to Malmö.
Buy the cheapest ticket at 135 sek from a Skånetrafiken machine marked with a Swedish flag. You can buy tickets for the same trains at the red DSB machines, but at a higher price 96 dkk.
Long-distance trains and buses to Denmark
Directly from the airport, you can also reach other Danish cities without changing trains, and with a single change at Copenhagen H station, connections are unlimited to the whole country.
To get to Denmark, use the underground train station in the arrivals terminal, track number 2.
Alternatively, Flixbus long-distance buses stop directly at the airport. The bus stop is located about 150 metres further on behind the 5C bus stop to Copenhagen city centre.
Prices for buses and trains are similar when bought in advance, but if you plan last minute, buses tend to be significantly cheaper.
- buy tickets at flixbus.com (buses)
- buy tickets at dsb.dk (trains)
