Getting from Copenhagen Airport to the city centre

Arriving into Copenhagen’s sprawling Kastrup airport can be a surprisingly nice experience; as you walk through the automatic doors and into the arrivals hall, there’s a good chance you’ll be met by a sea of locals waving little Danish flags for their returned comrades.

The abundance of red-and-white Dannebrog (because obviously, a flag must have a name) can be quite a sight, and it makes for a heartwarming welcome to the Danish capital.

This guide will help you decide how to get from the airport to the centre of Copenhagen, a short distance away. You can hop to a specific mode of transport using the links below.

By train
By metro
By bus
By taxi
By rental car
By bike

So how far is Copenhagen from the airport?

Strictly speaking, Copenhagen’s airport is actually located at Kastrup, on the island of Amager. It’s about 10km south of downtown Copenhagen and that usually means that whichever mode of transport you opt for, you should be able to make it into the city within 30 minutes or so.

There are three airport terminals and they are all linked together. If you’re fit and healthy you can walk between them fairly quickly, and there’s also a bus linking the train station with Terminals 1, 2 and 3, just in case you’re pressed for time. This bus is free and runs every 10–20 minutes around the clock.

All of the good transport options to Copenhagen leave from Terminal 3, so that’s where you’ll want to head first (depending on where you’re flying from, you might actually enter the arrivals area there).

The cheapest and fastest way: use public transport

Copenhagen’s airport is extremely well connected, with trains, buses and metro services all travelling between the airport and the city centre.

Is the Copenhagen Card worth buying?

Read this guide to see how much you could save during your trip!

Fares and buying tickets

The cost of a train, metro or bus trip to the city centre is the same regardless of which option you choose. The fare is 38 DKK for a one-way ticket, which is valid in three zones on all three modes of transport for one hour.

You won’t need to worry about buying tickets for young kids, as each paying adult can bring two children (aged 12 and under) for free. Children aged between 12 and 16, and those travelling on their own, pay half price (18 DKK).

Tickets for all forms of transport can be bought from the red DSB ticket machines inside Terminal 3: you can also buy a ticket on the bus if you have the right change.

Alternatively, you can buy tickets online in advance or by downloading the app onto your phone. Tickets bought online or via the app cost the same as buying them at the station.

So which is the best option?

Well that really depends on which part of Copenhagen you’re staying in. If you’re aiming for the city centre, the train is hard to beat, while bus and metro services may be quicker for suburban areas like Amager East.

The train and metro platforms are located inside the airport building, at the end of Terminal 3. The bus stations are located outside Terminals 2–3, and outside Terminal 1. Just follow the signs, which are in Danish and English.

The Copenhagen Airport to Copenhagen train

If you want to get to Copenhagen’s Central Station from the airport, regional trains run by DSB are your best bet; they will whizz you to the city centre in about 15 minutes.

These trains are perhaps the most luxurious of all the public transport options, with clean and spacious carriages, plus free wifi.

You must buy a ticket inside Terminal 3 before you board the train from track two (trains on track one will take you over to Sweden, so be careful not to get on the wrong one, unless you are heading for Malmö!).

Trains to Copenhagen Central Station (also known as København H) leave from here roughly every 10 minutes.

Depending on when you arrive, this route might also be covered by one of the Öresundståg trains travelling from Sweden (they’re light grey with red writing on the side).

Tickets are valid on both types of train, and the service is pretty much the same – the only difference is that the Öresundståg trains don’t all have wifi.

The metro from Copenhagen Airport

If you want to be smack bang in the middle of the action, take the metro straight from the airport to Kongens Nytorv (around 19 minutes). This is where you’ll find the picturesque houses at Nyhavn and the shopping street Strøget.

Other stops available on the same metro line include Nørreport, Frederiksberg, and the old maritime area of Christianshavn.

The metro is also a great option if you have kids. At the end of each metro train there’s a fake dashboard with control buttons where kids young and old can pretend to drive.

The metro costs the same as taking the train, so take a look at the metro map (available here) and see which stop is nearest to wherever you’re going.

Metro trains run every five minutes during the day and every 15–20 minutes at night. The airport is right at the end of the yellow line, so jump on any of the metro trains and you’ll be downtown in about 20 minutes.

You can’t buy tickets onboard, so get one from the station or from the DSB ticket machines in Terminal 3.

Public buses from the airport

The slowest of the public transport options, the bus ride to downtown Copenhagen takes about 35-40 minutes. It’s really only worth considering if none of the other options are working.

If you decide to take the bus, the one you want is #2A, which leaves from just outside Kastrup metro station every 20 minutes or so – it’s a 1km walk north of the airport on Ved Stationen.

This bus will take you directly to Copenhagen Central Station, the City Hall square (Rådhuspladsen) and Nørreport. Line #5A also runs to City Hall square (Rådhuspladsen) and Nørreport every ten minutes or so.

You can buy a ticket on the bus if you have cash.

The laziest way: grab a taxi

Airport taxis are expensive in Copenhagen, but you might want to consider taking one if you’re in a group or if you have a lot of luggage that you don’t want to lug around on public transport. You’ll find taxi ranks outside Terminals 2 and 3.

It’s normally a 20-minute journey that’ll set you back about 250–350 DKK. The taxis have meters, so setting a price before the journey isn’t an option. You can pay by card and there’s no need to tip the driver.

What about Uber?

The ride-sharing app shut up shop in Denmark in 2017 following complaints and court cases. But Uber hopes to make a comeback in the future, so keep an eye out.

The DIY option: rent a car

There’s no real need for a car if you’re only visiting Copenhagen, as using public transport is far cheaper and easier. That said, if you plan on travelling further afield it can be cheaper to hire a car at the airport rather than in the city centre.

This page on our site checks dozens of local providers to help you find the best deal. Once you land, a free airport bus will take you to the car rental centre where most of the big name companies are located.

The fancy option: take a VIP transfer

Some upscale hotels in Copenhagen offer complimentary shuttle bus services to and from the airport, but there are no regular independent operators.

Bonus option for the brave and truly Danish: cycle to Copenhagen

If you don’t have much luggage you could bike to the city centre in about 30 minutes, but there aren’t any permanent bike rental options at Copenhagen airport.

You could try your luck with bike-sharing app Donkey Republic, which usually has a few bikes stationed outside the airport. There’s more on renting a bike in Copenhagen in this guide and you can check out our top tips for cycling in the city here.

FAQ

What is the cheapest way to get from the airport to Copenhagen?

It’s a flat fare of 38 DKK, whether you go by bus, train or metro.

What is the quickest way to get from the airport to Copenhagen?

The train is quickest, taking 12–15 minutes to Copenhagen’s Central Station (København H). A taxi and the metro will both take around 20 minutes (traffic permitting), while the bus takes 35–40 minutes.

Can I get to Sweden from Copenhagen airport?

Yes. There are direct trains and buses from Kastrup to Malmö in Sweden. Click here for all the details.

Does transport run all night from the airport into Copenhagen?

Yes. The metro runs throughout the night approximately every 15–20 minutes. The last train leaves the airport at around 12.30am and the service starts again at around 5am.

See also:

What to do on a layover at Kastrup

60 free and cheap things to do in Copenhagen

The best canal tours and boat trips in Copenhagen

The Copenhagen card: is it worth buying?

Getting from Copenhagen to Malmö