Copenhagen runs on one integrated system: the same ticket works on the driverless Metro, the S-trains, regional trains, city buses, and even the harbour ferries. There are no fare gates anywhere — you’re trusted to have a valid ticket, and inspectors check onboard.
The basics
Four operators split the work, all under one shared fare system:
- Copenhagen Metro runs the driverless M1, M2, M3 (the Cityringen loop), and M4 lines, including the line to the airport. It’s the only part of the network that runs all night, every night.
- DSB runs the S-train network (Copenhagen’s commuter rail, lines A through H) plus regional and InterCity trains — including the trains that serve Copenhagen Airport.
- Movia runs the city and regional buses, the harbour buses that cross the water downtown, and Flextrafik, a door-to-door paratransit scheme for residents.
- DOT (Din Offentlige Transport) isn’t an operator — it’s the joint fare authority that runs the ticketing apps and journey planner everyone else plugs into.
How to pay
Copenhagen’s ticketing went almost entirely digital in 2026. Your main options:
- Rejsekort app — check in and check out with a swipe inside the app, the same way the old plastic card worked. It bills you once a day for everything you rode, and automatically applies a 20% discount if your trip starts outside rush hour (weekdays 11am–1pm and after 6pm, plus all weekend).
- Rejsebillet app — buy a single ticket or City Pass upfront, the way you’d buy a paper ticket. It replaced the old “DOT Billetter” app by the end of 2025.
- Basiskort — a physical card for anyone who’d rather not use an app: a personal Basiskort (50 DKK) or an anonymous Basiskort (80 DKK), sold at 7-Eleven kiosks in stations and select newsstands.
- Ticket machines at every Metro and train station, if you just want a paper single ticket or City Pass on the spot.
One thing to know if you’ve read older advice online: the classic plastic Rejsekort closed for good on June 29, 2026. If a guide or blog tells you to buy one, it’s out of date — use the Rejsekort app, Rejsebillet, or a Basiskort instead.
Fares
Fares are zone-based — the more zones you cross, the more you pay:
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Single ticket, 2 zones (minimum) | 24 DKK |
| Single ticket, 8 zones (maximum) | 60 DKK |
| Rejsekort app, pay-as-you-go, 2 zones | from 22 DKK (20% off outside rush hour) |
| City Pass Small — unlimited travel, zones 1–4 (covers Copenhagen and the airport) | 100–340 DKK for 24–120 hours |
| City Pass Large — unlimited travel, Copenhagen and Greater Copenhagen (zones 1–99) | 200–680 DKK for 24–120 hours |
Two children under 12 ride free with a paying adult; older children pay half the adult fare. Small pets in a bag ride free; a larger dog needs a child’s ticket. Bicycles are free on S-trains, buses, and harbour buses, but need their own ticket on the Metro or regional trains.
If you’re staying more than a day or two, a City Pass is usually the better deal — it’s unlimited rides for a flat price and, notably, the Small tier explicitly covers the airport-to-city trip as well as everything in Copenhagen.
Getting from the airport
Take the Metro’s M2 line — the station sits inside Terminal 3, right at the arrivals hall.
- Time: the Metro states 14 minutes to the city centre.
- Cost: a single ticket (the trip crosses zones 1–4, but a “ring zone” rule caps it at a 3-zone fare) — or, if you’re staying a few days, a City Pass Small (100 DKK for 24 hours) covers this ride plus unlimited Copenhagen travel afterward.
- How often: about every 2 minutes at rush hour, every 3 minutes during the rest of the day and evening, and every 8–20 minutes overnight.
- Hours: the Metro doesn’t stop — it’s one of the few 24/7 airport train links anywhere.
DSB regional and InterCity trains also call at Copenhagen Airport station, useful if your destination is closer to Copenhagen Central Station than to a Metro stop.
Apps to download
- Rejsekort app — the official pay-as-you-go option, with automatic off-peak discounts.
- Rejsebillet — the official app for single tickets and City Passes.
- Rejseplanen — Denmark’s national journey planner, covering every train, bus, and metro line in the country.
When it runs
The Metro runs 24 hours a day, every day — there’s no last train.
Accessibility
All Metro stations have lifts and are step-free. S-train stations have either a lift or step-free access, and you can signal the driver from the front carriage for a boarding ramp. On buses, there’s a manual ramp at the middle doors, though the driver can’t leave their seat to help you board. Harbour buses are wheelchair-accessible.
Regional and airport trains are the exception — if you need boarding assistance on a DSB regional or InterCity train (including to/from the airport), you must book it through DSB Handicap Service at least 12 hours ahead. Residents with a severe mobility or vision disability can register for Movia’s Flextrafik, a door-to-door paratransit scheme, through their municipality.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Stand right on escalators — Copenhageners walk on the left.
- Always check in AND check out, whether you’re using the Rejsekort app, a Basiskort, or the (now-closed) old Rejsekort. Forgetting to check out means you’re charged the maximum possible fare.
- Bikes ride the Metro with a bike ticket — except during rush hour (weekdays 7–9am and 3:30–5:30pm), when they’re not allowed on.
- Let riders off before you board, and keep it quiet — Copenhagen’s transit culture is understated and efficient.
Good to know
- Fare enforcement: inspectors check tickets onboard (there are no gates), and travelling without a valid one is a 750 DKK fine.
- The system went digital fast. If you’re used to a tap card from another city, note that Copenhagen’s classic Rejsekort card is gone — everything now runs through the Rejsekort app, Rejsebillet, or a Basiskort.
- Everything shares one map. Metro, S-train, regional rail, bus, and harbour bus all use the same zones, so one ticket or pass covers whichever combination gets you there.