The Copenhagen Metro is a light rapid transit system that serves the Danish capital and its surrounding areas. It operates 24/7 and connects the city center with the airport, the Ørestad district, and the northern and southern suburbs.
The Copenhagen Metro is a fast, convenient, and sustainable way to get around Copenhagen, with over 300,000 passengers daily. Here you’ll find all the informations you need.
The Copenhagen Metro is owned by Metroselskabet I/S, which is a partnership between the City of Copenhagen, the Danish Government, and the City of Frederiksberg. Metroselskabet I/S is responsible for the construction and operation of the metro system, as well as the development of the areas around the stations. The actual operation and maintenance of the metro trains and stations are contracted out to Metro Service A/S, joint venture between the Italian company ATM (which also manages Milan’s metro) and Hitachi Rail STS.
Copenhagen Metro: ticket prices and rejsekort
The metro is part of the integrated public transport system in Greater Copenhagen, which means that tickets are valid for all modes of transport: metro, bus, train and harbour bus.
The price of tickets depends on how many zones you wish to travel between. The Greater Copenhagen area is divided into 99 zones, and you need to buy a ticket that covers all the zones you travel through.
As of December 2023, a single ticket for two zones costs 24 DKK, a city pass for 24 hours costs 80 DKK, a rejsekort for two zones costs 16 DKK, and a Copenhagen card for 24 hours costs 399 DKK.
The costs of Pendlekort (monthly card) and rejsekort for the Copenhagen metro depend on the type of customer and the number of zones you travel in. Here are some examples of the prices as of December 2023:
- A Rejsekort Anonymous card costs 80 DKK and can be used for flexible trips across all modes of public transport. You need to add money to the balance of the card before you travel. The price of each trip is calculated based on the zones you travel in and the time of the day. For example, a two-zone trip by metro costs 16 DKK with a Rejsekort Anonymous.
- A Rejsekort Personal card costs 50 DKK and can be linked to your personal information and payment method. You can also get discounts based on your customer type (such as adult, child, young person, or pensioner) and the number of trips you make in a month. For example, a two-zone trip by metro costs 12 DKK with a Rejsekort Personal as an adult.
- A Rejsekort Flex card costs 50 DKK and can be used by multiple people. You can also choose to pay for your trips after you travel, instead of adding money to the balance beforehand. The price of each trip is the same as the Rejsekort Anonymous, but you can also get discounts based on your customer type and the number of trips you make in a month. For example, a two-zone trip by metro costs 16 DKK with a Rejsekort Flex as an adult.
A Season Pass (or Pendlekort, in Danish) is a type of membership that allows you to travel unlimited within a certain area and period of time. You can choose the zones and the validity period (such as 30 or 365 days) of your Season Pass. You can also choose whether you want it to be valid for bus, train, and metro, or only for metro. For example, a monthly Pendlekort for 2 zones costs 510 DKK/month.
You can buy Rejsekort cards at ticket offices, Rejsekort machines, or online. You can buy Season Passes at ticket machines, 7 Eleven kiosks, or online. You can also use the price calculator on the public transport website to compare the prices of different ticket options3
A short history of Copenhagen Metro
The idea of building a metro in Copenhagen dates back to the 1980s, when the Ørestad Act was passed by the Danish Parliament to develop a new urban area on the island of Amager.
The act also included plans for a metro system to link Ørestad with the city center and the airport. The construction of the metro began in 1996, and the first section opened in October 2002, from Nørreport to Vestamager and Lergravsparken. In May 2003, the stretch from Nørreport to Frederiksberg opened, and from October it was possible to travel by metro all the way to Vanløse. These two lines, M1 and M2, are 21 kilometers long in total, with 10 kilometers in tunnels and 11 kilometers elevated.
In September 2019, a major expansion of the metro was completed with the opening of the M3 Cityringen, a circular line that runs through the historic center of Copenhagen and connects 17 new stations. The M3 line is 15.5 kilometers long and entirely underground. In March 2020, a branch of the M3 line, M4, opened from Copenhagen Central Station to Nordhavn and Orientkaj, a former industrial area that is being transformed into a modern neighborhood. The M4 line will be extended further to Sydhavn in 2024.
The length, lines and future development of the metro
The current metro network consists of four lines: M1, M2, M3 and M4. The M1 and M2 lines share a common section from Vanløse to Christianshavn, where they split into two branches.
The M1 line runs to Vestamager via Islands Brygge and Ørestad, while the M2 line runs to Lufthavnen (the airport) via Amagerbro and Kastrup. The M3 line is a loop that runs through the city center and connects with all other lines at various stations. The M4 line is now a branch of the M3 line that runs from Copenhagen Central Station to Orientkaj via Østerport.
The total length of the metro network is 37 kilometers, with 39 stations. The average distance between stations is 950 meters, and the average travel time between stations is two minutes. The metro trains run at a maximum speed of 80 km/h, and have a capacity of up to 300 passengers each. The metro system uses automatic train operation, which means that there are no drivers on board.
The metro network is expected to grow further in the coming years, with new extensions and stations planned. The most significant project is the Sydhavn line (M4), which will add seven new stations from Copenhagen Central Station to Ny Ellebjerg via Sydhavnen (the South Harbour). This line will serve an area that is undergoing rapid urban development and will also provide a connection to the S-train network. The Sydhavn line is scheduled to open in 2024.
Other future projects include a new station at Bryggebroen (M1/M2), which will improve access to Islands Brygge and Havneholmen; a new station at Enghave Brygge (M3), which will serve a new residential and commercial area; and a possible extension of the Cityringen (M3) to Brønshøj.