Getting from Copenhagen Airport to the City Center

Landing at Copenhagen Airport and figuring out the fastest way into the city is one of the highest-anxiety moments of the whole trip, and it has a genuinely simple answer. This guide walks through the metro, train and taxi options for a copenhagen card airport transfer, how long each one takes, and which of this site’s tickets actually cover that first ride so you are not caught buying a separate fare the moment you land. It is part of our wider Copenhagen public transport guide, and if you have not yet picked a ticket at all, see the full Copenhagen Card comparison before you fly.

What Is the Fastest Way From Copenhagen Airport to the City Center?

The metro. Copenhagen Airport connects directly to the M2 line, which runs into the city center, reaching Kongens Nytorv near Nyhavn in around 15 minutes without a transfer. Trains run frequently throughout the day, so there is rarely a meaningful wait, and the M2 platform sits a short, clearly signed walk from the arrivals hall.

Our metro guide covers the M2 line and the rest of the driverless network in more depth if you want to understand how it connects to the rest of the city beyond your first ride.

Can You Take a Regular Train From the Airport Instead of the Metro?

Yes. DSB regional and S-train services also stop at Copenhagen Airport, offering a copenhagen airport to city center train option that reaches Copenhagen Central Station in a comparable amount of time to the metro, and continues on toward destinations further north or south of the city if your onward plans extend beyond central Copenhagen. For most visitors heading straight to a hotel in the city center, the metro is the simpler choice, since it involves less platform-hunting, but the train is a genuinely useful alternative if your accommodation sits closer to Central Station itself.

How Do You Get From Copenhagen Airport to the City Center Step by Step?

Follow the signs for “Metro” or “Train” from the arrivals hall, both clearly marked in English throughout the terminal. Buy a ticket or tap a valid pass at the platform before boarding, since Copenhagen’s network expects a valid ticket at the point of travel rather than allowing payment onboard. From there, ride directly into the city center: the M2 metro to Kongens Nytorv, or a DSB train to Copenhagen Central Station, both without needing to change trains.

This straightforward answer to how to get from copenhagen airport to city is one of the reasons Copenhagen consistently ranks well for airport-to-center convenience compared with cities that require a bus transfer or a longer rail journey. Copenhagen Airport itself sits closer to the city center than most major European hub airports, which is part of why the direct rail connection is so quick.

Does the Copenhagen Card Cover the Airport Transfer?

Yes, on the Discover version. The Copenhagen Card Discover includes unlimited public transport across the whole Capital Region, which explicitly includes travel to and from Copenhagen Airport, so your metro or train ride into the city is already paid for the moment you activate the card. The Copenhagen Card Hop version, by contrast, swaps that rail coverage for hop-on hop-off buses instead and does not include the airport transfer, so Discover is the better pick if you want your card to cover this first ride.

Does a Regular Day Pass or the City Pass Cover the Airport?

It depends on the zones included in your specific ticket. A compact, city-center-only day pass or a City Pass Small typically does not reach the airport zone, while a wider-zone day pass or the City Pass Large usually does. Our day pass guide explains how zone coverage affects price, and if you are staying longer than a few days, our monthly and commuter pass guide covers whether that first airport ride fits into a longer-term ticket too.

Is a Taxi Worth It for the Airport Transfer?

Rarely, for a solo traveler or couple. A taxi from Copenhagen Airport into the city center costs considerably more than the metro or train and, in typical daytime traffic, is not meaningfully faster than the roughly 15 minute rail journey. It becomes more reasonable for a larger group splitting the fare, for very early or very late arrivals when public transport frequency drops, or if you are traveling with enough luggage that navigating a metro platform feels genuinely impractical.

How Early or Late Does the Metro Run to and From the Airport?

The M2 line runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, matching the rest of Copenhagen’s metro network, so there is no risk of landing on a late flight and finding the metro closed for the night. Frequency does drop somewhat overnight compared with daytime service, but a train is still coming, which is a genuine advantage over cities where late arrivals are stuck relying on an expensive taxi.

What Should You Buy Before You Land If You Have Not Booked a Pass Yet?

If you have not yet decided between a plain transport ticket, the City Pass or the Copenhagen Card, a single ticket covering the airport zone gets you into the city without committing to anything larger, and you can decide on a longer-term pass once you are settled. If museums or attractions are already part of your plan, our how to buy the Copenhagen Card guide walks through booking online before you fly, so your airport transfer and everything else for the length of your card is already sorted the moment you land.

Does Every Copenhagen Card Version Include the Airport?

No, only the Discover version does. This is worth checking carefully before you book, since the Hop version’s hop-on hop-off buses do not run to or from the airport at all, meaning a Hop card holder still needs a separate ticket for that first and last leg of the trip. If an airport transfer covered by your card matters to you, Discover is the version to choose.

What If You Are Traveling With a Lot of Luggage?

The metro and train are both genuinely manageable with standard airport luggage, since every station along the route has step-free elevator access and the trains themselves board level with the platform, no steep steps or narrow doorways to wrestle a suitcase through. For a family with several large bags or a stroller in addition to luggage, the extra space and door width of the DSB train sometimes feels more comfortable than a busier metro carriage during peak arrival times, though both options work fine for most travelers.

Should You Buy Your Ticket Before You Land or After?

Buying through the DOT or Rejseplanen app before you land, while you still have working internet on the plane’s wifi or before switching off airplane mode, means you can walk straight to the platform without stopping at a machine first. If you would rather buy in person, ticket machines sit right at both the metro and train platforms inside the airport, clearly signed and accepting card payment, so there is no real disadvantage to waiting until you land either, just a small amount of extra time at the machine.

Does It Matter Which Terminal You Land In?

Copenhagen Airport’s metro and train stations sit beneath the terminal complex and are reachable on foot from every terminal via covered, signed walkways, so which specific terminal your flight arrives at does not meaningfully change your route into the city. Follow the “Metro” or “Train” signage from baggage claim regardless of terminal number, and you will reach the same shared station serving both onward options.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way from Copenhagen Airport to the city center? The M2 metro line, reaching Kongens Nytorv near Nyhavn in around 15 minutes without a transfer, running frequently throughout the day.

Does the Copenhagen Card cover the airport transfer? Yes, on the Discover version, which includes unlimited transport across the whole Capital Region including travel to and from the airport. The Hop version does not include this.

Can I take a train instead of the metro from Copenhagen Airport? Yes. DSB regional and S-train services also connect the airport to Copenhagen Central Station in a comparable amount of time, useful if your accommodation sits closer to the station than to Kongens Nytorv.

Is a taxi faster than the metro from the airport? Rarely. Daytime traffic means a taxi is not meaningfully faster than the roughly 15 minute metro ride, and it costs considerably more for a solo traveler or couple.

Does the metro run to the airport late at night? Yes. The M2 line runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, though service frequency drops somewhat overnight compared with the daytime schedule.