World City Guide

Getting Around

Public Transport
The Metropolitan Transport Company – HT (tel: 3613 1415; website: www.hur.dk) runs the urban transport system. Information on trains can also be obtained from the Danish State Railways (see Getting There By Rail). There is an integrated bus and urban train network, known as S-tog (tel: 7013 1415; website: www.dsb.dk/s-tog), as well as the first sections of Copenhagen’s new Metro (tel: 3311 1700; website: www.m.dk), with 17 stations currently in use.

Buses and trains run daily 0500-2430 and there are additional night buses from City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen) to the suburbs. There is a harbour bus service (lines 901 and 902) connecting the Royal Library’s Black Diamond building on Christians Brygge with Nordre Toldbod, with stops along the waterfront, including Nyhavn. The shuttle operates daily 0600-1800/1900 throughout the year (weather permitting), six times an hour, and tickets cost Dkk34.

The Metro opened in 2002 and runs from 0500 to 2400 from Mondays to Wednesdays, all night on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and then until 2400 on Sundays. The expansion of the Metro is continuing and the link to the airport is due for completion by 2007. The trains are fully automatic, but that doesn’t mean they are unmanned. There is a Metro steward on every train, whose job it is to check the tickets, provide information and help passengers.

Tickets for the Metro, the buses and the trains are all the same. Fares are calculated on a zone structure indicated on coloured maps at stations and bus stops. The price of a ticket depends on the number of zones travelled through (minimum two zones). Tickets begin at Dkk17 and are available for purchase from the bus driver, at ticket offices or vending machines at stations and at the bus terminus at City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen). Fares are doubled if you board the metro or night buses between 0100 and 0500.

Discount cards (klippekort) for 10 journeys (calculated according to the number of zones you travel but generally saving around 40%) and 24-hour tickets (Dkk100) are available at stations, at the bus terminus or from the tourist information office. It is cheaper per journey to use a discount card than to buy a ticket. The Københavnkortet (Copenhagen ‘Plus’ Card; see Passes in Tourist Information) entitles the holder to free, unlimited travel on buses and trains in the metropolitan area, as well as discounts on car hire, canal and harbour tours and express ferries to Sweden. Tickets and discount cards must be held throughout the journey and are subject to inspection.

Taxis
There are five major taxi companies in the city –Taxa 4 x 35 (tel: 3535 3535), Codan Taxi (tel: 7025 2525; website: www.codantaxi.dk), Hovedstadens Taxi (tel: 3877 7777), Ryvang Bilen A/S (tel: 3918 1818) and Taxamotor (tel: 3810 1010 or 70333 8338; website: www.taxamotor.dk). All taxis are licensed and can be booked by telephone or hailed in the street. The initial rate is Dkk19 when hailed in the street and Dkk32 when you book over the phone, plus Dkk10.20 per kilometre between 0700 and 1600, Dkk11.20 between 1600 and 0700, Dkk13 Fri-Sat between 2300 and 0700 and Dkk11 on Sundays and national holidays. Most taxis accept credit cards but visitors should inform the driver at the beginning of the trip. It is not customary for customers to tip the driver (a service charge is included in the fare), but to round up the final amount instead.

There are also cheaper cycle taxis, like a backwards rickshaw with space for two passengers at the front, available from Copenhagen Rickshaw (tel: 3543 0122; website: www.rickshaw.dk). Cycle taxis can be ordered by telephone, hailed in the street or found at dedicated ranks in the centre, such as Tivoli, City Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen) or Kongens Nytorv. They operate within a 14-zone system and the price starts at Dkk25 for a journey in zone one.

Limousines
Limousine services are provided by VIP Limousine Service (tel: 3542 4020; fax: 3542 4066; website: www.denmarklimo.com), where a limousine costs Dkk760 per hour (minimum of two hours). Copenhagen Limousine Service (tel: 7026 0601; fax: 7026 0605; e-mail: limo@cphlimo.com; website: www.cph-limo.dk) charges from Dkk550 per hour for a sedan. Stretch limos or Rolls Royces are available from Luxcars ApS (tel: 7020 1023; e-mail: info@luxcars.dk; website: www.luxcars.dk) for Dkk1,200 for the first hour and DKK450 for any additional half hour.

Driving in the City
Copenhagen is remarkably and refreshingly free of traffic. Environmental awareness and the compact nature of the city means that many residents prefer to cycle, walk or rollerblade.

Parking meters are in operation in large sectors of the Old City. These are contained within three parking zones, where parking fees are payable: the Red Zone (Dkk20 per hour Monday to Friday 0800-2000 and Saturday 0800-1400), the Green Zone (Dkk12 per hour Monday to Friday 0800-1800 and Saturday 0800-1400) and the Blue Zone (Dkk7 per hour Monday to Friday 0800-1800). Tickets are available from coin-operated parking meters, which are colour coded to indicate which zone you are in. Beyond the three coloured zones, parking is free, although for two hours only, Monday to Friday 0800-1900.

Multi-storey car parks in the city are open 0600/0800-2000/0000. Some are closed Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

Car Hire
Self-drive cars are only rented to people over the age of 21, who hold a valid driving licence and an international credit card. Individual car companies may impose their own age restrictions. The prices given below, which reduce significantly for multi-day hire, include unlimited mileage, tax and insurance, although customers should check details of insurance cover.

Avis (tel: 3373 4099 or 3326 8080; fax: 3373 4090; e-mail: copenhagen@avis.dk; website: www.avis.dk) hires out small cars from Dkk495 per day. Hertz (tel: 3317 9000; fax: 3317 9086; e-mail: mail@hertzdk.dk; website: www.hertzdk.dk) charges from Dkk680 per day for people with residence outside of Denmark. driveon.net (tel: 3393 0393; fax: 3393 0350; e-mail: kbh@driveon.net; website: www.driveon.net) and Europcar (tel: 3355 9900; fax: 3355 9933; e-mail: cs@europcar.dk; website: www.europcar.dk) charge from Dkk425 and Dkk380 per day respectively for a small or economy car. At the top end of the range, non-Danish residents over 26 years can hire luxury cars from Luxcars (tel: 7020 1023; e-mail: info@luxcars.dk; website: www.luxcars.dk), starting from around Dkk1375 per day for a BMW.

Bicycle Hire
Cycling is the preferred method of transport for many of Copenhagen’s residents and there are cycle routes along all the major streets, through some of the city’s most scenic areas. Between April and September, the city provides its visitors with free bicycles to get around. There are 110 City Bike Parks (website: www.bycyklen.dk) located around the city, where bikes can be collected for a Dkk20 deposit. Several companies hire bicycles for trips outside the city, including Københavns Cyklebørs, Gothersgade 157 (tel: 3314 0717), for Dkk60 per day with a deposit of Dkk200 and Københavns Cykler, Central Station (tel: 3333 8613), for Dkk75 per day, with a deposit of Dkk500. ID is required. Bikes can be taken along on trains and the metro, except during rush hour.