Getting Around Copenhagen: Metro, S-tog, Buses and the Rejsekort

Copenhagen is a compact, flat city, and getting around without a car is straightforward once you understand how the public transport network is put together. Local services are coordinated under a single system branded DOT, short for Din Offentlige Transport, which means “your public transport”. A ticket bought for the right zones is valid across the metro, the S-trains and the buses, so you can change between them on one fare.

The metro is the part visitors notice first. It is fully automated and runs without drivers, and it operates around the clock, every day of the week. The original lines M1 and M2 opened in the 2000s and run out towards the airport and the Amager and Ørestad districts, while the City Circle Line, M3 or Cityringen, opened in 2019 and loops around the centre, connecting the main station, the city hall area and several inner neighbourhoods. Trains are frequent, and the driverless carriages give a clear view straight down the track.

The S-tog, or S-train, is the suburban rail network. Its lines radiate from the centre out to the surrounding towns, and they are useful for reaching places beyond the reach of the metro. Bicycles are allowed on the S-trains, which fits Copenhagen's cycling culture, and this makes it easy to combine a train ride out of the city with a bike at the other end.

Buses fill in the gaps at street level and reach areas the rail lines do not, including harbour bus routes that run along the waterfront and count as part of the same ticketing system.

Fares are based on zones rather than the exact distance travelled, and prices are set in Danish kroner. There are a few ways to pay. The Rejsekort is a reusable travel card that you tap on entering and leaving, deducting the correct fare automatically, and there is a companion app for buying tickets on a smartphone. Visitors staying only a short time often find a City Pass, which gives unlimited travel within a set number of zones for a fixed period, simpler than buying single tickets. Whichever option you choose, checking the current zones and fares on the DOT website or app before you travel is the easiest way to avoid confusion at the machine.