Close to 550 km of bike paths, metropolitan trains that let you bring your bike for free and an airport that is just a short metro ride away from the city centre. There are many reasons why Copenhagen is considered a trailblazer for sustainable transport.
From the moment you arrive in Copenhagen, you’ll be hard-pressed not to come across sustainable transportation options. For a relatively small capital, Copenhagen boasts an extensive transportation system. A good example of this is the centrally located Kastrup Airport, which is connected by a trifecta of metro, regional trains and busses. Once you’ve made your way to the arrival area, you’re only a 15-minute metro ride away from the heart of the city.
For travellers arriving by train, Copenhagen’s central station is a short walk away from most of the city’s hotels, but for those who’ve chosen to stay outside of the city centre, it’s easy and convenient to catch a metro or a bus – or simply continue the train journey on one of the seven S-train lines that are part of the metropolitan rail service.
The S-trains just celebrated their 90th anniversary in true Danish style with a day of free rides and cake for everyone. And the red-coloured trains that cover most of Greater Copenhagen are still going strong. Last year, more than 105 million people took the train, and the free “parking spots” for bikes located in several of the train carriages remain popular among commuters. For visitors, the trains are also a great way to reach attractions and experiences beyond the historical centre.
When bikes rule the city
Despite the many ways of getting around, there is one mode of transportation that stands out in Copenhagen, and that’s the bicycle. Over the years, Copenhagen has earned a reputation for being one of the world’s most bike-friendly capitals thanks to an ever-growing bike infrastructure that includes approximately 546 km of bicycle paths. In fact, bikes are such an integral part of the city’s DNA and infrastructure that you’ll experience this everywhere you go – from the wide bike lanes separated from the main traffic by a curb to bike parking spaces in urban design and the innovative bridges built only for bikes.
But bikes haven’t always dominated the streets of Copenhagen. In the 1950s, as the city expanded and Copenhageners became wealthier, cars began to replace bikes as the preferred form of transportation. As a consequence, car traffic rose, and roads were built without bike paths, resulting in more accidents and less of a reason for locals to choose the two-wheeler. It stayed like this for decades until the global oil crisis hit in 1973, giving bikes a comeback. Since then, Copenhagen has invested billions of kroner in bike infrastructure.
Today, more than a third of Copenhageners cycle every day and bicycles now outnumber cars by five to one. The best way to experience this is to head to one of the busiest cycling stretches, the Dronning Louise Bridge, during the morning rush hour. Here, more than 40,000 cyclists cross the bridge on a daily basis, and watching the never-ending peloton of bikes in the morning is an attraction in its own right.
Bike safety is a big reason why so many Copenhageners favour this mode of transportation. The concept of safe cycling is so ingrained in Copenhagen’s cycling culture that most children from a very early age are trained in how to navigate the roads safely. If the nearby streets aren’t suitable for teaching young up-and-coming riders, families can head to Copenhagen’s preferred bike-themed playground, Trafiklegepladsen, where the next generation of riders can learn about road safety and get comfortable on the two-wheeler. The playground features traffic lights, road signs, road markers, bike paths, petrol stations, and much more. Children can have a go at a pedal or running bicycle, while the smaller kids can try three-wheeled bikes at their own mini-course.
If you travel with kids, Trafiklegepladsen is a great way to spend a couple of hours. And after learning all about the local traffic rules for bicycles you can test your knowledge in the nearby park or head to one of the popular neighbourhoods close by.
Bike or not, the options for getting around sustainably in Copenhagen are plenty, and whether you decide to walk, ride or take public transport, you’re always on the fast track to the city’s many must-sees, must-eats and must-dos.
5 sustainable ways to get around in Copenhagen
1. Jump on the bike
The 546 km of bicycle paths cover all of the city – from the beautiful harbourfront and inner-city canals to the many bustling neighbourhoods. There are many cycling routes around Copenhagen and Greater Copenhagen that are worth exploring, and why not give bike paths like ‘Den Grønne Sti’ (The Green Bike Path), ‘Havneringen’ (The Harbour Circle) or the ‘Amagerminoen’ a go?
Den Grønne Sti connects the neighbourhoods of Nørrebro, Frederiksberg and Valby. It’s a popular route with the locals and a fun way for visitors to blend in with Copenhageners while exploring lesser-known parts of the city. You don’t need to be an experienced rider to complete the approx.. 8 km-long path, and you can also join the path for a shorter stretch.
Havneringen is the ultimate Copenhagen biking tour. It can be found along the edge of the harbour, where trails, sidewalks and bridges together create 13 kilometres of walking- and biking paths. Along the way, you’ll come across street food markets and harbour baths.
Amagerminoen is Copenhagen’s ”Camino” – a 24 km hiking and biking trail that stretches from Copenhagen’s Ørestad neighbourhood through the vast nature reserve of Naturpark Amager to the picturesque town of Dragør.
2. Start walking
Sometimes, the best way to get around is on your own two feet, and this is also true for Copenhagen. For a capital city, Copenhagen is relatively small and accessible, which means it’s great for exploring by foot. Walk from sight to sight, along the harbourfront, through one of the many historic parks, or do like the locals: get a pastry and a takeaway coffee and go for a walk around the city’s beautiful inner-city lakes.
3. Take the electric harbour bus
A big part of Copenhagen is surrounded by water, and going from one attraction to another often involves crossing the harbour. If you’re in need of a break from walking or riding your bike, you can take the public harbour bus, which is actually a ferry that sails from the south to the north of the harbour.
It costs the same as a regular bus ticket, and it’s electric, making it an affordable and green way to explore the city from the water. Take the ferry from the city centre to the new cool area of Nordhavn or cross the harbour for a bite to eat a the Reffen Street Food Market or the popular and picturesque La Banchina café.
4. Travel by metro
With as little as two minutes between trains and high reliability, Copenhagen’s metro has been voted the best in the world several times. For visitors, the most popular metro line is the yellow M2 that stops at the airport, but with four lines and a network that keeps expanding, Copenhagen’s metro is a great way to get across town in a very short time. One minute, you’re looking at the stunning marble church near the royal palace; the next, you’re ready to explore popular neighbourhoods like Nørrebro and Frederiksberg.
For families, the metro ride itself is a fun activity with driverless trains that let you have a front-row view of the tunnel right in front of you. Running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it also caters for both early birds and night owls.
And while you might not be spotting too many of Copenhagen’s key attractions and sights during the ride, the underground stations are testaments to the city’s good taste in architecture and design.
5. Catch the S-train for an experience beyond the city centre
While some of Copenhagen’s best museums, experiences and restaurants are located outside the city, they’re still easily reached by train. Take an S-train from one of the inner-city stations like Copenhagen Central Station and Nørreport to visit world-class museums like Arken and Ordrupgaard.
The trains also cover most of Copenhagen except for Amager and are a great way to watch the city go by while going from A to B.
The seven train lines run regularly and are easy to find – just follow the S-signs.
For more inspiration on how to get around sustainably in Copenhagen, go to visitcopenhagen
Further reading on Sublime Magazine:
COPENHAGEN: FROM WASTE TO WONDERFUL
GREEN MEETINGS? COPENHAGEN HAS GOT YOU COVERED
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