Copenhagen Airport to the City
Central Copenhagen is one of the easiest city-centre runs in Europe: the station is under Terminal 3, the metro is two minutes from it, and both are quicker than the taxi rank at most hours. This guide covers the four options and when each wins.
Metro: the 24-hour workhorse
The driverless M2 leaves from Lufthavnen station, a two-minute covered walk from Terminal 3, and reaches Christianshavn, Kongens Nytorv (about 14 minutes) and Nørreport (about 16) with no change. It runs every 4 to 6 minutes by day and all night, every night, which no other option here matches; the metro guide covers the night intervals and early-flight logic in detail.
Train: fastest to Copenhagen Central
Regional and Øresund trains from the platforms under Terminal 3 reach Copenhagen Central Station (København H) in about 13 minutes, several times an hour. For hotels around the central station, Tivoli Gardens or Vesterbro, the train beats the metro; for Ørestad’s hotel trio it is one six-minute stop in the other direction. The same platforms send trains across the bridge to Malmö.
Bus and taxi
The 5C bus runs from outside the terminals into the city and covers night hours cheaply, at the cost of time: around half an hour or more to the centre with stops. Taxis wait outside all terminals and take 20 to 25 minutes to the centre on the meter; useful with a family’s worth of luggage, beatable by rail at rush hour.
Tickets
One three-zone ticket covers the airport-to-centre trip on metro, train and bus, with free changes between them. Buy in the DOT Tickets app or at machines; contactless travel with a Rejsekort works across the system. There is no separate airport-express premium at CPH, which keeps the trip cheap by European capital standards.
If your plan involves an early departure the other way, the walk-to hotels remove transport from the morning entirely; the sleeping guide covers the no-hotel alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way from Copenhagen Airport to the city centre?
The train and the metro are effectively tied. Regional trains from under Terminal 3 reach Copenhagen Central Station in about 13 minutes; the M2 metro, two minutes from Terminal 3, reaches Kongens Nytorv in about 14 and runs 24 hours a day. Pick whichever serves your address.
How much does public transport to the city cost?
A standard three-zone ticket covers airport to centre on metro, train and bus alike. Buy it in the DOT Tickets app, at station machines, or use a Rejsekort; the same ticket lets you change between modes.
How much is a taxi from CPH to central Copenhagen?
Plan on 20 to 25 minutes and a metered fare in the few-hundred-DKK range depending on time and traffic. Taxis wait outside the terminals; with two or more people and luggage the convenience can be worth it, but the rails are faster in rush hour.
Information last verified: August 29, 2026