COPENHAGEN - GETTING AROUND

By far, one of the best ways to see Copenhagen is on foot or bike, particularly if you have the weather for it. You`ll also find the public transportation system to be one of the most efficient and practical in the world featuring a subway, extensive bus routes and an easy-to-navigate light-rail system. Taxis are abundant, but can be expensive and waiting in the taxi lines can be time consuming.

Walking

One of the best ways to see Copenhagen is on foot. Many of the main sightseeing attractions are close to one another and the surrounding districts are all within walking distance of the city center. In fact, many of the downtown streets are pedestrian only.

Bicycle

Copenhagen is one of the world`s most bike-friendly cities; you`ll see more bikes than cars anywhere in the city center. Most streets have cycle lanes and the city is covered in over 250 miles of cycle paths and lanes which are raised from the road and very safe to cycle on. There are various bike rental shops around the city and most hotels rent bikes as well. Depending on the bike, daily rates range from $10 - $30. There is also a bike-share program that provides access to over 2,000 bicycles throughout the city for visitor use; rentals cost about $4 per hour.

Public Transportation

Copenhagen updated its public transportation system to include a subway system called the metro, which has made getting around even easier. There are also extensive public bus routes. Purchasing a ticket will give you access to all these services, and those who purchase a Copenhagen Card will also receive free transportation.

Tickets and Passes

Most ticket types can be used on all forms of public transport in and around the capital, including metro, rail, buses and harbor buses. If you`re only in Copenhagen for a few days, there are different types of tickets to choose from. The greater Copenhagen area is divided into zones that determine your cost of travel.

The cheapest ticket covers two zones, offers unlimited transfers, and is valid for one hour, costs about $3.50. Children under 12 travel free if accompanied by an adult. A 24 Hour Ticket will give you unlimited travel for 24 hours by bus, train, metro and harbor bus in all zones of the metropolitan region. And a 7-day Flexcard is an unlimited pass available for purchase for travel in your choice of zones, the price ranges around $35-$95. City Pass gives you unlimited access to buses, trains, metro and harbor buses in zones 1-4, which includes the center of Copenhagen and to and from the airport.

The Copenhagen Card (www.cphcard.com) gives you unlimited travel on buses, trains, metro and harbor buses in all zones throughout the metropolitan area. In addition, the card gets you free entrance to over 70 attractions and museums and discounts at various restaurants, sights, and more. The card is available for 1 day and costs about $34 or 3 days costs about $51. The card can be purchased at the airport, train stations, tourist offices and most hotels.

Metro

The Metro is the newest addition to the Copenhagen transport network, launched in 2002. The metro trains run frequently throughout the day, about every 2-3 minutes. Sundays to Thursdays between midnight and 5am the metro operate a less frequent service with trains running about every 20 minutes.

S-Tog

The Commuter light-rail system, also known as the S-Tog,connects the heart of Copenhagen with the city`s suburbs. Norresport is the transferstation to the S-tog system. Tickets are the same as on buses and you cantransfer from a bus line to an S-tog train on the same ticket.

Taxi

Taxis are available throughout the city but keep in mind it`s not the most cost-effective way of getting around. You can hail a cab from the street, be sure to watch for the FRI (free) sign or green light to hail a taxi, and be sure the taxi is metered. Tips are included in the meter price and start around $5.50 and go up about $2.00 every 2/3 mile. Taxi prices increase from 6pm - 6am and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. Uber is also available in Copenhagen and payment is completely cashless. Many drivers do speak English.

Boat

Another way to discover Copenhagen is by boat. Canal Tours offer hour-long guided excursions around the harbor and canals. Harbor buses are part of the public transportation system. The blue and yellow harbor buses are a great means of transportation and a cheap alternative to the official canal tours.

Bus

Copenhagen`s Bus service is well-maintained and the least expensive method of getting around. Most buses leave from Radhuspladsen in the heart of the city and allow you to cover big areas of the city in fairly short time. A basic ticket allows one hour of travel and unlimited transfers within the zone where you started your trip. Night buses run between 1am and 5am and you can recognize the night bus stops by the grey color of the bus stop signs.

Car

It is recommended not to drive in the city because of the widespread availability of traffic-free walkways, parks, gardens and canal side promenades. While you may want to discover more of Denmark or nearby Sweden in a rental car, you`ll want to park it once in Copenhagen. It is best to park your car in the many city parking lots, and then retrieve it when you`re ready. You will find many city parking lots, set up in three zones; red, green and blue parking zone. The zones cover the city center and the inner bridge areas. The general rule is that the closer you are to the city center, the more expensiveit is to park.