When docking in Copenhagen, skip the expensive excursions and make your way into the city center on your own! While the idea of public transportation may be daunting to some, getting from the Copenhagen cruise port to the city center could not be easier and will end up saving you a good amount of money. Plus, it’s fun to get a more “local” experience when docking in these European cultural hubs! Here is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to get from the Copenhagen cruise port to the city center.
Docking in Oceankaj
The large majority of cruise ships visiting Copenhagen will dock here, in Oceankaj. This area is a little removed from the city center, but the city has done a great job connecting it and making it easy to navigate with public transit. There are three cruise piers here, #1 being closest to the public bus stop and #3 being the furthest down. Though they’re all just a short walk and nothing to worry about. When you dock in Oceankaj, you’ll find a handful of local workers on the pier who are there to answer questions about the city. They are the ones who helped confirm my public transit plan into Copenhagen!
Public Bus from the Cruise Terminal
Once you’re off the ship, make the very short walk to purchase your transit ticket. The machines are located here, right next to a souvenir shop with a bright red banner. There, you’ll have options to purchase either a one-way ticket, or a single/multi-day pass. I opted for a one-way ticket into the city center which cost around $3.70 USD and included a transfer to the train (more on that below). If you plan on doing a lot of hopping around on public transit, consider one of the unlimited passes!
Once you have purchased your ticket, make your way only a few steps down the road to the bus stop located here. At this stop, you can jump on either the #25 or the #164 bus. They both will stop where you need to go, so get on whichever one comes first!
Train to City Center
After a short ride on the bus out of the port area, you’ll get off here, at Orientkaj St. If you ask the driver when you board, they can let you know when you arrive (but chances are high that everyone on this bus from the cruise ships will be getting off here, so you’ll be in good company!). From there, it’s just a short walk across the street and down the block to the Orientkaj train station. You’ll walk up the steps and board the M4 train heading toward København Syd St. This station is the end of the line for the M4 train, so you actually can’t get on a train going in the wrong direction!
Once on the train, it’s a very quick ride to the city center and all the highlights! If you’re looking to start your day at Den Lille Havfrue (The Little Mermaid) or Kastellet, you’ll want to get off at Østerport (only two stops). The Amalienborg Palace or Rosenborg Castle will be the Marmorkirken stop, Nyhavn will be the Kongens Nytorv stop, and Tivoli will be at Rådhuspladsen. No matter where you are starting your day, it’s a very short and easy train ride!
Getting Back to the Ship
When it’s time to get back to the ship, it’s as simple as just reversing the directions! From the city center, you’ll catch the M4 subway train (the blue line) back out to Orientkaj. Orientkaj is the last stop on the train going this direction, so there is no fear about missing your stop! After getting off the train, you’ll once again catch either the #25 or the #164 bus back to the cruise port at the bus stop located here. It’s a quick ride back and it’s as easy as getting off the bus when you are in front of the cruise ships! From there, it’s a short walk back to your terminal and specific ship. Easy peasy, and a lot more cost-effective than an excursion or hop on-hop off bus!
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