Public Transportation

When in Denmark, you can get nearly anywhere by public transportation � or least close enough. As you get farther away from Copenhagen or any of the other major cities, the bus and train connections will be fewer and less frequent. More about that later.

Buy a Ticket!

The most important rule when travelling on public transportation is that you must have a ticket. Riding without a ticket will get you a fine of 600 DKR. You may be able to get away with riding without a ticket for a time, but conductors will eventually catch you, since they now travel in civilian clothing instead of uniforms. Don�t take the chance � buy a ticket.

Where to Buy a Ticket!

If there is not a kiosk, there will be an automated ticket machine. These are found either on the platform or just inside the doors to the platform. They are not hard to find. The machines take Danish coins and give change. Some, but not all, take notes, so it's best to have change. Some will also take credit cards. The machines are being updated constantly, so it is hard to tell you which machines take what sort of payment. There are now test-driving a system where you can pay for your tickets using SMS and your mobile phone.

See our "How to" tutorial on how to use the ticket machines by going to How To ... ?

The Metro also uses touch screen automated machines, and they all accept major credit cards. Beware that you may not get the best exchange rates, so it's best to get change and use that instead of an international credit card. Local credit cards are fine � no nasty surprises.

On the bus, you can buy your ticket from the bus driver. Please note that drivers prefer change and not bills. If you pay with notes/bills, the driver may not accept the payment, since it is a security issue with the bus lines.

When traveling on public transportation you will be traveling through zones. The number of zones you traverse will determine what type of ticket to buy. To learn more, click on zones.

You will find zone maps on the train platforms, on the ticket machines and even at bus stops.

Riding the Bus

Bus stops are marked by signs with the route numbers on them. The signs are yellow. Underneath, you will see the timetable for each bus that stops at that bus stop. You do not have to signal for a bus to stop. If you are standing next to the sign, the bus will stop. If there are several buses stopping at the stop, stand near the sign, so the driver knows you are waiting for that bus. If you are standing up on the sidewalk against a wall and the bus is coming by, the driver may not realize that you are waiting for that particular bus and drive on by.

When the bus stops, you enter by the front door � not the back or middle doors, which are used for exiting. The exception is if you are taking a baby stroller with you on the bus. Then you can enter through the doors in the middle of the bus and, once on and situated, go down the aisle to the front to buy your ticket or show the driver you have a valid pass. When you enter the bus, enter on the right side if you need to buy a ticket. Enter on the left side if you have a pass or need to stamp your card. See types of tickets. to learn more about the various types of discount passes available.

If you have a valid ticket or pass, show it to the driver as you walk by. Make sure he/she sees the ticket. They will usually say �tak� or nod their heads in acknowledgement.

There are no reserved seats on buses, but some buses do have signs showing seats available for the disabled or elderly. You can sit there, but if an elderly person or handicapped person needs the seat, you need to relinquish it. It's best to choose another seat if it is available.

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Also, you can stand in the aisle when the bus is full. There are handles or straps above you, which you can hold on to. During peak hours the buses will be packed, and it will be necessary to keep moving towards the back of the bus at each stop. People get off and others are getting on, so you NEED to move towards the back.

In the middle of the bus, there is usually a wide space to stand. The problem with standing there is that people with strollers have first right to those places. If you are standing there, you have to move and give them the spot for their stroller or baby carriage. This can be a real pain when the bus is packed and 2 people with strollers try to get on. You just have to move. This is always fun during rush hour.

You exit the bus from either the middle doors or the back door. Along the bus you will see lots of little red buttons. These are mounted on the bars along the seats or sometimes above your head. Just take a look around and you will see plenty of them within easy reach.

When you are ready to get off, you just push the red button and there will be a little "ding". Near the front of the bus you will see a light that says �Standser�, meaning the driver will be stopping at the next bus stop. If you see the light lit up, you don't have to push the button again.

The driver won't stop between official bus stops. Press your button as soon as you know your stop is next. If you wait to push it right before the stop, the driver may assume you are pushing it for the following stop.

Get up and stand near the door before you reach your stop. Sometimes it can be hard to get through the mass of people if it is rush hour. Bus drivers try to keep to a tight schedule, so if they have to wait for you to get out of your seat and get to the exit after they stop, this will cause problems. Be ready and help keep the system working.

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A few things to remember:

1. Even though there are regular bus stops, buses do not have to stop at them unless there is someone to pick up or someone has pushed the button to get off.

2. During peak travel times, a bus may not stop at your bus stop if no one is planning to get off, even if someone is waiting at the stop. This is very common during rush hour. Basically, the bus is so packed with people that the driver cannot take any more passengers. If that is case, he/she will just drive by. Don�t worry -- another bus will be by shortly.

3. In the city, there are so many buses that if you miss one, another one will be by shortly. Also, many bus lines travel similar routes, so plan alternatives if one bus is late or full.

4. If you are furthur out in the country on a bus and the stops are farther apart, it is usually okay to ask the driver to make an unscheduled stop. Don�t ask him to drop you off 100 feet from the regular stop, but often you may need to get off a mile earlier, for example. You can also wave a bus down when in the country. Don�t try this in the city � they won't do it unless you are a regular customer and even then it might happen... or it might not.

5. There are several different types of buses. The yellow buses are regular buses and stop at more stops than some of the other lines.

6. S Bus is any bus that has an S after the route number; e.g., 300S. This means that this bus connects to the train system (S-Tog) and also makes fewer stops. An E bus like 153E is an Express bus and makes fewer stops. An A bus runs from outer areas into the city. They make more stops outside the city limit and fewer inside. It's best to make sure you take the right bus, so check the schedule or ask the driver if in doubt.

Traveling on the S-Tog

The train system in Copenhagen is known as the S-Tog. Most of the trains on the system now are new and very sleek red carriages. There are still a few of the older type of carriages, but the majority are very modern.

Stations are marked with large red sign with a white S. (See above)

Boarding a train is simple. Trains stop at all train stops on the routes. That does not mean that every train going through your station will stop. If the train is scheduled to stop, it will � you don�t need to flag it down or push a button on the train for it to stop.

Always stand behind the yellow line by the edge of the platform. This is for your safety; don�t fool around with this, you will lose out. It hurts getting hit by a train.

When the train comes into the station, you will hear a beeping sound when the doors have been unlocked. You can now open the door to board. On the new trains you will see a round circle with blinking green lights. Push that button and the doors open automatically. When the train is ready to leave, the doors also close automatically. On the older trains, the doors have lever handles. They are opened by pushing the vertical door handles sideways.

If you're not sure how to open the doors, just watch other people boarding. You will soon learn how simple it is.

On the new trains there are glass doors connecting each compartment. These doors are activated by pushing the blue dots on the door frame or waving your hand right in front of the door. There is an electric eye above the door that opens it.

There is no reserved seating, but be aware of which way you are sitting - some seats will face forward and some face backwards. ome people do not like riding bacIf you do not like riding backwards � hey, you can always change seats.

To learn more about how to determine which train to take and the routes check out Train Travel.

1. The trains stop running around 1am and start about 5am. Most trains make their final stop at the main station instead of at the end of the line.

2. There is no smoking on trains or in the stations. 3. Never ride without a ticket; inspectors travel on trains and if you are caught without a ticket you are fined 600 DKR.

4. Even though Denmark is very safe and muggings are rare, always be aware when traveling late at night. There are often lots of drunks and wild people going home after a night of partying. It's best to just move into another carriage if you see a wild group get on.

5. S-Togs do have conductors, so if there is an emergency you can pull the emergency stop. Only pull the emergency stop if it is a real emergency or you will be fined.

6. Check the time stamp on your tickets for the expiration. You need to be finished with your journey before the time expires. If you board the train/bus/metro before the time expires but do not complete your journey before the expiration, you can be fined.

Find information on types of tickets and zones.

Riding the Metro

Just wait for the metro to arrive, make sure you have your ticket and get on and off at your stops. The best place to sit is up front, where you can look out the window and see the tunnel.

Havnbus

The Havnbus travels along the harbor and makes 6 regular stops including the Opera House, Nyhavn and Kgl. Bibliotek.

Tip: If you are planning on going to the Opera House, this is the best way. There are very limited parking spaces at the Opera House, so it's very inconvenient to try and park. The Havnbus transports opera goers back and forth to Nyhavn until everyone is back. Basically, it operates as a shuttle between those two points when the opera is over.

I hope this will help you enjoy the public transportation system that Denmark has to offer. Most of the rest of Denmark's transport system works on a similiar system. You may experience a few differences in different parts of the country.

For example, in Aarhus, you board the yellow buses from the back and depart from the front. You don't show your ticket to the driver; you are on the honor system - similar to riding the trains in Copenhagen.

Now if you take a blue bus (Rutebus), it is like taking a yellow bus in Copenhagen: you enter from the front, exit from the middle, show your ticket to the driver, etc.

This also applies to other cities. The best way to be sure is watch others who are boarding or just ask the driver. Most bus drivers speak Danish, English and, often, German. If you cannot speak with them, there will be people on the bus who can help. Just relax and follow the rules above and you should have an enjoyable experience.