Travel

Should I Get the Copenhagen Card?

The Copenhagen Card is one of those traveler “must-haves” that you’re never really sure if you must have. Is it worth buying the Copenhagen Card? Will the Copenhagen Card save you money? Big questions! It can seem a little confusing, especially if you don’t want to over-plan your trip, but there are a number of situations in which we think the Copenhagen Card is worthwhile (and some when it’s not!).

This review breaks down whether it’s worth buying the Copenhagen Card:

What is the Copenhagen Card?

The Copenhagen Card is an access card that you purchase through Wonderful Copenhagen, the city’s tourism bureau. It is available in iterations of 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours. Once you have the card, you can enter a number of tourist attractions and museums, and it offers discounts at various restaurants and other participating places.

The card allows you to ride public transport for free including the city bus, metro, s-tog (train), and ferry.

And yes, Copenhagen can be an expensive city. Almost every museum costs around 110 DKK to enter, and public transport can cost 80 to 160 DKK per day, so even visiting two or three things a day can easily cost you 400 DKK+.

All the ticketed stand out tourist attractions that you should probably visit in Copenhagen are on the card:

  • Tivoli Gardens
  • Danish Architecture Centre
  • Statens Museum for Kunst (The National Gallery)
  • Glyptoteket
  • Copenhagen Contemporary
  • The Palm House at the Botanical Gardens
  • The Round Tower

Plus there are lots of attraction that are outside of Copenhagen, most importantly the iconic Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

And we also recommend that you don’t miss the Netto Boat tour, which allow you to take a tour of the Copenhagen harbour.

 
 

 
 

How much does the Copenhagen Card cost per day?

The Copenhagen Card prices are:

 

24 hrs

48 hrs

72 hrs

120 hrs

Copenhagen Card (adult)

399599739989

Copenhagen Card (child)

199299369499

 
Please note: Purchase of the Copenahgen Card is temporarily unavailable from June 27 – August 3 2020. Several museums and attractions offer 50% discount of the entry price during this period. Refer to the specific attraction’s website for ticket information.

 


 

Should I get the Copenhagen Card?

Well, that depends! The Copenhagen Card is a GOOD deal if:

  • You are planning to visit multiple attractions and museums included in the card during their stay
  • You plan to use public transport as opposed to bikes, taxis, or cars
  • You are happy to go to restaurants based on the discounts offered by the card
  • You have one child or more under 10 years old
  • You want to see a lot and you don’t mind packing your day with activities
  • You’re only in Copenhagen for a few days
  • You’re a first-time visitor
  • You plan to visit most of the expensive attractions
  • Convenience! You want to skip the ticket lines at multiple attractions

 

Does that sound like you? Then get the Copenhagen Card!

Even if you’re planning to stay in Copenhagen for a week, why not get the Copenhagen Card for 48 or 72 hours and then fill up those days with tourist attractions, then spend the rest of your time on the off-the-beaten-track stuff? That way you get the most bang for your buck, while still feeling like you have flexibility.

 

The Copenhagen Card is NOT A GOOD deal if:

  • You’re on a tight budget
  • You’re in Copenhagen for a longer period, so you want to spread out the sightseeing
  • You only want to see a few paid attractions
  • You have a valid student ID or your under 25. Many museums have student prices but you’ll want to double-check

 
If you’re still not sure, check out the Copenhagen Card’s trip calculator, to see if you’ll save money based on the attractions you want to see.

Buy the Copenhagen Card here!

 

Interior of Rosenborg Palace

 
 

Is the Copenhagen Card good value for families?

Yes! The Copenhagen Card is ideal for families with children under 10 years old; for each card, the adult purchaser may include up to two children under 10 years old for free. For children aged 10 – 15, the Copenhagen Card is half price.

Many of the attractions that the card covers are fantastic for children: Tivoli, the zoo, aquarium, and Experimentarium, to name a few. Having the card will also help you structure and maximize your time; an excellent feature when you’re traveling with kids.

 


 

What is included in the Copenhagen Card?

The Copenhagen Card includes 87 attractions, a number of which are outside the city:

Attractions in Copenhagen

Tivoli Gardens
Canal Tour of Copenhagen
The Round Tower
Rosenborg Castle
The Palm House at the Botanical Gardens
Amalienborg Castle
Den Blå Planet (The Blue Planet Aquarium)
Copenhagen Zoo
Copenhagen Contemporary
Museum of Natural History
Christiansborg Castle (includes several attractions within the castle, such as the Ruins, Kitchen, and Stable)
The National Museum
Bakkehuset
Arken Museum of Modern Art
Casino Copenhagen
Church of our Saviour
City Hall Tower
Copenhagen Train Tours
City Hall Tower
Danish Architecture Centre
Designmuseum Danmark
Den Frie Centre of Copenhagen
Experimentarium
Geological Museum
Glyptoteket
Guinness World Records
Kunstforeningen GL Strand
Kunsthal Charlottenborg
Medical Museion
Nikolaj Kunsthal
Nordatlantens Brygge
Open Air Museum
Alhambra – The Museum for Humor
Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Statens Museum for Kunst (The National Gallery)
Viking Ship Museum
Storm P. Museum
Cisterene
The Danish Jewish Museum
The Danish Museum of Science and Technology
The Danish Music Museum
Frederiksborg Ferry
Hirschsprung Collection
Mystic Exploratorie
Netto Boats
Danish War Museum
Theatre Museum at the Court
The Victorian House
Worker’s Museum
Øresund Aquarium
Thorvaldsens Museum
Tycho Brahe Planetarium

 

Left: The Palm House at the Botanical Gardens; Right: Tivoli Gardens

 

Attractions Outside Copenhagen

Kronborg Castle
Esrum Abbey & Møllegård
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Baadfarten Boat Tour
Circus Museum
Falkonergården
Frederiksborg Castle
Frederikssund Museum
GL Holtegaard
H.C. Andersen Fairy Tale House
Helsingør City Museum
Jægerspris Castle
J.F. Willumsen Museum
Karen Blixen Museum
Køge Museum
KØS Museum of Art in Public Spaces
Lejre Land of Legends
Lejre Museum
Mosede Fort Danmark 1914-18
M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark
Munkeruphus
Museum of Contemporary Art
Ragnarock
Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Museum
Rudolph Tegner Museum and Statue
Shipyard Museum
Skibsklarerergaarden
Tadre Mølle (Tadre Watermill)
Vedbækfundene Museum

 


 

Where can I buy the Copenhagen Card?

You can buy the Copenhagen Card in two ways: as a digital app to be used on your phone, or buy online to receive a physical card that you collect at one of these locations:

– Copenhagen Airport Service Information, Terminal 3 (turn left when you exit from arrivals)
– Copenhagen Central Station Information Desk
– Copenhagen Visitor Service, Vesterbrogade 4B
– Tivoli Box Office, Vesterbrogade 3

It is possible to have the card sent to your home address before you leave; this options includes a small delivery fee.

 
 

How do I use the Copenhagen Card on public transport?

Simply make sure it is on your person when you ride any form of public transport. Transport officials come around throughout the journey to check, so be ready to show the card when asked. When getting on a bus, you will need to show your card (either physical or the app) to the driver as you enter.
 

 


 

Good to know about the Copenhagen Card

A few rules and things to keep in mind about the Copenhagen Card:

There is no limit to how many attractions you can visit per day

  • You are only entitled to one visit per attraction
  • If you have a physical card, you must “activate” it by writing a start time and date on the card. You must do this before you take public transport or enter an attraction
  • The Copenhagen Card includes public transport from the airport: you can take the metro, train, or bus. Therefore, it’s not a bad idea to activate your card as soon as you arrive in Copenhagen
  • The Copenhagen Card includes public transport to Roskilde and Elsinore but does not include public transport to Malmö
  • The Copenhagen Card works on a 24 hour cycle. For example, if you buy a 24 hour card and activate it at 5:00 pm, it will be valid until 4:59 pm the next day

Buy the Copenhagen Card here!

Copenhagen travel app

For a curated list of food, drink, museums, parks, and much more in Copenhagen, check out our travel app. It includes all of the Scandinavian capitals.

 


 

Traveling to Copenhagen and not sure what you want to do? Check out our list of all the tourist sights you should probably see.

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Rebecca Thandi Norman

Rebecca Thandi Norman is a co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Scandinavia Standard.