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Transport Q: Copenhagen / 3 weeks / 2 kids

Posted by (USA) on

I need some travel advice for a young family headed to Copenhagen:

My wife and I are headed to Copenhagen for three weeks (mix of work/play) with our two boys ages 4 and 2. Our Airbnb is in Nørrebro. We visited a few years ago pre-kids.

We plan to explore the kid-friendly attractions and hit up lots of playgrounds and parks. We'll have a stroller and public transit looks convenient, but I'd love to rent a cargo bike for part of the time based on availability.

  1. What transit card makes the most sense? CityPass provides flexibility but still seems pricey given the duration of our stay.

  2. Copenhagen Card: I'm not sure about the Copenhagen Card since the weather looks spotty and we'll have the time to wait for a sunny day vs force a canal ride or Tivoli in the rain. Plus, our boys quality for reduced or free admission any way so will it actually save us that much? One option is for my wife to get one, which covers the boys, while I would need individual admission.

  3. Cargo bikes: Any good leads on cargo bike rentals? Some of the more well known rentals catering to tourists are sold out during our visit. This would be a great alternative to public transit and the kids would love it.

Am I over thinking this? Given the length of the trip we're looking to save money where we can without making things too difficult. Any insights or tips greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Posted by
134 posts

Hi,

  1. A City Pass would be quite expensive for a 3 week stay. I think you'll find good value in a Commuter Pass. They cost 450 DKK for 2 zones (check a zone map first, but zone 1 and 2 is probably all you'll need for most of your journeys). You'll probably want to use it on the metro as well, in which case the 60 DKK metro supplement is needed, which you'll select when you buy the pass. You can get it in the DOT ticket app.
  2. Copenhagen Card are mostly for short stay tourists, who want to see and do a lot every single day. If you travel at a slower pace, which sounds like will be the case with your 3 weeks in Copenhagen, the Copenhagen Card will not be worth it. However if you do a busy weekend of touristy stuff, it may be good value for those couple of days. You'll have to do the math.
  3. Unfortunately I don't know any cargo bike rentals. My experience riding a cargo bike is also very limited, but it takes some getting used to, as they're relatively wide vehicles compared to the width of a lot of the bike paths (read: you'll have to be good at hugging the curb, if you don't want to become unpopular with other bicyclists who want to overtake you).
Posted by
3 posts

Thanks so much for that helpful reply. Commuter Pass sounds like the winner, particularly with kids getting on free with adults. What's the best way to purchase one? Online in advance? Online at CPH airport? Or purchase physical cards?

Since the airport is in Zone 4, I assume we'll just pay individual tickets for that trip and the return. Is that correct, or is there a way to add that individually to the commuter pass?

Thank you again. We have a lot of tiny details to manage with the kids so I really appreciate being able to check this one off the list.

Posted by
134 posts

You're very welcome :)

Commuter Pass sounds like the winner, particularly with kids getting on free with adults. What's the best way to purchase one? Online in advance? Online at CPH airport? Or purchase physical cards?

The best way to get it is in the DOT tickets app.

If you want it as a physical card, you'll need to load it onto a so-called Rejsekort. However the Rejsekort cost 50 DKK and getting the correct type of Rejsekort for a commuter pass is quite a hassle if you're not a Danish resident. There's an online form (in Danish only), and documentation requirements, etc.

Note that due to IT security measures, it may not be possible for you to set up the app before arriving in Denmark. However, it should be fairly easy to do at the airport upon arrival.

Since the airport is in Zone 4, I assume we'll just pay individual tickets for that trip and the return. Is that correct, or is there a way to add that individually to the commuter pass?

The trip from Copenhagen Airport to Central Copenhagen will take you through zone 4, 3 and 1 (and maybe 2, depending on how far you're continuing).

So if you have a commuter pass, you can buy a 2 zone ticket at the airport, which will cover the 2 zones (4 and 3) you need to reach zone 1. In the DOT app, you can get it as a so-called 'extension ticket', and you can read more here. Otherwise, a regular 2 zone ticket from the ticket machine at the airport will do the trick (when combined with a commuter pass from zone 1).

Posted by
19 posts

We just back from Copenhagen with kids ranging from 4-14. A few ideas:
- Experimentalism was super fun for the kids, especially the younger ones.
- Canal ride was fun - we made up a scavenger hunt for the little kids.
- Tivoli Gardens was excellent. Lots of little rides and fun things for the kids. The adjacent food court has tons of food options for every taste.
- Agree that Copenhagen card was better for short visits, but worth it on a weekend, even to drop in silly places like Ripleys or Guiness Book for an hour for distraction.

Also, if you can swing the time I'd highly recommend a trip to Billund. (2-3 hour drive - easy car rental). Legoland is so fun, but the Lego House was mind-blowing. The kids could have stayed there a week without blinking. I think you need to reserved your day in advance.
They also have an indoor water park called Lalandia - kinda pricey but can be good for a few hours.

Have fun!!

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