Copenhagen Metro

Trains run in a big city.

They go under the ground. Some tracks are high up.

These trains have no driver. They run all day and all night. This helps people move around.

The trains use a special rail for power. Some lines go to the airport. One line is a big circle. A new line is being planned too. It is a great way to travel!

The Copenhagen Metro is a fast train system in Denmark.

It helps people move through the city. These trains are special because they are driverless. This means no one sits in the front to steer. They run 24 hours a day, every single day.

This makes the metro one of only three systems in the world that never stops.

The metro has four main lines and 44 stations.

Many stations are deep underground. One line, the M3, is a big circle. It connects many parts of the city center. The M4 line is a newer extension. It helps connect the M3 to other areas.

A fifth line, the M5, is being planned now. It might open in the year 2035.

The trains get power from a third rail. This is a special rail that gives them electricity. The trains are three cars long. Each train is quite wide. In 2025, 135 million people rode the metro.

More people will likely ride it in the future.

The Copenhagen Metro is a fast transit system in Denmark.

It helps people travel through Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, and Tårnby. This system is special because it is one of only three in the world that runs 24/7.

This means the trains never stop moving, even in the middle of the night. It works alongside other trains and buses to move people around. In 2025, the metro carried 135 million passengers. It is a very important way for people to get to work or school.

The metro works using driverless trains.

This means there is no person sitting in the front to steer the train. The trains get their power from a 750-volt third rail. This is a special rail that provides electricity to the cars. The trains are wide and consist of three cars.

While they are currently three cars long, the platforms are built to hold four cars if needed. This design allows the system to grow in the future.

Planning for this big project began in 1992.

Leaders wanted to build a rail system to help develop the Ørestad area. They looked at three different ideas: a tramway, a light rail, and a rapid transit system. They chose the rapid transit system because it was the fastest. It also had the most room for passengers.

It would also make less noise and look better in the city. Construction finally started in 1996.

The metro has grown in many stages since it first opened.

Stage 1 opened in October 2002. Stage 2 opened in 2003, and Stage 3 opened in 2007. The system now has four lines and 44 stations.

Thirty of these stations are located underground. The M3 is a circular line that stays underground. The M4 is a newer line that connects to the M3. A fifth line, the M5, is being planned for 2035.

You can think of the metro like a giant, moving loop.

The M3 line acts like a ring around the center of the city. It connects places like Frederiksberg and Nørrebro. The other lines, like the M1 and M2, act like paths that go to different parts of the city. One path even leads directly to the Copenhagen Airport. This makes it easy to switch from a train to a plane. The metro connects many different ways to travel in one big network.

The Copenhagen Metro is a light rapid transit system located in Denmark.

It serves the municipalities of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, and Tårnby. This system is highly unique in the world of transportation. It is one of only three rapid transit systems globally that operates 24/7.

This continuous operation means the trains run through the entire city limits every single day and night. The metro functions as a vital supplement to the larger S-train system. It also integrates with regional Øresundståg trains and municipal Movia buses. In 2025, the system successfully carried 135 million passengers.

The metro operates using a driverless technology that allows for high efficiency.

The trains are wide and consist of three cars per set. These trains receive their power from a 750-volt third rail. Although the current trains are three cars long, the platforms were built to accommodate four cars. This design allows the system to be modified if more capacity is needed later. The system is owned by Metroselskabet, which is a joint venture. This company is owned by the Ministry of Transport and the municipalities of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg. Operation of the network is currently subcontracted to a private company.

The network is organized into several distinct lines that serve different parts of the region.

The M1 and M2 lines share a common track between the city centre and Vanløse. The M1 serves western Amager, while the M2 serves eastern Amager and the Copenhagen Airport. The M3 is known as the City Circle Line because it is a wholly underground loop. It connects major areas like Vesterbro, Nørrebro, and Frederiksberg. The M4 line serves as an extension of the M3, connecting it to Nordhavn and Sydhavn.

Looking toward the future, a fifth line called the M5 is currently in the planning stages. This line is expected to open in 2035 to serve Refshaleøen and Lynetteholmen.

The history of the metro began with the redevelopment plans for the Ørestad area.

In 1992, the Parliament of Denmark passed the Ørestad Act to begin planning. Decision-makers considered three different modes of transport: a tramway, a light rail, and a rapid transit system. They ultimately chose the rapid transit solution for several specific reasons. It offered the highest average speeds and the highest passenger capacity. It also provided the lowest visual and noise impact for the city. While it required the highest initial investment, it had the highest net present value.

Construction of the lines began in earnest in 1996.

To build the tunnels, engineers used two tunnel boring machines (TBM). These machines were named Liva and Betty. They began boring each barrel of the tunnel from Islands Brygge in February 1998. The system opened in several distinct stages over many years. Stage 1 opened in October 2002, running from Nørreport to Vestamager and Lergravsparken. Stage 2, which runs from Nørreport to Vanløse, opened in 2003. Stage 3, which connects Lergravsparken to the airport, opened in 2007.

Significant growth is expected as the metro network continues to expand.

Before the Cityringen opened, officials expected ridership to nearly double from 2016 levels. Metroselskabet expects that the metro will eventually triple its current weekday ridership. They aim to increase the number of daily passengers from 200,000 to 600,000 by the year 2030. This growth is supported by the continuous nature of the service. During the daytime, the headway—or the time between trains—varies from two to four minutes. During the night, the intervals can increase to up to twenty minutes.

The Copenhagen Metro is a central part of the city's broader transport infrastructure. It connects seamlessly with the high-speed Copenhagen-Ringsted railway and the S-train network.

This connectivity allows passengers to move easily between local, regional, and long-distance travel. The system serves as a model for urban development in areas like Ørestad. By providing reliable, 24-hour service, it supports the movement of millions of people every year. The metro remains a vital link in the physical and economic life of the Danish capital.