Transport in Copenhagen and the surrounding area relies on a well-established infrastructure making it a hub in Northern Europe due to its road and rail networks as well as its international airport. Copenhagen is considered one of the world's most bicycle-friendly cities.

The metro and S-train systems are key features of the city's well-developed public transport facilities. The city is also served by ferry connections to Oslo in Norway while its harbour is a popular port of call for cruise ships.

Road

Copenhagen has a large network of toll-free motorways and public roads connecting different municipalities of the city together and to Northern Europe. As in many other cities in Europe, traffic is increasing in Copenhagen. The radial arterial roads leading to Copenhagen city centre are critically congested during peak hours.

Since July 2000, the Øresund Bridge has served as a road and rail link to Malmö in Sweden.

In October 2011, heated political talks arose regarding plans about road tolls around Copenhagen in order to combat the car congestion and improve the air quality. Discussions were abandoned in February 2012 due to disagreement of the physical locations of the toll road boundaries and political deadlock.

Traffic signals

In Copenhagen, the length of the green walk time varies by the time of day. There is no flashing clearance interval. Pedestrians are not used to having to press a button to get a green light. Pedestrian crossings are typically unprotected by traffic signal filter arrows (no red or green arrow) but protected turns may be implemented in response to fatalities.

As of 2018, 55% of all crashes in the City of Copenhagen occur at intersections.

Signal timing Fixed (cycle) time traffic signal control is typically used in Copenhagen. Københavns Kommune (the Municipality of Copenhagen) does not believe that adaptive traffic signal control systems are suitable for the inner city where there are many pedestrians and cyclists because of the long traffic signal cycle times. A Danish report for the municipality also claimed there may be conflicts between an adaptive system and the municipality's wish for cyclists to be prioritised.

Adaptive traffic signals are considered appropriate only when the road functions as an arterial are at the limit of (vehicle) capacity, have only few vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists), and where the road functions both as an arterial road and a local traffic distributor.

As of 2009 Copenhagen typically used 4 different fixed time signal programs over the day, typically morning, afternoon, daytime and nighttime. As of 2012, Copenhagen had 4 standard programs: Program 1: 80 second cycle in the morning Program 2: 80 second cycle in the afternoon Program 3: 70 second cycle in medium traffic Program 4: 60 second low traffic program

The volume of people walking and cycling had no influence on the traffic signal cycle program selection, meaning cyclist conditions were determined by the flow of cars and not cyclists themselves. This was identified as challenge for future generations of traffic planners.

As of 2009 there were two adaptive signal systems in Copenhagen, Motion in Valby around Toftegårds Allé (10 intersections controlled by Motion by Siemens, for bus priority) and a group of junctions from Vasbygade to the Amager Motorway (Spot, Swarco).

The longest traffic signal cycle time utilised (as of 2009) was 100 seconds on the main roads, and the shortest was 48 seconds (mostly in night programmes, and in a few places during the day like Nørre Alle at Parken-Borgmester Jensens Alle).

Green waves Green wave traffic signal corridors have existed since at least 2004, with a 13 junction in Norrebrogade in 2004.

Copenhagen had a goal for 2018 (with a 2011 baseline) to reduce travel time and the number of stops for bicycles, a focus in the inner city to give pedestrians enough time to cross the road on green, to reduce travel time and increase reliability of buses, and to not increase (or slightly decrease) car travel time.

As of 2018, the City of Copenhagen had a goal of a 10% reduction in travel time and the number of cyclist stops on some routes in the city. Traffic signals were optimised to ensure improved flow on some corridors. A Dutch traffic management system MobiMaestro was utilised, and BikeSim was developed as an add-on for Copenhagen to estimate cyclist travel times.

On several key roads in Copenhagen, traffic lights were timed for a green wave at about 20km/h. After new cycling budget provisions were approved in September 2025, these measures were planned for 15 more routes.

Signal phase and timing (SPaT)

In 2015 and 2016, a signal technology trial was undertaken in a central bus corridor between the Central Station and Østerport Station. Road Side Units were instled at 21 traffic signals and more than 100 vehicles were fitted with On Board Units. Compass4D was involved. Bus lines 1A, 2A, 26 and 40 were all fitted with the new technology, along with 17 trucks from 3 different transport companies. A project evaluation report was published in 2015. At least some traffic signals are still transmitting SPaT data as of 2026.

In 2016, Copenhagen planned to install 380 'smart signals to spot and prioritise buses and bikes with $8.9 million in funding. Buses were planned to communicate their position and occupancy. The green phase of traffic signals was suggested to be extended by 8-30 seconds. Copenhagen had installed 10 'smart signals' in Valby as a pilot project, and found buses saved up to two minutes during rush hour.

At ITS World Congress 2018 in Copehagen, Dynniq presented information on the signal operation. EcoDrive and Compass4D technologies had been implemented.

In Copenhagen, the Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA) service was implemented using cellular technology.

Cycling

Copenhagen is known as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world. Every day 1.1 million km are bicycled in Copenhagen. 45% of all citizens commute to work, school or university by bicycle and it is municipal policy that this number should have gone up to 40% by 2012 and to 50% in 2015. The city's bicycle paths and cycle tracks are extensive and well used. Bicycle paths are often separated from the main traffic lanes and sometimes have their own signal systems, giving the cyclists a lead of a couple of seconds to accelerate.

The municipality is also developing a system of interconnected green bicycle routes, greenways, the aim being to facilitate fast, safe, and pleasant bicycle transport from one end of the city to the other. The network will cover more than and will have 22 routes when finished. The city provides public bicycles which can be found throughout the downtown area.

Copenhagen's well-developed bicycle culture is reflected in the use of copenhagenise to describe the practice of other cities adopting Copenhagen-style bike lanes and bicycle infrastructure. In 2007, Copenhagen-based Danish urban design consultant Jan Gehl was hired by the New York City Department of Transportation to re-imagine New York City streets by introducing designs to improve life for pedestrians and cyclists. In recognition of Copenhagen's emphasis on bicycling, the city was chosen by the Union Cycliste Internationale as their first official Bike City. Bike City Copenhagen took place from 2008 to 2011 and consisted of large cycling events for professionals as well as amateurs, culminating in the 2011 UCI Road World Championships.

Public transportation

Copenhagen Metro Serving Copenhagen, Frederiksberg and Tårnby in Denmark, the system opened between 2002 and 2007, and 2019 and 2020, and has four lines, M1, M2, M3, and M4. The AnsaldoBreda Driverless Metro cars supplements the larger S-train rapid transit system, and is integrated with DSB local trains and Movia buses. Through the city center and west to Frederiksberg, M1 and M2 share a common line. To the south-east, the system serves Amager, with the M1 running through the new neighborhood of Ørestad, and the M2 serving the eastern neighborhoods and Copenhagen Airport. The City Circle Line () or M3, an expansion of the Copenhagen Metro, was opened in 2019. The Nordhavn branch of the M4 line opened in 2020, and the Sydhavn branch in 2024. A fifth line, M5, will serve Refshaleøen and the under-construction artificial island of Lynetteholm, and is expected to open in 2 stages, the first one in 2036, and the second stage in 2045. The Metro currently has 35 stations, 13 of which are above ground. In 2011, the Metro carried 54.3 million passengers. A separate metro line, Øresundsmetro, connecting Copenhagen with Malmö is being considered.

Suburban rail

The S-train () network is a metrolike urban rapid transit network mainly serving the urban Copenhagen area. It connects the city centre and inner boroughs with the outer boroughs of Copenhagen. As of January 2009 there are of dual track and 84 S-train stations, of which eight are in neighbouring towns outside greater Copenhagen. The system has four main lines, and their tracks are fully separated from all other traffic. Parts are elevated, other parts run in cuttings, and the central section (the Boulevard Line) is largely underground. Each line operates at a frequency of six trains per hour throughout the day. Through the city centre, however, where three of the four lines converge, trains can be as often as every two or three minutes. The fourth line, Ringbanen, takes another path through the city and has an operating frequency of 12 trains per hour. Some notable S-Train stations in central Copenhagen are Central Station (served by M3 and M4 metro lines), , (served by M1 and M2), (M3, M4), (M4) and the typical junctions (M4 metro station opening in 2024), , (M1, M2), , and . The S-train system is the main rail transport within the wider Copenhagen area. In the 1990s it was decided to complement the S-Trains with a Metro system.

Regional trains The regional trains are equally important for transport within the Metropolitan Area of Copenhagen. Important lines are for instance along Kystbanen (The Coast line) to Helsingør (Shakespeare's Elsinore with Kronborg Castle), to Copenhagen Airport, and to Roskilde. If the S-Train runs parallel, the distances between regional train stations are longer than where only regional trains are available. The regional trains also run outside the Metropolitan area (which also equals the ticket system area for all public traffic within Copenhagen). For travel outside this area, a different type of ticket must be purchased. The regional trains continues to western and southern Zealand as well as to the islands Falster and Lolland. Labeled as Øresundståg, they continue to Scania and some other Swedish provinces. The Copenhagen-Ringsted Line was inaugurated in May 2019.

Local trains There are also three different system of local trains in the northern and southernmost suburbs. These run on unelectrified tracks, and are not available in the central parts of the city. Most local train lines begin at stations where S-train or regional trains end. The local trains are included in the ticket system of the Metropolitan area, with most being part of the R-net. A network of regional trains and bus trunk routes, both running at 30 minute frequencies.

Trams

In 1863, Copenhagen opened a tram network. At its most extensive, the network had more than twenty lines. The system closed in 1972.

After a 40-year absence, plans are now underway to build a new light rail line in Copenhagen between Lundtofte and Ishøj, which began full operation in August 2026.

Buses