15–20 minutes from Terminal 3 to Nørreport on Metro M2
The M2 Metro runs from Terminal 3 at Copenhagen Airport (CPH) into the city in about 15–20 minutes, with trains every 4–6 minutes by day and around every 15 minutes overnight. It is the least brain‑taxing option if you land jet‑lagged and need a straight line to Nørreport, Frederiksberg or Vanløse without thinking about DSB train timetables.
Tickets run roughly $4–6 for the airport–city ride, covering zones 1–4 between CPH and central Copenhagen. CPH sits in zone 4 while Nørreport and City Hall are in zones 1–2, which is where a lot of first‑timers get confused at the machines in Terminal 3. A City Pass Small (zones 1–4) or a contactless card with the right zone coverage solves this in one shot.
How the Metro M2 works from Terminals 2 and 3
The Metro station is directly connected to Terminal 3, about a 2–4 minute indoor walk from baggage claim, and roughly 5–7 minutes from Terminal 2 on foot. Lifts and escalators run from the arrivals level down to the platform, which is why people with heavy bags or strollers often pick the Metro over the DSB train platforms across the road.
M2 runs 24/7 between the airport and Vanløse, passing Kastrup, Øresund, Amagerbro, Christianshavn, Kongens Nytorv and Nørreport along the way. Trains come roughly every 4–6 minutes in the daytime window and every 15 minutes late at night, so you never have to stress about making a specific departure after a delayed landing at 23:30.
Step-by-step from arrivals to city on M2
- 1. Exit baggage claim in Terminal 3 and walk 2–3 minutes straight ahead following the blue Metro signs.
- 2. Use a ticket machine or validator near the entrance to buy or activate a City Pass (zones 1–4) or tap a valid contactless card; budget about $4–6 for a single adult fare.
- 3. Take the elevator or escalator down one level to the Metro platform signed “M2 Vanløse.”
- 4. Trains arrive every 4–6 minutes in daytime; if the first one at the platform is packed with luggage after a big arrival bank, let it go and take the next.
- 5. Ride 9–11 stops, around 15–20 minutes, to Nørreport for central hotels or onward S‑tog connections, or continue to Frederiksberg and Vanløse if you’re staying on that side.
What regulars do
Locals heading to City Hall, Nørreport or Kongens Nytorv usually default to the Metro because the actual airport–city time vs the DSB train differs by only a couple of minutes, while the M2 runs more often off‑peak and after 00:00. The same posters on Tripadvisor suggest skipping M2 entirely and taking the DSB train instead if your hotel sits by Copenhagen Central Station, since that ride is direct and avoids a change at Nørreport.
Frequent visitors often buy a 72‑hour City Pass Small (zones 1–4) in the DOT/Rejseplanen app before landing, covering both the $4–6 airport trip and all inner‑city rides for three days. With the pass preloaded you just walk straight from Terminal 3 arrivals to the platform in about 3 minutes and go, with no queue at the machines and no mental math around zone 4 vs zones 1–2.
Watch out for
The Metro cars are short and can be crammed at 08:00–09:00 and late afternoon, especially when a couple of A320s and a widebody land close together, so boarding with two big checked bags can take an extra train. Also remember M2 does not stop at Copenhagen Central Station; if your bed is by the tracks on Bernstorffsgade, you’ll have to change lines at Nørreport or Kongens Nytorv, which adds 5–10 minutes including the transfer.
One last tip: if you’re too tired to think about zones after a long‑haul into Terminal 3, just buy or pre‑load a City Pass Small (zones 1–4) that clearly lists the airport and Nørreport on its coverage, walk the 200–300 meters to the Metro, and treat anything inside central Copenhagen as included for the rest of the day.