Electric metro – a climate friendly welcome to Copenhagen
Photo credit Marie Odgaard/AFP via Getto images
Start your green journey here! Whether you arrive by air, sea, or land, Copenhagen’s electric and driverless metro is ready to take you where you need to be. Get on at the airport, central station or close to the ferry terminal, and be in the edgy neighborhood of Nørrebro, historical Christianshavn or the bustling harbor-front within 30 minutes!
The metro opened 2 new architecturally beautiful lines in 2020, and has some great footprint reducing features. The compact trains allowed architects to minimize the size of stations and platforms, shrinking the building footprint, and skylights reduce the system’s reliance on electricity and the need for energy reliant ventilation systems by doubling as air vents – hop on board!
Want to check out the food market ‘Reffen’, but it looks far? No problem- take the harbor bus!
“But I need to get across the harbor!” you say. No problem, because this public bus is a boat. This bright yellow boat doubles as transport and a cheap and effective way to see the harbor’ sites.
Photo credit Astrid Marie Rasmussen, Visit Copenhagen
Take the whole route, and for just 24 Kroner, and you’ll sail by the The Royal Library, colorful Nyhavn, and the Opera House. Hop off at the last stop of Refshaløen and refuel at Reffen food market, where you can take a culinary trip around the world, with lots of veggie and vegan options 😊 Check out our Tour 9 for more plant based food adventures.
Green Kayak – see the city for free and clean up the harbor at the same time!
We think this is a great concept – get a free kayak trip in return for collecting rubbish as you do. Pick up a kayak (including bin and litter pickers) from one of 5 locations, and feel connected to the city you’re in while passing by some amazing water-side attractions.
Kayaking is a low intensity activity that anyone can enjoy. So take it at your own pace, wave to your fellow water users, and enjoy the waters in and around Copenhagen in a unique way – all while reducing water pollution! Join our walking tour 2 to hear more about plastic pollution and what we can do.
Electric and biogas busses – silent and clean
After a successful trial, you can now hop on one of 48 new C02 neutral electric buses, and glide silently through Copenhagen while you enjoy its sights, including Tivoli, Christianshavn, and the Opera House. Lines 2A and 18 have gone green, which will reduce CO2 emissions in Copenhagen by 4,300 tons per year!
Photo credit: Københavns kommune
You can also take the 18-meter long, C02-neutral 5C bus straight from the airport – and be transported by biogas! This biogas fueled line both is quieter and emits fewer particles that fossil fueled busses. These are great first steps in the City of Copenhagen’s plans to replace all fossil fuel buses by 2030.
Human power – take a dip in the harbor’s swimming areas
Electric busses and metros are fantastic, but if you have some of your own energy to use, then you can do some laps in one of Copenhagen’s many harbor baths. Yes, Copenhagen’s harbor is as clean as the sea, and you can jump right in!
Photo credit: Simon Bang, Visit Copenhagen
The oldest and most well-known are in the city’s attractive downtown harbor. Get feel for them on our Tour 1, and head back with your swimsuit in the afternoon. Or hold on to your bike and head out to the newest swimming zone in the modern and climate friendly neighborhood of Nordhavn. Find out more about Nordhavn’s sustainable solutions on our Tour 6.
Ski down a waste incinerator – yes, really!
You won’t cover too much ground, but you can’t miss the chance to zoom down the roof of a waste incinerator in the middle of a capital city. The Amager Resource Centre aka Copenhill turns ca. 8% of the waste from 5 Danish councils into energy, and since the burning process is so efficient, only steam comes out of the chimneys. So why not use the space for a recreational area?! Ski through the steam and feel like you’re in the clouds.
Photo credit: Copenhill
If skiing or snowboarding isn’t your thing, take a walk up the hiking paths, or hop on the elevator to see the inner workings of ARC. Either way, you’ll be rewarded with a great view over the city. Hear more about ARC on our Tour 1 – keep your bike for the day, and head to Copenhill in the afternoon. From bike to ski in 30 minutes!
Pedal power – get around the city like a Copenhagener
And of course, no guide to transport in Copenhagen would be complete without our favorite – the bike! Feel like a real Copenhagener in the city where there are 6,6 times as many bikes as cars. The advantages are endless – explore the city at your own pace, hop off whenever you see an exciting café, garden, or back yard, and enjoy the sun and fresh air.
Take the responsibility off your shoulders, and let us book you a bike, and lead you to the city’s most interesting and often secret sustainable spots. Whether you’re interested in fashion, urban areas and culture, architecture, food, or sustainability more generally, we have just the tour for you.
Written by green guide, Rebecca Neale