Copenhagen Central Station

Copenhagen Central Station (Danish: Københavns Hovedbanegård, pronounced [kʰøpm̩ˈhɑwns ˈhoːð̩ˌpɛːnəˌkɒˀ], abbreviated København H) is the main railway station in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the largest railway station in Denmark, although Nørreport Station has a larger passenger throughput if urban S-train and Metro services are included. It is situated between the districts of Indre By and Vesterbro with entrances from Bernstorffsgade (at Tivoli Gardens), Banegårdspladsen, Reventlowsgade and access to platforms from Tietgensgade.

Copenhagen Central Station Københavns Hovedbanegård
S-train and DSB station
Front facade seen from Vesterbrogade
Location	Bernstorffsgade 16–22 DK-1557 Copenhagen V
Coordinates	55°40′22″N 12°33′52″E
Owned by	DSB
Operated by	DSB
Platforms	7
Tracks	13
Construction
Architect	Heinrich Wenck
History
Opened	1 December 1911
Rebuilt	15 May 1934 (S-train)
Electrified	1934 (S-train), 1986 (Mainline)
Location
Copenhagen Central Station Location within Denmark

Copenhagen Central Station is the hub of the DSB railway network serving Denmark and international destinations.[1] It offers InterCity and Express trains services across Denmark, as well as services to several international destinations, regular and frequent regional train services to and from Zealand and southern Sweden (also referred to as Øresund trains). The station also services the Copenhagen S-train network, but the S-train system in Copenhagen doesn't use any kind of hub at all. It is an urban transit which differs from most Metro systems mainly by being a type of railway. At the station are two platforms with four tracks that are used by the S-trains only. All other trains usually use the other four platforms and eight tracks.

In addition to the original 6 island-platforms and their 12 tracks,[2] has one additional track constructed much later. The single spare track, called track 26, was initially built for trains to southern Sweden, while Malmö C still was a terminus. It has later occasionally been used for express trains to or from Sweden or to or from Norway.

After the introduction of border controls and mandatory identity checks for travel to Sweden this track was fenced and used for X2000 and intercity trains to Sweden. The extra track 26 is located 200 metres (660 ft) south of the main building and is reachable only by walking along the platform for track 4 and 5 or from a staircase from the Tietgensgade street.

The platforms begin under the main passenger hall (and at least the S-train section, two platforms with a total of four S-train tracks, of the station can be said to begin as an underground station). A hotel (Astoria) is built above the S-train tracks in the Northern end, but the remaining tracks are uncovered below street level. (Open areas between tunnel sections were necessary to have during the era of steam trains, while the S-trains always have been electrical). In the opposite (platform) end, all platforms are covered with the typical railway arched roof. This roof is shorter than the platforms, but all tracks remain below street level and can also be accessed from the street Tietgensgade.

The main hall isn't just a waiting hall, but also a market place where most things can be bought. From fresh fruit sellers to super market, postal office, banks, currency exchanges, hamburgers, coffee shops, restaurants and pubs etc. There are also travel center for information and manual sale of tickets and two large toilet sections which are under manual supervision and clean. Shower rooms are also available for a smaller fee.

The current station building opened in 1911 and is the work of architect Heinrich Wenck. The station has 7 platforms and 13 tracks. On the station concourse there are many small shops, cafeterias, and fast food outlets. All public transport within Greater Copenhagen are divided into close to 100 ticket fare zones. The Central station is located in fare zone 1, which together with zones 2 and 3 constitute Copenhagen municipality and the "enclave" of Frederiksberg municipality. As the cheapest single ticket always is valid in two zones, a single ticket bought at the station is valid within the entire city centre and its inner boroughs. A ticket to Copenhagen Airport Kastrup, however, demands the payment for three zones since it is located in zone 4.

From 29 September 2019 the Central station is also served by the Copenhagen Metro line M3 (in service 24/7), which is a circular line with 17 stations. The station is also served by the M4 line, linking the Nordhavn and Sydhavn districts and serve as an interchange between the Sydhavn extension and the M3.

History

Copenhagen's first railway station, photographed in 1864

The first railway station in Copenhagen was built in 1847, approximately at the present station location. It served Roskildebanen, and it was made of wood because it was built outside the fortifications where buildings with foundations were not allowed. An expansion was soon necessary due to plans to extend the railway network in Denmark. A new larger station, designed by H. J. Herholdt, opened in 1864.

The second station also proved too small, especially because there was only one track leading out of the city. It was decided to build a new station, including a tunnel to Østerport station, and with tracks out of the city to the south. Designed by Heinrich Wenck, the present station was finished on 1 December 1911. The tunnel (the Boulevard Line) was opened in 1917.

The station was overhauled in 1980. Escalators and lifts were established to the platforms, and the station concourse, which was originally split into arrival, departure, and freight sections, was redone completely. The station was overhauled again from 2004 to 2008. This overhaul replaced the roof, lowered platforms 3 to 6 to international standards and lengthened them. The towers and the bridge over the platforms, upon which the main station building is placed, were reconditioned.

Services

Platforms

Copenhagen Central Station provides Copenhagen with Intercity and Express trains across Denmark, as well as services to several international destinations. Direct international trains connect to Stockholm and Hamburg several times a day. Intercity trains run half-hourly from Copenhagen during daytime and serve as a link between the major cities and towns in Denmark, including Odense, Aarhus, Aalborg, Esbjerg, Thisted and Sønderborg. Regional trains (stops at major stations within the Greater Copenhagen area) connect the main parts of Zealand to the capital. Veolia Transport trains on the Øresundståg regional rail network depart to southern and western Sweden every 20 minutes. A special ticket fare system exists between the Copenhagen local traffic area and the most southern part of Sweden, Skåne county.

All S-train services except the F-line stop at the station.

København H is served by the Copenhagen Metro network by the City Circle Line which opened on 29 September 2019, servicing lines M3 and M4.

Preceding station		S-train		Following station
Dybbølsbro toward Frederikssund		H		Vesterport toward Østerport
		C		Vesterport toward Klampenborg
Dybbølsbro toward Høje Taastrup		Bx		Vesterport toward Østerport
		B		Vesterport toward Holte
Dybbølsbro toward Køge		E		Vesterport toward Hillerød
Dybbølsbro toward Solrød Strand		A		Vesterport toward Farum
Preceding station		Copenhagen Metro		Following station
Enghave Plads toward Frederiksberg		M3		Rådhuspladsen toward Kongens Nytorv
Terminus		M4		Rådhuspladsen toward Orientkaj
Preceding station		Danske Statsbaner		Following station
Lufthavnen toward Copenhagen Airport		Copenhagen-Aalborg InterCity		Valby toward Aalborg
		Copenhagen–Aarhus–Struer InterCity		Høje Taastrup toward Struer
		Copenhagen–Herning–Struer–Thisted InterCity		Høje Taastrup toward Thisted
		Copenhagen–Esbjerg InterCity		Valby toward Esbjerg
		Copenhagen–Sønderborg/Padborg InterCity		Valby toward Padborg
Terminus		Copenhagen–Ystad/Bornholm InterCity		Lufthavnen toward Rønne
Nørreport toward Helsingør		Coast Line Øresundståg		Ørestad toward Malmö C
		Elsinore–Roskilde		Valby toward Roskilde
Nørreport or Lufthavnen toward Østerport or Lufthavnen		Copenhagen–Roskilde
		Copenhagen–Odense		Valby toward Odense
Nørreport toward Østerport		Copenhagen–Nykøbing F/Rødby/Gedser		Valby toward Rødby Færge or Gedser
		Copenhagen–Kalundborg		Valby toward Kalundborg

Future

The station needs more capacity followed the opened of the Copenhagen–Ringsted Line on 31 May 2019. The Danish Ministry of Transport has started planning of an extension: proposals include a four-track terminal station on a bridge over the present tracks, or in a tunnel under them.

Cultural references

Copenhagen Central Station is used as a location at 1:12:36 in the 1975 Olsen-banden film The Olsen Gang on the Track.[3] Egon (Ove Sprogøe) hides a suitcase in the luggage storage at Copenhagen Central Station in The Olsen Gang Outta Sight (1977) and the lost luggage department is also used as a location later in the same film.[4]

See also

• Danish State Railways
• Transportation in Denmark
• Rail transport in Denmark
• Øresund Railway

References

1. "Travelling in Denmark". DSB. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
2. "Københavns Hovedbanegård - Gyldendal - Den Store Danske". denstoredanske.dk.
3. "Film 7 Olsen banden på sporet / Die Olsenbande stellt die Weichen". olsenbande-homepage.de (in German). Retrieved 5 October 2017.
4. "Film 9 Olsen Banden deruda / Die Olsenbande schlägt wieder zu". olsenbande-homepage.de (in German). Retrieved 5 October 2017.

External links

• Official Site: Information and tickets (EN)