How to Use Public Transport in Denmark

Last updated: August 2026Written by Anthony Toast7 sources

Denmark's network is integrated, but its four main apps have separate jobs. The old physical Rejsekort has closed, so advice built around buying or topping up the card is obsolete.

Plan in Rejseplanen, then decide whether you want a ticket bought in advance or a journey recorded through mobile check-in. Rejsebillet handles local tickets and Copenhagen passes; DSB handles rail bookings and Orange fares. Finish any account setup before boarding and keep a station machine as the fallback for a first or final journey.

Choose the app by the job it must do

What you need	Use this
Find a route across trains, buses, metro, light rail or ferries	Use Rejseplanen for the national itinerary and disruption picture, then follow the result to a valid fare channel.1
Buy a single ticket or a Copenhagen and Zealand pass before travel	Use Rejsebillet, or buy an eligible City Pass from a station machine or DSB sales point.3 4
Travel flexibly without choosing zones and validity in advance	Use the Rejsekort app or DSB Check In only after confirming eligibility, payment and phone permissions.5 7
Take an intercity train or compare restricted Orange tickets	Use DSB for the ticket, seat reservation and live platform or delay information.6

App details

RejseplanenEssential

Official nationwide planner for trains, buses, metro, light rail and ferries, with live departures and disruption details.

Pro tip: Use it to plan the whole journey, then buy or activate the correct ticket separately. A route result is not proof of a valid fare.

App Store Play Store Website

RejsebilletEssential

Official app for buying single tickets, regional travel products and City Passes before boarding Danish public transport.

Pro tip: Register with an SMS-capable number, buy before travel and show the active ticket on request. Use a machine or DSB if verification fails.

App Store Play Store Website

DSB

Official rail app for Danish train tickets, restricted Orange fares, seat reservations and live journey information.

Pro tip: Use it for intercity rail and compare Orange conditions before paying. The optional Check In feature requires a DSB Plus profile and phone permissions.

App Store Play Store Website

Rejsekort

Nationwide pay-as-you-go check-in app for most Danish public transport, replacing the discontinued physical Rejsekort.

Pro tip: Check in before boarding and out after the entire journey. Keep location, activity and Bluetooth enabled and enough battery for inspection.

App Store Play Store Website

At a glance

At a glance	Rejseplanen	Rejsebillet
Signing up	No account is needed for basic route planning; notifications and saved journeys use optional device features.	Registration needs a phone number that can receive the verification SMS.
Paying	It plans journeys rather than serving as a universal ticket wallet. Buy through the operator or ticket app it identifies.	Buy fixed tickets and City Pass products before boarding with a supported card shown in the app.
English	The planner, help center and disruption details have an English interface.	English is available for ticket selection and purchase guidance.
Where it works	Nationwide planning across trains, buses, metro, light rail and ferries from participating operators.	Single tickets across Danish tariff areas and regions, plus regional products such as Copenhagen City Pass.

How to get a SIM in Denmark→

A route result and a ticket are separate objects

Rejseplanen is the national planner. It can connect operators and modes in one itinerary, show live departures and surface disruption details. That screen tells you how to travel; it doesn't prove that you paid for the zones, passenger type or train shown.1

Rejsebillet sells a fare before boarding, while the Rejsekort and DSB check-in features record the journey and calculate it after checkout. Pick one model for a journey. Starting a mobile check-in on top of an already valid fixed ticket can create an unnecessary second charge.3 5 7

Copenhagen visitors can keep the first decision simple

The smaller Copenhagen pass covers zones 1 to 4, including the airport and central city. The current adult price starts at DKK 100 for 24 hours, with products up to 120 hours. It suits repeated local rides inside that area; one or two journeys can cost less as singles.4

Rejsebillet holds the mobile pass, but the 4-zone and larger versions are also sold at selected DSB or metro machines and DSB 7-Eleven outlets. Copenhagen Airport has machines, giving you a credible arrival fallback when SMS verification or card authorization fails.4

A check-in app turns the phone into the ticket machine

The Rejsekort app must be checked in before boarding and checked out after the final vehicle. Its terms require a working phone, active data and the location and motion functions used to identify the trip. A payment card and sufficient battery are part of the ticket, not optional account decoration.5

DSB Check In also requires a valid check-in before boarding. DSB says it works across all public transport in Denmark except Bornholm, and transfers are registered from the phone rather than the old blue card stands. The app can remind you or check out automatically after it detects that the journey ended, but you remain responsible for a valid travel state.7

The physical Rejsekort has been discontinued. Do not arrive with an old guide that tells you to buy an anonymous card or add credit at a machine. Machines remain useful for ordinary tickets, but they no longer make the former plastic Rejsekort a visitor strategy.2

Use DSB when the departure itself matters

DSB's app sells standard and Orange train tickets, seat reservations and commuter products, then reports platform changes and delays for supported bookings. Orange is tied to conditions and a specific departure, so compare flexibility before choosing the lower price.6

The more flexible Orange Fri product can be refunded in the app up to 30 minutes before scheduled departure, according to DSB. That is a different promise from the cheapest restricted fare. Read the product name and refund line before paying rather than treating every orange-colored result as interchangeable.6

If the app does not work

If an app cannot verify your number, authorize the card or hold a valid check-in, buy the required ticket from an official machine or staffed DSB channel before boarding. At Copenhagen Airport, metro and DSB machines provide the clearest arrival fallback. Keep the purchased ticket and the phone or card used to validate it ready for inspection.4 6 5

What this does not cover: Checked on 24 August 2026. Fare zones, app eligibility, accepted foreign numbers and cards, Orange inventory and disruption rules can change. Rejseplanen is reliable for national planning, but the exact ticket remains operator- and journey-specific.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Rejseplanen, Rejsebillet and Rejsekort?

Rejseplanen finds the route, Rejsebillet sells fixed tickets and passes, and the Rejsekort app records check-in and check-out for pay-as-you-go travel. They solve different parts of the journey.

Can tourists still buy a physical Rejsekort in Denmark?

No. The former plastic Rejsekort has closed and is no longer a product a visitor can buy or top up. Current tickets and mobile check-in products have their own purchase and setup rules.

Does Copenhagen City Pass include the airport?

City Pass Small covers zones 1 to 4, including the trip between Copenhagen Airport and the city center. Confirm that Small covers every other destination on your itinerary before buying.

These apps need data

Guac eSIM covers Denmark with plans from $0.58 per GB. Install it before you land and activate instantly.

A data eSIM gives you internet, not a local phone number, so it cannot receive SMS verification codes.

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