Copenhagen Central Station 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, Banegårdspladsen, Reventlowsgade and access to platforms from Tietgensgade. Copenhagen Central Station is the hub of the DSB railway network serving Denmark and international destinations. 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. 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, 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 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. A hotel is built above the S-train tracks in the Northern end, but the remaining tracks are uncovered below street level.. In the opposite 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, 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
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 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
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 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.
Copenhagen Central Station is used as a location at 1:12:36 in the 1975 Olsen-banden film The Olsen Gang on the Track. Egon hides a suitcase in the luggage storage at Copenhagen Central Station in The Olsen Gang Outta Sight and the lost luggage department is also used as a location later in the same film.
