Copenhagen, Denmark · Money-saving passes

Copenhagen Money-Saving Passes & Cards, Compared Honestly

Which Copenhagen pass actually saves money — and which ones quietly lose it. Real prices, real math, zero affiliate spin.

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verified Prices and rules verified 2026-04-22

The short answer

Maybe. The Copenhagen Card Discover pays off only if you visit at least four paid attractions in 48 hours, ideally with a castle day-trip to Kronborg or Frederiksborg. For a slow 1–2 museum visit, walking city, or a trip where most of your crew is under 18, skip every pass and pay as you go.

Every pass, compared honestly

Neutral comparison — no affiliate links, no sponsored placements. Prices checked on official issuer sites.

Copenhagen Card Discover

combo pass

Transport

Prices

  • Adult 24h DKK 589
  • Adult 48h DKK 859
  • Adult 72h DKK 1,039
  • Adult 120h DKK 1,419
  • Child 3–11 DKK 100–260
Durations: 24h · 48h · 72h · 96h · 120h

Includes

  • ✓80+ attractions including Rosenborg, Amalienborg, Christiansborg, SMK, National Museum
  • ✓Tivoli Gardens entrance (rides not included)
  • ✓Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (Humlebæk)
  • ✓Kronborg Castle (Helsingør) and Frederiksborg Castle (Hillerød)
  • ✓Copenhagen Zoo, Experimentarium, Design Museum, The Cisterns
  • ✓At least one canal tour operator
  • ✓Unlimited metro, S-tog, bus, harbour bus — zones 1–99
  • ✓Airport transfer included (zones 1–99)
  • ✓Karen Blixen Museum, Natural History Museum
  • ✓Home of Carlsberg (pre-booking required)

Not included

  • ·Tivoli ride passes / unlimited ride wristbands
  • ·Fast-track or queue-skip at any included site
  • ·Re-entry — each attraction is one visit only
  • ·Taxis and rental bikes
  • ·Some special exhibitions at SMK and National Museum

shopping_bag Buy direct at copenhagencard.com for the lowest price; the card is 100% digital via the Woco 'Copenhagen Card' app. GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook and KKday resell it slightly higher but offer free cancellation. Do NOT activate the code until you are physically in Copenhagen — the timer starts instantly and cannot be paused.

Worth it once you plan 4+ paid attractions per 48h or add a castle day-trip (Kronborg/Frederiksborg/Louisiana) where transit alone runs DKK 120–200 round-trip. Not worth it for walking-city trips focused on Nyhavn, Little Mermaid and Christiansborg tower.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

Parkmuseerne Joint Ticket

museum pass

Prices

  • Adult DKK 345
Durations: 1 year

Includes

  • ✓Rosenborg Castle
  • ✓SMK — National Gallery of Denmark
  • ✓Natural History Museum of Denmark
  • ✓The Hirschsprung Collection
  • ✓The Workers Museum
  • ✓The David Collection (permanently free standalone)
  • ✓Bonus: Palm House at the Botanical Garden

Not included

  • ·No public transport
  • ·No queue-skip
  • ·One visit per museum
  • ·Christiansborg, Amalienborg, Tivoli, Louisiana not included

shopping_bag Buy online at parkmuseerne.dk or at the ticket desk of any participating museum — the ticket is activated on first scan. No app needed; works as a printout or PDF on your phone.

The sleeper pick for museum-heavy travellers and long-stay residents. At DKK 345 for ~DKK 500–600 of standalone entries it saves roughly DKK 150–250. Redundant if you already hold a Copenhagen Card Discover — all six are included there.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

City Pass (Small)

transport pass

Transport

Prices

  • Adult 24h DKK 100
  • Adult 48h DKK 180
  • Adult 72h DKK 270
  • Adult 120h DKK 340
  • Child DKK 50–170
Durations: 24h · 48h · 72h · 96h · 120h

Includes

  • ✓Unlimited metro, S-tog, bus, harbour bus in zones 1–4
  • ✓Airport transfers (CPH is in zone 4)
  • ✓Covers all of central Copenhagen and Frederiksberg

Not included

  • ·Does not cover Kronborg, Frederiksborg or Louisiana (zones 5–99)
  • ·No attraction entries
  • ·No taxi / no rental bikes

shopping_bag Mobile-only in the Rejsebillet app — there is no browser checkout and no paper version. Install the app before you land; the airport has patchy Wi-Fi at passport control and you will want the ticket active before boarding the metro.

The right choice if you are skipping paid attractions but still want to move around freely — DKK 180 for 48h is half of a single taxi from the airport. If you plan 3+ paid attractions in those 48h, the Copenhagen Card Discover already covers the same transit.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

City Pass (Large)

transport pass

Transport

Prices

  • Adult 24h DKK 200
  • Adult 48h DKK 400
  • Adult 72h DKK 500
  • Child DKK 100–250
Durations: 24h · 48h · 72h

Includes

  • ✓Unlimited public transport in all zones 1–99
  • ✓Includes Helsingør (Kronborg), Hillerød (Frederiksborg), Humlebæk (Louisiana)
  • ✓Airport and full capital region coverage

Not included

  • ·No attraction entries
  • ·Same network as Small pass — just wider geography
  • ·No taxis, no long-distance DSB tickets beyond the capital region

shopping_bag Rejsebillet app only. Worth it only if you are doing two or more zone-99 day trips (e.g. Kronborg and Louisiana on separate days) but paying castle entries individually.

Niche product. In almost every scenario where you want full-region transit, you also want castle entries, and the Copenhagen Card Discover 48h (DKK 859) beats Large City Pass (DKK 400) + two castle tickets (DKK 200) + SMK + National Museum on combined cost.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

Copenhagen Card HOP

attraction bundle

Prices

  • Adult 24h DKK 600
  • Adult 48h DKK 875
  • Adult 72h DKK 1,050
  • Child 3–11 DKK 100–180
Durations: 24h · 48h · 72h

Includes

  • ✓~40 city-centre attractions
  • ✓Hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus (narrated tourist route)
  • ✓Some canal tours

Not included

  • ·No metro, S-tog, regular bus or harbour bus
  • ·No castle day-trips (Kronborg, Frederiksborg, Louisiana not included)
  • ·No Tivoli
  • ·No queue-skip

shopping_bag Same Woco app as Discover. Before you buy, double-check you are on the HOP tab and not Discover — the names are almost identical and the products are not.

Almost always the wrong card. It costs DKK 16 less than Discover at 48h but strips out every castle day-trip, all public transit, and half the museum list. Only buy HOP if you specifically want a narrated sightseeing bus and will never ride the metro.

Official site open_in_new Verified 2026-04-22

Does the math work?

Real scenarios with real numbers. Green means a pass saves money, red means single tickets win.

48h walking trip: Nyhavn, Little Mermaid, Christiansborg tower, one museum

skip

Using: Copenhagen Card Discover 48h

Single tickets

DKK 290 (National Museum 150 + 3 metro rides 70 + canal tour 100 discounted to ~70)

With pass

DKK 859

Diff

Loses DKK 569

Most of this itinerary is free or near-free. You are paying for a card and not using 80% of its value. Buy the one museum ticket online and walk.

48h active city trip + one castle day-trip to Kronborg

buy

Using: Copenhagen Card Discover 48h

Single tickets

DKK 950 (Rosenborg 140 + SMK 110 + National Museum 150 + Kronborg 125 + canal tour 120 + transit zones 1–99 ~300)

With pass

DKK 859

Diff

Save DKK 91

The castle day-trip tips it. Transit alone to Helsingør and back costs DKK 140+ and the card covers it. You also avoid five separate ticket queues.

72h heavy-sightseeing trip with two day-trips

buy

Using: Copenhagen Card Discover 72h

Single tickets

DKK 1,274 (Rosenborg + SMK + National Museum + Tivoli entry + Experimentarium + canal + Frederiksborg + Kronborg + transit)

With pass

DKK 1,039

Diff

Save DKK 235

The classic 'use the card properly' itinerary. Two castles plus Experimentarium alone almost justify it; everything else is bonus.

Family of 4: 2 adults, 2 kids aged 7 and 10, 48h active

borderline

Using: Copenhagen Card Discover 48h (x2 adults, kids free)

Single tickets

DKK 1,380 (2 adults paying attractions + Tivoli 2×200 for kids + Experimentarium 2×199 + transit)

With pass

DKK 1,718

Diff

Loses DKK 338

Kids under 18 enter most state museums free already, and the card's 'two kids free per adult' only kicks in at paid-for-kids sites like Tivoli and Experimentarium. If Tivoli rides are on the list, skip the card and buy a Tivoli ride pass separately. If you mostly do castles and museums, the card wins.

Museum-focused 5-day stay, no castles, no Tivoli

buy

Using: Parkmuseerne Joint Ticket

Single tickets

DKK 500–600 (6 museums at gate prices)

With pass

DKK 345

Diff

Save DKK 155–255

Flat fee, one-year validity, no time pressure. You can space visits across the week and pay the metro separately. Beats Copenhagen Card Discover if you are not doing castles or day-trips.

What should YOU buy?

Pick your travel style.

solo

Buy: Copenhagen Card Discover 48h

A solo traveller moving fast hits break-even quickly with one castle day-trip plus 2–3 central museums. The single-barcode convenience matters more when you are the only one dealing with tickets.

couple

Buy: Copenhagen Card Discover 72h

Two adults over three days easily absorb Rosenborg, SMK, National Museum, a canal tour, Kronborg and Frederiksborg. At DKK 1,039 × 2 vs. ~DKK 1,274 × 2 standalone, the card wins by ~DKK 470 per couple.

family

No pass recommended

Only buy if you plan Tivoli rides and Experimentarium — otherwise kids under 18 already enter most state museums free and the card's 'two kids free per adult' perk underdelivers. Run the math against your specific list; families often lose money here.

48h stopover

Buy: Copenhagen Card Discover 48h

Only if you are genuinely sightseeing — at least four paid attractions including a canal tour or one castle. A relaxed stopover focused on Nyhavn and one museum should buy tickets à la carte and use a City Pass Small (DKK 180) for transit.

week long

Buy: Parkmuseerne Joint Ticket + City Pass as needed

A 120h Copenhagen Card expires while you are still sightseeing. Better to stack the DKK 345 Parkmuseerne ticket (valid a full year) with pay-as-you-go transit and a couple of standalone tickets for Tivoli or Kronborg.

budget

No pass recommended

Free walking tours, the David Collection, Botanical Garden, Kastellet, Christiansborg tower and a harbour walk will fill two full days at DKK 0. Buy a City Pass Small only if you need airport transit (DKK 100 one-way zones 1–4).

student

No pass recommended

If you are 18–27 and in Copenhagen during week 37 (K7), 200+ venues are free — check k7k7.dk. Otherwise an ISIC card gets small per-site discounts; Copenhagen offers no official student rate on any pass.

senior

Buy: Parkmuseerne Joint Ticket

No senior tier exists on the Copenhagen Card, but many Copenhagen museums run free Tuesdays for age 67+. Combine those with Parkmuseerne's one-year ticket for a flexible, low-pressure visit.

warning Scams & traps to avoid

Known scams tied to Copenhagen passes and tickets.

Typo-squatted 'copenhagencard.dk' and lookalike sellers

How it works

Fake domains mimic copenhagencard.com and take your money for a code that is either fake, already used, or an old stale inventory from a shut-down reseller. Sellers on marketplaces like eBay and Facebook Marketplace sometimes resell activated codes the buyer can't actually use.

How to spot it

Check that the URL is exactly copenhagencard.com (not .dk, not with hyphens). Any seller who can't point you to Woco ApS or a recognised platform (GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook, KKday) is suspect.

Safe alternative

Buy direct from copenhagencard.com, or use GetYourGuide/Viator/Klook with their free-cancellation policy. Never buy a Copenhagen Card code from a marketplace listing.

Activating the card before you land in Copenhagen

How it works

The Woco app starts the timer the instant you tap 'Activate', including on the plane, at Heathrow, or in your hotel the night before. Many tourists lose 6–12 hours of a 24h card this way because they confuse 'add code' (fine to do early) with 'activate' (starts the countdown).

How to spot it

If the app shows a visible countdown clock, the timer is running. There is no way to pause or reset it.

Safe alternative

Load your 8-digit code in the app the day before, but only tap 'Activate' once you are standing at a metro gate or museum entrance in Copenhagen and ready to use it.

Buying 'HOP' thinking it is the full Copenhagen Card

How it works

The HOP version costs almost the same as Discover but includes only a tourist sightseeing bus and a curated 40-site list — no metro, no S-tog, no Kronborg, no Louisiana. The official site lists both side by side and many tourists click the wrong one.

How to spot it

If the card description mentions 'hop-on-hop-off' or a fixed sightseeing route and *not* 'metro, S-tog and bus', you are on HOP.

Safe alternative

For nearly every traveller, buy Copenhagen Card Discover. HOP is only correct if you specifically want a narrated bus tour and will not use public transit.

'Guides' or street promoters selling cards for cash near Nyhavn or the airport

How it works

People posing as tourist-office staff offer 'discount' Copenhagen Cards for cash, sometimes outside the airport arrivals hall or around Nyhavn. The card is 100% digital in 2026 — no official physical version exists — so any printed card or cash sale is fake.

How to spot it

If the seller hands you a physical card, a printed voucher, or asks for cash in person, it's a scam. Real cards are codes delivered to an email and loaded in the Woco app only.

Safe alternative

Only buy online (copenhagencard.com or licensed resellers). The official Wonderful Copenhagen tourist office at Vesterbrogade 4B is the only in-person point of sale.

Don't buy a pass if…

  • block Trips under 24 hours — not enough time to stack 4 paid attractions and the 24h card (DKK 589) rarely breaks even.
  • block You are 18–27 and visiting during K7 week (week 37, mid-September) — 200+ venues are free.
  • block You are travelling with kids under 18 and skipping Tivoli + Experimentarium — most state museums are already free for under-18s.
  • block You are a walking/biking traveller focused on Nyhavn, Little Mermaid, Kastellet, Christiansborg tower and the Botanical Garden — these are all free.
  • block You are only visiting 1–2 paid sites (e.g. just SMK and Rosenborg) — individual online tickets are cheaper and let you re-enter.

Common questions

Is the Copenhagen Card worth it for 48 hours? expand_more
Only if you plan at least 4 paid attractions including a canal tour or a castle day-trip. The 48h card at DKK 859 needs roughly DKK 850–900 of entries + transit to break even. A walking trip focused on Nyhavn, the Little Mermaid and one museum loses money on the card. Add Kronborg, Frederiksborg or Louisiana and it almost always pays off.
What's the difference between Copenhagen Card Discover and HOP? expand_more
Discover includes 80+ attractions plus full public transport (metro, S-tog, bus, harbour bus, airport) across zones 1–99. HOP is limited to ~40 city-centre attractions plus a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus only — no metro, no castles, no Louisiana. For almost every traveller, Discover is the correct choice and HOP is a trap.
Does the Copenhagen Card include Tivoli rides? expand_more
No. The card includes Tivoli Gardens entrance (worth DKK 200–350 depending on season) but not the ride tickets or unlimited-ride wristband. If Tivoli rides are central to your trip, factor the extra DKK 249–349 ride pass on top of the card.
Does the Copenhagen Card skip the line? expand_more
No. There is no fast-track at any included site. You scan your barcode at the normal entrance, same queue as everyone else. The card's value is cost, not queue-skip.
Can I buy a Copenhagen Card at the airport? expand_more
You can buy a code anywhere with internet — the card is 100% digital in 2026. There is no physical card and no airport kiosk where you 'pick up' a card. Buy online at copenhagencard.com and load the Woco app before activating in town.
Does the Copenhagen Card cover the airport metro? expand_more
Yes, Discover includes zones 1–99 which covers Copenhagen Airport (CPH is in zone 4). A single metro trip from the airport costs DKK 30+, so activating the card at the airport is reasonable — but only if your sightseeing day has already begun.
Is the City Pass or the Copenhagen Card better? expand_more
City Pass is transport-only (DKK 180 for 48h zones 1–4). Copenhagen Card Discover bundles the same transit plus 80+ attractions for DKK 859. If you plan 3 or more paid attractions in those 48h, the Copenhagen Card is better; if you plan 0–2, take the City Pass and buy tickets à la carte.
Are Copenhagen museums free for children? expand_more
Under-18s enter most state museums free every day — SMK, National Museum, Hirschsprung and others. That changes the Copenhagen Card math for families: kids rarely 'add value' to the pass except at Tivoli, Experimentarium, Kronborg and Copenhagen Zoo.
When is Copenhagen free museum week (K7)? expand_more
K7 runs in week 37 each year — around 8–14 September in 2026. Registration is free at k7k7.dk for anyone aged 18–27 and gives free entry to 200+ Danish cultural venues, most of them in Copenhagen. If your trip lands in week 37 and you are in the age range, skip the Copenhagen Card entirely.
Can I re-enter an attraction with my Copenhagen Card? expand_more
No. Each included attraction allows one visit per card. Plan your visit fully before you scan in — if you step out for lunch you cannot come back in on the same barcode.

Sources

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