CopenhagenCruise Port Guide
Three terminals, one day, and a harbor city made for walking and biking. Know which quay you get, what fits before all-aboard, and what you can reach on foot.
Welcome to Copenhagen
Pro Picks
Bike tour · 3 hrsGuided Bike Tour of Copenhagen's Highlights
A local guide leads a group by bike through the city's highlights, with time to stop and look. It is a 3-hour tour that starts at the operator's office in the center, so count the trip from your quay and check the start times against your all-aboard.
From $59.77/ person
Book Now →
Day trip to Sweden · 9 hrsDay Trip to Lund and Malmö, Sweden
A guided bus day takes you across the Øresund to two Swedish cities, with Kronborg Castle on the Danish side. It runs 9 hours from Central Station and you need your passport, so only book it on a call that runs well into the evening.
From $138.46/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Copenhagen in 2 hours
Canal cruise
Classic Canal Cruise Through the Old Harbor
A one-hour boat tour of the canals and harbor with a live guide or audio commentary, past the Old Stock Exchange and Amalienborg. It leaves from Ved Stranden in the old center, so allow time to get there from your quay.
Time required1 hour
Segway tour
Guided Segway Tour of the City Highlights
A guide leads a group by Segway past the main sights, with commentary and an audio guide, for two hours. It starts at Nikolaj Plads by Gammel Strand metro, and riders must be 10 or older and weigh between 99 and 250 pounds.
From$78.36
Time required2 hours
Copenhagen in 4 hours
Bike tour
Bike Tour of the Highlights and Christiania
A small group of up to eight rides through the center's main sights and into Freetown Christiania. It is run in English and lasts 2.5 hours, and the listing shows no meeting point, so check where it starts before you book.
From$52.09
Time required2.5 hours
Architecture bike tour
Architecture Bike Tour with an Expert Guide
An architecture-minded guide leads a three-hour ride through the city's architecture, at a relaxed pace for people comfortable on a bike. The listing shows no meeting point and doesn't allow luggage or large bags, so leave your gear on the ship.
From$66.74
Time required3 hours
Copenhagen in 7 hours
Day trip to Sweden
Lund and Malmö Day Trip by Bus
A guided coach day crosses the Øresund to Lund and Malmö in Sweden, with Kronborg Castle among the stops. It runs 9 hours from Central Station, not the quays, and you must bring your passport, so it only fits the longest calls.
From$138.46
Time required9 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
Six stops on foot from the Langelinie quay, in the order you'd walk them, from the Little Mermaid to Nyhavn. Ships at Nordre Toldbod are a few minutes closer to Amalienborg, and Ocean Quay is a bus or taxi ride from all of this. There is no beach in walking range.
Landmark · 0.2 mi · ~6 min
The Little Mermaid
The small bronze statue on a rock at the water's edge on the Langelinie promenade, the first stop on the walk out of the quay. It is smaller than most people expect, so you can see it and be moving again in minutes.
Park · 0.4 mi · ~10 min
Kastellet
A star-shaped fortress with grassy ramparts and a windmill, now a public park and still an active military area. A changing of the guard is held here daily at noon.
Landmark · 0.5 mi · ~11 min
Gefion Fountain
A large harbor-front fountain of the goddess Gefjon driving a team of four oxen, right beside Kastellet. A good photo stop on the way into town.
Museum · 0.7 mi · ~16 min
Designmuseum Danmark
A museum of Danish and international design and crafts on Bredgade, in a former hospital building. A good rainy-day stop if you'd rather go inside than keep walking.
Landmark · 0.9 mi · ~19 min
Amalienborg Palace
The royal residence: four matching palaces around an octagonal square, with a statue of Frederik V in the middle. The guard changes here at noon, marching in from Rosenborg Castle at 11:30.
Waterfront · 1.2 mi · ~25 min
Nyhavn
The 17th-century canal harbor lined with brightly colored townhouses, with bars, cafes and restaurants facing the water. The natural place to stop for a drink or a meal before you head back.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Copenhagen.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
- Visit Copenhagen — getting to and from the cruise terminals
- Copenhagen Malmö Port — Oceankaj anniversary news
- Princess Cruises — Copenhagen cruise port
- Visit Copenhagen — basic need-to-know information
- Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration — visa-free visits
- US State Department — Kingdom of Denmark travel advisory
- HOFOR — free drinking water in Copenhagen
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Copenhagen?
Ships use one of three terminals in Copenhagen: Ocean Quay (Oceankaj) in the Nordhavn district, Langelinie, or Nordre Toldbod, according to Visit Copenhagen. Most large ships and turnaround cruises usually use Ocean Quay, about 5 miles from the center. Langelinie and Nordre Toldbod sit on the harbor near the Little Mermaid and take smaller and mid-size ships. Check your cruise app or daily program for your quay.
Which terminal does Royal Caribbean, Norwegian or Princess use in Copenhagen?
Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC ships usually dock at Ocean Quay, and Princess says its ships typically do too. Princess, Celebrity and Holland America also split their calls between Ocean Quay and Langelinie, while small luxury and expedition ships use Nordre Toldbod. Quays can change by sailing, so confirm yours in your cruise documents or app. See what's within a stroll of Langelinie.
Can I walk into Copenhagen from the cruise terminal?
Yes from Langelinie and Nordre Toldbod, no from Ocean Quay. From Langelinie, Nyhavn is about 1.2 miles along a flat waterfront walk of roughly 25 to 30 minutes, past the Little Mermaid and Amalienborg. From Nordre Toldbod it is about 0.8 miles, around 15 to 20 minutes. Ocean Quay is about 5 miles out, so you need a bus, taxi or shuttle. See the stroll map.
Can you walk to a beach from the Copenhagen cruise port?
No, there is no swimming beach within walking distance of any of Copenhagen's three cruise quays. The nearest beach we measured, Amager Strandpark, is about 3 miles from Langelinie and about 4 miles from Ocean Quay, so it needs a taxi or public transport.
Is there anything to do at the Copenhagen cruise port?
Yes at Langelinie and Nordre Toldbod, where the Little Mermaid is about a 5-minute walk and Kastellet, a star-shaped fortress that is now a public park, is a short stroll further. A hop-on hop-off bus stops at Langelinie, and Visit Copenhagen lists a 72-hour ticket at 199 DKK. Ocean Quay has three terminal buildings and a 12-meter public observation tower on site, so plan to head into the city. See the stroll map.
Can I see the Little Mermaid if my ship docks at Ocean Quay?
Yes, but not on foot: the Little Mermaid stands on the Langelinie promenade, about 5 miles from Ocean Quay by road. Visit Copenhagen lists bus 25 or 164 to Orientkaj metro and the M4 to Kongens Nytorv in about 20 minutes, and a taxi to the center is about 25 minutes. From Langelinie the statue is roughly a 5-minute walk.
Getting around
How do I get from the Copenhagen cruise terminal to the city centre?
From Ocean Quay, bus 25 (or 164) runs from the Oceankaj stop to Orientkaj metro, then the M4 reaches Kongens Nytorv in about 20 minutes on a 24 DKK two-zone ticket, according to Visit Copenhagen. From Langelinie, bus 27 to Østerport and the metro take about 15 minutes. Some cruise lines also run paid shuttles from Ocean Quay, so check your onboard information.
How much is a taxi from the Copenhagen cruise port to the city?
From Ocean Quay a taxi to the city centre is about 175 DKK on weekdays in the daytime and about 215 DKK otherwise, roughly 25 minutes, according to Visit Copenhagen. From Langelinie to Kongens Nytorv it is about 96 DKK in the daytime and 120 DKK otherwise, roughly 10 minutes, and from Nordre Toldbod to Nørreport about the same. Fares are Visit Copenhagen's estimates.
How far is Copenhagen Airport from the cruise port?
Copenhagen Airport is about 30 to 40 minutes from each cruise quay, according to Visit Copenhagen. From Ocean Quay it takes about 40 minutes by bus and metro (30 DKK) or by taxi at about 425 DKK on weekdays in the daytime; from Langelinie about 35 minutes by public transport or 30 by taxi at about 270 DKK; and from Nordre Toldbod about 35 minutes by walk and metro or 30 by taxi at about 232 DKK.
Time ashore
How much time do I need ashore in Copenhagen?
From Langelinie or Nordre Toldbod a short call is enough to walk the waterfront: the Little Mermaid is about a 5-minute walk, and Nyhavn is 15 to 30 minutes on foot depending on your quay. From Ocean Quay, count about 20 minutes each way to Kongens Nytorv on the bus and metro, so you lose roughly 40 minutes before you see anything. See the 2-hour plans.
Money, documents & safety
Do I need cash in Copenhagen, and do they take US dollars?
Use a card: Visit Copenhagen says major credit cards are widely accepted at hotels, stores, cafes and restaurants, though some places add a fee for foreign cards, and ATMs outside most banks work around the clock. Denmark uses kroner, and while many places take euros and some take US dollars, the rate is not in your favor. Tipping is appreciated but not expected, and 10 percent is enough.
Do I need a passport for Copenhagen on a cruise?
Bring your passport. Denmark's immigration agency says US citizens can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area, with a passport valid for three months past the planned departure and issued within the past 10 years. Your cruise line may set its own document rules, so confirm them before you sail.
Is Copenhagen safe for cruise passengers?
The US State Department rates the Kingdom of Denmark Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, because of terrorism, which it describes as a general risk in tourist spots, transport hubs and public areas. The emergency number in Copenhagen is 112, and Visit Copenhagen says Danes in general speak English extremely well.
Is the tap water safe to drink in Copenhagen?
Yes, Copenhagen's tap water is safe to drink. The utility HOFOR says it goes through strict daily quality controls and is perfectly safe, and the city has more than 60 free public drinking fountains, though some are open only in summer. You can refill a bottle at a fountain instead of buying water.