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Car hire in Copenhagen - The Best of Denmark

Gateway to Scandinavia, Copenhagen is a relaxed, homely city and one of the key cultural capitals of northern Europe. Blessed with an idyllic seaside location, its eclectic mix of hip galleries, opulent royal heritage buildings and world-class museums has gained it a glowing reputation in recent years. Lavish palaces stand side-by-side with the most modern architectural expressions in a royal city further enhanced by many well-preserved churches and castles. Copenhagen is also a place of canals, many of which were constructed in the Dutch style in the early-17th century, so a tour of the city's harbour and waterways is an excellent way to get your bearings and take in Copenhagen's panoramic delights.

Home to one of the oldest monarchies in the world, and with a history stretching all the way back to the Vikings, Copenhagen is a historic city where cobblestone streets, palaces and royal artefacts provide the perfect backdrop. The city is divided into a set of different but very charming areas, each with its own unique characteristics, from urban chic Refshaleøen to upmarket Frederiksberg. Take a walk through the atmospheric Latin Quarter, one of the oldest parts of Copenhagen, before experiencing the stylish Nyhavn (New Harbour) area for a slice of the city's world-famous café culture in a prime waterside location.

Copenhagen is a harbour city spread across two main islands - Zealand and Amager - and several islets. The city faces a strait of water between Denmark and Sweden that connects the North Sea with the Baltic Sea. The Danish capital can be entered from the Swedish city of Malmo by a bridge stretching over 25,000 feet across the water, offering some spectacular views along the way. As one of the industry's major players, Auto Europe can book you a car hire in Copenhagen with any of the top suppliers in the city. Our unique working relationship with these providers allows us to offer the greatest number of pick-up and drop-off locations in the city, including Copenhagen Airport. With Auto Europe you can find a small, economical car for an extended city sightseeing programme or a larger, more powerful SUV to take the family to Legoland in total comfort. Use our state-of-the-art booking engine to get your free quote now, and if you require any more help with your booking and/or travel plans, please give our rental specialists a call on +44 123 3225 114.

How's the traffic in Copenhagen?

Copenhagen has an impressive network of toll-free motorways and main roads connecting all the different parts of the city, as well as neighbouring Sweden. As is the case in most European capitals, traffic is on the increase and the local authorities are constantly seeking ways to contain it. The main central thoroughfares can get very congested during the morning and evening rush-hours, although Copenhagen's public transport system is one of the best in the world and is coping well with the growth in demand. The surrounding areas of Copenhagen thrive on the city's well-established infrastructure, which is why the city has evolved into a major hub in Northern Europe thanks to its excellent road system and ultra-modern international airport. But be wary of bikes; Copenhagen is one of the world's most bicycle-friendly cities and half the population commutes to work, school or university by bike. They're everywhere and it's up to the motorist to look out for them!

Where can I park my car hire in Copenhagen?

Copenhagen attracts more than a million visitors with their own cars every year, so it's important to plan your trip well in advance to avoid any problems during your stay in this wonderful city. Although it’s quite easy to get around Copenhagen by car, there’s always a great demand for parking spaces, especially in the busy downtown areas. Public parking is widely available right across Copenhagen and naturally you'll have to pay to park there and sometimes comply with time restrictions imposed in some parts of the city. Downtown Copenhagen is divided into zones and time-restricted areas, and the further you park away from the city centre then the cheaper it will be. The good news is that parking is free over the weekend from 5pm Saturday until 8am Monday, as well as on public holidays. Outside pay zones there's no tariff but be aware that there may be time restrictions, so always check the streets signs before leaving the vehicle. In short, you should always follow the rules and time restrictions whenever you park your car rental in Copenhagen or risk paying a hefty fine.

Copenhagen Airport

With over 30 million passenger movements each year, Copenhagen Airport is one of the largest and busiest air transportation hubs in northern Europe. It is also one of the oldest, having first opened way back on the 20th of April 1925. It is located on the island of Amager just 5 miles south of Copenhagen and 15 miles west of Malmö via the famous Øresund Bridge. The airport currently has two terminals for check-in - Terminals 2 and 3 - which handle all flights and share a common air-side passenger concourse and arrivals area. Copenhagen Airport is served by a large number of airlines from all over the world, including Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, easyJet, Emirates, Lufthansa, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Qatar Airways, Ryanair, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Thai Airways, Vueling and Wizz Air.

Copenhagen Airport (CPH)
Website: https://www.cph.dk/en
Telephone: +45 3231 3231
Address: Lufthavnsboulevarden 6, 2770 Kastrup, Denmark CVR 14 70 72 04

What to do in Copenhagen

A place where history and modernism exist in total harmony, Copenhagen is a joy to visit with countless top attractions to see both inside the city centre and around its perimeter. When you rent a car in Copenhagen you'll have the whole of the city at your fingertips, as well as the very best of Denmark well within your grasp.

• Tivoli Gardens: A fairy-tale precinct with dream-like buidings and beautifully-landscaped gardens, Copenhagen's famous Tivoli Gardens provided the inspiration for Walt Disney's famous American theme parks. Dating back to 1843, the park boasts over 20 first-class attractions, including carousels, puppet shows, open-air theatres, halls of mirrors and magnificent roller-coasters.


• Christiansborg Palace: Idyllically located on the little island of Slotsholmen, Christiansborg Palace is the seat of the Danish government and one of the city's top tourist attractions. Large sections of it are still used by the royal family today and a particular favourite among visitors are the ruins of the bishop's castle and medieval fortress originally built in 1167.


• National Museum of Denmark: Very much the home of Danish history and culture, the Nationalmuseet (National Museum) is a star attraction in a city brimming with world-class tourist attractions. The collection includes a 2,000-year-old sun chariot, a fine display of Danish porcelain, some very rare Romanesque church fittings and a special secion depicting life among the eskimos of Greenland, which is an autonomous territory located within the Kingdom of Denmark.


• National Gallery: The National Gallery of Denmark (Statens Museum for Kunst) is another of Copenhagen's must-see cultural venues with an impressive display of Danish and Nordic art spanning more than 150 years. Once the property of the Danish kings, the collection comprises over 260,000 pieces in total, including some masterpieces by Albrecht Dürer, Filippino Lippi, El Greco, Rembrandt and Pieter Bruegel the Elder, among many others.


• Rosenborg Palace:Home to some of Denmark's greatest cultural treasures, this sumptuous palace was built by King Christian IV for recreational purposes. The basement houses the Danish crown jewels along with plenty of priceless royal regalia. Don't miss the Marble Room, Baroque reception room and the impressive Knights' Hall complete with the famous Rosenborg Tapestries and the original Coronation Throne used between 1871 to 1940.

Best day trips with my car rental in Copenhagen

The city's surrounding regions are easy to reach with a car hire in Copenhagen and visitors will find that they are packed with beautiful landscapes, cozy beach towns, historic castles and modern museums offering plenty of opportunities for a memorable day-trip.

Viking Ship Museum

About 30 minutes west of Copenhagen lies the excellent Viking Ship Museum in the vibrant city of Roskilde. Here visitors can learn first-hand how the Vikings built their boats in the shipyard adjacent to the museum. The star exhibit is without doubt the fantastic Viking Ship Hall where five ships can be seen in all their original glory. The popular Climb Aboard section allows you to experience life on-board a Viking ship with costumes available for those who really want to get into character.

Hans Christian Andersen Museum

No visit to Copenhagen is complete without a drive out to the beautiful town of Odense to see the excellent Hans Christian Anderson Museum. Published all over the world, his famous fairytales have been enchanting children since the mid-19th century when he wrote The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen and The Ugly Duckling, among others. The museum portrays the writer's life and work with a fine collection of personal items and artefacts, along with some rare pieces of his own artwork. Also part of the museum is his childhood home located in Munkemøllestræde close by.

Kronborg

North of Copenhagen lies Kronborg Castle which was orginally built in the 1420s. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Northern Europe and was the setting of Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's most famous plays. Located in the south wing, the magnificent Castle Chapel built in 1582 has a lovely Renaissance interior with intricate German wood carvings. The North Wing features the Great Ballroom while the West Wing is home to a fine collection of ancient tapestries.

Legoland

Legoland in Billund (a three-hour drive west of Copenhagen) is one of northern Europe's top family attractions. The roller-coasters are particularly impressive, most notably the Flying Eagle, Dragen and X-treme Racers. The kids will relish the challenge of the ninjas on the Ninjago ride before experiencing Ghost – The Haunted House, a real thriller! Other highlights include the 15-metre-high Tree of Life and the popular Vikings River Splash.

Den Gamle By

Heading north-east from Billund brings you to Den Gamle By, an amazing living history museum located in Aarhus, the second-largest city in Denmark. This fascinating cultural complex comprises Musaeum 1927 which focuses on archaeology and history, the Danish Poster Museum, Jewellery Box, Aarhus Museum, Toy Museum, Watch and Clocks Museum and the Gallery of Decorative Arts. At Den Gamle By you can go back in time and walk down a cobbled street lined with half-timber houses with the occasional passing horse-drawn carriage to imagine what life was like at the time of Hans Christian Andersen

How to get around Copenhagen

You can get around Copenhagen safely and easily using the city's well-connected public transport system. There are several types of transport in the city, including buses, driver-less metro trains in and around the city centre, s-trains (which cover the Greater Copenhagen area), regional trains and ferries. The two big transport hubs are Central Station located at Hovedbanegården/København which connects with S-trains, intercity trains and buses, and Nørreport Station for S-trains, metro, regional trains and buses. Copenhagen Central Station also has frequent regional train services to and from Zealand and southern Sweden. Transfers to and from Copenhagen Airport take about 15 minutes by train to Central Station, plus the metro also links the airport with downtown Copenhagen. Be aware that the airport has different stations for mainline trains (Københavns Lufthavn, Kastrup Station) and for the metro (Lufthavnen Station), which are both located in Terminal 3.

Can I hire a campervan in Copenhagen?

Besides top-quality car hire, Auto Europe also excels in motorhome hire thus offering you the best of both worlds featuring your very own hotel on wheels for your next exciting Scandinavian adventure. Begin your itinerary by picking up a campervan in Copenhagen before exploring the rest of Denmark and all the other travel highlights northern Europe has to offer.

Useful links

Visit Copenhagen Tourist Info

Wonderful Copenhagen Tourist Info