Countries

Cities

Recently added...

Copenhagen

In this section you will find some useful information about the city, as well as many tips and hints connected with living here.

General information:

Location: on the eastern shore of the island of Zealand and partly on the island of Amager.

Population: around 500,000

Municipalities (kommuner): 29 altogether:

• Copenhagen Municipality
• Albertslun
• Alleroed
• Ballerup
• Bornholm
• Broendby
• Dragoer
• Egedal
• Fredensborg
• Frederiksberg
• Frederikssund
• Furesoe
• Gentofte
• Gladsaxe
• Glostrup
• Gribskov
• Halsnaes
• Helsingoer
• Herlev
• Hilleroed
• Hvidovre
• Hoeje-Taastrup
• Hoersholm
• Ishoej
• Lyngby-Taarbaek
• Rudersdal
• Roedovre
• Taarnby
• Vallensbaek

First things to do

After arriving in the city, there are a few things you have to do connected with the legal regulations concerning foreigners. Here is a short "to do list":

• OBTAINING A RESIDENCE PERMIT: Foreign students (except for Nordic citizens and students who had to obtain a VISA beforehand) have to get a residence permission if they are going to stay in Denmark for more than 3 months. To get the residence permission you have to visit:
  
  Statsforvaltningen Hovedstaden
  Borups Alle 177
  2400 Koebenhavn NV
  
  Fax: +45 38 33 20 12
  Website: www.nyidanmark.dk
  
  Opening hours:
  Mon-Wed: 9.00 - 15.00
  Thu: 9.00 - 18.00
  Fri: 9.00 - 14.00
  
  When you enter the room (ground floor, on the right from the entrance), take a ticket with your number in the queue. Then take a form and fill it. You have to bring:
  
  
  • Passport or ID
  • Two passport photos
  • A letter of admission from your university in Denmark
  • A document confirming that you are a Socrates/Erasmus student (ask for it in the office at your Danish university)
  • The tenancy agreement confirming where you are staying in Denmark - can be with the university if you live in a dormitory or with a private person if you rent a room or a flat.
  
  
  The time of waiting for a letter with your residence permission can be even up to 6 weeks, so don't get impatient!
  
  
• OBTAINING A CPR NUMBER: After you have received the residence permission, you should apply for a CPR number (something similar to Polish PESEL). In order to do that, visit the National Registration Office in a Raadhus of your municipality (kommune). Usually if you google for the minicipality name, you'll find its official website and there the needed address. For example for Herlev it is:
  
  Herlev Bygade 90
  2730 Herlev
  Website: www.herlev.dk
  
  Opening hours of the Offices are usually:
  Mon-Wed: 9.30 - 14.30
  Thu: 9.30 - 17.30
  Fri: 9.30 - 14.30
  
  You will get two letters - first one with details concerning a bank account (it's only needed if you work and a certain percent of money from your earnings is transfered there as for a future pension), second one with your yellow card (your CPR number is on it). The waiting time is usually a few days.
  
  While applying for tyhe yellow card, you will have to choose a doctor from a list(or ask the person in the Office to choose one for you). You can visit this doctor for free after receiving the card. In emercency situations you are entitled to free medical help in hospitals (you should have a health insurance card from Polish NFZ).

Public transport

If you don't have a bike yet, the easiest (but quite expensive) way to move around is by public transport, which includes buses, Metro, S-Tog (trains) and regional trains.

The Copenhagen area (all municipalities) is divided into a number of zones :

The picture above presents the zone system with zone #8 as the reference point. You can download a .pdf file presenting the system using all other zones are reference points from here: Zone System Copenhagen .

The prices depending on the number of zones and type of ticket are presented in the table below (and are valid from 11th January 2009):

To enter a bus, always use the first door (unless you're carying a big luggage that makes it impossible to use that small door) and show your ticket/klipkort/monthly ticket to the driver. You can also buy normal tickets from the driver and if you're using a klippekort, remember to "klip" it while entering the bus (unless you're switching buses and you've "klipped" it before in another bus - then you just show it to the driver). Note that if you're travelling my train (S-tog) or Metro, you "klip" the klippekort on the stop, before entering the train/metro!

Remember to have a valid ticket for an appropriate number of zones! If you get caught without it, you'll pay a fine of 500-600 DKK. No negotiations allowed. However, if often if you calculated the number of zones wrong and you're missing ONE zone, you will not be fined.

Bikes

Copenhagen is simply full of bicycles. It is estimated that each day around 1 million km are bicycled in the city. People use bikes to travel to schools, universities, to work or simply cycle for the pleasure of it.?

The bicycle paths in Copenhagen are extensive, wide, safe and often separated from the main traffic lanes. Sometimes they even have their own light signal systems. What is more, a system of interconnected green bicycle routes is being developed. The whole network is meant to cover around 100 km and consist of 22 different routes.

And now the most important question: WHERE DO I GET A BIKE?
Here we give some possible solutions:

• Copenhagen offers 'public' bicycles which can be found in the downtown area and used for a day after paying deposit of 20 DKK (is is returned on return of the bike).


• You can also rent a bike for a longer period of time or buy a new one in the following shops:
  
  La Bicyclette
  Nansensgade 88
  1366 Copenhagen K.
  Phone: +45 33 32 01 76
  
  Koebenhavns Cykleboers
  Gothersgade 157, kld.
  1123 Koebenhavn K
  Phone: +45 33 11 09 09
  
  Oesterport Cykler
  Oslo Plads 9
  2100 Koebenhavn Oe.
  Phone: +45 33 33 85 13
  
  Koebenhavns Cykler ApS
  Reventlowsgade 11
  1651 Koebenhavn V.
  Phone: +45 33 33 86 13
  
  Loke Cykler
  H.C. Oersted Vej 45
  1879 Frederiksberg C.
  Phone: +45 35 37 15 60
  
  Loke Cykler
  Griffenfeldsgade 43
  2200 Koebenhavn N.
  Phone: +45 35 37 15 89
  
  As we said, it is always possible to rent a bike, but it often costs between 500 and 1000 DKK a month, which makes this option quite expensive for a longer period of time like a whole semester.


• It is often possible to buy used bikes from older foreign students, who are going back to their countries and leaving their bikes in Copenhagen. Try asking them.


• You can also bring your own bike or buy a new one, but you have to take into account that bikes in Denmark are quite expensive.


• Some small repair shops sometimes sell used bikes, yet it may be quite difficult to find them. You should ask older students about these. Even if you already have a bike, it is worth knowing where you can have it repaired in case something breaks down.


• Police bike auctions are also a great solution. From time to time the police gather unused bikes left in the streets and sell them on auctions. Usually they are held every second week in Vanloese:
  
  Slotsherrensvej 113
  2720 Vanloese
  
  You can call and ask when the next auction will be at: +45 38 74 88 22. Normally it is possible to see and inspect the bikes from 8.00 and the auctions begin at 9.00.
  
  You should note that most often there are crowds of people there and the auctions are held in Danish. If you are lucky, you may talk to the organisers before the auction begins and they may agree to repeat everything they say in English for the foreigners. You shouldn't expect to get a very cheap bike there, but it will definitely be cheaper than a new one.


• There is a shop which specialises in selling used bikes at:
  
  H.C. Oerstedsvej 59
  2000 Frederiksberg
  Phone: +45 35 36 47 66
  
  
• Den Blaa Avis is also a highly recommended option. It's an internet paper with lots of low-priced, used goods including bikes. It is published once a week and has a website: DBA.

After you have become a happy owner of a bike, you should become familiar with all the legal regulations concerning its use.

Here are the most important things you should know:

• SIGNALLING: Remember to show your intentions to turn or stop in the traffic. Intention to turn is signalled by extending your arm horizontally. Stopping is signalled by rising your arm vertically.


• TRUCKS: Be careful when cycling near a truck. Always cycle behind it, never side by side. While turning, the driver may not see you is you just next to the car!


• LIGTHTS: Bike lights have to be used between sunset and sunrise and also in bad weather. According to the legal regulations, lights have to be clearly visible (also from the sides) from a distance of 300m.
  Rear lights ought to be red (they may blink if faster than 120 times per minute).
  Front lights should be white or yellow - white lights should blink at leat 120 times per minute, yellow lights should not blink at all.


• ALCOHOL: Cycling under the influence of alcohol is of course forbidden and the penalty is a fine of 500 DKK.


• POLICE FINES: Be aware that every violation of the traffic rules costs 500 DKK! This includes for example cycling through crossroads on red light.

Useful links

VisitCopenhagen.com - a very nice website concerning mostly all the interesting places/festivals/markets/events that are worth visiting while in Copenhagen.

Rejseplannen - a website that will help you find out how to travel from one place to another. Truly cannot be underestimated! Considers buses, S-Tog (trains), regional trains and travelling on foot. Shows a few options for a chosen route, travel time estimates, number of zones for normal tickets and monthly tickets as well as maps. Greately recommended!

Google Maps - a well known website, especially recommended for finding how to cycle or walk from one place to another. Satellite maps are of a much better quality than these of Poland.

Univeristies

Recently added...