Denmark Station Spotting

Located in the heart of the city, Copenhagen Central (Københavns Hovedbanegård) first opened in 1847. The present station building was constructed in 1911 at today’s site to accommodate network expansion. It has seven platforms and thirteen tracks. Operations are broadly divided into the S-train suburban network, medium- and long-distance services across Denmark, and international services to Sweden and Germany. The Metro also connects here. There are no ticket barriers; passengers can freely enter and exit the platforms. Main access is via the grand, basilica-like frontage and via the footbridge at the platform ends. Inside the concourse you’ll find numerous eateries and shops, including 7-Eleven and McDonald’s.

The S-train is an urban–suburban electric network with seven lines totaling roughly 170 km, running at 5–20 minute intervals. Track gauge is standard (1,435 mm), electrified at DC 1,650 V via overhead lines. The first line opened in 1934, and the network expanded over time. The current fleet—introduced from 1996—comprises Siemens and Bombardier (ex-ABB Scandia) SA/SE stock (fifth generation). A note on graffiti: in Denmark, trains with graffiti are sometimes kept in service if safety is unaffected, often carrying notices along the lines of “Graffiti acknowledged—to be restored as soon as possible.”

At Copenhagen Central you can spot diesel-hauled coaches, EMUs, and DMUs. The diesel locomotives are DSB’s ME class introduced between 1981 and 1985—37 units jointly produced by BBC (Switzerland), Thyssen Henschel (Germany), NOHAB (Sweden), and Scandia (Denmark). They are diesel-electric locomotives powered by a GM-EMD 16-645E3B engine, used for both passenger and freight services. Due to emissions and aging, domestic operation ended in 2021 and they have been replaced by the EB class (Siemens Vectron) electrics. Some withdrawn units have been sold overseas and are being reused in countries such as Poland and Hungary.

Overnight sleeper services once ran to Copenhagen via Basel–Frankfurt–Hamburg, Amsterdam–Düsseldorf, and Prague–Dresden–Berlin–Hamburg. The rolling stock included coaches owned by Deutsche Bahn (DB) and by České dráhy (ČD, blue bodies with yellow doors), including sleepers and couchettes. A “couchette” is a simple night berth: by day it is a seat, and at night the backrest and auxiliary panels fold out to form beds. These night trains were discontinued in 2014. In the years since, new night-train routes such as ÖBB Nightjet have been planned and gradually expanded, with details subject to annual timetables and demand.

These double-deck coaches were built by Bombardier Transportation in 2002 (the business was transferred to Alstom from 2021). Initially they were hauled by diesel locomotives; today they are hauled by electrics and are used primarily for regional services on Zealand (Sjælland). The corporate emblem has been updated from the winged wheel to the red hexagon with “DSB,” introduced in 2014.

SJ’s X2000 (class X2, also known as SJ2000) is a natural-tilting limited-express EMU family with traction and electrics by ASEA/ABB (following the ASEA–BBC merger) and trailer cars by Kalmar Verkstad. Built 1989–1998, the sets are push-pull formations with a power car, intermediate coaches, and a driving trailer. Commercial top speed is around 200–210 km/h. Through services once operated between Sweden and Copenhagen; as of 2025, due to a major refurbishment program and a limited number of serviceable sets, services are reduced and through operations into Denmark are limited.

The tilting diesel multiple unit ICE-TD (class 605) once worked the Hamburg–Copenhagen route. Although owned by DB, the trains arrived and departed under DSB infrastructure and signage in Denmark, hence the presence of both DB and DSB logos on the body sides. Commercial service ended in 2017 and the type was retired, later replaced by newer stock.

DSB’s IR4 (class ER) is a 4-car fixed-formation AC EMU (25 kV 50 Hz), built 1993–1997 by ABB Scandia (Randers), with a top speed of 180 km/h. The rounded cab end inherits the IC3 family’s design—its “rubber nose” opens on coupling to form a gangway. Fast and smooth, the IR4 has long been a mainstay of intercity services radiating from Copenhagen. With the incoming Alstom IC5 fleet, phased replacement is expected in the coming years. (Photo: Østerport station)

The same traintype is designated ET in Denmark and X31K in Sweden. Introduced in conjunction with the 2000 opening of the Øresund Fixed Link, these 3-car sets support both 25 kV 50 Hz (Denmark) and 15 kV 16.7 Hz (Sweden). They principally work Øresundståg/Øresundstog services linking Copenhagen Airport with Malmö–Lund–Helsingborg, etc. Like the IC3/IR4 family they feature a “rubber nose” front that opens to create a gangway when coupled, allowing easy strengthening. Maximum speed is 180 km/h, offering a good balance of performance and comfort for cross-border regional and intercity duties. (Right photo: Copenhagen Airport station)

DSB’s IC3 (class MF) is a 3-car fixed-formation limited-express DMU built 1989–1998 by ABB Scandia, with a top speed of 180 km/h. The rounded nose opens on coupling to form a gangway, earning the nickname “rubber nose” (Gumminæsen). With lightweight aluminium bodies and quiet running, the type has been central to Denmark’s intercity network. Looking ahead, Alstom’s IC5 (Coradia Stream) EMUs are slated to replace IC3s in stages by around the 2030s. (Photo: Østerport station)

The Copenhagen Metro M1/M2 stock—built by AnsaldoBreda (now Hitachi Rail)—is a 3-car, 750 V DC third-rail, fully automatic, unattended train operation fleet controlled by modern CBTC moving-block signalling. Lines M1 and M2 opened in 2002; as of 2025 the network comprises four lines (M1–M4), with total length ~43 km and 44 stations. (Photo: M2 line between Øresund and Amager Strand)

Malmö, Sweden, lies just across the Øresund from Denmark, linked by the combined rail-road fixed link; at about 25 minutes away, it makes for an easy hop. Malmö Central is a large station with four underground and six surface tracks. The train shown is class X61 (Alstom Coradia Nordic), a 4-car AC EMU (15 kV 16.7 Hz) for the Skåne regional network “Pågatågen,” top speed 160 km/h. Introduced from 2009, they work Malmö–Lund–Helsingborg and other regional routes within Skåne. Due to differing electrification, they do not run into Denmark. (Photo: Malmö Central)