The Greater Copenhagen Light Rail project is well underway. It will transform Denmark’s main city and the surrounding areas into an easy to use, reasonably priced convenient public transport system that is ‘eco-friendly’ and importantly, also ready for the urban growth that is expected in the very near future.
Transportation has been carefully planned in the Danish capitol and surrounding areas and is serviced with a radial shaped network of ‘S’ train stations which connect the suburbs with Copenhagen city center. This is in addition to a central Metro system enabling Copenhagen locals, workers and visitors to travel conveniently around the capitol without the need for parking.
“In 2025 the Greater Copenhagen Light Rail will run every five minutes in each direction during daytime hours, and every ten minutes in the evenings and at weekends.” states Ringby-Letbanesamarbejdet (Ring City-Light Rail Cooperation) who are the company commissioned to oversee the construction project which is commissioned through a partnership between the central Danish government and eleven councils in the Copenhagen region. (2)
The Greater Copenhagen Light Rail is “expected to have 13-14 million passengers per annum.” (2) Once completed in 2025 the Greater Copenhagen Light Rail will have 29 stations that connect with six of the existing ‘S’ stations to expand the transport system. This design will offer a more convenient alternative to the bus routes that are currently connecting to the existing stations on the ‘radial line from the city center’ train system.
The Light Rail runs alongside the R3 motorway which will be very convenient when it is completed. In the meantime, there is a lot of traffic and many ‘road works’ along the sections where the construction teams are working hard with their heavy machinery and construction materials.
Investing in the infrastructure in the capitol city area, where the most Danes live and work is an ongoing goal for the Danish government. In 2019 a ‘CityRing’ Metro project was completed to expand the existing Copenhagen metro public transport system. Adding 15.5 km to the network, this construction project brought the total distance of the metro system to 43 km and now features more that 40 stations. “The Metro Circle Line route takes 24 minutes.” explains online magazine Railway Technology (1)
Creating more environmentally friendly ways for Danish citizens and international visitors to travel for work and leisure around Copenhagen is a priority for leaders in Denmark. Making it easier to live in the Copenhagen area is good for both productivity and also the residents work life balance. Another plus is that the improvements to the infrastructure network increases opportunities for people of all ages, to access the excellent education, health and leisure facilities in the vicinity of Copenhagen
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(1) ‘Cityringen Metro, Copenhagen, Denmark’ Railway Technology, 11 April 2023 Cityringen Metro, Copenhagen, Denmark Railway Technology
(2) Hovedstadens Letbane, Danish Construction Company website, 11 April 2023 Hovedstadens Letbane, Danish Construction Company
(3) Ring 3 Light Rail Copenhagen, Railway Technology website, 11 April 2023 Ring 3 Light Rail Copenhagen, Railway Technology
(4) Greater Copenhagen Light Rail, Wikepedia website, 11 April 2023 Greater Copenhagen Light Rail, Wikepedia