Harbours in Copenhagen: Getting there, harbour information and cruising destinations

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Copenhagen lies on the east coast of the island of Zealand on the Sound, opposite the Swedish coast near Malmö. Visiting yachts berth right in the city centre in Nyhavn and in two marinas north of the inner city. Here you can read how to reach the harbours in Copenhagen for the start of your trip, which harbour is where, where you park and shop, what sailing weather to expect, which destinations lie in the Sound and what skippers need to bear in mind when berthing.

Which harbours are there in Copenhagen?

Visiting yachts in Copenhagen berth mainly in three places: in Nyhavn, the old harbour canal right in the city centre, and around 1.7 kilometres further north in Langelinie Lystbådehavn next to the Little Mermaid and directly behind it in Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn at the edge of the north harbour. Nyhavn lies on the west side of the inner harbour; the two marinas to the north lie close together at the transition from the inner harbour to the open Sound.

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Further municipal visitor berths are available at Ofelia Plads just south and in Amaliehaven just north of the Nyhavn mouth on the inner harbour. There are also several club and private marinas, for instance in Christianshavn and Svanemøllehavnen further north.

Arriving in Copenhagen for trip departure

You can reach Copenhagen by air, train, car or ferry. All three harbours lie on the edge of the city centre and are easily accessible by metro and S-bahn.

From Copenhagen Airport to the harbours

Copenhagen Airport is on the island of Amager, around eight kilometres from the city centre. The quickest way is by metro: Line M2 runs every four to six minutes during the day and evening and takes around a quarter of an hour to Nørreport. For Nyhavn, get off one station earlier at Kongens Nytorv, from where it's only a few steps to the canal.

For Langelinie Lystbådehavn and Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn, change at Kongens Nytorv to metro line M4. It stops at Østerport and Nordhavn stations, both within walking distance of the marinas. Alternatively, a train runs in around 15 minutes from the airport to the main station København H. A taxi costs around 250 to 400 kroner depending on traffic (October 2026). Buy metro and train tickets from machines at the airport or via the Rejsebillet app.

By train, car or ferry

Long-distance trains arrive at København H main station. Direct trains from Hamburg take around 4 hours 40 minutes to Copenhagen; from Stockholm the journey takes around five and a half hours. From the main station, continue on metro line M3 or M4 towards Kongens Nytorv and Østerport. By car you can reach Copenhagen from Sweden via the Øresund Bridge, from the south via Zealand. A ferry runs from Oslo to Copenhagen.

Which harbour is mine?

Nyhavn is the colourful harbour canal with restaurants and excursion boats directly behind Kongens Nytorv square. The two marinas, however, are in the north of the city centre, northeast of Kastellet fortress. Langelinie Lystbådehavn is the smaller harbour on the promenade by the Little Mermaid, address Langelinie 11. Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn adjoins it to the north. So tell the taxi driver "Nyhavn", "Langelinie Lystbådehavn" or "Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn".

Parking at the harbours in Copenhagen

Copenhagen city centre is divided into charged parking zones. The further you park from the centre, the cheaper it becomes. You pay by card at parking meters, where you enter your registration number, or via a parking app. Outside the charged zone, parking is free but often time-limited. For a week or longer there are period tickets you can buy online, valid for at least five working days.

For Nyhavn, the nearest car park is on Strandgade in Christianshavn on the other side of the inner harbour, around 500 metres as the crow flies, on foot via Inderhavnsbroen. At Langelinie Lystbådehavn and Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn you can park at Indiakaj, around 200 metres from the harbour.

Showers and sanitary facilities

Langelinie Lystbådehavn has showers and toilets for guests, included in the mooring fee and closed over winter from 1 November. At Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn, showers and toilets are in the service barge at pontoon F; buy the access code from the machine. For the visitor berths at Nyhavn, Ofelia Plads and Amaliehaven, there are showers and toilets in stairwell C at Ofelia Plads; you'll find the code on the receipt.

Shopping for the trip

From Nyhavn you can reach the food department at Magasin department store on Kongens Nytorv in around 500 metres. Supermarkets — Netto on Holmen (Danneskiold-Samsøes Allé) and 365discount in Borgergade — are each around 700 metres away.

From Langelinie Lystbådehavn and Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn, the largest shop nearby is the Føtex on Esplanaden, around 850 metres from Langelinie. Further supermarkets — SuperBrugsen and Netto — can be found on Nordre Frihavnsgade, around 1.1 to 1.3 kilometres from the two marinas.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

For acute complaints that are not an emergency, call the medical emergency number 1813 in the Copenhagen region. Doctors and nursing staff will advise you there and direct you to the A&E or emergency clinic with the shortest waiting time. If you go without calling, you'll still be treated, but usually wait longer. The nearest hospital is Rigshospitalet, around 2 to 2.5 kilometres from the harbours.

The nearest pharmacy to Nyhavn is Kongelig Hof-apotek on Landgreven, around 500 metres away. For the two marinas in the north, Strandboulevarden Apotek Østerbro is on Nordre Frihavnsgade, around 900 metres from Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn and 1.3 kilometres from Langelinie Lystbådehavn.

• 112: Emergency number for ambulance, fire brigade and police
• 1813: Medical emergency number for the Copenhagen region; from a foreign SIM card +45 1813
• At sea: VHF channel 16 or DSC on channel 70. Emergency calls go to the JRCC Danmark rescue coordination centre; by phone you can reach them on +45 72 85 03 80.

Comparing the harbours in Copenhagen

Nyhavn is in the heart of the old town; the two marinas to the north are quieter.

Feature	Nyhavn	Langelinie Lystbådehavn	Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn
Location	Harbour canal at Kongens Nytorv	Langelinie promenade, by the Little Mermaid	North of Langelinie, edge of the North Harbour
Operator	Hafengesellschaft By & Havn	Hafenverein Langelinie	Hafengesellschaft By & Havn
Visitor berths	quayside, no reservation	free berths marked with a green sign, boats up to 16.2 metres	free berths marked with a green sign
Electricity and water	quayside	electricity included in the berthing fee	electricity via the machine
showers/WC	staircase C at Ofelia Plads, code on the receipt	included in the berthing fee, closed from 1 November	service barge at pontoon F, code at the machine
Parking	Strandgade (Christianshavn), about 500 metres as the crow flies	Indiakaj, about 200 metres	Indiakaj, about 200 metres
Nearest station	Kongens Nytorv	Østerport	Nordhavn

Where is Nyhavn?

Nyhavn is a short harbour canal running east from Kongens Nytorv square into the inner harbour. It was dug between 1671 and 1673; both banks are lined with colourful, listed buildings, the oldest dating from 1681. Today restaurants and cafés stand shoulder to shoulder here, and several excursion boats depart from Nyhavn for tours through the harbour and canals.

For visiting yachts, this means you are moored right in the thick of it and in the middle of the traffic. In the inner harbour you can expect excursion boats, hire boats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboarders, whilst at the same time visitor berths are scarce.

Facilities at Nyhavn

Electricity and water are available directly at the quay. You pay the berthing fee after arrival at the machine. Place the orange slip clearly visible in the boat so that the harbour staff can read the date and boat size from the quay; keep the white slip for inspections. In Amaliehaven, just north of the Nyhavn entrance, there are an additional five quay berths with 32-ampere electricity for larger yachts.

Where is Langelinie Lystbådehavn?

Langelinie Lystbådehavn lies on the Langelinie promenade in the north of the city centre, right next to the Little Mermaid and northeast of Kastellet fortress. To reach the centre, walk about two kilometres along the promenade heading south. The harbour is sheltered in all wind directions.

Right next door, large cruise ships berth at the Langelinie quay. The harbour is run by a club, and the berths are shared between members and visitors.

Facilities at Langelinie Lystbådehavn

The harbour has about 100 berths for boats up to 16.2 metres in length. A green sign on the pontoon indicates a free visitor berth, a red one a member's occupied berth. The berthing fee is based on the boat's beam and runs from 2 p.m. to 2 p.m. the following day: from 200 kroner for less than 2.50 metres beam, via 385 kroner up to 4 metres, to 725 kroner over 5.50 metres (as of October 2026). Electricity, showers and toilets are included. You pay online by card within one hour of mooring; the harbour does not accept cash.

Where is Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn?

Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn lies about 400 metres north of Langelinie Lystbådehavn at the southern end of the northern harbour.

Facilities at Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn

Visitors' berths are marked with green signs, as at Langelinie; berths with red signs belong to permanent berth holders. If the holder of a berth returns, you must move. You buy electricity from the vending machine and activate it at the power pedestals. Showers and toilets are located in the service barge at pontoon F.

What is the weather like for sailing in Copenhagen?

In Denmark the wind most frequently blows from westerly directions; the strongest storms come in the winter half of the year. Wind of around 14 to 24 metres per second, i.e. force 7 to 9, is called Kuling in Danish weather reports; from force 10 onwards it is called Storm.

Tides play hardly any role in the Sound; towards the Baltic the tidal range is only around ten centimetres. Wind has a stronger effect: it can build up water level differences of up to 80 centimetres between the Kattegat and the western Baltic. In the Danish waters between the Kattegat and the Baltic, a current then sets northward or southward depending on wind direction.

Which destinations lie near Copenhagen?

From Copenhagen you sail north in the Sound towards the Kattegat, east across to the Swedish coast or south into the Baltic. The distances are rounded nautical miles over water on the usual course from Langelinie; for exact planning the chart applies.

• Dragør: around 9 nm south on the east coast of Amager. The old harbour has 15 visitors' berths next to the harbour office, the marina a further 20; in the town there are restaurants and the Pilots' Museum.
• Rungsted: around 13 nm north on the Zealand coast.
• Ven: around 14 nm. On the Swedish island in the middle of the Sound, the astronomer Tycho Brahe built a castle with an observatory in the late 16th century; today a museum commemorates him.
• Malmö: around 15 nm east across the Sound, on the Swedish side.
• Helsingør: around 21 nm north at the narrowest point of the Sound. Here stands Kronborg Castle, setting of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
• Klintholm on Møn: just under 50 nm south through the Drogden and across Køge Bay, a long day's passage.

Further south on the German Baltic coast, the portrait of harbours in Travemünde introduces the berths.

What can you do on a harbour day in Copenhagen?

From all three harbours you can reach the city centre on foot. From Langelinie Lystbådehavn you walk around two kilometres along the promenade into the centre.

• Nyhavn: The harbour canal from the 17th century is the city's best-known landmark. Hans Christian Andersen lived here in several houses, including number 20. Boat tours through the harbour and canals depart from Nyhavn.
• Little Mermaid and Langelinie: The sculpture by Edvard Eriksen sits right next to Langelinie Lystbådehavn. The promenade begins at the Gefion Fountain, the city's largest fountain.
• Kastellet: The fortress behind Langelinie was built from 1662 and has five bastions with a double moat. It is still used by the Danish armed forces today.
• Tivoli: The amusement park opposite the central station, entrance Vesterbrogade 3, opened on 15 August 1843.

For skippers: berthing and sea weather in Copenhagen

At all three harbours you berth without reservation at a free visitors' berth and pay immediately on arrival.

Registration and Berthing

• Nyhavn, Ofelia Plads and Amaliehaven: You can only reserve for yachts of 25 metres length and over; this applies above all to Amaliehaven. All other boats pay at the vending machine on the quay.
• Langelinie Lystbådehavn: You berth bow-to and make fast the stern to a buoy, one buoy per boat. On the day of departure you leave the berth by 14:00. You stay longer than five nights only by arrangement with the harbour committee. You reach the harbour master during opening hours on +45 27 44 75 45.
• Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn: Visitors' berths with green signs, berthing fees and electricity from the vending machine.

Harbour rules

The harbour regulations of the harbour operator By & Havn apply to the port of Copenhagen:

• Between Toldboden in the north and the lock in the south, pleasure craft may not sail under canvas.
• Maximum speed is 6 knots in the main fairways, 5 knots in Kalvebodløbet and 4 knots in canals and harbour basins.
• You secure halyards and lines so they do not slap.

Approach

Leisure craft approach the harbour from the north via the Lynetteløbet; the main fairway Kronløbet is reserved for commercial shipping and closed to leisure craft. As things stand at present (October 2026), construction work is under way on the new land area Lynetteholm in front of the harbour entrance.

The three harbours on the map can be reached from the north without passing under any bridges. Further south in the inner harbour, for instance towards Christianshavn and the southern harbour, several bridges with varying clearance heights cross the waterway. Opening times and registration are managed by the harbourmaster of By & Havn, reachable on +45 40 42 39 77. The bridges do not open when wind exceeds 20 metres per second. VHF channel 12 is reserved for commercial shipping in the harbour; the harbourmaster is reachable by telephone. Ship traffic in the Øresund is monitored by Sound VTS, on VHF channel 73 in the northern sector and channel 71 in the southern sector.

Which sea area forecast applies in Copenhagen?

For Danish waters, the state meteorological service DMI issues the official forecasts and warnings. The sea area forecasts (Farvandsudsigter) can be found on the DMI website and app, divided by sea area, with a five-day forecast. Copenhagen lies in the Øresund sea area. On the DMI weather map you can also call up water level, current and wave forecasts for the coming days.

Trips from Copenhagen on Törnfinder

In October 2026 there are 14 trip dates on Törnfinder in the next twelve months with departure or destination Copenhagen. Most depart in July, June and May; typically 8 days.

Trips along the entire Danish coast can be found under cabin charter in Denmark, trips in the wider sailing area under Sailing in the Baltic Sea and all sailing areas in the trip overview.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Copenhagen Airport to Nyhavn?

Fastest by metro M2, which runs every four to six minutes during the day: get off at Kongens Nytorv and walk a few steps to Nyhavn. To Nørreport, one stop further, the metro takes around a quarter of an hour.

Where do I park at trip departure in Copenhagen?

For Nyhavn on Strandgade in Christianshavn, around 500 metres as the crow flies, on foot over the Inderhavnsbroen; for the two yacht harbours in the north at Indiakaj, around 200 metres from the harbour. Payment in the municipal parking zones is by machine using your registration number or by app; for longer trips there are time cards from five working days.

Are there showers at the harbours in Copenhagen?

Yes, at all three harbours: for Nyhavn they are in stairwell C at Ofelia Plads; in Langelinie Lystbådehavn they are included in the berth fee, but closed over winter from 1 November. In Søndre Frihavn Lystbådehavn they are in the service barge at pontoon F.

Can I reserve a visitor berth in Copenhagen?

No, in the municipal visitor berths only for yachts of 25 metres and over. Smaller boats moor at a free berth and pay on arrival; in the two yacht harbours in the north, green signs indicate free berths.

Am I allowed to sail in Copenhagen harbour?

Not in the inner harbour between Toldboden and the lock: there leisure craft proceed under engine only. In canals and harbour basins the limit is 4 knots.

How far is it from Copenhagen to Malmö?

Around 15 nautical miles by water eastwards across the Øresund, a short day passage to the Swedish side.