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From June 17, the Danish capital is relaunching and expanding its CopenPay program, a system that transforms a simple train ticket into a real open sesame: discounts on 90 cultural sites, anti-waste meals offered at the central station and free bike rental to explore the “world capital of two-wheelers.”
Behind the initiative, the Wonderful Copenhagen tourist office is seeking to reward low-carbon travellers while also pampering their wallets. A combination that could well reinforce the already growing appeal of rail travel for Nordic city breaks.
An XXL version for 2025
Launched as a pilot in the summer of 2024, CopenPay is three times larger and twice as long: nine weeks (from June 17 to August 17, 2025) versus four previously, and 90 partners instead of 24, from the National Museum to the urban summit of CopenHill. The goal? “To change the way we travel rather than attracting ever more people,” explains Søren Tegen Pedersen, director of Wonderful Copenhagen.
The principle remains simple: green actions serve as currency. Arriving by train, cycling instead of taking a taxi, participating in a waste collection or choosing a 100% plant-based menu… and the tourist “cashes in” benefits. The notable new feature for 2025 is the specific reward for those who cross the border on rails: ticket registration at the central station and, hey presto, a “goodie bag” of surplus food or a bicycle pass as a reward.
Explore Copenhagen sustainably with CopenPay!🌱
— Denmark.dk (@denmarkdotdk) July 18, 2024
From July 15 to August 11, tourists earn free lunches, coffee, kayak tours, or museum entries by making green choices. Cycle, use public transport, or help clean the city to participate🚲☕️🏛
👉 More info: https://t.co/X3JZocgB7o pic.twitter.com/0zy9i9hMhm
How to use CopenPay: show your ticket, enjoy… start again
CopenPay operates on trust—a core value in Denmark. Travellers can present their train ticket or a photo of their bike ride, if necessary; most of the time, a simple declaration is sufficient.
Aside from the train, some of the most popular activities last year included cleaning the harbor by kayak, then exchanging the collected waste for homemade ice cream; or joining the Øens Have urban garden to harvest vegetables and share a “seed-to-plate” lunch.
The results of the 2024 pilot project speak for themselves: a 29% increase in bike rentals and 98% of participants willing to recommend the initiative. Enough to convince the municipality to make it a showcase for regenerative tourism on a European scale.
CopenPay: What do you really gain?
- Free 24-hour bike rental with Donkey Republic for anyone staying at least four nights.
- Complete meal made from unsold items, offered upon arrival at the station for “rail only” passengers.
- Yoga sessions in the Crowne Plaza’s green atrium.
- Free guided tours of the Carlsberg Brewery, the Cisternerne Underground Museum or the Danish Architecture Center.
- Free entry to Kronborg Castle after a seed collection and a mini-citizen planting on the harbor.
These gifts, far from being symbolic, quickly add up to a weekend budget: a day of cycling costs 120 DKK (16 euros), a sustainable lunch around 150 DKK (20 euros) and entry to a national museum 110 DKK, or nearly €50 saved in a single day.
A model scrutinized closely
Venice, Barcelona, Amsterdam… all are thinking about limiting the influx of tourists. Copenhagen, for its part, is betting on rewards rather than punishment and on the power of travellers to engage: 100 destinations have already contacted Wonderful Copenhagen to duplicate the concept.