These are your four options for getting to Refshaleøen, often called Reffen, without a car. Reffen is a top destination in Copenhagen. Here’s my guide to the five best places to visit while you’re there!

Option 1: Take the ferry (called the Harbor Bus)

Duration: Ferries depart every 30 minutes and take 10 minutes to reach Refshaleøen from Nordre Toldbod.
Cost: 24 DKK. You can pay with your metro card or buy a ticket using the DOT app.

The ferry is my favorite way to get to Reffen because it’s an opportunity to get on the water! Most people would take the northern-bound 992 ferry from a central Copenhagen ferry terminal. If you’re going to Reffen from the Orientkaj terminal in Nordhavnen, then you would take the southern-bound 991 ferry. The closest central Copenhagen ferry terminal to Reffen is Nordre Toldbod, which is in the same area as Designmuseum Danmark and the Little Mermaid statue. You can also take the ferry from Nyhavn.

  • Local Tip: The ferry can only take 80 passengers at a time, so on a sunny weekend in the summer, for example, you might wait 30 minutes for the ferry and be told you need to wait for the next one.

Option 2: Walk from Nyhavn

Duration: 35-40 minutes
Cost: Free

The closest bridge to Refshaleøen connecting downtown Copenhagen to the islands east of it is in Nyhavn, so that’s where you want to start if you’re going to walk. Tourists will most likely visit the Nyhavn canal while in Copenhagen, so it’s easy enough to combine that with a trip to Reffen.

Option 3: Bike

Duration: 10 minutes
Cost: Donkey Republic charges 48 DKK/hour or 129 DKK per day pass for non-members to rent a bike.

Biking is the quickest and most popular way locals get to Reffen. By bike, you’d cross the bridge next to Nyhavn and follow pretty much the same route as you would if you were walking there. For tourists, cycling along the water and around industrial Reffen is a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon.

Option 4: Take the bus

Duration: Buses come every 10 minutes. It takes 15 minutes to go from Central Station to Refshaleøen.
Cost: 24 DKK within Zone 1. You can pay with your metro card or buy a ticket using the DOT app.

This is the least scenic way to get to Reffen, but it’s the most convenient option for people who are not close to Nyhavn or a ferry terminal and don’t have a bike. Bus 2A operates between Tingbjerg and Refshaleøen, passing through central areas like Nørrebro, City Hall Square, Christianshavn, and Nyhavn.