stut

For any regular visitors to Copenhagen who are used to using the Clip Card (klippekort) system, you should be aware that it is on its way out, to be replaced by the Rejsekort smart card system. Clip Cards will no longer be sold in the Greater Copenhagen area from 1st July 2013, although existing ones will be accepted for a year after that.

So, let's all get a Rejsekort, yes?

Well, it's not that simple. It turns out that they are subject to some strict anti-money-laundering regulations, so, unless you've got a Danish CPR number and Danish address, it's not simple (not least because all the documentation is in Danish).

There are three types of card: personal, flex and anonymous. Personal is free, carries discounts and can be topped up online. Flex costs Kr50 and can be topped up online. Anonymous costs Kr80 and can be topped up in person.

Personal and Flex require you to fill in two forms - one of which is online, the other of which you have to obtain from customer services. Both require you to present 2 forms of ID to obtain the card from either Copenhagen H or Norreport.

So, let's just get the anonymous card? Well, you'll have to head out to Valby if you want to do that, as nowhere in the city centre sells it.

I'm trying to get hold of a personal one right now, and am awaiting form R225 (the one for people without a CPR-number). If anyone knows any easier way to do this, please let me know. The website implies that you need to pre-fill the elusive R225 before heading to the stations, but that's not clear. Otherwise, I'll post how I get on here...

Will Fly Smĺland

They really have made it complicated.

Despite being a fluent reader of Danish I had completely missed that it was at all possible to get the personal card without a CPR number. Do you have a link to more info on that?

"Fun" fact: The underlying technical specification of the card is identical to that of the Swedish regional transit authorities (Swedish). However, since they haven't managed to ensure interoperability within the same country (except for a few counties in south Sweden: Kronoberg, Halland, Blekinge, Skĺne), I'm not holding my breath for this to work cross-Sound any time soon.

stut

Sure. If you go here you will find a link, for people without a Danish address (or a "secret" one!) to a PDF file you can fill in and send (with ID documents - no thanks) or take to one of the few stations that process them.

Once on the PDF, you will see a note telling you that people without a CPR-number need to fill in form R225 in addition (although, unhelpfully, not actually providing that form).

So, if there's interoperability between Zealand and Scania, does that mean I can cross the Oresund bridge with it? Or do I still need a Jojo card if I want a decent price?

Will Fly Smĺland

Thanks!

You still need the Jojo (or equivalent from Kronoberg, Halland, or Blekinge). As I said, the only interoperability that works right now is between Scania and adjacent counties in Sweden.

stut

Well, they got back to me with the correct forms. I can apply in person at certain stations or, if more convenient (for me, it is) can send the forms and copies of supporting documentation to the head office in Valby, and they will send the (free) card to a Danish address.

PM me if you would like a copy.

cph_flyer

Here are some good news regarding Clip Cards and the new Rejsekort. They have extended the sale and use of the old Klippekort system for another year, because of bugs and in the new system.
So you will still be able to buy the "old" punchcard/ klippekort for another year, at least in the Copenhagen area.

gnaget

Why would you want a "personal" card? It enables the government to monitor your travel. And that's why this card has larger discounts and they seem to make it difficult to buy the anonymous one.

It's ridiculous that you can't readily buy the anonymous one at the airport or Copenhagen H. I now see that Vin & Tobak type places across the city sell them.

In May, I tried to buy the rejsekort at machines in the Metro but informed "temporarily not available".

In Japan they sell the equivalent card for 500 yen deposit at any metro or train station.

People were stockpiling klippekort in June. I tried to buy a blue one in June at Holte St. and they were out. The solution was that the girl gave me DKK 150 in coins to buy one from a machine. So now they will continue to sell until June 1, 2014. Not sure about validity. What a mess.

GUWonder

They will likely be valid until at least May 31, 2015.

stut

Glad to hear the anonymous ones are becoming more widely available. The Rejsekort vending machines have been "temporarily not available" for quite some time...

Personally, I have no problem with my journeys being recorded when in Denmark (the same happens to me in London) so I'd be happy to get the personal card.

Helsinki Flyer

I have no problems with my travels being recorded by authorities. I might need an "anonymous" card on my trips to "seedy areas" or joint-selling communities, because of my wife.

But isn´t this just another excuse to charge more from occasional travellers? Like many airports/train operators that charge a premium for a train journey that takes you through an airport. Past week I was in BRU and all train within Belgium cost 7,5 € during summer holidays. Ok, great. But it´s not available on the Brussels-BRU trains where the fare is 8€ no matter far you come from. Had I bought a ticket for much longer trip on the very same train that stopped at BRU, the fare would´ve been less. Small change for me, but adds up for the operator.

GUWonder

I do have issues with it, for financial reasons and otherwise, and I am in a better position than Snowden here. The Danish government has helped get people tortured based on tracking people via phones and travels in/to/from Denmark. Apparently the Danes have been at least as willing as Swedes to help people get tortured and tracked with the help of the USG or to try to gain favor with the USG. At least Denmark had a change of government unlike Sweden where the responsible are doing things shady official things they won't publicly admit.

Unfortunately Orwell's 1984 is closer to reality today than it was then and what is going on in Scandinavia is helping to get things there faster.

Flying Bat

Oh what a tangled web. this sounds complicated. any suggestions for a 3 day tourist who is happy to have some sort of a card to access public transport in CPH?

Any helpful suggestions for a first timer in CPH to get from the airport to Radisson on Amager Boulevard. Thanks

cph_flyer

You could consider the 3 day , transportation only City Pass . It covers the centre as well as the airport area and its valid on busses, city trains and the metro. Price 190 kr for 72 hours. Avaliable from the Railroads desk at the airport.
Or you could buy the cOPENhagen CARD , that includes reduced reduced admission at a number of places. Price 72 hours 529 kr.

For the Radisson Hotel on Amager Boulevard take the metro from the airport and change at Chistianshavn to the Green line. Get of at Islands Brygge.

http://intl.m.dk/#!/

stut

Just for the uninitiated... The change at Christianshavn is very simple, just cross the platform and look for a train headed to Vestamager.

If you're not going to be using public transport a lot in the city (it's a very walkable place), the clipcards will still be available, although you have the complexity of the different zones (city centre travel is 2-zone, travel to the airport in 3-zone). If there's two of you travelling, you can always get a 2-zone card and clip it 3 times to get to/from the airport.

gnaget

They have machines in baggage claim selling tickets and "clip cards" and probably the daily and multi-day tickets. (I once bought a 24 hour card and it was a small clip card with one "clip".) The machines and the ticket counter outside customs can be very crowded.

One frustration for me is that the machines don't respond when you try feed banknotes. I typically have lots of cash in DK that I want to use. I had no problem in 2012. The machines do take CCs but you need a pin. They need to get help from the Japanese for machines that accept banknotes.

The machines in other stations and the metro only accept coins and CCs.