Hotels in Barelona

The best way to explore Copenhagen is either to walk or cycle: the inner city is compact, much of the central area pedestrianized and the entire city has a comprehensive network of excellent cycle paths - you'll often find it just as quick to walk or cycle as to wait for a bus. For travelling further afield, there's an integrated network of buses and S-Tog and local trains 

Tickets
All city transport operates on an integrated - and complicated - zonal system . There are dozens of zones (pick up a free leaflet from any S-Tog station); you may find it easiest at first simply to state your destination and you'll be sold the appropriate ticket. The city centre and immediately surrounding area, as you'd expect, are in zones 1 and 2.  Fares are based on a combination of zones and time: the cheapest ticket costs 12kr and is valid for one hour's travel within any two zones, with unlimited transfers between buses and trains. Another option is the klippekort ticket, containing ten stamps which you cancel individually according to the length of your journey and the value of the klippekort . The cheapest klippekort cost 80kr, with each stamp being valid for an hour's travel within any two zones; each stamp in a 110kr  klippekort is valid for ninety minutes' travel within any three zones - good value if you plan to travel outside the city centre - and is also valid to and from the airport; seven-zone and over klippekort stamps are valid for two hours. Unlimited transfers are allowed within the time period of the ticket, and two or more people can use the same  klippekort simultaneously, provided you clip the required number of stamps per person. There's also an excellent-value 24-hour ticket (70kr) which is valid on all transport in all zones as far afield as Helsingør and Roskilde, as well as night buses. All types of ticket can be bought on board buses, at train stations or in the city's many newsagents. They should be stamped when boarding the bus or in the machines on station platforms. Except on buses, it's rare to be asked to show your ticket, but if you don't have one you face an instant fine of 250kr. 

The Copenhagen Card
The Copenhagen Card (155kr for 1 day; 255kr for 2; 320kr for 3) allows unlimited travel on the entire metropolitan system (which includes the towns of Helsingør, Roskilde and Hillerød) and also gives entry to virtually every museum in the Copenhagen area. The cards are quite pricey, however, and unless you're planning to cram a lot of museums into a very short space of time it's difficult to make them pay - the one exception might be if you use the three-day card to visit several of the outlying attractions. Note too that on Wednesdays entrance to nearly every museum in the city is free. The card also gives twenty- to fifty-percent discounts on some car rental and ferry rides, and on certain museum entry prices in southern Sweden. It's available from the tourist office, travel agents, hotels and most train stations in the metropolitan region - get it stamped when you use it for the first time and sign the back

Trains
The S-Tog train service is a metropolitan network covering Copenhagen and the surrounding areas. It is laid out in a huge U shape, with almost all services passing through Central Station (in Danish, Hovedbanegården or København H); each line runs about every ten to fifteen minutes between 5am and 12.30am. The network is rather confusing, so study the map thoroughly before boarding your train. There are both slow and fast trains - check carefully or you could whizz straight past your destination. The network can be a bit erratic, running some odd routes and being occasionally plagued by inexplicable delays, but it's still the fastest way to reach outlying points. Stations are marked by red hexagonal signs with a yellow "S" inside them. 

There is also a local network of Danish State Railway (DSB) trains which connect to Helsingør and Roskilde, calling at Østerport and Nørreport stations and some suburban destinations; remember that the S-Tog and DSB stations have different entrances at Nørreport station. The same tickets are valid on both networks, though note that Eurail passes and InterRail are valid only on DSB trains.  

Buses
The city's bus network is much more comprehensive than the S-Tog system and can be a more convenient way to get around once you get the hang of finding the stops - marked by yellow placards on signposts - and as long as you avoid the rush hour. The excellent free city map produced by the Wonderful Copenhagen office includes a list of all bus routes. The city's main bus stand is adjacent to Rådhuspladsen, a block from both Central Station and the Tivoli Gardens. Other useful buses leave from Central Station's Vesterport side entrance, the Tivoli side entrance and the bridge at the end of the tracks (including the #550S, which goes straight to the ferry docks every ten minutes). Buses with an "S" suffix only make limited stops, offering a faster service - check they make the stop you require before you get on. All buses have a small electronic board above the driver's seat displaying both the zone you're currently in and the correct time - so there's no excuse for not having a valid ticket. There's a skeletal  night bus service, though fares are almost double daytime rates. Night bus numbers always end with "N"; stops are well marked by yellow signs on major routes into and out of the city. 

Taxis
Taxis are plentiful, and with several people sharing can be good value for cross-city journeys. Within Copenhagen there's a basic fare of 22kr, plus a charge of 10-13kr per kilometre depending on day and time. There's a handy taxi rank outside Central Station, or hail any cab in the street that's showing a green "Fri" (free) sign on top. Alternatively, phone Københavns Taxa (tel 35 35 35 35), Hovedstadens Taxi (tel 38 77 77 77), or Amager/Øbro Taxi (tel 32 51 51 51). If you're in a big group, you can phone for a minibus on 35 39 35 35. Note that when booking a taxi it's standard practice for the customer to pay for the journey the taxi makes to pick them up. 

The "Harbour Bus"
A cheap way of taking a trip on the water in Copenhagen is to ride the small ferry, the so-called "Harbour Bus", which runs from Nodre Toldbod (near the Little Mermaid) to Holmen, Nyhavn, Knippelsbro and the Black Diamond. Services leave daily every twenty minutes from about 6.30am to 7pm (unless the harbour area is frozen) and cost 24kr. Tickets are valid for one hour and are transferable to the rest of the transport network; bikes cost an extra 12kr 

Bicycles
If the weather's good, the best way to see Copenhagen is to go native and ride a bicycle . Cycling is also excellent for exploring the immediate countryside - bikes can be taken on S-Togs for 10kr through any number of zones; you can also buy a special bicycle klippekort , valid for ten journeys and costing 90kr. The excellent, city-wide cycle lanes make cycling very safe, though remember that lights are a legal requirement at night (you'll be stopped and fined if the police catch you without) and helmets are recommended at all times. 

There are a number of excellent cycle rental outletsin central Copenhagen: Københavns Cyklebørs, Gothersgade 157, Indre By (Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm, Sat 10am-1.30pm; tel 33 14 07 17; 40kr/day, 185kr/week, 200kr deposit); Dan Wheel, Colbjørnsensgade 3, Vesterbro (Mon-Fri 9am-11am & 4pm-5.30pm, Sat & Sun 9am-2pm; tel 31 87 14 23; 35kr/day, 165kr/week, 200kr deposit); Københavns Cykelcenter, Reventlowsgade 11, along the side of Central Station (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-1pm, July & Aug also Sun 10am-1pm; 50kr/day, 225kr/week, 300kr deposit). The city also provides 2500 free bikes , easily recognized by the advertisements painted onto their solid back wheels, which are scattered about the city in racks at S-Tog stations and other busy locations; a 20kr refundable deposit unlocks one. Unfortunately, many of the bikes are in a bad state of repair, though you should be able to find a decent one if you look carefully. When you've finished with it leave the bike in a rack (you get your coin back automatically as you re-lock the bike), or just leave it on the pavement, in which case someone will happily return it for you and pocket the deposit. Don't secure one with your own lock and remember not to take one outside the inner-city limits or you risk a fine. It is also possible to rent a scooter - those under 50cc can use cycle lanes - from Peugeot, Frederiksborgvej 59, Nørrebro (tel 38 33 40 04; 250kr/day, 1000kr deposit) - you'll need to be over 18 and hold an international driver's or motorcycle licence.