Copenhagen Oceankaj (Quay C330) transportation questions

Hello, I have a few questions about the Oceankaj (Quay C330) port, which is where we will be embarking and disembarking the Eurodam next month.

For embarkation, my friend is flying in that morning (a Thursday) and taking the Metro to meet me at my Nyhavn hotel. From there, it looks like we can take Bus 26 from the Kongens Nytorv stop to the Unicef Færgehavn Nord stop near Oceankaj for 15 DKK and the trip will take a little over a half hour (provided bus timing is perfect) and that the bus runs every 30 minutes. Whew, questions:

• Does that all sound correct? I used the trip planner on http://www.rejseplanen.dk/ to get that info
  
• For the 15 DKK fare, how do we pay this? On the bus? Need to purchase a ticket ahead of time? Cash only?
  
• Will they allow each of us to bring a large checked suitcase on the bus? Nothing crazy, but definitely larger than a carry-on bag.
  

It was hard for me to find a map of the full Bus 26 route and the trip planner has trouble understanding my desire to go to the airport. We disembark on a Tuesday morning, ideally around 7am. Would it make sense to try to take Bus 26 to a Metro stop and take that to the airport? If so, which Metro stop should we get off near - I assume the Kongens Nytorv one near Nyhavn again? If that seems like a lot of trouble and/or the bus won't allow us to bring large suitcases onboard, we're fine taking a taxi to/from the Metro, but wanted to check!

Thank you in advance!

Try looking at the thread Wonderful Copenhagen further down the page. There is so much information there thanks to Danish Viking who is so very helpful.

Try looking at the thread Wonderful Copenhagen further down the page. There is so much information there thanks to Danish Viking who is so very helpful.

I did a search of these boards for "ocean kaj" and it only turned up 3 posts. Perhaps the search function is broken. The "Wonderful Copenhagen" thread has 95 pages(!!), so forgive me that I am not reading every page of that to find answers to my specific questions. I think starting a new thread about the Ocean Kaj port, which is fairly new, would be helpful for new cruisers as it appears more cruise lines are leaving from it and there isn't as much information available online yet due to that.

You are correct on most points but I will have to correct you on a few notes.

The price is 24 kroner for a ticket purchased at the bus.

15 kroner is with the Rejsekort, its similar to Londons Oyster Card.

And yes there is 2 busses every hour but its not a half hourly service.

There will be a gap on 20 minutes after the first but then a 40 minute gap before the next one.

I'm on my phone so I can't remember the departure times from Kongens Nytorv but I will reply in another post.

Suitcases will not be a problem, you will most likely just need to use the foldable seats in the front of the bus.

And yes again you can use bus 26 back to Kongens Nytorv and catch metro line M2 to the airport.

But instead use Østerport station and take the airport train from there, Østerport is located closer to the port and the trains are more comfy than the metro.

Its XX:19 and XX:39 from Kongens Nytorv to UNICEF Færgehavn Nord.

The other departures departing at 09, 29, 49 and 59 to Færgehavn Nord and Søndre Frihavn does not got out the Oceankaj pier.

Thank you so much Danish Viking! I appreciate how helpful you are to everyone on these boards!!

Thank you, and yes I do realize that the Wonderful Copenhagen thread can be some kind of a monster.

I think I have to retire the thread after this cruise season and start another one for next year because there is alot of information and regarding the cruise terminal there I also hope I will have new information about public transportation in the weekends.

Here was our experience debarking the morning of Friday, May 23. We were on the Celebrity Infinity, and wanted to take public transportation to our post-cruise hotel (Bella Sky). Being experienced travellers, we had researched our options: bus #26 to Kongens Nytorv then metro, with a backup plan B to take a taxi to the Nordhavn train station if the bus was unavailable. We travel relatively lightly, and had one roller suitcase plus one rolling carry-on. (Total, not each. Yes ladies, you can do this too!)

We arrived in bright sunshine at C330 Terminal 3 sometime after 7am, with our debarkation at 8am-ish. Two other ships were already berthed, the Royal Princess and HAL Eurodam. From our balcony we could see heavy construction trucks working at an unfinished area far beyond C330. They looked to be bringing in fill for a new pier, not connected to C330. Little did we know that that was a foreboding omen.

Terminal 3 is the furthest out of the three cruise buildings, but walkable to the #26 bus stop. When we got to the stop, there were already about 30 people queuing, all with luggage of various sizes. One bus arrived after about a half-hour, and seemed to only take about 15 folks on board with all their luggage. Not great given this was the terminus for the (empty) bus.

OK onto plan B. Many taxis were coming into the area along the only port road, but none would stop for us. We walked back to Terminal 1, and saw the massive queue for taxis. This was even worse than the bus line, so we hauled ourselves back to the bus stop... where the line had grown to maybe 50 people. Although we weren't time constrained, we didn't want to spend our morning waiting for a bus either.

We decided to walk. There were sidewalks for almost all of the route, and occasionally we'd roll along the bike paths when that was easier. It is quite a journey on foot, maybe 30-45 minutes depending on your fitness level. We encountered incoming taxis and buses marked "Ikkerute" (out of service?). We passed some other cruisers who walked partway and needed a rest, plus beat all the traffic on the road out. Read that again: we walked past all the other traffic, taxis, HOHO buses, and the #26 bus. The problem was a huge traffic jam caused by the construction trucks coming off a side road which had right-of-way over the port road. This snarled all the outgoing port traffic for at least a kilometer. Nothing was moving outbound, except us (albeit slowly) and some locals on bicycles.

Once out of the port area, there was good signage to the Nordhavn train station, through an underpass and maybe another 200m south following the elevated train tracks. At the station we could purchase tickets via an automated machine, which strangely did not require a PIN. I had planned to buy the 72-hr passes, but they didn't seem to available, so got 2-zone klippekorts instead. (These worked out well for the rest of our 3 days in Copenhagen.) A 10-minute ride to Norreport and a 10-minute metro ride got us to our hotel at around 9:30am.

Takeaways from all this?

(1) Until the port authorities fix this problem, do not plan a time-constrained transfer. Since all traffic must proceed along the one port road, nothing gets out if it's clogged--not taxis, not buses, not shuttles. Then the only options are walking, and maybe biking.

(2) Try to do the transfer when the road isn't slammed. We talked with a couple from the Eurodam, and they said the previous day there was no serious delay getting around on the #26 bus. So the problem seems to vary with time of day, and likely the number of ships in port.

(3) Copenhagen's public transport system is great, even with their limited metro lines. We didn't have any difficulties using the buses, metro, or s-tog trains, other than this sobering initial ordeal. Note that there is construction going on all through downtown Copenhagen due to the new metro stations; Kongens Nytorv is definately not a photo opportunity.

(4) Pack light. Have a plan C.

I too was in that mess on May 23... got off the boat at 9:00 and went directly to the queue for the bus. the line was not too long yet we waited for an HOUR to get onto the bus. it took us an HOUR to get out of the port area. between all the waiting etc it was a 3 hour trip from boat to our hotel room. the queue for the taxis was very long. I'm thinking it would have been best to either wait on the ship and exit once the jam cleared up - or reserve taxi in advance and get out there asap. I am sure Copenhagen will figure it out but for now it's difficult.

Please forward this info to Cruise Copenhagen and wonderful Copenhagen on a email.

More complaints will probably make the important people aware of the situation.

I just realized that it is like a 40 min walk from the closest train station to the new port Oceankaj c330 where our cruise will start next week and the bus #26 is not available on weekends.

1) Does anybody have any idea if it is hard to catch a taxi from the closest train station (Nordhavn station I believe?) to the Oceankaj c330? And about how much that would cost?

2) When we come back, it is on a weekday so I think the bus #26 is available but can somebody tell me approx how far it is from Oceankaj C330 to the bus #26 stop? Since we will have luggage, if it is quite a walk, it might not be worth it. And it seems like there is quite a long wait for the bus too?

Thanks in advance for any help!

if you are going to catch a taxi I'd just get it directly from the hotel and not bother taking the train half way. we took a taxi from Kongens Nytorv area and it was $40. as for catching the bus back into town, the bus stop is very close to the port. there were 3 ships that just docked and it was a nightmare. but I suppose you've read about that... hopefully it's better when you go!

I just realized that it is like a 40 min walk from the closest train station to the new port Oceankaj c330 where our cruise will start next week and the bus #26 is not available on weekends.

 

1) Does anybody have any idea if it is hard to catch a taxi from the closest train station (Nordhavn station I believe?) to the Oceankaj c330? And about how much that would cost?

 

2) When we come back, it is on a weekday so I think the bus #26 is available but can somebody tell me approx how far it is from Oceankaj C330 to the bus #26 stop? Since we will have luggage, if it is quite a walk, it might not be worth it. And it seems like there is quite a long wait for the bus too?

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

I can answer that since this is exactly what we did on 5/24. Taxi from Nordhavn to Oceankaj was 84 danish kroner or around $16.00. We gave him 90 kroner and told him to keep the change. It was so worth it since my DH uses a cane when his arthritis flares up. We utilized the trains since we had the 72 hour Copenhagen City Pass.

Thank you so much, treesah.

Was it hard to get a taxi? Somebody recommends to catch it at a bigger station like Osterport. I would just do exactly what you did if it is not hard to get a taxi.

Thanks again!!

2) When we come back, it is on a weekday so I think the bus #26 is available but can somebody tell me approx how far it is from Oceankaj C330 to the bus #26 stop? Since we will have luggage, if it is quite a walk, it might not be worth it. And it seems like there is quite a long wait for the bus too?

If there are no other negative factors (i.e. many ships already in port), then I think the #26 bus would work out well. The bus stop is just around the corner from the terminal buildings--a two minute walk. Regarding the wait, getting off the ship as early as possible might help, or if you are staying in Copenhagen and are not very time-constrained then leaving later might work as well.

This is also what I'm thinking.

Either be the first off the ship or wait to the rush is finished.

I have noticed that when there are 3 ships at Oceankaj the first arrives at 07:00, then a ship at 08:30 and finally at 09:00 so if you are onboard the first ship it should be possible to beat the rush.

I'm not saying that they arrive at separate times on all days so if you want to make sure about that just go to cmport.com and click on cruise ships.

There you will find a calender where you can search for a date.

If there is a C before the quay number its Copenhagen but if there is a M is Malmö.

The 3 most used piers is C170 - Nordre Toldbod, C190 - Langeliniekaj and C330 - Oceankaj.

Sometimes also C254 - Orientkaj and C260 - Levantkaj is also in use, both are located in the Freeport.

Here is the email response from the tourist office:-

Thank you for your e-mail.

Thank you, also, for drawing our attention to the unfortunate situation in connection with public transportation to Oceankaj.

For your information bus 26 now does run to Oceankaj during the weekends.

We will forward your e-mail to the City Council of Copenhagen, which is responsible for public transportation in Copenhagen.

Kind regards

Henrik Hansen

Wonderful Copenhagen

Thank you so much, treesah.

 

Was it hard to get a taxi? Somebody recommends to catch it at a bigger station like Osterport. I would just do exactly what you did if it is not hard to get a taxi.

 

Thanks again!!

We just walked about a block or so from the Nordhavn train station and there were taxis returning to the city after dropping off cruise passengers. We had no wait whatsoever and the traffic was not bad at all.

Here is the email response from the tourist office:-

 

Thank you for your e-mail.

 

Thank you, also, for drawing our attention to the unfortunate situation in connection with public transportation to Oceankaj.

 

For your information bus 26 now does run to Oceankaj during the weekends.

 

We will forward your e-mail to the City Council of Copenhagen, which is responsible for public transportation in Copenhagen.

 

 

 

Kind regards

 

 

 

Henrik Hansen

 

Wonderful Copenhagen

That sounds like good news, but I can't find anything about weekend busses on movias website.

Now received another email:-

I have received your concerns regarding arriving in Copenhagen at Oceankaj on June 9th from Wonderful Copenhagen. I’m sorry to hear, that you are afraid that you stay in Copenhagen this time not will be as positive as your previously stays due to the new location of Cruise Terminal and the longer transport to the City Center.

Handling of the cruiseship passengers and their transport is one of the tasks the Port Authority is responsible for in their operation of the Cruise Terminal. There are a great challenge in the transport on the fully booked days at the Port, but from my information June 10th is not one of these days. Unfortunately I don’t have the exact schedule on the cruise ships or the information on how the Port Authority is planning the transports.

The City of Copenhagen and the Port Authority are working together to improve the transport opportunities between the Cruise Terminal and the City Centre and we hope to be able to make better solutions in the near future so that all cruise ship passengers will experience an easy transport in the city.

As Henrik Hansen from Wonderful Copenhagen have written Bus 26 is now running more frequently to offer more service in the public transport to the cruiseship passengers.

I’m forwarding your mail to the COO Cruise at Copenhagen Malmö Port Arnt Moller Pedersen with my answer. He is the head of the Ports ferries and maritime service.

Kind reguards

Maria Christiansen

Project Manager

_______________________________

City of Copenhagen

Teknik- og Miljøforvaltningen

Byens Anvendelse

Njalsgade 13 Vær. 1073

Postboks 380

2300 København S

More good news :-)

FYI - the Copenhagen port schedule Danish Viking referred to is at:

http://www.cmport.com/ships-in-port/cruise-ships

Looks like we're the only ones at C330 the morning of disembarkation, so fingers crossed on luck with the 26 bus and/or taxis!

Thanks for all the responses. So Is Bus #26 available on weekends or not?

Please to ask Danish Viking, how do we get to bus 26 from our dock, which is lisited as Levantkaj C190? Thanks you for any assistance.

Is it Levantkaj (pier C266) or C190 (Langeliniekaj