Is Copenhagen worth a day trip?

Only just: 1.6 hours in Copenhagen, £159 for the whole day, 15 min into town each way. Tight: the centre and a meal, not much more.

How long do you actually get in Copenhagen?

About 1.6 hours in Copenhagen. Landing to take-off is 5.1 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Copenhagen airport into town?

Metro 15 min, DKK 36 for 3 zones (about €4.80). A day ticket on local transport is City Pass Small 24h DKK 100 (about €13.40), covers the airport.

What does a day in Copenhagen cost, not counting the flight?

About £78 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown was checked 8 October against Google Flights for this exact date and these exact flights. Fares move, so it can change before you book, and the price is not held for you.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 14:45. That allows 15 min to get back to the airport and 150 min there, including 60 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 17:30 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 30 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 60 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 1.6 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Copenhagen.
From Manchester, back by 18:30.

Denmark·Fri 9 Oct · 1.6 hours in the city

£159

the whole day

1.6 hours

in the city

18:30

back in Manchester

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

1.6 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

8km

to the centreFrom Copenhagen centre (CPH)

Daylight

11.1 hours

07:25 to 18:29Sunrise 07:25, sunset 18:29

Tight: passport queues. Under 5 hours in Copenhagen once we allow 30 min for passport control on landing and 60 min extra before the flight home. First EU trip since 2025? Allow 30 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

09:35
Leave Manchester
1h 50min
13:10
In the city
Lands 12:25, 30min immigration, 15min from the airport
14:45
Leave the city
15min back, 150min at the airport incl. immigration
18:30
Back in Manchester
Flies 17:30

Leave Manchester09:35
Land in Copenhagen1h 50min12:25
In the city30min immigration, 15min from the airport13:10
Leave the city15min back, 150min at the airport incl. immigration14:45
Fly home1h 50min17:30
Back in Manchester18:30

Weather while you are there

12:0013°

13:0013°

14:0014°

15:0014°

16:0013°

17:0012°

18:0012°

Also on in Copenhagen

Halloween in Tivoli Gardens
Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens amusement park is decorated for Halloween with over 20,000 pumpkins, spooky displays and haunted attractions through October.
2 Oct to 1 Nov · Entry ~DKK 165 (~£19); rides extra or Ride Pass ~DKK 285
Official site

Things to do in CopenhagenShow

Tivoli GardensTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Copenhagen ZOOTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
ExperimentariumTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
National Museum of DenmarkTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Copenhagen · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in CopenhagenShow

New Year's Eve in Copenhagen, 31 Dec: see dates

What a day in Copenhagen costs

Flights and on-the-ground spend, per person.

£159/ all in, per person

Transport for the day£11

Lunch£19

Dinner£48

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Rosenborg Castle£17 (150 kr)

Round Tower£7 (60 kr)

Nyhavn harbourfront, Changing of the Royal Life Guard at Amalienborg Palace square, The Little Mermaid statue on the Langelinie waterfront, The King's Garden, Freetown ChristianiaFree

On the ground£78

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flight from£81

Cached fare, not live. Checked 4 hours ago. The price when you book may be higher.

Getting to Manchesterfrom free

All in, per person£159

Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 8 Oct, 19:31. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Manchester

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-off areaFree
24/7 shuttle bus to the terminals. Source

Train

From Manchester Piccadilly£2.90 each way13-20 min
Advance single. last train 01:34 Source
From Leeds£6.90 each way83-96 min
Advance single Source
From Liverpool (Lime Street)£3.60 each way46-73 min
Advance single. First train 05:00, last train 00:18 Source

Coach

National Express from Manchester / Leeds / Liverpool£5.90 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Runs round the clock. Source

Taxi

From Manchester city centre£25-£35 one way~10 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £15-£25.
From Leeds£90-£120 one way~45 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £60-£90.
From Liverpool£75-£100 one way~35 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £50-£75.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-off, Terminal 2from £5.50
5 min £5.50, 10 min £6.50, up to 30 min £25. Source

More parking

Short StayNo same-day price
From £65 (4-day stay). Source
JetParksNo same-day price
From £54.99 (8-day stay). Source
Mid StayNo same-day price
From £79 (8-day stay). Source
Drop & GoNo same-day price
From £69.99 (8-day stay). Source
Meet & GreetNo same-day price
From £85.99 (8-day stay). Source
Multi StoreyNo same-day price
From £65 (4-day stay). Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Maple Parking Park & Ride (5.8 mi from airport)£49.99
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 15-20 min. Source
APH Park & Ride (2.7 mi from airport)£69.95
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 7-15 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

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Comments on CopenhagenShow

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Day trip to Copenhagen.From Manchester, back by 18:30.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Copenhagen.
From Manchester, back by 18:30.