For years, these two have been an essential part of Copenhagen public transport—especially for tourists. But now, both the physical Rejsekort card and the DOT app are being phased out.
That said, you won’t be left without modern ticketing options if you’re planning to travel in and around Copenhagen. Let’s look at what’s going away and what options remain available.
The Physical Rejsekort Card
This one’s a bit of a misnomer if taken literally. “Rejsekort” means “travel card” in Danish, and the name suited the white-and-blue physical card perfectly. It made traveling on all forms of public transport around Copenhagen and the greater region simple.
Those shiny blue circles on metro station columns and inside buses are still a common sight. Their purpose? Validating the Rejsekort. You would “Check ind” (green) to start your trip and “Check ud” (red) to end it. The system would automatically deduct the fare from your card based on the zones traveled. You could top up your balance at machines in major stations.
That was the tourist version; locals could order a personalized card. But the most frustrating thing about this system—and why I don’t mind its end—was that you always had at least 150 kroner (around 20 euros or $20) locked in.
First, the card cost 80 kroner upfront—non-refundable. Second, if your balance dropped below 70 kroner, you couldn’t check in, even for short rides.
So, to sum it up: the physical card is ending. But the Rejsekort still exists in app form. That’s the irony: the “travel card” is being discontinued, but “TravelCard” lives on. It’s still a great pay-as-you-go option, especially if you don’t need a day pass or monthly ticket. Plus, the app doesn’t lock up your money the way the physical card did. More on that later.
DOT App
The DOT app was another favorite among tourists. DOT stands for “Din Offentlige Transport,” literally “Your Public Transportation” and refers to the transit authority covering Copenhagen and surrounding areas.
This app offered popular day passes (24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours), which made it easy for visitors to get around. A 48-hour pass—covering two full days—currently costs 160 kroner, while a single ticket costs around 22 kroner (depending on zones). So if you ride more than 8 times in 2 days, you save money.
But no need to panic. Only the DOT app is going away—not the day pass option itself. For whatever reason, Denmark has a habit of breaking public transport into multiple apps and fare types. This is just one app being retired.
You can still buy day passes and single tickets through the Rejsebillet app, which also supports monthly passes. As of this writing, the DOT app is still active, and Rejsebillet doesn’t yet support day passes. But according to official announcements, that function is expected to arrive sometime in fall 2025.
How to Travel in Copenhagen
First, download both apps and sign in. It costs nothing, but filling out your info and linking your bank card takes a little time—not something you want to do while running for a train at the airport. You can find them here (not the train, the apps):
Second, be strategic and choose your app and ticket type based on where and how often you’ll travel. That’s why it’s best to have both. On a multi-day trip, you might use Rejsekort on some days and Rejsebillet on others.
- Always check Rejsebillet first. It often offers discounts like cheaper weekend metro passes or 12-hour tickets during school holidays.
- For individual trips, Rejsekort is usually better. You check in when you board (the app handles this with a simple toggle) and check out when you get off. The app calculates the fare, applies off-peak discounts, and even handles quick return trips.
- If you plan on making 5 or more trips in a day, it’s probably worth buying a day pass in Rejsebillet. The more days you buy, the cheaper each day becomes. These passes offer unlimited rides and are easy to purchase. You just pick a zone range, starting from central Copenhagen and expanding outward.
- Staying more than 5 days? Consider a 30-day pass in Rejsebillet. You’ll need to select specific zones, which can be a bit trickier if you’re not familiar with the area.
Tip: Don’t buy single tickets in Rejsebillet. They usually cost more than the same ride in Rejsekort.
Bonus Tip for 2025 (or Maybe 2026???)
If you’re reading this in early fall 2025 and Rejsebillet still hasn’t been updated with day passes, download the DOT app too—just in case. Not only will you get access to those cheap day passes, but you’ll also get the full experience of traveling through a world-class city while juggling three separate apps to do it.