How to get from Manchester to Copenhagen

How to travel from Manchester to Copenhagen?

When it comes to travelling from Manchester, you have two main choices depending on your needs- either by train, or by plane. The travel time to Copenhagen from Manchester can be as fast as around 1h and 45min with a direct flight, and varies from around 22h to 30h plus by train. Flights are available every day of the week, while trains are available Monday to Saturday, and only occasionally on Sundays. However the trains are much slower on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and to a lesser extent, Thursday, taking closer to 30h to complete the journey.

What is the cheapest way to get from Manchester to Copenhagen?

The cheapest way to travel from Manchester to Copenhagen is almost always with a flight, which is also always the fastest way to travel. Book tickets in advance to save money- the price of a flight can vary significantly depending on when you book, often becoming drastically more expensive when you book close to the date of departure. For example, a next day flight from Manchester to Copenhagen from the same airline can be nearly twice as much as one from the next week.

Direct flights without any changes take around 1h and 45min to 1h and 55min, and are offered by easyJet, Ryanair, and Scandinavian Airlines, with Ryanair and easyJet providing the lowest airfares. Ryanair has one flight a day, every day of the week, on most weeks, whereas easyJet has one flight a day on most days of the week but not Tuesday and Saturday. Both airlines fly out of Manchester Airport (MAN) and arrive at Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup (CPH).

What is the fastest way to travel from Manchester to Copenhagen?

The fastest way to travel from Manchester to Copenhagen is undoubtedly by flying, which also happens to be the cheapest way to travel. A direct flight from Manchester to Copenhagen can take as little as around 1h and 45min, while a train will take at least 22h and 12min approximately. Even after accounting for an early arrival at the airport by the recommended 2h- to account for check in, flying is still significantly faster than travelling by train. This also still applies when taking a slower flight with a stopover.

Ryanair offers the shortest flight time of just 1h and 45min, flying out of Manchester Airport and landing in Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup. Manchester Airport is 8 miles (13 km) from the city centre of Manchester and it can be reached from Manchester Piccadilly in the city center with a 20min train ride. Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup Copenhagen is only 4.3 miles (7 km) outside of the city and it only takes 15min to reach the city centre by Metro.

Find the best tickets from Manchester to Copenhagen and book with Omio

Omio is a booking platform that will help you to compare and book various different modes of transport- all with a single search, so you can choose the best way to travel from Manchester to Copenhagen. Many major companies like easyJet, Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn trust Omio, which allows you to scan all your travel options at a glance and choose them in a few clicks. Omio provides booking and customer service in your language. If you prefer using your phone, Omio has you covered with mobile tickets. Our Omio magazine also has useful tips to help you discover how to travel.

Copenhagen Guard. Source: Shutterstock

Trains from Manchester to Copenhagen

Travelling by train from Manchester to Copenhagen might be more comfortable than either by plane or bus, and is much better for the environment. To travel by train to Copenhagen, you first take an Avanti West Coast train from Manchester Piccadilly station to London Euston station. From London Euston a short tenmin walk will get you to London St. Pancras International. If you prefer not to walk, St. Pancras International is only one stop away from the eastbound Northern or Victoria tube lines.

Once there, the Eurostar train will take you from London St Pancras International to Brussels-Midi, in Brussels. After a short wait at Brussels-Midi, board a Deutsche Bahn train to Cologne Hbf, in Cologne. Once there, wait another 54min for the next Deutsche Bahn train to take you from Cologne Hbf to Hamburg Hbf, in Hamburg. Here there is a 1h and 30min wait before the next Deutsche Bahn train brings you to Flensburg. The next Deutsche Bahn train will arrive after a short 8min wait, taking you from Flensburg to Fredericia Station and entering Denmark.

Finally, the last Deutsche Bahn train will arrive after 1h and 30min to take you to København H in Copenhagen. Also called Copenhagen Central Station, the station is located right in the centre of Copenhagen as its name suggests. At least 6 trains are available a day from Monday to Saturday, but the fastest trains only operate on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. They leave at around 5:05 a.m. from Manchester Piccadilly and arrive at around 4:17 a.m. the next day in København H, for a total journey time of 22h and 12min.

Train travel from Manchester to Copenhagen with Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn

Eurostar’s trains have free Wi-Fi onboard and every seat features power outlets. There are bar cars for refreshments and food, and depending on the time of the day, Standard Premier and Business Premier travellers have a complimentary meal and wine or breakfast. Deutsche Bahn’s trains have free Wi-Fi available and power outlets at every seat. A bistro restaurant is available which takes your orders from your seat.

Flights from Manchester to Copenhagen

Ryanair, easyJet, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines all offer flights from Manchester to Copenhagen. Ryanair and easyJet both have some of the quickest and most affordable flights, taking 1h and 45min to 1h and 50min. Scandinavian Airlines also offer direct flights with similar journey times, but at a significantly higher price. There is at least one flight per day from either Ryanair or easyJet, and usually from both. Other airlines have multiple flights a day, each day, but they involve 1 transfer and can take anywhere from 4h to more than 10h depending on the length of the stopover.

Manchester Airport is 8 miles (13 km) from the city centre of Manchester. It can be reached from Manchester Piccadilly in the city center with a 20min train ride which departs every 10min, 7 days a week, from around 4:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Alternatively, at least 9 different buses are connected with the airport, such as Bus 43 from Piccadilly Gardens, which operates 24h a day. Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup Copenhagen is only 4.3 miles (7 km) outside of the city. The Metro takes 15min to reach the city centre and runs every 4 to 6min during the day and 15 to 20min at night, 24h a day and 7 days a week. Buses 5A, 35 and 36 can also transfer you to the city centre in around 35min.

Copenhagen Fountain. Source: Shutterstock

Flying from Manchester to Copenhagen with Ryanair

Ryanair offers some of the most affordable airfares with its no frills service. Meals and snacks are available but at extra cost. Passengers who do not have priority boarding can only bring onboard 1 small hand luggage (40x20x25cm) that must go under the seats, while priority boarding grants you the allowance of 1 hand luggage plus a larger cabin bag (55x40x20cm) in the overhead compartment.

To Copenhagen by train and flight—travel tips

As Denmark’s largest city by far, Copenhagen is full of things to see and do. Indre By is the city's historic center and where you’ll find the Amalienborg Palace- home of the royal family, Christiansborg Palace- home to the Danish Parliament, and the Renaissance-era Rosenborg Castle- a museum and home to the crown jewels. The Tivoli Gardens is a mini theme park with attractions including a roller coaster, halls of mirrors, pantomime, and bumper boats, but is most famous for the magical beauty of it which inspired Disneyland.

The other contender for Copenhagen’s most famous attraction is the Little Mermaid statue in Kastellet- a bronze sculpture of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale character, created by Edvard Eriksen in 1913. When you get hungry, make sure to try local cuisine like smørrebrød- an open sandwich of Danish rye bread with a topping of meat, fish and vegetables; and of course Danish- the buttery pastry named after the country, in Denmark.