Copenhagen Central Station is the main railway station in Copenhagen, Denmark and the largest railway station in Denmark, although Nørreport Station has a larger passenger throughput if urban S-train and Metro services are included. It is situated between the districts of Indre By and Vesterbro with entrances from Bernstorffsgade (at Tivoli Gardens), Banegårdspladsen, Reventlowsgade and access to platforms from Tietgensgade.
Copenhagen Central Station is the hub of the DSB railway network serving Denmark and international destinations. It offers InterCity and Express trains services across Denmark, as well as services to several international destinations, regular and frequent regional train services to and from Zealand and southern Sweden (also referred to as Øresund trains). The station also services the Copenhagen S-train network, but the S-train system in Copenhagen doesn't use any kind of hub at all. It is an urban transit which differs from most Metro systems mainly by being a type of railway. At the station are two platforms with four tracks that are used by the S-trains only. All other trains usually use the other four platforms and eight tracks.
In addition to the original 6 island-platforms and their 12 tracks, has one additional track far later been constructed. The single spare track, called track 26, was initially built for trains to southern Sweden, while Malmö C still was a terminus.
It has later occasionally been used for express trains to or from Sweden or to or from Norway.
After the introduction of border controls and mandatory identity checks for travel to Sweden this track was fenced and used for X2000 and intercity trains to Sweden. The extra track 26 is located 200m south of the main building and is reachable only by walking along the platform for track 4 and 5 or from a staircase from the Tietgensgade street.
The platforms begin under the main passenger hall (and at least the S-train section, two platforms with a total of four S-train tracks, of the station can be said to begin as an underground station). A hotel (Astoria) is built above the S-train tracks in the Northern end, but the remaining tracks are uncovered below street level. (Open areas between tunnel sections were necessary to have during the era of steam trains, while the S-trains always have been electrical). In the opposite (platform) end, all platforms are covered with the typical railway arched roof. This roof is shorter than the platforms, but all tracks remain below street level and can also be accessed from the street Tietgensgade.
The main hall isn't just a waiting hall, but also a market place where most things can be bought. From fresh fruit sellers to super market, postal office, banks, currency exchanges, hamburgers, coffee shops, restaurants and pubs etc. There are also travel center for information an manual sale of tickets and two large toilet sections which are under manual supervision and clean. Shower rooms are also available for a smaller fee.
The current station building opened in 1911 and is the work of architect Heinrich Wenck. The station has 7 platforms and 13 tracks. On the station concourse there are many small shops, cafeterias, and fast food outlets. All public transport within Greater Copenhagen are divided into close to 100 ticket fare zones. The Central station is located in fare zone 1, which together with zones 2 and 3 constitute Copenhagen municipality and the "exclave" of Frederiksberg municipality. As the cheapest single ticket always is valid in two zones, a single ticket bought at the station is valid within the entire city centre and its inner boroughs. A ticket to Copenhagen Airport Kastrup, however, demands the payment for three zones since it's located in zone 4.
From July 2019 the Central station will also be served by the new Copenhagen Metro line M3, which will be a circular line with 17 stations. It is planned that the metro will expand less than a year after the M3 service start to also include line M4.