Last update for this page: 22 June 2008.
National Railway System: Danske Statsbaner (DSB). Infrastructure is owned by Banestyrelsen (reportedly about to be renamed BaneDanmark), a public authority separate from DSB.
Language: Danish
Currency: Danish Krone
UIC code: 86
Timetable: The DSB timetable - previously Køreplan Tog - is now called Tog i Danmark (on the front) and InterCity og InterCityLyn (upside down on the back). Price (2002 edition) DKR25. It contains all regular services (not just DSB-operated), including København S-Bane and Metro (in brief), but not seasonal tourist railways. Symbols are explained in German, English and French, but otherwise it is entirely in Danish. Most timetables include separate sections for Mondays to Fridays, for Saturdays and for Sundays and holidays. No distances are given. A schematic route diagram is provided, with separate plans of the København S-Bane and Metro. On-line PDF versions of DSB's timetables are available at www.dsb.dk/indland/koereplaner/.
A timetable - Veterantog i Danmark - is issued for most of the seasonal tourist railways by Danske Veterantogsoperatøres Fællesrepræsentation (DVF) and Lokomotivklubben KLK in printed form from KLK, Bakken 21, DK-6640 Lunderskov, by e-mail from pr@klk.dk, or at www.veterantog.dk/uk/home.htm.
Gauge: Standard
Electrification: 25kV 50Hz. The København S-Bane is 1500V dc.
Rule of the road: Right
Other Railways:
Arriva Tog A/S operate passenger services under franchise over Banestyrelsen lines and over the Varde - Nørre Nebel Jernbane. Nord-Ostsee-Bahn GmbH operate passenger services between Tønder and Niebüll (Germany) (see timetable at www.nord-ostsee-bahn.de/fahrplan/fahrplaene/index.php).
Nordjyske Jernbaner A/S operate some freight trains over Banestyrelsen lines north of Ålborg.
Tourist lines:
The Blovstrødbanen, Limfjordsbanen, Mariager-Handest Veteranjernbane and Maribo-Bandholm lines are operated by special interest groups of Dansk Jernbaneklub.
There is a listing of Nordic narrow gauge tourist lines at the Scandinavian Railways Society website.
Rail cycling is possible on the following lines:
Metro: København (partly opened, partly under construction)
Trams: Sporvejsmuseet Skjoldenæsholm (tramway museum line, ca. 2km) at Jystrup Midtsjælland
Recent and future changes:
The bridge and tunnel across the Storebælt, connecting the islands of Fyn and Sjælland, opened to rail traffic in 1997, bringing about closure of the train ferry between Nyborg and Korsør. A fixed link has been constructed between København and Malmö (Sweden): the first section, to København Lufthavn Kastrup, opened on 28 September 1998; the remainder opened on 1 July 2000.
In connection with construction of the København Metro, the S-Bane line from Solbjerg to Frederiksberg closed on 20 June 1998, and that from Vanløse to Solbjerg closed on 1 January 2000.
Some local services in Jylland have being tendered for periods from 5 to 8 years from 2003 and are now being operated by Arriva Tog A/S.
See also www.bane.dk/visArtikel.asp?artikelID=256
Special Notes:
Seat reservations are compulsory on trains using ferries to Helsingborg and Puttgarden, and desirable on other long-distance services. Reservations from intermediate stations are issued until shortly before the train calls, so apparently unreserved seats may be claimed during the course of the journey.
Most long-distance services (IC and Lyntog) are worked by modern diesel units, and many trains split to serve several destinations. Displays within carriages indicate the destination of that portion of the train. Passengers travelling first class may help themselves to free tea and coffee on the train. Most long distance trains include a section designated for families and a "quiet" coach, where loud conversations and use of mobile phones is not permitted.
EuroCity trains between København and Hamburg are worked by DSB diesel units and do not have the full range of onboard facilities (particularly catering) that EuroCity designation normally implies.
A single fare structure covers both DSB and private lines. However, most private operators do not accept InterRail and similar tickets. Penalty fares are charged if passengers are without a valid ticket on local lines in the København area.
Maps:
Track layout diagrams of Danish lines can be found at dk.trackmap.net.
Denmark's Banestyrelsen [the equivalent of National Rail in Great Britain] has an over-view map with English text at www.bane.dk/visArtikel_eng.asp?artikelID=1025 and - in Danish text only - at www.bane.dk/visArtikel.asp?artikelID=132 Tjenestekøreplanens Indledende Bemærkninger for most of the nationalised railway lines. The publication's title translates to something like "opening remarks for the employee timetable" [equivalent to the Great Britain Sectional Appendix table A]; it consists of simplified track diagrams (excluding shunting tracks and other local tracks), annotated with the positions of every station, main signal, and level crossing along the line, running distances, and permanent speed limits for all main routes.
Last complete update 2 August 1998; detail changes made to tourist lines (27 October 1998); København Lufthavn Kastrup route shown as open (17 June 1999); København metro update (14 September 1999); DSB track map link added (14 December 1999); narrow gauge tourist lines link added, and timetable map details added (10/11 January 2000); general update (3 May 2000); nordng.htm link amended (14 September 2000); Recent Changes and Special Notes updated 5 December 2000; Track layout link updated 21 June 2001; Tourist Lines amended (30 April 2003); Tourist Lines amended (1 June 2003); "Maps" amended (8 September 2003); on-line timetable details added (15 December 2003); full update (19 December 2003); Tourist Lines link amended (6 August 2006); reference to Eurodomino removed (9 May 2007); Tourist Lines amended (22 June 2008).
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