Copenhagen completes first tramway line

On 22 August 2026, the second phase of the now 27 km long Letbane in the western suburbs of the Danish capital, Copenhagen (København), was inaugurated. This orbital line runs from Lundtofte in the north, via the three different suburban rail interchanges in Lyngby, Buddinge, and Herlev, to Rødovre Nord, the previous northern terminus of the tramway, located next to the 9,000 m² depot. The newly opened second section from Rødovre Nord to Lundtofte is 14 km long. The first section, opened in late October 2025, runs from Ishøj in the south, via the Glostrup suburban rail station (with a turnback), to Rødovre Nord and is 13 km long. The journey time is approximately 68 minutes, and around 14M passengers per year are expected from 2030 onwards, due to the development of new residential areas alongside the purpose-built light rail corridor. Construction on the new metro system began in 2018, and since then the entire project has cost approximately €680 million. Officially called the Hovedstadens Letbane, the capital region and 11 neighboring municipalities own the new tram network.  

 

Previously, Copenhagen's extensive, first generation tram network had been decommissioned in April 1972. The city has an automated metro. The first underground section of the new line, between Nørreport and Vestamager/Lergravsparken in the city center, opened in October 2002. Currently, the city's metro network comprises four fully automated lines and 44 stops, totalling 43.3km.