2 Days in Copenhagen Plus Day Trips
Two days is exactly enough to run the two strongest day trips out of Copenhagen Central and skip the padding. Day 1 crosses the Oresund Bridge into Sweden. Day 2 goes back a thousand years to the Viking ships at Roskilde. Base yourself near Copenhagen Central Station both nights, since that one platform is where every leg below starts and ends. Got more time? Add a day for Kronborg in the 3 day version , or go all the way to the 6 day plan covering every trip in this guide. For the city itself, use our Copenhagen guide separately; this plan is entirely about what’s outside it.
Book these before you go
- Malmo day trip tour , if you’d rather not manage the border crossing solo
- Roskilde Viking Ship Museum tour , especially in summer when the sailing add-on runs
- Hotel rates near Copenhagen Central , booked for both nights before the weekend inflates them
Day 1: Malmo, Sweden
Take an Öresundståg train from Copenhagen Central; they run every 15 to 20 minutes and reach Malmo Central in 35 to 41 minutes. One-way fares start around 150 SEK, cheaper booked a week out on Öresundståg’s site than at the platform machine on the day.
Get two facts straight before you board. Malmo is in Sweden, so the currency flips from Danish kroner (DKK) to Swedish kronor (SEK) the second the train crosses the bridge, despite both using the same “kr” symbol. A few Malmo shops will still take DKK, at a bad rate, so carry SEK or pay by card. Both countries are in Schengen, but random ID checks still happen at the border platform, so keep your passport on you regardless.
Malmo’s centre is walkable from the station: Lilla Torg’s cafe square, the moated Malmohus Castle, and the Turning Torso tower all sit within about 20 minutes on foot. Treat this as a half day, not a full one. The round trip alone takes under an hour and a half combined, and the sights themselves don’t need six hours. Head back to Copenhagen by early evening and use the extra time to settle in for tomorrow’s earlier start.
Is Malmo worth a day trip from Copenhagen?
Yes, as a half day rather than a full one. The train each way runs under 45 minutes, the main sights cluster within a 20-minute walk of Malmo Central, and there’s no reason to burn a whole day on a city this compact when Roskilde is waiting tomorrow.
Day 2: Roskilde, Viking ships and a cathedral
Regional trains leave Copenhagen Central roughly every 10 minutes, more than 100 departures a day, reaching Roskilde in 25 to 27 minutes for a one-way fare from around 84 DKK. This is the single best day trip from Copenhagen, full stop.
Start at the Viking Ship Museum , 160 DKK adult entry, under 18 free, home to five Viking ships excavated from the Roskilde fjord. From May through September the museum runs 50-minute sailing trips on ship reconstructions for an extra 120 DKK, weather permitting; this is the one thing on this itinerary that genuinely sells out, so book it online ahead rather than hoping for a same-day slot.
Walk the 1.5 kilometres, about 20 minutes, or catch bus 203 to Roskilde Cathedral , Denmark’s UNESCO-listed royal burial church holding over 800 years of Danish monarchs. Entry is 80 DKK adult as of 1 July 2026, up from 70 before that date, so ignore any older post still quoting the lower figure. Give the two sights three to four hours combined, then take the same regional line back to Copenhagen Central for your evening train or flight home.
Do you need to book Roskilde tickets in advance?
Only the summer sailing add-on. The Viking Ship Museum itself and Roskilde Cathedral are both walk-up, no timed entry required, but the seasonal sailing trips run weather-dependent and limited-capacity, so reserve that specific slot online if you want it.