The M4 metro line to Sydhavn and Valby opens on 22 June
Facts about M4
- The M4 extension consists of five new metro stations in Copenhagen: Havneholmen, Enghave Brygge, Sluseholmen, Mozarts Plads and Copenhagen South.
- After opening, the total metro network will consist of 44 metro stations and 43 kilometres of track.
- With the opening, it will be possible to switch between metro and S-trains at eight stations and between metro and regional trains at six stations.
- When the new stations open, the journey time by Metro between Copenhagen South and City Hall Square will be approximately 10 minutes and between Copenhagen South and Frederiksberg approximately 13 minutes.
- The metro line runs around the clock with high frequency and will better connect the new urban development areas and existing urban areas in Sydhavn and Valby.
- From 2030, the five new stations are expected to have approximately eight million passengers annually. In the first few years after opening, annual passenger numbers will be lower because experience shows that it takes time to get people used to a new line.
- Overall, more than 135 million passengers are expected to travel on the Metro by 2024.
- Read more about the M4 to Sydhavn and Valby in this fact sheet.
In less than three months, Copenhageners and visitors can look forward to even more of the city being connected by metro when five new stations open in Sydhavn and Valby. The doors are expected to open for passengers on Saturday 22 June 2024 after almost six years of construction work.
"Copenhagen is growing, and with it the need to make daily transport between our existing and new neighbourhoods easier and more climate-friendly for people in the city. That's what the Metro can do. It makes the city smaller and bigger at the same time. Whether you're a Copenhagener travelling to work or education on a daily basis or visiting our capital, the Metro just gets even better with the connection to Sydhavn and Valby. I'm counting down to the opening, and we look forward to opening the doors for everyone," says Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, Lord Mayor of the City of Copenhagen.
When the M4 extension opens, passengers can travel directly between Orientkaj in Nordhavn and Copenhagen South in Valby. Along the way, you can transfer to the M3 Cityring at six stations and to the M1 and M2 lines at Kongens Nytorv. In addition, it will be possible to change between S-trains and regional trains at Copenhagen South, Copenhagen H and Østerport and S-trains at Nordhavn.
"I'm looking forward to the opening of the metro extension, as it will give people here in Frederiksberg quick and easy access to Sydhavn and Valby. Whether it's to visit friends and family or to commute to work, the M4 to Sydhavn and Valby will bring the capital closer together. The extension is not only an important milestone for the infrastructure - it is also a strong investment in sustainable mobility and a greener future for generations to come," says Mayor of Frederiksberg Municipality, Michael Vindfeldt.
Facts about the project
- Construction of the metro extension to Sydhavn and Valby began in August 2018.
- The project has stayed on schedule despite challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic and supply chain pressures.
- The total budget for the Sydhavn Metro is almost DKK 10 billion (2021 prices).
- The metro extension is 5.7 kilometres long (from Copenhagen H to Copenhagen S).
Contractors and consultants on the metro extension
- TUNN3L JV is constructing the five new metro stations and tunnels.
- Rhomberg EFACEC JV builds track and power supply.
- Hitachi supplies the control system, cables in tunnels and trains.
- As a subcontractor to Hitachi, Metro Service will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Metro.
- COWI and Systra are Metroselskabet's consultants on the project.
- Aarsleff Rail is building the shared transfer area between Metro, S-trains and other trains at Copenhagen South.
Final tests and works before passenger operation
Before the five new stations can open their doors, the underground stations and above-ground station areas must be completed. At the same time, the final tests of the metro line await. This work forms the basis for the final regulatory approval, where the Danish Transport Authority authorises passenger traffic. The licence is dependent on the tests and documentation being in order and can only be issued shortly before the metro is ready to open in June.
"We have built the Metro for the benefit of the many passengers who will soon find that they can get around Copenhagen easier and faster. In the coming months, we will therefore be fully focused on getting all tests and documentation in place so that we can get the final approval to start carrying passengers," says Erik Skotting, director at Metroselskabet, and continues:
"It's going to be a great day - and I dare to promise that it will be a public celebration with entertainment and activities for residents, metro enthusiasts and the rest of Copenhagen when, after almost six years of work, we can open the doors to even more metro in Copenhagen," concludes Erik Skotting.
Before the M4 extension opens, the M3 and M4 metro lines will again be closed for a single day. This is expected to happen approximately one month before the opening and will be announced beforehand. The closure will coincide with the start of trial operations, where the system will be adjusted and corrected and operations and maintenance staff will familiarise themselves with the new system and its many procedures.