Copenhagen hop-on hop-off bus by Red Sightseeing with boat tour

Copenhagen makes a fine city for seeing from both the street and the water. This ticket pairs a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus with a 60-minute canal boat ride, linking sights such as Tivoli Gardens and Amalienborg Palace with views of Nyhavn, Christianshavn, and the Little Mermaid.

I like two things here: you can set your own pace across 22 stops, and the boat offers a different view of the city’s waterfront without adding a separate tour purchase. The bus also has audio commentary in 10 languages, which helps make the ride more than just transport.

The catch is that finding the bus and boat can take effort. The stop details are not always easy to follow, and you must exchange your voucher for a physical boat ticket at Nyhavn. Check the departure information before setting out, and leave time to locate the right signs.

What to know before you go

1 / 5

• Two ways to see the city: A 24-hour bus ticket is paired with a 60-minute canal boat tour.
• 22 stops: Hop off near major attractions, including Tivoli Gardens and Amalienborg Palace.
• A boat ride with classic views: The route passes Nyhavn, Christianshavn, and the Little Mermaid.
• Frequent, but not constant, buses: Departures run every 30 to 60 minutes from 09:00, with the last departure from Central Station/Tivoli Gardens at 16:00.
• The boat ticket needs an exchange: At Nyhavn near bus stop 8, present your voucher for a physical boat ticket.
• Check the voucher date carefully: It is valid for one day from booking confirmation and expires at 23:59 that day.

👉 See our pick of the 6 Best Shopping Tours In Copenhagen

A bus and boat ticket for getting your bearings

This tour is best thought of as a sightseeing tool, not a guided walk or a substitute for Copenhagen’s regular transit. You can ride the bus to get a sense of the city, hop off when a sight catches your eye, and later take the boat for a calmer look at the canals and harbor.

That flexibility is useful if you are new to Copenhagen, short on time, or would rather not plan every connection yourself. The bus stops near major sights, while the boat supplies a different perspective on places that can feel quite different from the water.

There is no live tour guide included. Instead, the bus has recorded audio commentary in English, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Mandarin, Danish, and Swedish. Earphones are included when you first use the ticket, and WiFi is listed as part of the package.

The starting price is $35.85. That can be reasonable if you take several bus rides and use the boat, particularly on a first visit when a broad overview is worth something. If you prefer walking and already know which sights you want to see, you may get around faster on foot or choose individual transport instead.

Tivoli Gardens and the central stops

Tivoli Gardens is one of the headline sights on the bus route. It is the second-oldest amusement park in the world, and its central location makes it an easy anchor for a day of sightseeing. The bus ticket does not include admission, so budget separately if you plan to go inside.

The stop is also a useful starting point for understanding how the tour works. The bus operates daily from 09:00, with departures every 30 to 60 minutes. That gap matters: this is not a vehicle you should expect to catch every few minutes. If you get off for a long visit, check the app for current bus times and location before you start waiting.

Central Station and Tivoli Gardens are also the departure point for the last bus at 16:00. That early finish is worth planning around. If you want to stay late at an attraction or spend the evening in another part of town, do not assume the sightseeing bus will take you back.

Some bus stops are integrated with regular city bus stops and marked with a small sightseeing-bus sign. That shared setup can make the correct boarding point less obvious than a dedicated tour terminal. The buses are red, and identifying the right one can be confusing, so confirm the sign and check the app rather than boarding by color alone.

Amalienborg Palace and the royal-city view

Amalienborg Palace, the royal family’s winter residence, is another major sight on the bus route. Even if you do not enter any attraction, passing near a landmark like this gives the ride a useful structure: you can connect Copenhagen’s royal center with its waterfront, amusement park, and canal neighborhoods.

The bus is particularly handy if you want to see several parts of the city without mapping each walk from scratch. But it is not automatically the fastest way to move between nearby places. Buses run at 30 to 60-minute intervals, and one visitor found walking to city sights quicker than waiting. Treat the bus as a way to cover ground and enjoy the ride, not as a guaranteed shortcut.

Admission to attractions is not included. The ticket covers transportation and the boat tour, not entry to Tivoli Gardens, palaces, museums, or other sights. If you are building a full-day budget, add those costs separately.

Nyhavn and the 60-minute boat tour

The boat ride is one of the strongest reasons to choose this combined ticket. In about an hour, it passes Nyhavn, Christianshavn, and the Little Mermaid, giving you a view of Copenhagen’s canals and waterfront buildings from the water. That shift in viewpoint is a welcome change after sitting on a bus or walking between landmarks.

Nyhavn is also where you must exchange your voucher for a physical boat ticket. The instructions place the exchange point near bus stop 8, but finding the exact boat can be awkward. Look carefully for the sightseeing signs, and allow extra time rather than arriving at the last moment. A useful clue from the directions shared by a passenger is the yellow building with red NYHAVN lettering across from the boat area. The boat company name is not specified in the tour details, so do not rely on that as your only identifier.

The exchange requirement is important. You cannot simply show the bus voucher as a QR code and step onto the boat; you need to present it and obtain the physical ticket. If you are traveling with a child or someone who walks slowly, build in time to locate the exchange point without rushing.

From the boat, Nyhavn’s colorful waterfront, Christianshavn’s canal setting, and the Little Mermaid’s position on the harbor route make for a compact overview of Copenhagen from the water. The ride is described as scenic, not as a guided walking tour, and the package does not list a boat guide or commentary language. The main value is the water-level view and the chance to rest while the city passes by.

Finding the bus and getting on board

The listed meeting address is Bernstorffsgade 16, 1577 København. Yet the stop can be hard to spot, and the practical directions and passenger experiences suggest you should not assume the address alone will lead you straight to the right bus. One passenger had to ask around and walk a few blocks from the station area.

Use the map and the app before you leave, then look for the small sightseeing-bus sign at the stop. The app can show departure and arrival times and the bus’s current location. This is especially helpful when you are deciding whether to wait or walk to the next sight.

The activity details also give directions via Kongens Nytorv station on Metro Line M3, followed by a walk of about 10 minutes. Because the meeting-point information can be confusing, confirm the exact bus stop on the tour map rather than treating either the street address or station directions as sufficient on their own.

On boarding, show your voucher to staff. The first-use earphones are included, and WiFi is listed, so you can follow the audio commentary and check the live bus information. The package does not include hotel pickup, transport to the meeting point, tips, or personal expenses.

Timing, ticket validity, and family rules

The bus runs Monday through Sunday from 09:00, with departures every 30 to 60 minutes. The last departure from Central Station/Tivoli Gardens is at 16:00. Start early if you want time for both the bus and the hour-long boat ride, plus visits to attractions along the way.

Pay close attention to the voucher’s validity. It is valid for one day from the booking confirmation date and expires at 23:59 on the final day. The terms also state that cancellations and refunds are not available. If you are booking before you arrive in Copenhagen, check that the confirmation date works for your plans before paying.

Children aged 0 to 2 ride free. Children aged 15 and older pay the adult rate. Children aged 0 to 14 must be accompanied, with a maximum of two children per adult. No attraction admission is included for children or adults.

Is the combined ticket good value?

At $35.85 and up, the ticket’s value depends on how you like to sightsee. If you use several of the 22 stops and take the boat, you are getting two types of city touring in one purchase. The boat adds something a bus cannot: a close look at Copenhagen’s canals, harbor buildings, and waterfront landmarks.

The value is weaker if you plan to walk most of the city, take only one short bus ride, or skip the boat. Waiting up to an hour between departures can eat into a tight schedule, and finding the stops may require more attention than you expect. Also remember that attraction admissions are separate.

I would see this as a convenient first-day orientation, especially if you want a low-effort way to cover major sights before choosing where to spend more time. It is less suited to a traveler who wants a tightly timed itinerary or expects a guide to lead the way. The combination works best when you treat the bus and boat as scenic transport, keep the app handy, and leave a little slack for finding the right stops.

Should you book this Copenhagen bus and boat tour?

Book it if you want a flexible overview, appreciate the option to hop off near major sights, and are genuinely interested in seeing Copenhagen from the canals. The bus commentary and 60-minute cruise make it a useful pairing for a first visit, and the boat is the main reason the ticket offers more than a basic city loop.

Think twice if you are a fast walker, have a packed schedule, or need precise stop directions and frequent departures. The bus may not save time for short city-center trips, while the boat-ticket exchange and bus-stop signs require a bit of patience. If you do book, confirm the voucher date, check the app, and go to Nyhavn early enough to find and exchange the boat ticket.

FAQ

How long is the boat tour?

The boat tour lasts 60 minutes.

Which sights does the boat pass?

The route passes Nyhavn, Christianshavn, and the Little Mermaid.

How many stops are on the bus route?

The hop-on hop-off route has 22 stops near major attractions.

When do the buses operate?

The bus operates Monday through Sunday from 09:00. Departures are every 30 to 60 minutes.

What time is the last bus?

The last departure from Central Station/Tivoli Gardens is at 16:00.

How do I get the boat ticket?

Present your voucher at Nyhavn near bus stop 8 and exchange it for a physical boat ticket.

What languages are available for the bus commentary?

Audio commentary is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Mandarin, Danish, and Swedish.

Are attraction admissions included?

No. Admission to attractions is not included in the ticket.

How long is the voucher valid?

It is valid for one day from the booking confirmation date and expires at 23:59 on the last day.