Quick answer. Denmark is one of the most cashless countries on earth, so at Copenhagen Airport (CPH, Kastrup) most visitors need no cash at all; a contactless card or phone pays for everything including the Metro to the city. If you do want a small kroner float, use a Danske Bank or Nokas bank ATM in arrivals (Danish bank ATMs add no operator surcharge of their own), and avoid the orange Euronet machines and the airport exchange counters. Denmark has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA card pays its 3% fee anywhere; a no-FX-fee card (Wise, Schwab) is cleaner. Decline DCC and choose Danish kroner (DKK). To the city: Kastrup is unusually close (about 8 km), and the Metro M2 runs straight from the terminal to the centre (Kongens Nytorv, Nørreport) in about 13–15 minutes, with regional trains also direct to Copenhagen Central.
Where to get Danish Kroner at CPH
The key Copenhagen fact is that you may need no cash at all; a contactless card pays the Metro and nearly everything else. If you do want kroner, use a Danske Bank or Nokas machine, not the orange Euronet units or the exchange counters. The cost math below assumes you withdraw or exchange the equivalent of $100.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danske Bank / Nokas ATM (CPH arrivals, no surcharge) | Arrivals area | Interbank rate, no operator fee | ~$100 + home-bank fee only |
| Just use a contactless card (no cash needed) | Everywhere, incl. the Metro | Interbank rate on a no-FX-fee card | ~$100 |
| Forex / Travelex exchange counter (CPH) | Arrivals | A few percent (Forex) to 5-10% (Travelex) off interbank | ~$92-97 |
| Euronet ATM (orange, CPH) | Arrivals / transit | Operator fee + DCC pitch | ~$88-93 |
| Accepting DCC at any machine | Anywhere | +4-12% if you choose 'charge in USD' | ~$88-96 |
Where to find the Danske Bank and Nokas ATMs at Copenhagen Kastrup (CPH)
Copenhagen Airport (CPH), at Kastrup, is the largest airport in the Nordics and a major Scandinavian hub, unusually close to the city at about 8 km from the centre. As with the rest of Scandinavia, the first thing to know is cultural: Denmark is among the most cashless societies in the world, with contactless cards and the MobilePay app handling essentially everything, so most visitors complete a whole trip without any kroner. If you do want a small float, the bank ATMs in arrivals (Danske Bank and the Nokas-operated machines that many Danish banks now share) dispense DKK at the interbank rate and add no operator surcharge of their own. The machines to avoid are the orange Euronet ATMs, which add a fee and push dynamic currency conversion, and the Forex and Travelex exchange counters, which trail a card. A Denmark-specific point: when paying by card you may be asked to choose between charging in Danish kroner and your home currency; always pick kroner. Denmark has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA card pays its 3% non-network fee anywhere here. Decline DCC and choose Danish kroner.
Terminal 3 (main arrivals, all long-haul)
SAS, Norwegian, and the long-haul carriers including United, SAS, Lufthansa, KLM, British Airways, Emirates, and the transatlantic connections. Terminal 3 handles most international and US arrivals and connects directly to the Metro and rail station
Bank ATMs (Danske Bank and Nokas-operated machines) are in the arrivals area; they add no operator surcharge on foreign cards. Avoid the orange Euronet machines and the Forex/Travelex counters. Withdraw only a small float if any, decline DCC, choose Danish kroner, then walk to the Metro M2 or the train platforms reached from the terminal.
Terminal 2 (European and some intercontinental)
European and short-haul services and some intercontinental flights. Connected airside and landside to Terminal 3 and the same Metro and rail station
Bank ATMs are available landside; the same rule applies. Use a Danske Bank or Nokas machine, skip Euronet, decline DCC, choose DKK. The Metro M2 and the rail station are a short walk from either terminal.
Do you actually need cash at Copenhagen Kastrup (CPH)?
No, for almost everyone. The Metro, trains, buses, taxis, and rideshare all take cards, and Denmark is one of the most cashless countries anywhere. Here is what works on a card, and the narrow cases where a little cash still helps:
Metro M2 (to Kongens Nytorv / city centre) (~DKK 38 one way): Direct from the terminal station to the centre in ~13-15 min, every few minutes day and night. Buy with a contactless card; no cash needed.
Regional / intercity train (to København H) (~DKK 38 one way): Direct to Copenhagen Central in ~13 min, and on to Malmö across the Øresund Bridge. Buy by card at the machine or in the DOT app.
Taxi (~DKK 250-350 to the centre): Short run given the 8 km distance; cards accepted. The Metro is far cheaper and usually faster.
Uber-style rideshare / Bolt (~DKK 200-300 to the centre): Bolt operates in Copenhagen; pay in-app. Note Uber's on-and-off Danish history, so Bolt is the reliable app.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Copenhagen Kastrup (CPH) to Copenhagen?
No. Metro M2 (to Kongens Nytorv / city centre) accepts contactless. Most taxis accept cards. Uber and other apps are card-only.
Can I order Danish Kroner before flying?
Yes. CEI Currency Exchange ships physical Danish Kroner to your US address in 2-5 days at rates well below airport counters. Order 50-100 Danish Kroner for taxis and tips on day one.
Do I actually need any cash in Denmark?
For most visitors, no. Denmark is one of the most cashless countries in the world: contactless cards and phones pay for the Metro, trains and buses, restaurants, museums, bakeries, and kiosks, and locals settle person-to-person payments with the MobilePay app. You can easily spend a week in Copenhagen without any kroner. The narrow exceptions are the odd flea-market stall, a rural farm shop, or a small church donation box. If you want a small DKK cushion for those, withdraw a modest amount from a Danske Bank or Nokas ATM, but there is no need to load up on cash on arrival.
Which ATM at Copenhagen Airport is best, and which should I avoid?
Use a bank ATM (Danske Bank and the Nokas-operated machines used by many Danish banks) and avoid the orange Euronet units and the exchange counters. Danish bank ATMs dispense kroner at the real interbank rate and add no operator surcharge, so you pay only your home bank's fees. The Euronet machines in the arrivals and transit areas add a per-withdrawal fee and push DCC, costing 7–12% combined. The Forex and Travelex counters are exchange windows that trail a card. At any machine, decline DCC and choose Danish kroner, and because Denmark is so cashless, withdraw only a small float.
Is there a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner in Denmark?
No. None of the Danish banks (Danske Bank, Nordea, Jyske Bank, Nykredit) belong to the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance, so a BoA debit card pays BoA's standard 3% non-network fee at any Danish ATM, with nothing added on the Danish side. There is no fee-free option for BoA cards here. The cleaner setup is a no-foreign-transaction-fee card such as Wise or Charles Schwab, which gives the real interbank rate and, with Schwab, refunds ATM operator fees worldwide. And because Denmark is so cashless, you may barely use an ATM at all.
How do I get from Copenhagen Airport to the city centre?
Copenhagen is the easy one: the airport is only about 8 km from the centre and superbly connected. The Metro M2 line runs directly from the station inside the terminal to the city (Kongens Nytorv and on toward Vanløse) in about 13–15 minutes, every few minutes, day and night. Regional and intercity trains also run directly from the airport station to Copenhagen Central (København H) in about 13 minutes, and on across the Øresund Bridge to Malmö in Sweden. Buy with a contactless card at the machine, or tap where open-loop is supported; the Rejsekort and the DOT ticket app are the local options. No cash is needed to leave the airport.
Can I order Danish kroner before flying?
You can, but you may not need to. CEI Currency Exchange ships physical Danish kroner to your US address in 2–5 days at a rate below the airport counters, useful only if you simply like arriving with a little cash. But Denmark is so card-and-MobilePay-driven that a cash float is nearly unnecessary. The cleanest setup is a no-FX-fee card (Wise or Schwab) for everything, including the Metro into town, and at most a small DKK reserve pulled from a bank ATM if you ever hit one of the rare cash-only situations.