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New in Copenhagen: getting on a bike in your first week

Just moved to Copenhagen or Aarhus? How to get a bike without a CPR number, the cycling rules locals expect you to know, and how to avoid having your bike stolen.

Updated 4 min read

Short answer: You don't need a CPR number to get a bike. Buy one second-hand, or subscribe with your passport and ride the same week. Then learn three things before your first ride: lights after dark, the two-stage left turn, and always lock your bike.

In Copenhagen, 43% of trips to work and education were made by bike in 2025. The city has 401 km of cycle tracks, and Copenhageners own 754,200 bikes. You'll want one too.

Step 1: sort out your paperwork (it takes a few weeks)

  • CPR number: If you're staying more than three months and have an address, you register at International House Copenhagen (Nyropsgade 1) or ICS in Aarhus (DOKK1). You can apply online up to four weeks before you arrive, but the number is only issued after you arrive, at an appointment.
  • Yellow health card: Arrives 2-4 weeks after your CPR registration. The "Sundhedskortet" app works in its place.
  • MitID: Danish digital ID. Many services, including some bike providers and police reports, expect it.

That's why a lot of newcomers spend their first weeks walking or on public transport. You don't have to.

Step 2: get a bike without a CPR number

You have two realistic options:

  • Buy second-hand. Cheapest if you're staying for years. Check the frame number in the police register first, so you don't buy a stolen bike, and get a written sales contract. We compare the costs in buy or subscribe.
  • Subscribe. At Ring Ring you book online, verify with your passport and a selfie, and pick up the bike from a bike shop near where you live. From DKK 89 a month, DKK 0 setup fee, DKK 300 deposit you get back. If it breaks, you swap it at the same shop the same day.

Step 3: the rules locals expect you to know

  • Lights: From sunset to sunrise you need a white or yellowish light at the front and a red one at the back. No lights: DKK 700 fine.
  • Red lights: DKK 1,000.
  • Phone: Holding your phone while cycling is DKK 1,000.
  • Left turns: Don't move into the middle of the road. Ride straight across, stop at the far corner, turn your bike and cross again.
  • Hand signals: Arm out before you turn, arm up before you stop.
  • Stay right: Slow riders keep right on the cycle track, so others can overtake on the left.
  • Pavements: No cycling on the pavement or in pedestrian streets. DKK 700.

Full list with every fine: cycling rules in Denmark.

Step 4: don't lose your bike

44,043 bike thefts were reported in Denmark in 2025, and about a third of each year's thefts happen in summer. A few habits help:

  • Always lock the bike, also for "just two minutes".
  • Take a photo of the frame number the day you get it.
  • If it's stolen, report it on politi.dk or call 114 if you don't have MitID. Here's what to do if your bike is stolen.

Aarhus too

Everything above works in Aarhus as well. You register at ICS West in DOKK1, and the city has been building supercycle routes to Skejby-Lisbjerg and Tilst. We cover Aarhus with the same prices as Copenhagen.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a bike in Copenhagen without a CPR number?

Yes. You can buy a used bike, or subscribe to Ring Ring with your passport and a selfie. You don't need a CPR number or a yellow health card.

How long does it take to get a CPR number in Denmark?

You can apply online up to four weeks before you arrive, but the number is issued after you arrive, at an appointment at International House or ICS. The yellow health card then arrives 2-4 weeks later.

Do I need a helmet to cycle in Copenhagen?

No, helmets aren't required by law on ordinary bikes. They are required on e-scooters and speed pedelecs.

What's the cheapest way to get a bike as an exchange student?

For a single semester, a subscription is often the cheapest and easiest, because you don't pay for repairs and don't have to sell the bike when you leave. At Ring Ring, 6 months costs DKK 99 a month.

Sources

Checked 29 September 2026.

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