Køge Nord Station & Panoramic Footbridge

A sculptural gateway to Greater Copenhagen

Køge Nord Station rises above the flat landscape north of Køge as a sleek, elongated volume suspended over railway tracks and the Køge Bugt motorway. Opened in 2019 as part of the Copenhagen–Ringsted high‑speed line, it functions as an intercity, regional and S‑train interchange, dramatically improving rail connections between Copenhagen, Køge and the rest of Zealand. From ground level the dominant impression is the 225‑meter enclosed bridge, a gleaming, gently curving "steel snake" that visually ties together the rail lines and the surrounding park‑and‑ride areas. Set slightly apart from the town itself, the station feels like a contemporary city gate, announcing your arrival in the Copenhagen metropolitan area.

Inside the warm wooden tunnel of light

Step inside the bridge and the character changes from infrastructural to almost lounge‑like. The interior is clad in narrow wooden slats that soften acoustics and add a tactile, Scandinavian warmth. Long bands of glazing open towards the north, flooding the walkway with daylight and framing views across fields, warehouses and the highway below. On the south side, smaller openings puncture the timber lining, creating an alternating rhythm of light and shadow as you move along the gently sloping floor. Small bays and widened sections offer places to pause, check departure boards or simply lean on the railing and watch the flow of trains and traffic threading through the landscape beneath your feet.

Panoramic views over rails, road and region

One of Køge Nord’s quiet highlights is its unexpected panorama. From the center of the bridge you can trace the lines of the high‑speed tracks stretching towards Ringsted and Copenhagen, while the constant movement on the motorway adds another layer of motion. In clear weather the horizon feels wide and open, giving a strong sense of Greater Copenhagen’s geography and ongoing development. Photographers and architecture enthusiasts find plenty of visual drama: diagonals of track, the curve of the bridge, reflections in the glass and brushed metal, and the contrast between the cool exterior shell and the glowing timber core. At sunrise and sunset, light washes through the slatted interior, turning the long corridor into a golden tunnel suspended in mid‑air.

A hub for park‑and‑ride and greener commuting

Beyond its sculptural qualities, Køge Nord is conceived as a major hub for green mobility. Large car parks encircle the station, allowing drivers from Zealand to leave their cars and switch to fast electric trains into Copenhagen in around twenty minutes. This park‑and‑ride concept is central to regional climate ambitions and has led to ongoing expansion of parking capacity as demand grows. The station’s layout is designed to keep flows intuitive: clear sightlines from parking areas to platforms, generous stairs and lifts up to the bridge, and sheltered waiting zones along the platforms. Everything focuses on making the change between car, local train and long‑distance services as smooth as possible, reducing stress at the start and end of each journey.

Everyday infrastructure as contemporary landmark

Køge Nord was designed by Danish architecture offices COBE and DISSING+WEITLING with the explicit ambition to turn an ordinary commute into a better spatial experience. The project demonstrates how a transport node can double as a piece of civic architecture, branding an area in the same way as a museum or cultural center. As the surrounding business districts and residential areas continue to grow, the station acts as a catalyst, anchoring new development around high‑quality public transport. For travelers, it offers a brief but memorable encounter with contemporary Danish design: a place where you might only spend a few minutes each day, but where materials, light and views quietly lift the routine of getting from A to B.