Copenhagen launches tenders for first phase of Metro Line M5

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The expansion of Copenhagen’s driverless metro network has reached a pivotal milestone, with tenders now called for the first construction phase of the future Line M5, a project expected to reshape mobility across the Danish capital from 2036.

Major contracts mark a new stage for Copenhagen’s metro

Publicly available information from Metroselskabet, the company behind the Copenhagen Metro, shows that the primary construction contracts for the first stage of Line M5 have now been released to the market. The move shifts the project from long-running planning and design into the competitive tendering phase, opening the door for international and domestic construction groups to bid for one of northern Europe’s largest urban rail schemes.

The tenders cover two core packages for the initial section of the line: a civil works contract focused on tunnels and stations in the southern part of the route, and a separate contract for the transportation system supplying trains and key technical systems. According to project documents, the civil works package, labelled M5 Civil Works South, comprises roughly 7 kilometres of bored tunnels, five underground stations, one above-ground station, cross-passages, a ramp and a terminal shaft.

Metroselskabet’s published tender timeline indicates that prequalification for the main works began at the end of June 2026, with the main bid period scheduled to run from mid-September to late December. The tender for the transportation system, which will include fully automated trains, signalling, platform screen doors and power supply, has been launched in parallel, reflecting a strategy to keep civil construction and systems delivery on closely coordinated tracks.

According to information circulated on European procurement platforms, the first construction phase of M5 is being procured under a competitive dialogue model for the transportation system, while the large civil works contract follows a more traditional tendering structure. This combination is intended to balance cost competition with opportunities for bidders to propose optimised technical and digital solutions.

First phase to link Copenhagen Central with Amager and Prags Boulevard

Planning documents describe the first phase of Line M5 as a six-station route running from Copenhagen Central Station, one of Denmark’s busiest rail hubs, across the harbour and through parts of Amager to Prags Boulevard. This alignment is designed to provide new cross-city connections and additional capacity in fast-developing waterfront and inner-city districts.

The alignment will intersect with existing metro services and suburban rail, creating new interchange options that are expected to shorten journey times between key residential neighbourhoods, employment centres and cultural districts. Visualisations released earlier by Metroselskabet depict spacious, light-filled underground stations and an elevated stop on Amager, continuing the design language of Copenhagen’s existing metro while adapting to the specific urban contexts along M5.

Information from previous project presentations indicates that the line is planned to extend in a later phase towards the major land reclamation project at Lynetteholmen and towards Refshaleøen and other harbour developments. However, the current tenders focus solely on the southern section, which is planned to be the first part of M5 to enter service.

The opening of this initial phase is currently forecast for 2036, subject to the outcome of the tenders and subsequent contract negotiations. The wider network expansion, including a second stage of M5, is expected to follow under separate procurements and on a longer time horizon towards the 2040s.

Digital delivery, sustainability and capacity at the heart of the brief

The tender material places strong emphasis on the use of digital tools, climate performance and resource efficiency, reflecting national and local strategies for sustainable infrastructure. Requirements published for potential bidders highlight experience with digital design and construction methods, as well as capabilities for monitoring and reducing carbon emissions during the building phase.

In the civil works package, bidders are requested to document experience with large underground and above-ground transport structures in complex urban environments, including tunnels, viaducts and stations. The scope calls for careful coordination with existing utilities, dense city streets and sensitive waterfront areas, making contractor expertise in stakeholder management and urban construction logistics a significant evaluation factor.

For the transportation system contract, project information outlines a fully automated, driverless metro line that will extend Copenhagen’s existing use of unattended train operation. The new trains, control centre, signalling and platform screen doors are expected to support high frequencies and 24-hour service patterns similar to the current network, reinforcing the metro’s role as a backbone of sustainable mobility in the capital.

Published strategy documents from Metroselskabet and the City of Copenhagen underline a target of substantially reducing lifecycle emissions relative to earlier metro projects. This includes incentivising low-carbon construction materials, energy-efficient systems and design solutions that facilitate long-term operational savings.

Timeline, investment and international interest

The overall M5 programme has been several years in preparation, with political agreement on the line reached in 2025 and the necessary environmental approvals granted later that year. Prior to the current tenders, Metroselskabet awarded key design contracts for the line to engineering and architecture consortia, advancing route definition, station concepts and technical standards.

Public financial material suggests that the total cost of M5, including future extensions beyond the first phase, is expected to run into tens of billions of Danish kroner at current prices. The project is being developed within the broader framework used for earlier metro lines, where long-term borrowing is serviced through revenues from ticket sales and value capture in major urban development zones along the alignment.

Signals of interest from major European construction and rail technology groups have emerged over recent months, as the project has been showcased through industry presentations and procurement notices within the European Union. The combination of complex geology, harbour crossings and high automation standards is viewed in the sector as a flagship reference opportunity for future fully automated metro schemes.

The tender schedule indicates that evaluation and negotiations will extend through 2027, with contract awards likely to be followed by several years of detailed design and enabling works before full-scale tunnelling and station construction accelerates later in the decade. This phasing is intended to reduce risk on cost, schedule and community impacts.

Implications for travellers and the wider urban network

For future visitors and residents, Line M5 is expected to offer new direct routes between Copenhagen Central Station, emerging cultural and leisure areas along the harbour, and residential districts on Amager. Journey times between key points in the city are projected to shorten, while new interchanges with existing metro and S-train services will improve network resilience and flexibility.

Travel industry observers note that the first phase of M5 could enhance access to hotels, conference venues and waterfront attractions, particularly for passengers arriving at Copenhagen Central Station on long-distance and regional trains. The new stations planned along the route are being designed with generous concourses, clear wayfinding and step-free access, which are likely to benefit travellers with luggage and reduced mobility.

From a wider urban perspective, the line forms part of Copenhagen’s strategy to support dense, transit-oriented development in reclaimed and former industrial harbour areas while limiting growth in car traffic. By combining frequent, around-the-clock metro services with cycling infrastructure and pedestrian-friendly public spaces, city planners aim to maintain Copenhagen’s reputation for sustainable and liveable urbanism even as the metropolitan population grows.

As the tenders progress over the coming months, attention within the transport and construction sectors will focus on which consortia enter the race for the civil works and systems contracts, and how their proposals translate Copenhagen’s ambitions for a low-emission, high-capacity metro corridor into concrete timelines and designs.