Public transport access worsens near homes in 67 municipalities

Access to public transport has deteriorated in two out of three Danish municipalities in recent years, DR reports. In 67 municipalities, a larger share of residents has lost access to public transport within a 500-metre walk of their homes since 2023.

In some municipalities, the deterioration is limited, while in others it is more substantial. DR’s interactive map shows how access has changed across the country.

Statistics Denmark assessed access by measuring how often residents could board a bus, train or metro within 500 metres of their homes. The analysis covers weekdays between 6am and 8pm.

Traffic researcher and professor Otto Anker Nielsen from DTU said it had become harder to make public transport financially viable in rural areas. There are fewer passengers and ticket revenues in sparsely populated areas, while driver wages have also increased.

“That is why bus routes are being closed, which leads to poorer service and then even fewer passengers. It is a vicious circle,” Nielsen said.

The decline in access is also linked to municipalities prioritising express routes, on which buses travel more directly between major towns without detours, Nielsen said. Many passengers appreciate being able to travel faster between larger towns with fewer stops.

But this means that some people living in remote areas are no longer covered by public transport, even though they were previously served, he said. Providing public transport throughout an entire municipality is expensive, Nielsen added.

How the analysis was conducted

Statistics Denmark measured people’s access to public transport within a 500-metre walking distance of their homes. The service level was calculated as an average of all available departures per hour during the 6am to 8pm period, based on data from Rejseplanen and representative weekdays.

The categories were defined as follows:

Very high: At least 10 departures per hour and access to more than one type of public transport, typically a bus plus a train or ferry.

High: At least 10 departures per hour. DR combined this category with the very high category.

Medium: Four to nine departures per hour.

Low: Fewer than four departures per hour.

None: No public transport option within a 500-metre walk of the home.

DR’s analysis shows that the overall service level declined between 2023 and 2025 in more than 70 municipalities. The declines were small in some municipalities and larger in others.

While more people have lost nearby bus stops, the ride-sharing service Nabogo is growing. It provides subsidies to people who travel together.