Foreign: Copenhagen

When heading from Copenhagen airport to the centre of town, I decided to eschew the direct train, and go a slightly more protracted route on the new Metro.  In fact, as the Metro doesn't serve Central Station (presumably putting it on a strategic par with Fenchuch Street), I also got to go on one of the mainline suburban trains too.

The Danes like their design, and like the neighbouring country of Ikea, they like things minimal.  The trains are large and wide, and the floating seats allow easy cleaning of the floor (which was slushy with melted snow and grit).  But this unrelenting efficiency makes them a little characterless, feeling a bit like a cross between the plastic delights of the Croydon Tramlink and the DLR.  Although, like the DLR, you can go right to the front and pretend to drive / be taking off from Battlestar Galactica.  Should that sort of thing roll your stock.

Yes, camera, please focus of the scratched graffiti,

rather than the tunnel.  Thank you.

The Metro stations also seem to be of a uniform design.  Symmetrical escalators zigzag up towards the skylights, whilst the metal-panelled walls make the whole place feel a bit surgical and cold.  But nonetheless hi-tech and pleasantly shiny.

Rather cutely, the arrivals boards count down in half-minutes.

Another bit of escalator porn, for those that way inclined.

The suburban trains were also massively wide, and quite unlike British trains, were happy to carry bicycles.

Note that although loads of people in Copenhagen cycle, none wear helmets.  These seems somehow at odds with the high-pay, high-tax Welfare State system in which you can't even buy booze from an off-license after 8pm lest you get tipsy and fall in the sea.

I had hoped to take a river taxi too, but the canals had frozen over.  It was cold.

I thought that expanse of white was a field.  

Actually, it's a frozen and snowed-over lake...