Day trip · Hillerød
Frederiksborg Castle day trip: the ornate castle, by train
Frederiksborg gives you a substantial castle museum, gardens and time in Hillerød. Take the train, allow for the onward walk or bus and give the visit at least half a day from Copenhagen. Choose it for the rooms and Danish history; if you mainly want a short royal stop in the city, Rosenborg is easier to fit.
Quick booking picks
Going to Frederiksborg? Sort these first.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through one, NordGuide earns a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
Yes, Frederiksborg is worth it if you want the most ornate castle interior near Copenhagen: Castle Church, Great Hall, portraits and formal gardens, in 2 to 3 hours. Take S-train line A from København H to Hillerød, about 40 minutes, then walk about 15 minutes to the castle. Adults pay DKK 125, students and seniors DKK 105, ages 0–17 free. Copenhagen Card Discover makes entry and the train DKK 0 extra, with no advance entrance booking needed. It is open daily 10:00–17:00, Mondays included.
Prices and hours checked 18 October 2026 on Frederiksborg’s official entrance page, its visit page and Copenhagen Card’s Frederiksborg listing. Train time checked on the Rejseplanen departure board on 18 October 2026. Fares are zone-based, so check Rejseplanen or DOT for your exact ticket on the day rather than trusting a fixed price in any guide.
Candid verdict: is Frederiksborg worth a day trip?
For most castle lovers, yes. Frederiksborg gives you the decorated rooms Kronborg largely does not: the Castle Church, the Great Hall, the Audience Chamber and a portrait collection that tells Danish history through faces. Outside, the 1720s Baroque Garden and the later landscape garden around the Castle Lake are half the visit, and they are an easy walk from Hillerød station.
Skip it or choose Kronborg instead if you only have time for one castle and prefer sea air, ramparts and the Hamlet story, if decorated interiors bore you, or if the weather is poor and the gardens would be wasted. Doing Frederiksborg and Kronborg on the same self-guided day is a lot of castle; if you want both without the logistics, use the guided option below. One timely note from the official visit page: 19–30 October 2026 the Audience Chamber and nearby rooms (Løngangen, Rotunden and Valdemarsalen) are closed while the Christmas installation is prepared, so go after 31 October if those rooms are the point of your trip.
Leaning towards Kronborg after all? Our Kronborg day trip guide covers the train to Helsingør, and you can book Kronborg Castle tickets on Tiqets (affiliate link).
Train from Copenhagen: S-train A to Hillerød
| Leg | Checked detail | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Train | S-train line A, København H → Hillerød St., about 40 minutes | Rejseplanen board checked 18 Oct 2026 showed 39 minutes in the return direction. Copenhagen Card describes it as about a 35-minute ride; allow 40 plus the walk. |
| Walk | About 15 minutes, Hillerød St. → castle | Per Copenhagen Card’s Frederiksborg listing: along the Castle Lake or through the pedestrian streets. |
| Ticket price | Zone-based; no single fixed price | Price depends on ticket type (single, Rejsekort, DOT app). Check Rejseplanen “Find a price” or DOT before you go. We do not invent a fare here. |
| With Copenhagen Card Discover | DKK 0 extra for train and entry | Discover includes public transport in zones 1–99, including Hillerød, per Copenhagen Card. |
Buy a valid ticket before boarding if you do not have the card or a Rejsekort; S-trains are proof-of-payment.
Frederiksborg is open on Mondays, unlike Louisiana and (from November) Kronborg. Our guide to day trips from Copenhagen by train shows which other trips work on a Monday.
Castle tickets (checked 18 October 2026)
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | DKK 125 | Whole museum and special exhibitions, valid for the day. |
| Student / senior 65+ | DKK 105 | Bring student ID where relevant. |
| Children 0–17 | Free | Per official entrance page. |
| Group (10+) | DKK 105 per person | Per official price list. |
| Copenhagen Card | DKK 0 | No need to book entrance tickets in advance. |
Source: Frederiksborg official entrance page, checked 18 October 2026. Opening hours are normally daily 10:00–17:00, including Mondays and Christmas/New Year dates listed by the museum.
Does the Copenhagen Card cover Frederiksborg?
Yes, with Discover. Copenhagen Card lists Frederiksborg (attraction 801) as included, and Frederiksborg itself lists Copenhagen Card entry as DKK 0 with no advance booking needed. Discover also includes the S-train to Hillerød. Do not assume the Hop card works the same for a regional day trip; run the numbers in our Copenhagen Card calculator first. If Discover wins, you can buy the Copenhagen Card DISCOVER on Tiqets (affiliate link).
Guided tour alternative, and going by car
If you would rather not handle trains and timings, the established guided option is the full-day minibus tour that combines Frederiksborg with Kronborg and Roskilde, with central-Copenhagen pickup. It solves the “which castle?” problem by doing both, at the cost of less time in the gardens.
Check the Frederiksborg, Kronborg & Roskilde day trip →
Compare Copenhagen day trips on Klook →
By car: about 38 km and roughly 37 minutes driving from central Copenhagen to Hillerød in free-flow conditions (route checked on OSRM, 18 October 2026; real traffic varies). A car only beats the train if you are combining Frederiksborg with Kronborg, Louisiana or rural North Zealand in the same day. Check parking and any roadworks on the day.
Compare car hire on DiscoverCars →
Affiliate links: if you book through GetYourGuide, Klook or DiscoverCars, NordGuide may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure. Klook is a general Copenhagen day-trip comparison here; check the exact product, pickup and inclusions before paying.
Quick answers
How do I get from Copenhagen to Frederiksborg Castle by train?
Take S-train line A from Kobenhavn H (Copenhagen Central) to Hillerod St., about 40 minutes (Rejseplanen departure board checked 18 October 2026 showed 39 minutes Hillerod to Kobenhavn H), then about a 15 minute walk to the castle, per Copenhagen Card. The fare is zone-based; check Rejseplanen Find a Price or the DOT app for your ticket type on the day. Copenhagen Card Discover includes the train in zones 1-99.
How much are Frederiksborg Castle tickets in 2026?
Adults pay DKK 125, students and seniors 65+ DKK 105, and children 0-17 are free, checked 18 October 2026 on the official Frederiksborg entrance page. The ticket covers the whole museum and special exhibitions for the day.
Is Frederiksborg Castle included in the Copenhagen Card?
Yes, with Copenhagen Card Discover: entry is DKK 0 and no advance entrance booking is needed, per Frederiksborg and Copenhagen Card (attraction 801). Discover also includes public transport to Hillerod in zones 1-99. The Hop card does not include the regional train in the same way, so check the calculator before buying.
Is Frederiksborg Castle open on Mondays?
Yes. Frederiksborg says it is open every day throughout the year, Mondays too, normally 10:00-17:00, including 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and 1 January.
How long do you need at Frederiksborg Castle?
Allow 2 to 3 hours for the castle and Museum of National History, plus the Baroque and landscape gardens. With the train and walk, plan at least a half day from Copenhagen.
Frederiksborg or Kronborg: which castle day trip is better?
Frederiksborg for ornate interiors, the Castle Church, the Great Hall and formal gardens on the Castle Lake. Kronborg for the sea, the casemates and the Hamlet story. Doing both in one short trip is a lot of castle; the guided Grand Day Trip combines them with Roskilde if you prefer not to choose.