M4 (Copenhagen Metro)
The M4 (the Harbour Line) of the Copenhagen Metro connects Nordhavn in the north with Sydhavn in the south. The central part of the line shares tracks with the City Circle Line (M3).
| M4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Owner | Metroselskabet | ||
| Locale | Copenhagen, Denmark | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations |
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| Service | |||
| Type | Rapid transit | ||
| System | Copenhagen Metro | ||
| Operator(s) | Metro Service | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 28 March 2020 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Number of tracks | Double | ||
| Character | Underground | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | 750 V DC third rail | ||
| Operating speed | 90 km/h (56 mph) | ||
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The Nordhavn branch was approved by the Danish Parliament in 2012 and was opened on 28 March 2020. The Sydhavn branch was approved in 2015 and is expected to open in 2024.
Both Nordhavn and Sydhavn are former industrial areas situated at opposite ends of the Port of Copenhagen and currently undergoing urban renewal under the auspices of By & Havn.
When the City Circle Line was planned, the M4 was intended to supplement the M3 from Nørrebro to København H providing increased metro capacity to the eastern section of the inner city. At this time, it was presumed that the M4 would eventually be expanded from Nørrebro to the northwestern suburbs, but this plan was abandoned in 2009, when the city of Copenhagen scrapped plans for an interchange facility under Nørrebro station. Instead, the city preferred a solution where the M4 would connect the Nordhavn and Sydhavn districts.