A true icon of Scandinavia, the Öresund Bridge is a marvel of modern engineering. The bridge and tunnel project links Denmark and Sweden.
Next time you land at Copenhagen Airport, take a glance out of the window. The striking Öresund Bridge is hard to miss. Let’s take a closer look at this megaproject.
As the longest combined road/rail bridge in Europe, it spans about two-thirds of the Öresund strait. The Drogden Tunnel, a prefabricated reinforced concrete tunnel set into a trench in the sea bed, completes the journey.
An average of more than 20,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day, with around 14,000 people completing the journey by train.
Previously, those wanting to cross the strait between Denmark and Sweden had to wait for a ferry. No longer! Such is the ease of crossing that the official tourist organisation Wonderful Copenhagen even uses the slogan ‘one trip – two countries’ in its marketing!
A symbol of a peaceful Scandinavia
While it’s a scenic way of moving between Denmark and Sweden, the bridge has huge symbolic meaning.
The southernmost part of Sweden (Skåne/Scania) played host to centuries-long struggles between the two kingdoms. Today, the bridge stands as a true icon of a peaceful Scandinavia.
The story of the Öresund bridge
It’s symbolic also because of the cooperation it took to get the structure built. Many megaprojects fall down because of political disagreements, and this project had long seemed destined for a similar fate.
First proposed in 1936, the governments couldn’t agree on the project until 1973. Even after that, it took a further 18 years for a formal agreement to be signed.
One of the reasons was that many local people on both sides of the sound were opposed to the project. Some argued that the cost of the project would outweigh economic benefits. Others disagreed on environmental grounds.
Construction began in 1995 and despite a few setbacks including the discovery of unexploded World War II bombs on the seabed, it was finished slightly ahead of schedule in 1999. The bridge-tunnel project finally opened in the year 2000.
Facts about the bridge and the tunnel
At 7,845 metres long, the Öresund bridge covers half the distance between Sweden and Denmark. The structure has a mass of 82,000 tonnes and supports two railway tracks and four road lanes.
The bridge spans the gap between Sweden and the artificial island Peberholm, built from the rock and soil dredged up during the construction process.
Peberholm is connected to Denmark by the 4,050-metre-long Drogden Tunnel. Most of the tunnel is actually an immersed tube lay in a trench on the sea bed, with entry tunnels at each end.
There are five tubes within the tunnel, side-by-side. Two tubes carry railway tracks, two carry roads and the smaller fifth tube is provided for emergencies.
Was it worth it?
According to The Öresund Committee, the bridge has boosted the national economies of both Denmark and Sweden because of increased commuting possibilities and reduced travel costs. The quoted figures for economic gain are DKK 57 billion or SEK 78 billion, approximately 8.4 billion Euro at the time.
Perhaps more than anywhere else, Malmö has benefited from the bridge. Fast, direct access to Copenhagen Airport has brought many economic benefits to the city. Tourist attractions such as the Turning Torso are now within easy reach of everyone living in the Greater Copenhagen area. Plus millions of annual tourists, of course!
Big benefits to Malmö
A 2021 study found that the bridge led to an increase in innovation in Malmö due to the increase in highly-skilled workers drawn to the city. Another recent study found that the bridge caused an increase of 13.5% in the average wage of workers in the region, because of the expanded size of the labour market.
Christer Persson was Malmö’s director of strategic development between 1989 and 2003 and told BBC Capital: “Malmö was regarded as a very dull and grey city and there were lots of pessimistic views among politicians, the business community and also among ordinary people.”
“The government made an investigation and they came to the conclusion that ‘this is the time to build a bridge’, because that could make a change. They hoped to accelerate the transformation process of the city, from being a traditional old industrial town to a modern city with small and medium-sized companies in the new modern branches like IT, design, biotechnology for example.”
To improve things further, Sweden opened the Malmö City Tunnel in 2010. The SEK 9.45 billion rail project connected Malmö to the bridge and improved access to the Swedish network.
A backdrop to Nordic noir
As famous as the bridge was within the region, it’s standing internationally increased in 2011. Thats when the Scandinavian noir crime television series The Bridge hit screens all around the world.
The series, which airs in more than 100 countries, opens with the discovery of a dead body on the bridge. Because of the location, the investigation falls under the jurisdiction of police agencies in both Denmark and Sweden.
The success of the show sparked a huge interest in the region from visiting tourists. A 2.5hr guided bus tour of the movie locations – from bleak to beautiful – complete with in-bus clips from the series is one of the most popular things to do.
It starts in Malmö. Even if you’re not a fan of the series, it’s one of the best ways to get a feel for the area.
How to use the Öresund bridge
Crossing the bridge is easy. If you’re without a car, simply take the train from one of the train stations in Copenhagen. It takes just 35 minutes to reach Malmö, less if you are travelling from Copenhagen airport.
A one-way ticket on DSB regional trains cost less than SEK 100 and there are regular trains throughout the day. There’s no need to book a ticket in advance. You can just buy one from the ticket machines at the station.
Taking your passport is a wise move, even though you’re unlikely to need it. Europeans can get away with their national ID cards in place of a passport.