Öresund Bridge Tours and Activities

Opened in 2000 and made famous by the popular TV show The Bridge, the 5-mile (8-kilometer) Øresund Bridge dominates the Øresund Strait—the stretch of water separating Denmark and Sweden. The total length of the road and rail link is 10 miles (16 kilometers), which allows you to travel between the two countries in just 10 minutes.

The Basics
Considered a marvel of engineering, Øresund Bridge is the longest combined road-and-rail bridge in Europe. The bridge makes sightseeing in both Copenhagen and Malmö a breeze; you can book a day trip that ticks of two countries in one day or, if you’re pressed for time, take a half-day tour of Malmö as a side trip. Alternatively, self-guided tours let you explore at your own pace without worrying about logistics.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Øresund Bridge is a must-see for those with an interest in architecture and engineering.
• If driving across the bridge, you’ll need to pay a toll to cross, which paid on the Swedish side. Most guided tours include this.
• The best view of the bridge is from Malmö’s Ribersborg Beach.
• In 2015, security was stepped up and random border control checks were implemented. You may not have to show it, but carry your passport just in case.

How to Get There
To get on the bridge from Malmö, take Amiralsgatan road from the Old Town to Nobelvagen, which turns into Trelleborgsvagen. From there, join the E20 highway, which leads across the Øresund Bridge to Amager Island in Denmark. From Copenhagen, take Orestads Boulevard and Center Boulevard to get onto the E20.

When to Get There
The bridge is open to traffic 24 hours. If you are interested in photographing the bridge, it looks particularly attractive when lit-up after dark, when the sparkling lights of its cables are reflected in the water.

Peberholm Island
Peberholm Island, which was created to accommodate the bridge piers and tunnel, is now a designated nature reserve with a wide range of flora and fauna, including more than 500 different species of plants, as well as spiders, insects, and the rare green toad.