// overview
The Øresund Bridge is a combined road-rail crossing connecting Copenhagen, Denmark to Malmö, Sweden across the Øresund strait. The full Øresund Link is 15.9 km long and consists of three distinct sections: an immersed tunnel, an artificial island, and a cable-stayed bridge. It opened on 1 July 2000.
Before the bridge, crossing required a 45-minute ferry. Today the train journey takes 35 minutes and the drive approximately 15 minutes on the bridge section. The Øresund Region — a cross-border metropolitan area of nearly 4 million people — is one of Europe's most integrated labour markets.
// structural_sections
// section_01: drogden_tunnel
A 4.05-kilometre immersed tunnel beneath the Drogden channel near Copenhagen Airport. The tunnel was chosen to preserve flight paths for the airport and maintain a clear shipping channel. It consists of 20 pre-fabricated concrete elements, each weighing up to 55,000 tonnes, lowered into a trench on the seabed.
// section_02: peberholm_island
An artificial island approximately 4 km long, created from material excavated during tunnel construction. It serves as the transition point between the tunnel and bridge. Since creation, Peberholm has evolved into an accidental nature reserve with over 450 plant species. Human access is restricted.
// section_03: cable_stayed_bridge
The bridge section stretches 7,845 metres from Peberholm to the Swedish coast near Malmö. Two main pylons rise 204 metres above the water. The longest span between pylons is 490 metres, and the clearance beneath the bridge is 57 metres. The bridge carries a four-lane motorway (E20) on its upper deck and a double-track railway on its lower deck.
| section | length | type | note |
|---|---|---|---|
| drogden_tunnel | 4.05 km | immersed | airport clearance |
| peberholm | ~4 km | artificial island | nature reserve |
| cable_bridge | 7.845 km | cable-stayed | 204m pylons |
| total_link | ~15.9 km | combined | DK → SE |
// crossing_methods
// by_car
From Denmark, the motorway leads through the Drogden Tunnel first, then emerges onto the bridge. The toll plaza is on the Swedish side at Lernacken. Speed limit: 90 km/h. Payment via toll booth, online ticket, or ØresundGO discount agreement.
// by_train
The Øresund Line connects Copenhagen Central to Malmö Central in approximately 35 minutes, stopping at Copenhagen Airport. Services run every 20 minutes during the day. Operators: DSB (Denmark) and Skånetrafiken (Sweden).
// history
The concept of a fixed link dates to the 1930s. A formal agreement was signed in 1991, construction began in 1995, and the bridge opened on 1 July 2000 — ahead of schedule. The project received the 2002 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award.