Oresund Bridge, Copenhagen

When engineers designed the Oresund crossing in the 1990s, they ran into a problem: the bridge could not be tall enough to clear shipping lanes without violating flight paths for Copenhagen Airport on the Danish side. Their solution was to make the crossing become two things: a bridge on the Swedish end that submerges into a four-kilometre underwater tunnel on the Danish end, with an artificial island called Peberholm in between created entirely from dredged seafloor material. During construction, the crew found 16 unexploded World War II bombs on the seafloor, cleared them, and still finished three months ahead of schedule. The bridge opened on 1 July 2000.

The result is a combined road and rail link nearly 16 kilometres long connecting Copenhagen with Malmö. It was an act of deliberate political optimism: both Sweden and Denmark hoped it would create an integrated cross-border metropolitan region, and to a meaningful degree it worked. Malmö’s population grew significantly after the opening, Copenhagen’s labour market expanded southward, and students and workers now commute across the Oresund as a matter of routine.

Crossing by car

Tolls are collected at a plaza on the Swedish side (the Lernacken toll station near Malmö). You pay on exit from the bridge, regardless of which direction you are travelling. Cash has not been accepted since 2022; payment is by bank card or registered badge only. The standard one-way toll for a passenger car was approximately 470 DKK (roughly 63 euros) in 2026, with an adjustment in January 2026 in line with the Danish consumer price index. The BroPass or oresundGO discount subscription reduces this substantially if you cross regularly; the single-trip registered online price through oresundsbron.com is lower than the toll plaza rate. Book the plate-registered ticket online before travelling and you do not need to stop.

Crossing by train

The Oresund train (Oresundstaget) is the more sensible option for most visitors. Trains run every 20 minutes between Copenhagen Central Station and Malmö Central during most of the day, with 10-minute frequency during rush hours. The journey takes approximately 35 minutes. Copenhagen uses the Danish krone; Malmö uses Swedish kronor; buy tickets for each country’s rail network separately. The train runs under Peberholm through the tunnel section, surfacing onto the bridge with water visible on both sides before arriving in Malmö.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen’s food scene has been the most scrutinised in Scandinavia since Noma made it famous. Noma closed its restaurant operation in early 2025 and reorganised as a food innovation lab; the closure created a productive pressure on the rest of the city’s kitchens. Copenhagen now has more than 29 Michelin stars spread across 19 restaurants, the highest density in Scandinavia.

For visitors who want serious cooking without the six-hour tasting menu commitment, Kadeau (ranked 41 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list) focuses on Bornholm island produce, fermentation, and preservation. Alchemist, led by Rasmus Munk and holder of two Michelin stars, runs an immersive six-plus hour experience that is genuinely unlike anything else in Europe. Both book out weeks to months in advance.

For less formal eating, the Torvehallerne food market near Israels Plads is consistently good for lunch; Grod (porridge and grain dishes) and the smoked salmon stalls in particular draw both locals and visitors. The Copenhagen Street Food market at Papiroen (Paper Island) was relocated in recent years as development consumed the original site; check current location before going.

Tivoli Gardens, opened in 1843, functions both as an amusement park and as an evening entertainment venue with concerts, fireworks, and illuminated gardens. The rides are secondary to the atmosphere; it is worth visiting in the evening even without going on anything. Nyhavn, the colourful harbourfront, is where every guidebook photograph was taken and it is genuinely attractive despite the tourist density in summer.

For something less photographed: Assistens Cemetery in the Norrebro neighbourhood is where Hans Christian Andersen and Soren Kierkegaard are buried, and it is used as a park by local residents, with people picnicking between the graves. The Museum of Danish Resistance (Frihedsmuseet), covering the German occupation of Denmark from 1940 to 1945, is methodically excellent and rarely crowded.

Malmö

Malmö repays more time than most Copenhagen day-trippers give it. The Turning Torso, Santiago Calatrava’s twisted residential tower completed in 2005, is the most visible piece of architecture in the city skyline and worth approaching on foot from the Vastra Hamnen (Western Harbour) waterfront, which has been developed from former shipyard land into a functional mixed-use neighbourhood with good waterfront walking.

The Moderna Museet in Malmö, a branch of Stockholm’s modern art museum, occupies a converted power station in Gasverksgatan and has a consistently strong programme for a mid-size regional gallery. Entry is 120 SEK. Stortorget, the main square, has a fine 16th-century town hall and is most animated on market days.

For eating in Malmö, Varv in the Dockan district (revitalised former docklands, a short walk from the waterfront) is the current strong recommendation: an all-day eatery and bakery run by experienced chefs with a daily-changing menu. Bastard, in the old town, has been doing long-running regional cooking for years and remains one of the most consistent choices in the city.

Staying in the region

Copenhagen hotels are priced at full European capital rates: expect 1,500 to 2,500 DKK per night for a decent mid-range property near the centre. The Hotel Admiral on the waterfront near Nyhavn offers a practical location and character (the building is an 18th-century granary). Generator Hostel near Radhuspladsen is the most functional budget option.

Staying in Malmö and day-tripping to Copenhagen is a legitimate money-saving strategy given the 35-minute crossing time. Swedish hotel prices run 20 to 30 percent lower than Copenhagen equivalents for comparable properties, and the Oresund train makes the commute straightforward.

Practical notes

The Oresund region straddles two currencies, two languages, two mobile networks, and two public transport ticketing systems. Credit cards work universally. English is spoken confidently in both cities by virtually all service workers. The weather follows the same pattern on both sides of the strait: cold and dark from October to March, with genuine summer warmth from late May through August. July is peak season; spring and early autumn are the better value months with less crowding and more comfortable temperatures.

The most efficient use of one day: train from Copenhagen to Malmö, walk the Western Harbour waterfront to Moderna Museet, lunch in Dockan, train back to Copenhagen by mid-afternoon, Torvehallerne for coffee and snacks, Nyhavn for the evening atmosphere. That sequence gives a usable impression of both cities without spending more than a single night.