The Oresund Bridge, an 8-kilometre marvel of engineering that connects Denmark and Sweden, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
The 鈧2.6 billion structure, linking Copenhagen with the Swedish port of Malmo, has transformed the region into a business powerhouse and economic success story as well as a symbol of European integration. The kings and queens of both nations will commemorate the anniversary with a ceremonial convoy across the bridge, pausing at Peberholm Island.
Once a geopolitical chokepoint where Danish kings extorted transit fees from passing ships, the Oresund Strait is now a busy commuter corridor. The bridge, opened in 2000, has all but merged Copenhagen and Malmo into a single metropolitan area. 鈥淭here is a before and after the bridge,鈥 said Linus Eriksson, CEO of the bridge鈥檚 operating company. 鈥淏efore, Malmo was a town in crisis, and Copenhagen struggled. Now, the region thrives economically.鈥
The bridge gained global fame through The Bridge, a noir crime drama featuring detectives Saga Noren and Martin Rohde solving trans-strait mysteries. However, the real issue for daily commuters is the high cost of the toll. A one-way car journey now costs 510 Danish kroner (鈧68), making it the world鈥檚 most expensive bridge toll. A passenger car with a trailer costs 鈧122, and a motorhome costs between 鈧122 and 鈧215 depending on the size.
The bridge, jointly owned by Denmark and Sweden, is financed by loans that tolls help repay. Prices are set at such a rate so as not to affect a private ferry service a few kilometres away. Still, 38 million people crossed in 2024, and both Danes and Swedes love the bridge鈥檚 role in bringing the culture of the two countries closer together, according to research.