The Öresund Bridge, a Danish-Swedish wonder of engineering connecting Copenhagen and Malmö, blows out its 25 birthday candles this year. Opening its gates to traffic on July 1, 2000, the bridge has since transformed cross-border commuting, business trends, and regional economies. This bridge is 16 kilometers long in total, including a tunnel. It is unashamedly pipped to the proud boast of being the longest road and rail bridge in the European Union.
In May, the Danish-Swedish research institute Öresundsinstitutet published new numbers that paint a picture of the bridge’s enormous impact. It has tremendously improved cross-border mobility and stimulated economic development. The data paints a picture of a remarkable 400% increase in cross-border commuting since its creation. This increase is accompanied by a staggering 60% uptick in Swedes and Danes relocating to the other side of the bridge. This troubling trend illustrates the bridge’s important role as a mobility lifeline.
The bridge has pulled in enterprise—more than 100 companies have moved their Swedish HQ or specialist offices to Malmö. This transformation has produced thousands of jobs. It’s ignited a stunning 73% boost in the formation of new tech start-ups and life science companies in Malmö. On both sides of the Öresund Strait, access to a wider pool of potential skilled labor has been greatly enhanced. This expansion adds to the good economic news.
Perhaps the most important ingredient to the bridge’s success is how easy it makes it to go across. A single train journey in one direction from downtown Copenhagen to central Malmö is roughly $17 (£13; €15). It usually takes 40 minutes to complete the trip. If you want to drive, it’ll run you about $80 to cross the bridge. Frequent riders get a huge deal on their monthly passes. In 2024, thousands of commuters set record ridership for the fledgling train service. They constituted about 41,000 trips per day, more than 95% of which were made from Malmö to Copenhagen.
Sandra Mondahl, a game developer, makes the round trip commute between Malmö and Copenhagen almost every day. She is grateful for the special opportunities the bridge has provided her.
“We have this very unique opportunity of being able to go back and forth.” – Sandra Mondahl
She explained how this newfound mobility enables her to further both Denmark’s and Sweden’s game development scenes. Mondahl pointed to some of the cultural differences she has noticed in her work experiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Danes are known for being the most blunt out of the Scandinavian cultures…whereas Swedes are known as being a little bit more consensus-seeking.” – Sandra Mondahl
This cultural exchange makes the day-to-day working experience all the more meaningful for everyone who crosses the bridge on a routine basis.
For some the draw of living on one side of the Öresund Bridge and working on the other end has created potential international commutes. Laurine Deschamps, who’s lived in both Malmö and Copenhagen, shared what makes each city great.
“Some people would pick [to live in] Copenhagen, to be in a bustling capital city with lots of activities.” – Laurine Deschamps
This desire for Malmö is part of a larger trend amongst suburban commuters who enjoy the compactness and transit availability of the smaller city.
“I very much prefer Malmö – it’s a human-sized city, you can walk everywhere.” – Laurine Deschamps
Economic considerations are inextricably entwined with social considerations. Economic factors heavily influence people’s choices to move and commute. As industry professional Johan Wessman once said when commenting on the regional differences that could be perceived between Malmö and Copenhagen.
Regardless of these differences, Wessman is confident that new infrastructure projects will continue to improve links between Denmark and Sweden.
“Malmö is a regional city. In a capital, you have the kind of jobs that don’t exist in a smaller city, [and] you have higher salaries in Copenhagen than in Malmö.” – Johan Wessman
Even though the Öresund Bridge has greatly eased the commute, many people still encounter mental barriers when they think about taking a cross-border job. Hermann Haraldsson, a fellow business owner who moved to Malmö, admitted this was a hurdle.
“I think it will take several more years before the next connection is ready to be inaugurated. But it will come, and it will be needed.” – Johan Wessman
On the positive side, he added that demand for job postings has rocketed since his company’s relocation across the strait.
“I think there is a mental barrier for some Danes to cross the bridge and work in Sweden.” – Hermann Haraldsson
With the Öresund Bridge connecting them, crossing between the two countries has never been easier. It more importantly fuels economic expansion and ignites new ideas in Denmark and Sweden. Now as it celebrates its 25th anniversary, the bridge continues to represent the unity and collaboration possible between two great nations.
“Since we announced the move, I believe that the amount of applications for open positions has tripled.” – Hermann Haraldsson
The Öresund Bridge not only facilitates travel but also serves as a catalyst for growth and innovation in both Denmark and Sweden. As it marks its 25th anniversary, the bridge stands as a symbol of unity and collaboration between two nations.