When we booked our trip to Copenhagen, we planned it knowing that we could also get in a day trip to Sweden. I liked the idea of being able to cross two countries off my bucket list in one go. Plus, after visiting Oslo at the end of August, I was keen to explore more of Scandinavia. From Copenhagen, you’re able to get a train across to Malmö in Sweden in under an hour. We were in Copenhagen from Friday to Monday, so we decided to travel over to Sweden on the Sunday.
The Øresund Bridge
The Øresund Bridge which connects Denmark and Sweden is the longest road and rail bridge in Europe. It stands at 204 meters tall and is approximately 16 kilometres in length, part of which is underground. Construction began on the bridge in 1995, finishing in 1999. The bridge opened to the public on 1st July 1999 connecting Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmö in Sweden.
The journey from Copenhagen Central Station (Københavns Hovedbanegård) to Malmö Central Station takes around 49 minutes and passes through Copenhagen Airport (Københavns Lufthavn, Kastrup).
Crossing the Øresund Bridge from Copenhagen to Malmö
We went over to Malmö on the Sunday morning. Trains between Copenhagen and Malmö run around every 20 minutes. Despite not speaking Danish, it’s easy enough to find your way around the train station. The platforms are displayed on the electronic boards just like in UK stations.
How much does it cost?
Two single tickets from Copenhagen to Malmö cost us DKK 182 (approx £21.77). Two tickets from Malmö to Copenhagen cost us SEK 240 (approx £19.85). Return tickets are not available, which is why we purchased two singles. The exchange rate at the time meant that the tickets bought in Sweden were slightly cheaper. Sweden is the cheaper of the two countries. There was an option to travel First Class, but it was triple the price and not worth it for such a short journey. If you choose to get the bus over, then single tickets can cost as little as £7.
How long does it take to get from Copenhagen to Malmö?
There’s only five stops between Copenhagen Central Station and Malmö Central Station:
– Ørestad (Denmark)
– Tårnby (Denmark)
– Koebenhavns Lufthavn st (Copenhagen Airport, Denmark)
– Hyllie St (Sweden)
– Triangeln St (Sweden)
– Malmö Central Station (Sweden)
If you want to spend the day shopping, then get off at Triangeln St for the mall. Triangeln Station is also really spectacular to look at. If you’re into architecture, it’s worth a stop. If you just want to go to Malmö, then continue to Malmö Central Station.
It’s definitely worth taking a day trip over the Øresund Bridge if you have time. We found that a few hours was all we needed in Malmö and it was a great chance to go to a new country.
